GB2545308A

GB2545308A - Apparatus and method for entry into pressurised systems

Info

Publication number: GB2545308A
Application number: GB1617663.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Macculloch Alistair
Original assignee: Pipetech Operations Ltd
Current assignee: Pipetech Operations Ltd
Priority date: 2015-10-19
Filing date: 2016-10-19
Publication date: 2017-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2036-10-19
Also published as: GB2545308B; GB201518473D0; GB201617663D0

Abstract

A sealing apparatus 80 particularly suited for sealing an end of a pressurised source (30 in Figure 3) to be cleaned whilst allowing entry of a hose 142 into the pressurised source 30 in a sealed manner is provided. The apparatus 80 has at least two, and more preferably three, longitudinally spaced apart seal devices 82A, 82B, 82C. A fluid lock member 86 is located in between each of the longitudinally spaced apart seal devices 82A, 82B, 82C. The seal devices 82A, 82B, 82C are moveable between an energised configuration in which they form a seal around an outer circumference of a hose 142 that is passing through the apparatus 80; and a relaxed configuration in which the seal devices 82A, 82B, 82C permit a hose coupling 144 to pass therethrough. A method of inserting a hose 142 into a pressurised system such as a pressurised pipe 30 or network of pipes 30 is also disclosed.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENTRY INTO PRESSURISED SYSTEMS

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for pressurised systems cleaning and more particularly to an apparatus and a method of providing a sealed enclosure around a hose that is moved into a pressurised environment where the sealed enclosure enables multiple sections of hose and more particularly the enlarged diameter joints which connect each individual length of hose to move into the pressurised system in a sealed manner where the hose will then clean the inner throughbore of the pressurised system.

Currently, environments or systems such as pipelines, pipework and pressure vessels/tanks such as those used on offshore drilling and production platforms and in onshore hydrocarbon refineries and other pipelines/pipework used in industry will likely periodically require to be cleaned in order to remove scale and other debris that has built up over time on the inner throughbore surface of the pipeline/pipework to ensure that fluids can flow therethrough unhindered by such scale and other debris.

There are various conventional methods for cleaning such scale and other waste from the inner throughbore.

One such conventional method uses a pipeline pigging tool which is driven along the pipeline/pipework in order to clean the same but there are several disadvantages with such pigging cleaning tools including limitations on the depth of scale that they can remove and also difficulties in their negotiating bends in the pipeline/pipework.

Another such conventional method is the Aqua Milling® system offered by Pipetech Operations Limited (a Ramco company) of Badentoy Park, Portlethen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom and which is used under licence from Aquadrill International of Dickinson, Houston, Texas, USA, where the Aqua Milling® system that it is conventionally used is shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 1 shows the prior art/conventional Aqua Milling® system 10 as having already been connected to one end of the client pipeline or pipework 30 to be cleaned. The prior art Aqua Milling® system 10 comprises a high pressure pump unit 50 which is capable of pumping highly pressurised fluid such as water in the region of 1,000 bar (approx. 15,000 psi or 100 MPa) down a throughbore of a hose 48 to the downstream end of the hose 48 which is sealingly coupled to a fluid inlet port (not shown) located on the rear of a twister unit 46. A rotatable hose 42 has an upstream end 42U which is sealingly coupled to a fluid outlet port (not shown) located at the front of the twister unit 46, where the twister unit 46 is capable of rotating the fluid outlet port and therefore the upstream end 42U of the rotatable hose 42 such that it is therefore capable of rotating the rotatable hose 42. The rotatable hose 42 passes through a feeder unit 44 which is operable by an operator to brake the passage of the rotatable hose 42 axially therethrough for reasons which will be subsequently described. The rotatable hose 42 passes through a protective shroud 52 which in use simply protects the rotatable hose 42 from debris and sharp edges etc which may lie on the ground and which could damage the rotatable hose 42 if it were to contact the debris/sharp edges and keeps the hose straight, avoiding kinks. The downstream end of the rotatable hose 42 passes through a PIO (Pipeline In Operation) unit 40 which comprises at least one gasket seal and in the system 10 shown in Fig. 1 comprises three gasket seals 41 which seal around the outer surface of the rotatable hose 42 to permit the rotatable hose 42 to be inserted into the pipework or pipeline 30 to be cleaned.

In use, the conventional Aqua Milling® system 10 delivers highly pressurised water into the rotatable hose 42 and the downstream end thereof has a nozzle provided thereon that will act to direct the flow of the highly pressurised fluid exiting the nozzle in a backwards angled direction such that the nozzle (not shown) and therefore the rotatable hose 42 is propelled (or more correctly pulled) into the pipework or pipeline 30 to be cleaned. At the same time, the twister unit 46 rotates the rotatable hose 42 and that action ensures that the highly pressurised fluid that exits the nozzle in a backwards direction will come into contact around the entire 360° inner circumference of the throughbore of the pipework or pipeline 30 and, due to the highly pressurised nature of the fluid and therefore the high exit velocity of the fluid from the nozzle, the highly pressurised fluid will clean any scale or other waste that is stuck fast to the inner throughbore of the pipeline 30 to be cleaned.

