GB2270729A - Pipeline pig introducing apparatus - Google Patents
Pipeline pig introducing apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2270729A GB2270729A GB9218250A GB9218250A GB2270729A GB 2270729 A GB2270729 A GB 2270729A GB 9218250 A GB9218250 A GB 9218250A GB 9218250 A GB9218250 A GB 9218250A GB 2270729 A GB2270729 A GB 2270729A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- pig
- pipeline
- carrier
- inflated
- inflatable
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L55/00—Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems
- F16L55/10—Means for stopping flow from or in pipes or hoses
- F16L55/12—Means for stopping flow from or in pipes or hoses by introducing into the pipe a member expandable in situ
- F16L55/124—Means for stopping flow from or in pipes or hoses by introducing into the pipe a member expandable in situ introduced radially into the pipe or hose
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Pipe Accessories (AREA)
- Cleaning In General (AREA)
Abstract
There is provided apparatus (10) for the introduction of a pipeline pig (20) into a pipeline at some location along the length of the pipeline, the apparatus including a carrier (18) for an inflatable pig body (20) in a deflated condition, means for introducing a part of said carrier into the pipeline to position said inflatable pig body within said pipeline, means (26, 30, 32) for inflating said inflatable pig body, and means 28, 34 for effecting the release of the inflated pig from said carrier. The means for effecting the release of the inflated pig from the carrier may be an overload release which is effective on the attainment of a pre-determined pressure in the inflated pig. Alternatively, the pig may be inflated with a predetermined volume of fluid and the means for effecting the release of the inflated pig may be manually operable mechanical means or may be effected by the re-establishment of a liquid or gas flow through the pipeline. The apparatus lends itself ideally for use with subsea pipelines, that is to say where the breaking of a pipeline at a flange to introduce a pig is not possible or is uneconomic. <IMAGE>
Description
Pipeline pig introducing apparatus
The invention relates to pipeline pig introducing apparatus; that is to say to apparatus whereby a device can be introduced into a pipeline to be propelled along the pipeline by a liquid or gas flow to clean its walls or to swab and purge the pipeline, for example. Pipeline pigs used for such a purpose have generally been made of a deformable foam elastomer or of a gelatinous material so as to be capable of passing through restrictive fittings, such as valves, and have generally been introduced into a pipeline through an open end.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for the introduction of a pipeline pig into a pipeline at some location along the length of the pipeline, the apparatus including a carrier for an inflatable pig body in a deflated condition, means for introducing a part of said carrier into the pipeline to position said inflatable pig body within said pipeline, means for inflating said inflatable pig body, and means for effecting the release of the inflated pig from said carrier.
The carrier for the inflatable pig body may be of generally cylindrical form and may extend into the pipeline through a fluid tight gland. The carrier may be provided with a cavity in which the inflatable pig body can be located in deflated condition.
The means for inflating said inflatable pig body may include a one-way valve which remains associated with the inflated pig after the latter has been released from the carrier. The fluid used to inflate the pig body may be a urethane or polyurethane foam material which reacts after inflation of the pig to form a deformable solid plug member bounded by the material forming the pig body. Alternatively, the inflating fluid may be a self supporting gelatinous substance or other hygroscopic material suitable for use in dry gas pipelines.
The means for effecting the release of the inflated pig from the carrier may be an overload release which is effective on the attainment of a pre-determined pressure in the inflated pig.
Alternatively, the pig may be inflated with a predetermined volume of fluid and the means for effecting the release of the inflated pig may be a manually operable mechanical means or may be effected by the re-establishment of a liquid or gas flow through the pipeline.
In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of apparatus embodying the invention for fitment to a pipeline,
Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 in
Figure 1, and
Figures 3 to 5 are views similar to Figure 1 and illustrating successive stages in the inflation of a pipeline pig within the pipeline.
Referring now to Figure 1, apparatus there illustrated for the introduction of a pipeline pig into a pipeline is generally indicated 10 and is shown about to be mounted on a branch pipe 12 projecting from the pipeline at some location along its length. (It will be understood that an isolation valve 14 upstream of said branch pipe will have been closed to enable the apparatus to be mounted on the branch pipe in communication with the flow passage through the pipeline).
The apparatus 10 comprises a flanged cylndrical body 16 which is to be bolted to the flange of the branch pipe and a carrier 18 for an inflatable pig body 20 in a deflated condition, the carrier being slidably mounted in said body 16. The carrier, being of generally cylindrical form, extends through a fluid-tight gland 22 at an upper end of the body 16, and is rotatable in said body. A lower part of the carrier is provided with a cavity 24 in which a pig body in deflated condition can be located.
The apparatus also includes means for inflating the inflatable pig body, said means including a flow line 26 extending axially through the upper part of the carrier with connecting means 28 at a lower end of said flow line for connection to a neck portion of the inflatable pig body located in the cavity 24. A flexible conduit 30 connected to the upper end of said flow line communicates, via a manually operable valve 32, with a source of fluid under pressure for inflating the pig. The connecting means 28 for connection to the neck portion of the inflatable pig are releasable from the pig on the attainment of a pre-determined pressure in the inflated pig. A one-way valve 34 is located in the neck portion of the inflatable pig and remains associated with the inflated pig after the connecting means 28 have been released therefrom.
In use of the apparatus, when it is desired to introduce a pipeline pig into the pipeline, the carrier 18, with a pig body in deflated condition in the cavity 24, is advanced to the position shown in Figure 3, with the cavity facing downstream of the pipeline. As fluid under pressure is then admitted to said pig body, the latter becomes released from the cavity 24 and begins to expand to fill the available cross sectional space within the pipeline as shown in Figure 4. Having filled the cross sectional space within the pipeline, continued inflation of the pig body will cause it to assume an elogate shape, as shown in Figure 5.
The pressure of the fluid within the pig when it has assumed a pre-determined length is such that this constitutes an overload release for effecting the release of the inflated pig from the carrier.
That is to say, the pressure of the fluid being forced through the connecting means 28 into the neck portion of the inflated pig body causes said neck portion to break free. (This can be arranged to be either as a result of a tearing action of the neck portion of the pig body above the one way valve 34 or by the overloading of a mechanical clamping means by which the neck portion has been secured to the connecting means 28).
The fluid which has been used to inflate the pig body has been a material which reacts after inflation of the pig to form a deformable solid plug member bounded by the elastomeric material forming the pig body.
When the inflated pig has become released from the carrier, the apparatus can be extracted from the pipeline and the branch pipe re-capped. The isolation valve 14 will then be re-opened so that the flow of fluid or gas along the pipeline will propel the inflated pig whatever its purpose, be this to swab the walls of the pipeline or as a barrier to separate different fluids conveyed simultaneously through the pipeline for example.
Thus there is provided easily operable apparatus for the introduction of a pipeline pig into a pipeline at some location along the length of the pipeline. The apparatus lends itself ideally for use with subsea pipelines, that is to say where the breaking of a pipeline at a flange to introduce a pig is not possible or is uneconomic. The simple operation of the apparatus can quite well be carried out by divers or from the surface.
Various modifications may be made and it will be understood that other fluids may be used for inflating the pig body, for example the self supporting gelatinous substance previously used for the production of pipeline pigs.
It is not essential for the pressure of the fluid being forced through the connecting means 28 into the neck portion of the inflated pig body to cause the neck portion to break free from the carrier.
Indeed, in some ways it may be preferable for the pig body to be inflated with a pre-determined volume of fluid and for the means for effecting the release of the inflated pig to be a manually operable mechanical means, that is to say operable externally of the pipeline. Alternatively, the release of the inflated pig could be effected by the re-establishment of a liquid or gas flow through the pipeline, resulting either in a tearing action of the neck portion of the pig body above the one way valve 34 or the overloading of a mechanical clamping means by which the neck portion has been secured to the connecting means 28.
It is not essential for the apparatus to be mounted on a branch pipe at some intermediate location along the length of a pipeline. It could be connected to a closed pipe end, be this a flanged or capped pipe end.
Claims (10)
1. Apparatus for the introduction of a pipeline pig into e pipeline at some location along the length of the pipeline, the apparatus including a carrier for an inflatable pig body in a deflated condition, means for introducing a part of said carrier into the pipeline to position said inflatable pig body within said pipeline, means for inflating said inflatable pig body, and means for effecting the release of the inflated pig from said carrier.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the carrier for the inflatable pig body is of generally cylindrical form and is extensible into the pipeline through a fluid tight gland.
3 Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the carrier includes a cavity in which the inflatable pig body can be located in deflated condition.
4. Apparatus according to any of the above claims wherein the means for inflating said inflatable pig body includes a one-way valve which is capable of remaining associated with the inflated pig after the pig has been released from the carrier.
5. Apparatus according to any of the above claims wherein the means for effecting the release of the inflated pig from the carrier include overload release means which are operable to release the pig on the attainment of a pre-determined pressure in the inflated pig.
6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the means for effecting the release of the inflated pig include manually operable mechanical means for releasing the pig from the carrier.
7. Apparatus for the introduction of a pipeline pig into a pipeline substantially as any one embodiment herein described with reference to figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.