In use, an operator will need to operate feeder 44 to brake the progress of the rotatable hose 42 and another operator will typically hold on to a handle 47 of the twister 46 to restrain the forward movement of the twister 46 as it will typically be pulled toward the feeder 44 by the force of the highly pressurised water acting upon the nozzle at the downstream end of the rotatable hose 42 thereby pulling the rotatable hose 42.

Conventionally, prior to the start of a cleaning operation, the pipework or pipeline 30 to be cleaned comprises one valve 32 or 34 but may (if the owner of the pipeline 30 requests) comprise two valves such as ball valves 32, 34 which are closed prior to the current PIO 40 being attached.

Prior to the start of a cleaning operation, the downstream most gasket 41 of the current (prior art) PIO is offered up to and is aligned with the upstream flange of the client pipework or pipeline to be cleaned 30. At this stage, the nozzle (not shown) at the downstream end of the rotatable hose 42 is arranged to project outwardly from the downstream most gasket 41 such that the leading end of the rotatable hose 42 has already passed through and is therefore being sealingly engaged by the gaskets 41. Accordingly, when the downstream most gasket of the current PIO 40 is brought into engagement with the upstream end flange of the client pipework 30, the nozzle at the downstream end of the rotatable hose 42 will project into the open end of the pipework or pipeline 30 through the upstream end flange of the client pipework 30 and the downstream most gasket 41 can then be sealingly secured to the upstream end or outer flange of the client pipework or pipeline 30 to be cleaned. The ball valves 32, 34 can then be opened to permit the nozzle and trailing rotatable hose 42 to be pumped (or pulled) into the client pipework or pipeline 30 to be cleaned. In the example of the prior art Aqua Milling® system 10 shown in Fig. 1, the downstream most end of the pipework 30 to be cleaned is coupled to a tank/vessel 20.

Fig. 2 also shows the prior art Aqua Milling® system 10 of Fig. 1 but is shown in use on an offshore oil and gas production platform 22 where the rotatable hose 42 enters the protective shroud 52 below the sea surface and where the client pipework to be cleaned 30 is located on the subsea surface or ocean floor 24.

Fig. 3 shows the prior art Aqua Milling® system 10 being coupled via its downstream most gasket 41 to a slightly different conventional client pipework or pipeline to be cleaned 30 in that the conventional client pipework or pipeline 30 also comprises an

Entry Point Alignment Tool (EPAT) 60 which comprises an outlet port from the client pipework 30 to allow scale to exit through the EPAT 60 and be collected by a scale collector (not shown), where the scale collector can comprise a large suction pump or diaphragm pump which can act to suck the scale or other debris out of the client pipework 30 through the EPAT 60. In practice, there will likely be a control valve located in between the EPAT 60 and the diaphragm pump which will maintain the pressurisation of the client pipework 30.

There is a disadvantage with the prior art Aqua Milling® system 10 in that it only allows one relatively short (in the region of 20-30 metres at most) length of rotatable hose 42 to be inserted into the client pipework 30 because the current PIO 40 and the gaskets 41 can only seal against the outer surface of the rotatable hose 42 and cannot permit any hose couplings to pass therethrough; conventional hose couplings rated to the pressures involved are of a larger outer diameter than the rotatable hose 42. Furthermore, the length of the rotatable hose 42 is limited because of the rotating nature of the rotatable hose 42 and also the high pressure fluid which is being pumped through it and in practice longer lengths of rotatable hose 42 will tend to coil up rather than be pulled into the client pipework 30.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to couple another length of rotatable hose 42 to the upstream end of the existing rotatable hose 42 which has already been moved into the client pipework 30 and for the pair of rotatable hoses 42 and their hose coupling to be able to move into the client pipework 30 in a sealed manner such that longer interior lengths of the client pipework 30 can be cleaned than is conventionally the case to date.

According to the present invention there is provided a system sealing apparatus comprising:- at least two longitudinally spaced apart seal devices; and a fluid lock member; wherein the fluid lock member is located in between the at least two longitudinally spaced apart seal devices; and wherein the seal devices are moveable between:- an energised configuration in which they form a seal around an outer circumference of a hose that is passing through the apparatus; and a relaxed configuration in which they permit a hose coupling to pass therethrough.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of inserting a hose into a system comprising:- connecting a system sealing apparatus to a system to be cleaned wherein the system sealing apparatus comprises at least two longitudinally spaced apart seal devices, comprising a first seal device and a second seal device, and a fluid lock member, wherein the fluid lock member is located in between the at least two longitudinally spaced apart seal devices; moving a first length of hose through the system sealing apparatus and into the system whilst at least the second seal device is energised to seal an annulus between the outer surface of the hose and an inner surface of the system sealing apparatus; moving a hose coupler through the first seal device whilst the first seal device is relaxed; locating the hose coupler in a fluid lock; energising the first seal device; relaxing the second seal device; and moving the hose coupler through the relaxed second seal device; and moving the hose coupler and an attached second length of hose into the pipe.

Preferably, the system is a pressurised system and more preferably is a pipe or pipeline system that typically requires to be cleaned preferably whilst pressure is maintained and/or contained therein.

Preferably, the first seal device is also energised when the second seal device is energised whilst the first length of hose is moved through the pipe sealing apparatus and in that case, the first seal device is relaxed prior to moving the hose coupler therethrough.

Preferably the hose is inserted into the pipe in order to clean the pipe and the method is preferably a method of cleaning a pipe.

Preferably, the pipe sealing apparatus comprises three longitudinally spaced apart seal devices wherein a fluid lock member is located in between each adjoining two seal devices.

Typically, each seal device comprises a seal movement mechanism operable to translate the seal device between the energised and relaxed configurations. The seal movement mechanism may be manually operated or motor or machine operated.

The seal movement mechanism is preferably adapted to move a seal member into engagement with the outer surface of the hose and more preferably, to move the seal member into engagement with the inner surface of the pipe sealing apparatus. Most preferably, the seal movement mechanism is adapted to move the seal member into engagement with a sealing surface formed on an inner surface of the pipe sealing apparatus and the inner surface further directs the seal member into engagement with the outer surface of the hose such that the respective seal device is in the energised configuration and further preferably adapted to move the seal member in a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pipe sealing apparatus and typically the hose. Preferably, the seal member is moveable in an axial direction toward the sealing surface such that the seal device is moved into the energised configuration and is further selectively moveable away from the sealing surface such that the seal device is moved into the relaxed configuration.

The said sealing surface is preferably formed on an inner surface of each of the at least two seal devices and more preferably comprises a tapered sealing surface and the sealing surface is preferably a sealing seat surface upon which the seal member may be seated and therefore sealed against and more preferably the seal member is moveable in an axial direction toward the sealing surface such that the seal member is forced by the sealing surface to compress radially inwardly to seal against an outer surface of the hose and is moved into the energised configuration. More preferably the seal member is further selectively moveable away from the sealing surface such that the seal member is moved out of sealing engagement with the outer surface of the hose and into the relaxed configuration. Most preferably the seal member comprises a frusto-conically tapered outer surface.

Preferably, the seal movement mechanism further comprises a rotational wheel assembly arranged about the longitudinal axis of the pipe sealing apparatus and more preferably about the longitudinal axis of each of the at least two seal devices which is preferably arranged, when rotated about the longitudinal axis of the pipe sealing apparatus in a first rotational direction, to move axially along the longitudinal axis of the pipe sealing apparatus in a first direction toward the tapered sealing surface and is further preferably arranged when rotated about the longitudinal axis of the pipe sealing apparatus in a second rotational direction, to move axially along the longitudinal axis of the pipe sealing apparatus in a second direction (which is preferably opposite the first direction) away from the tapered sealing surface.

Typically, the seal device and more preferably the fluid lock member comprises a pressure indication means to indicate, at a location external of the pipe sealing apparatus, the pressure within the throughbore of the fluid lock member.

Preferably, the seal device is adapted, such that when it is in the energised configuration, to permit the hose to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and more preferably to move axially along its longitudinal axis, respectively within and through the throughbore of the seal device as it is in sealing contact with its outer surface.

Preferably, the seal member is adapted to rotate with the hose whilst permitting the hose to move axially with respect to the seal member and more preferably, rotation means are provided and which act between the seal device and the seal member. Preferably, the sealing surface is adapted to rotate with the hose and more preferably with the seal member and more preferably, rotation means are provided and which act between the seal surface and the seal device.

Typically, the pipe sealing apparatus comprises a connector member at each end, which may be in the form of a pipe flange, to permit the apparatus to be securely and sealingly coupled to the pipe to be cleaned.

Brief description of the drawings not in accordance with the present invention

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a prior art Aqua Milling® system run by Pipetech Operations Limited of Portlethen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom under licence from

Aquadrill International, Texas, USA and which uses the conventional PIO (Pipeline in Operation) to provide sealed access to the client pipework to be cleaned for a rotatable hose, and which is not in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the prior art Aqua Milling® system of Fig. 1, in operation on an offshore hydrocarbon production or drilling platform, and which is not in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the prior art Aqua Milling® system of Fig. 1, where the client pipework further comprises a scale collector in the form of an EPAT (Entry Point Alignment Tool), and which is not in accordance with the present invention.

Brief description of the drawings in accordance with the present invention

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 4(a) is a perspective isometric-view of a new PIO (Pipeline in Operation) which will hereinafter be referred to as a TPS™ in accordance with the present invention (and which will replace the current prior art PIO shown in Fig. 1 in order to provide a pipeline cleaning system in accordance with the present invention) and which comprises first, second and third seal arrangements all sealingly connected in series;

Fig. 4(b) is a closer up and more detailed cross-sectional perspective view of the TPS of Fig. 4(a), mainly showing a middle or second seal arrangement thereof;

Fig. 4(c) is a closer up and more detailed part cross-sectional view of the middle seal arrangement of Fig. 4(b) (with the first and third seal arrangements omitted to aid clarity of the second seal arrangement) where this perspective view is from the front (downstream) perspective;

Fig. 4(d) is another perspective part cross-sectional view of the middle seal arrangement of Fig. 4(c) where this perspective view is from the rear (upstream) perspective;

Fig. 4(e) is a part cross-sectional side view of the middle seal arrangement of Fig. 4(d);

Fig. 5 is a perspective view from the rear (upstream end) of a wedge seal coupler assembly and which forms part of each of the seal arrangements of Fig. 4(c) and therefore Fig. 4(a);

Fig. 6 is a side view of the wedge seal coupler assembly of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the wedge seal coupler assembly of Fig. 5 (showing the end having the bearing contact plate 98 thereon);

Fig. 8 is a detailed view of section CB-CB of Fig. 7, showing the double bearing assembly 94 DB provided in the wedge seal coupler assembly;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the seal arrangement of Fig. 4(c);

Fig. 10 is a closer up and more detailed cross-sectional side view of section BB the seal arrangement of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an end view of the seal arrangement of Fig. 9 (showing the wheelbearing assembly end);

Fig. 11(a) is an exploded perspective view of the wheel bearing assembly of the seal arrangement of Fig. 11;

Fig. 11(b) is an exploded perspective view of a rotating Chamfer which comprises the angled surface against which the wedge seal of the wedge seal coupler assembly of Fig. 5 is sealed against to energise the seal;

Fig. 11(c) is a perspective view of one end of the cylindrical fluid lock and a ratchet mechanism and which forms part of the seal arrangement of Fig. 4(c);

Fig. 11(d) is an exploded perspective view of the ratchet mechanism of Fig. 11(c);

Fig. 11(e) is an end exploded perspective view of the other end of the cylindrical fluid lock of Fig. 11(c), showing the anti-rotation axial guide;

Fig. 12 is a side view of the TPS of Fig. 4(a) in accordance with the present invention in situ, in use, after having been coupled to a client pipework to be cleaned (although the client pipework is not shown in Fig. 12), and with a first section of rotatable hose having passed through the TPS and where a second section of rotatable hose has been coupled to the first section of rotatable hose via a hose coupler and where the hose coupler is approaching the upstream end of the TPS, such that Fig. 12 shows the first stage (of seven stages) of passage of the first and second lengths of rotatable hose and in particular of the hose coupler through the TPS;

Fig. 13 is an end view of the TPS of Fig. 12, the view being from the client pipework end looking toward the TPS;

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the TPS of Fig. 12 and which shows that all of the first, second and third seal arrangements are energised and are thus sealing around the outer circumference of the first length of rotatable hose;

Fig. 15 is a detailed view of section A-B of the second seal arrangement of Fig. 14, showing a closer up or detailed view of the energised wedge seal thereof;

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional side view showing the next (second of seven) stage of passage of the first and second lengths of rotatable hose and in particular of the hose coupler through the TPS, which follows on from the first stage shown in Fig. 14, where the third seal arrangement has been relaxed (or de-energised) such that the hose coupler has passed through the wedge seal of the third seal arrangement but where the second and first seal arrangements are still energised;

Fig. 17 is a closer up or detailed view of section C-D of the third seal arrangement of Fig. 16, showing a closer up or more detailed view of the wedge seal in its relaxed state;

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional side view showing the next stage (stage three of seven) of the working procedure for the passage of the hose coupler through the TPS and which follows on from the second stage as shown in Fig. 16, where in the third stage shown in Fig. 18, the wedge seal of the third seal arrangement has been re-energised and the hose coupler 144 is now located in a tubular fluid lock between the energised third seal arrangement and the energised second seal arrangement and where the first seal arrangement is also energised;

Fig. 19 shows a cross-sectional side view showing the next stage (stage four of seven) of the working procedure of the TPS and which follows on from the third stage shown in Fig. 18, where the fourth stage shown in Fig. 19 shows the wedge seal of the second (middle) seal arrangement as having been relaxed and also shows the hose coupler 144 as passing through the wedge seal of the second (middle) seal arrangement and which also shows that the first and third seal arrangements remain energised;

Fig. 20 shows stage the next stage (stage five of seven) of the working procedure for the TPS and which follows on from the fourth stage of Fig. 19, where the fifth stage of Fig. 20 shows the hose coupler 144 as having passed through the wedge seal of the second (middle) seal arrangement and which also shows that the second (middle) seal arrangement has been re-energised and which also shows that the first and third seal arrangements remain energised and therefore the hose coupler 144 is now in located in a tubular fluid lock between the second (middle) and first seal arrangements;

Fig. 21 shows stage six of seven of the working procedure for the TPS of Fig. 4(a), where the wedge seal of the first seal arrangement has been relaxed and the hose coupler is passing through the first seal arrangement and which also shows that the third and second (middle) seal arrangements remain energised; and

Fig. 22 shows stage seven of seven of the working procedure for the TPS of Fig. 4(a) and which follows on from stage six as shown in Fig. 21, where stage seven as shown in Fig. 22 shows the hose coupler as having passed through the first seal arrangement such that the hose coupler is now located in the client pipework to be cleaned and also shows that the first seal arrangement has been re-energised and also shows that the third and second seal arrangements remain energised and therefore stages one to seven combined show that throughout the duration of the hose coupler passing through the TPS, a minimum of two seal arrangements have been activated or energised at any one time.

In the description that follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form, and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The present invention is susceptible to embodiments of different forms. Specific embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed below may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce the desired results.

The following definitions will be followed in the specification. Reference to up or down will be made for purposes of description with the terms "above", "up", "upward", "upper" or "upstream" meaning closest to the high pressure pump unit 50 along the longitudinal axis of a hose 48 and/or a rotatable hose 42 or 142 and "below", "down", "downward", "lower" or "downstream" meaning away from the high pressure pump unit 50 toward the client pipework 30 to be cleaned.

The various aspects of the present invention can be practiced alone or in combination with one or more of the other aspects, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant arts. The various aspects of the invention can optionally be provided in combination with one or more of the optional features of the other aspects of the invention. Also, optional features described in relation to one embodiment can typically be combined alone or together with other features in different embodiments of the invention. Additionally, any feature disclosed in the specification can be combined alone or collectively with other features in the specification to form an invention.

Various embodiments and aspects of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the entire description thereof, including the figures, which illustrates a number of exemplary embodiments and aspects and implementations. The invention is also capable of other and different embodiments and aspects, and its several details can be modified in various respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles and the like is included in the specification solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any or all of these matters formed part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention.

Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. Furthermore, the terminology and phraseology used herein is solely used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as limiting in scope. Language such as "including", "comprising", "having", "containing" or "involving" and variations thereof, is intended to be broad and encompass the subject matter listed thereafter, equivalents, and additional subject matter not recited, and is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. In this disclosure, whenever a composition, an element or a group of elements is preceded with the transitional phrase "comprising", it is understood that we also contemplate the same composition, element or group of elements with transitional phrases "consisting essentially of, "consisting", "selected from the group of consisting of, “including” or "is" preceding the recitation of the composition, element or group of elements and vice versa. In this disclosure, the words “typically” or “optionally” are to be understood as being intended to indicate optional or nonessential features of the invention which are present in certain examples but which can be omitted in others without departing from the scope of the invention.

All numerical values in this disclosure are understood as being modified by "about". All singular forms of elements, or any other components described herein including (without limitations) components of the apparatus are understood to include plural forms thereof and vice versa.

Figs. 1 to 3 show a conventional prior art PIO 40 being used in a prior art pipeline cleaning system 10 to clean a client pipework 30.

An embodiment of a new PIO hereinafter termed a TPS 80 in accordance with the present invention is shown in Fig. 4(a) and which in simple terms will replace the current prior art PIO 40 as shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and/or Fig. 3 in order to provide a new cleaning tool for access to pressurised systems (such as a client pipework 30) in accordance with the present invention. The TPS 80 comprises many technical and commercial advantages over the prior art current PIO 40 as will now be described and which will become apparent to the person skilled in the art.

The embodiment of the TPS 80 in accordance with the present invention comprises a flange 84 at each end and more particularly comprises an upstream flange 84U to permit the TPS 80 (and more particularly, the upstream flange 84U associated with the third most downstream seal arrangement 82C (also referred to as the upstream seal arrangement 82C) shown in Fig. 4(a)) to be securely and sealingly coupled to the downstream end of the protective shroud 52D by any suitable fixing means such as nuts and bolts etc. The TPS 80 further comprises a downstream flange 84D to permit the TPS 80 (and more particularly the downstream flange 84D associated with the first most downstream seal arrangement 82A) to be securely and sealingly coupled to a similarly shaped flange provided at the end of the client pipework 30 by any suitable fixing means such as nuts and bolts etc..

The TPS 80 further comprises at least two and much more preferably three (as shown in Fig. 4(a)) substantially identical seal arrangements 82, and said seal arrangements 82 are arranged in series and are arranged coincident on a longitudinal axis in an arrangement such that there is a downstream seal arrangement 82A (also referred to as the first most downstream seal arrangement 82A), a middle seal arrangement 82B (also referred to as the second most downstream seal arrangement 82B) and an upstream seal arrangement 82C (also referred to as the third most downstream seal arrangement 82C). In order to aid manufacture and stock inventory, the seal arrangements 82 are substantially identical to one another. For the reader’s reference, the further into the client’s pipework 30 the rotatable hose 142 travels, the further downstream it becomes.

In simple terms, the seal arrangements 82 are arranged such that there is provided a tubular or cylindrical fluid lock 86 provided in between each adjacent pair of seal arrangements 82 (or more correctly, in between each adjacent pair of seal members 94) and, as will be described subsequently, the tubular fluid lock 86 can be sealed by energising the adjacent seal members 94 around a hose passing therethrough such that the fluid contained in that tubular fluid lock 86 is sealed with respect to the fluid contained in the annulus 81A between the inner throughbore 81 of the rest of the TPS 80 and the outer surface of the rest of the rotatable hose. As can be seen in Fig. 4(c) most easily, each tubular fluid lock 86 comprises a pressure gauge indicator 87 and which is adapted to show the pressure experienced within the tubular fluid lock 86 to an operator standing on the outside of the TPS 80.

Each seal arrangement 82 comprises a rotatable wheel or handle 88 which can be moved or rotated by an operator (or which could be moved or rotated by a suitable machine) to either energise or relax/de-energise the seal member 94 which is preferably in the form of a wedge seal 94 where the wedge seal 94 is arranged to either seal around or respectively not seal against the outer circumference of rotatable hose 142 passing through the TPS 80. The wedge seal 94 is typically formed from a relatively resilient, durable and/or flexible material such as polyurethane or a similar polymer material. The wedge seal 94 is preferably in the form of an annular ring having an outer tapered surface in the form of a frusto-conical shape such that it tapers from a downstream end (which is arranged to be closest to the client pipework 30) having a thinnest side wall and tapers outwardly (on its outermost surface) toward its upstream most end such that its sidewall tapers from the downstream end (thinnest end) to the upstream end (its thickest end), where the taper is shown in Fig. 4(c) as tapering outwardly from left to right and is shown in Fig. 10 as tapering outwardly from right to left. The outer tapered surface of the wedge seal 94 comprises an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81 typically in the region of between 1 degrees and 89 degrees and more preferably in the region of between 15 and 70 degrees and most preferably in the region of between 30 and 45 degrees. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the outer tapered surface of the wedge seal 94 is in the region of 45 degrees. However, it should be noted that other forms of seal may be used instead of the wedge seal 94 in order to provide a sufficient seal against the angled surface 100 and the rotatable hose 42 to retain the pressurised fluid within the client pipework 30 as will be subsequently described.

The rotatable wheel assembly 88 comprises a rotatable wheel handle 88E (which is formed from two halves 88E.1 and 88E.2 for assembly purposes) secured to a wheel body 88D (which is provided in two halves 88D.1 and 88D.2 for assembly purposes) and a rotatable wheel insert 88F (which is formed from two halves 88F.1 and 88F.2) for assembly purposes and which has a screw thread provided on its inner throughbore where that screw thread is arranged to engage with a screw thread 86S provided on the outer diameter of an enlarged portion or mandrel body 86B of the tubular fluid lock 86, wherein the rotatable wheel insert 88F is fixed in a secured manner to the wheel body 88D and the rotatable wheel handle 88E by means of suitable fixing means such as bolts 88H such that any rotation of the rotatable wheel handle 88E results in axial movement of the whole rotatable wheel assembly 88 (and thus the rotatable wheel handle 88E and insert 88F) along the longitudinal axis of the tubular fluid lock 86. During assembly of the seal arrangement 82, the rotatable wheel assembly 88 is constructed around the bearing contact plate 98, where the bearing contact plate 98 is attached to the connecting legs 96 by suitable fixing means such as socket headed cap screws 99. Friction reducing means 88G in the form of ball transfer units (BTUs) 88G having roller balls 88R are located within apertures 88A formed concentrically around the downstream most face or end of insert 88F and the upstream most end or face of the wheel body 88D, such that the roller balls 88R of the BTUs 88G contact the respective downstream most face and upstream most face of the bearing contact plate 98 and thus the roller balls 88R within the BTUs 88G permit substantially frictionless rotation of the wheel assembly 88 around the bearing contact plate 98 (when the wheel assembly 88 is permitted to rotate by the user as will be subsequently described). Accordingly, the bearing contact plate 98 and the BTUs 88G counteract friction between themselves and permit rotation of the rotatable wheel assembly 88 whilst also allowing axial displacement of the rotatable wheel assembly 88 to occur.

As shown in Fig. 11(a), the wheel assembly 88 also comprises a plunger 88B which passes through the side wall of the wheel body 88D such that its radially innermost end can contact a ratchet 88C formed around the outer surface of the tubular fluid lock 86. The ratchet 88C and the plunger 88B are arranged such that when the operator wishes to engage wedge seal 94 (to seal the fluid within the client pipework 30), he rotates wheel 88E which causes plunger 88B to click around ratchet 88C but is arranged to prevent rotation in the reverse direction thus preventing the wheel 88E from unwanted spinning backwards. However, when the user requires to disengage wedge seal 94, he lifts plunger 88B (pulling it radially outwards) such that the innermost end of the plunger 88B is no longer in mating contact with the ratchet 88C and thus the operator can spin the wheel backwards to disengage the wedge seal 94. As shown in Fig. 11(d), ratchet 88C is provided in two halves 88C.1.1 and 88C.1.2 and which is secured around the tubular fluid lock 86 by bolts 88C.4 passing through brackets 88C.3 into threaded holes 88C.5 provided in the two halves 88C.1.1 and 88C.1.2. In addition, the brackets 88C.3 house centralisers 88C.2 in larger apertures 88C.6 which centralise (within themselves) the piston legs 96 which pass through centralisers 88C.2 and larger apertures 88C.6.

Moreover, each seal arrangement 82 further comprises a wedge seal coupler assembly 90 and which in turn comprises a wedge seal coupler body 92 (see Fig. 5) and which comprises four connecting piston legs 96 projecting rearwardly out of its rear or upstream end where the outermost ends of the connecting piston legs 96 are secured to the bearing contact plate 98 by screws 99 and where the bearing contact plate 98 and BTUs 88G permit the wheel handle 88E to rotate but also permit the axial movement experienced by the wheel assembly 88 (when it is rotated and/or permitted to rotate) to be transferred through the bearing contact plate 98 and into the connecting legs 96 and therefore into the wedge seal coupler body 92 and therefore to a wedge seal 94 which is located at the front end (downstream end) of the wedge seal coupler body 92. Therefore, rotation of the wheel handle 88 results in axial movement of the wedge seal 94 and, depending on the direction of rotation of the wheel handle 88, the wedge seal 94 will either move from:- i) right to left (from upstream to downstream) (with reference to the arrangement and presentation of Figs. 12 to 22) from relaxed (as shown in Fig. 17) to energised (as shown in 15); or ii) left to right (from downstream to upstream) and therefore from energised (as shown in 15) to relaxed (as shown in Fig. 17).

As can be seen most clearly in Figs. 6 and 10, the wedge seal coupler body 92 is provided with a pair of spaced apart guide rings 93 on its outer surface and which are arranged to maintain concentricity against the inner throughbore of the respective flange 84U and 84D through which the wedge seal coupler body 92 can stroke in order to move the wedge seal 94 either: - i) into engagement and therefore into an energised sealed configuration with an angled sealing surface 100 formed on the inner throughbore of each adjacent downstream flange 84D (see Fig. 15); or ii) out of sealed engagement and therefore out of energised configuration or contact with the angled sealing surface 100 and therefore into the relaxed configuration (see Fig. 17).

The angled sealing surface 100 is preferably a frusto-conical shaped section of the throughbore 81 of the TPS 80 wherein it tapers from a greatest inner diameter to a narrowest inner diameter from right to left as shown in Fig. 15. The angled sealing surface 100 formed on the inner throughbore of each flange 84D comprises an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81 typically in the region of between 1 degrees and 89 degrees and more preferably in the region of between 15 and 70 degrees and most preferably in the region of between 30 and 45 degrees. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the angled sealing surface 100 is in the region of 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81.

Importantly, the angle of the angled sealing surface 100 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81 is most preferably arranged or designed to match the angle of the outer tapered surface of the wedge seal 94 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81 such that if/when the two surfaces 94, 100 are moved into sealing contact with one another to butt against one another, the whole of the respective surfaces 94, 100 contact one another simultaneously and therefore the seal therebetween is formed instantly across a relatively large surface area. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the two respective surfaces are angled at 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81 and therefore continued movement of the wedge seal 94 toward the angled sealing surface 100 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81 results in a similar amount of radially inwards movement of the leading end of the outer tapered surface of the wedge seal 94; in other words, the ratio of movement of the wedge seal 94 toward the angled sealing surface 100 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81 compared with radially inwards movement of the leading end of the outer tapered surface of the wedge seal 94 is 1:1 (due to the 45 degrees matching angles). However, the matching angle could be varied depending upon whether more or less longitudinal movement compared with radial movement is desired. For example, if more longitudinal movement compared with radial movement is desired then the matching angle could be reduced to e.g. 30 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the throughbore 81 which would result in approximately twice the longitudinal or axial movement compared to radial movement.

The wedge seal 94 is arranged such that when it is in the relaxed or de-energised state as shown in Fig. 17 (in other words it is clear of the angled sealing surface 100 and thus fluid is permitted to flow through the gap provided there-between and the outer surface of the rotatable hose 142 and more importantly the coupler 144 can pass through the gap provided therebetween), it does not seal against the outer surface of rotatable hose 142 passing through its throughbore and the throughbore of its wedge seal coupler body 92. Importantly, the inner diameter of the wedge seal 94 when in the relaxed or de-energised state as shown in Fig. 17 is arranged to be in the region of or greater than the outer diameter of the hose coupler 144 such that the hose coupler 144 can move therethrough without being impeded by the inner diameter of the relaxed wedge seal 94. However, the wedge seal 94 is also arranged such that when it is in the energised or sealed configuration as shown in Fig. 15, and therefore in which it is arranged to be compressed against the angled sealing surface 100, the wedge seal 94 is deformed by the angled sealing surface 100 and is further compressed against the outer surface of the rotatable hose 142 passing therethrough, such that no fluid or air can pass between the outer surface of the rotatable hose 142 and the inner surface or inner throughbore of the wedge seal 94 and the inner throughbore of the angled tapered sealing surface 100.

In a preferred embodiment, in order to avoid wear occurring to the wedge seal 94 by virtue of relative rotation occurring between it and the rotatable hose 142 and/or the sealing surface 100 a rotation mechanism is preferably provided for at least one of and more preferably both of the wedge seal 94 and the sealing surface 100. In this preferred embodiment, and as shown in Fig. 8, the wedge seal 94 is secured to a downstream end of an interior rotating body housing 92B and which can rotate within exterior axial body housing 92A by means of a double bearing 94DB which acts therebetween. An exterior axial body housing end cap 92A and a seal lock 94SL act to seal between the interior rotating body housing 92B and exterior body housing 92A. Moreover, the seal lock 94BL secures the wedge seal 94 to the downstream end of the interior rotating body housing 92B and holds it in place. In addition, the angled surface 100 is preferably formed on the inner throughbore of the upstream most end of a rotating chamfer 11B.1 (shown in Fig. 11(b) but the angled surface 100 is hidden) and which is mounted within a bearing 11B.2 and an Ό’-ring seal 11 B.3) such that the rotating chamfer 11B. 1 can rotate with respect to the rest of the cylindrical fluid lock 86.

There is however provided (shown in Fig. 11(e)) an anti-rotation axial guide 881.1 mounted within the throughbore of the tubular fluid lock 86 by means of bolts 88I.2 and which has a non-circular inner throughbore 88I.3 and which mates with a correspondingly shaped non-circular outer surface 91S provided on central spigot 91 such that the said surface of the central spigot 91 acts as an anti-rotation mount 91S and which prevents relative rotation occurring between the tubular fluid lock 86 and the wedge seal coupler assembly 90 but which permits relative axial movement to occur therebetween. O-ring seals 97 provided on the outer circumference within recesses of the connecting legs 96 are also provided (two spaced apart O-ring seals 97 may be provided for redundancy purposes although only one O-ring seal 97 may be required and indeed only one O-ring seal 97 is shown in Figs. 5 to 10). Both sets of O-Ring seals 91, 97 are arranged to seal against respective inner circumferential sealing surfaces of the flange 84 (and therefore the inner bore of the TPS 80) to ensure that no fluid can pass from the throughbore of the TPS 80 to the outer environment. The Ο-Ring seals 97 provided on the four connecting legs 96 provide the advantage that the pressurised fluid in the throughbore 81 is contained therein by the O-ring seals 97.

In addition to the three seal arrangements 82A, 82B and 82C, the TPS 80 may, if required by the operator, comprise a further suitable emergency sealing means such as shear ball valve (not shown) (and which would likely be located in between the downstream end of the TPS 80 and the client pipework 30) which, if necessary, can be