8. A method for introducing a pipeline pig into a pipeline including the steps of:
(i) introducing into the pipeline an inflatable pig
body in a deflated condition mounted on a carrier,
(li) inflating the inflatable pig body, (iii) effecting release of the inflated pig from said
carrier.
9. A method of introducing a pipeline pig into a pipeline according to claim 8 further including the step of inflating the inflatable pig body with a material which reacts after inflation of the pig to form a deformable solid plug member bounded by the material forming the pig body.
10. A method according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the step of releasing the inflated pig from the carrier is performed when the pig has been inflated to a predetermined pressure.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9218250A GB2270729A (en) | 1992-08-27 | 1992-08-27 | Pipeline pig introducing apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9218250A GB2270729A (en) | 1992-08-27 | 1992-08-27 | Pipeline pig introducing apparatus |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB9218250D0 GB9218250D0 (en) | 1992-10-14 |
GB2270729A true GB2270729A (en) | 1994-03-23 |
Family
ID=10721061
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB9218250A Withdrawn GB2270729A (en) | 1992-08-27 | 1992-08-27 | Pipeline pig introducing apparatus |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2270729A (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0676578A1 (en) * | 1994-04-08 | 1995-10-11 | Tigerholm Aktiebolag | Blocking method for pipes |
EP1075584A1 (en) * | 1998-03-30 | 2001-02-14 | Kellogg Brown & Root, Inc. | Extended reach tie-back system |
GB2432642A (en) * | 2005-11-28 | 2007-05-30 | Steve Vick Internat Ltd | Closing off a conduit with an expandable foam sealant |
CN113090851A (en) * | 2021-03-12 | 2021-07-09 | 长江生态环保集团有限公司 | Auxiliary tool for air bag plugging during detection and repair of drainage pipe network and use method |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB254831A (en) * | 1925-05-02 | 1926-07-15 | Julius Lucas | Improvements in or relating to pipe stopping means |
GB1347252A (en) * | 1970-02-24 | 1974-02-20 | Evans G J | Underpressure pipe stopping apparatus |
GB2137718A (en) * | 1983-03-26 | 1984-10-10 | Brae Trading Company Limited | Flow-stopping system |
US4492095A (en) * | 1981-12-08 | 1985-01-08 | Brister, Incorporated | Apparatus and method for forming a temporary plug in a fluid conduit |
GB2157390A (en) * | 1984-04-09 | 1985-10-23 | Vick Limited Steve | Stopping a flow passage |
-
1992
- 1992-08-27 GB GB9218250A patent/GB2270729A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB254831A (en) * | 1925-05-02 | 1926-07-15 | Julius Lucas | Improvements in or relating to pipe stopping means |
GB1347252A (en) * | 1970-02-24 | 1974-02-20 | Evans G J | Underpressure pipe stopping apparatus |
US4492095A (en) * | 1981-12-08 | 1985-01-08 | Brister, Incorporated | Apparatus and method for forming a temporary plug in a fluid conduit |
GB2137718A (en) * | 1983-03-26 | 1984-10-10 | Brae Trading Company Limited | Flow-stopping system |
GB2157390A (en) * | 1984-04-09 | 1985-10-23 | Vick Limited Steve | Stopping a flow passage |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0676578A1 (en) * | 1994-04-08 | 1995-10-11 | Tigerholm Aktiebolag | Blocking method for pipes |
US5524661A (en) * | 1994-04-08 | 1996-06-11 | Tigerholm Ab | Method of blocking a pipe and device therefor |
EP1075584A1 (en) * | 1998-03-30 | 2001-02-14 | Kellogg Brown & Root, Inc. | Extended reach tie-back system |
EP1075584A4 (en) * | 1998-03-30 | 2005-02-09 | Kellogg Brown & Root Inc | Extended reach tie-back system |
GB2432642A (en) * | 2005-11-28 | 2007-05-30 | Steve Vick Internat Ltd | Closing off a conduit with an expandable foam sealant |
GB2432642B (en) * | 2005-11-28 | 2010-07-28 | Steve Vick Internat Ltd | Closing off conduits |
CN113090851A (en) * | 2021-03-12 | 2021-07-09 | 长江生态环保集团有限公司 | Auxiliary tool for air bag plugging during detection and repair of drainage pipe network and use method |
CN113090851B (en) * | 2021-03-12 | 2022-03-18 | 长江生态环保集团有限公司 | Auxiliary tool for air bag plugging during detection and repair of drainage pipe network and use method |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB9218250D0 (en) | 1992-10-14 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |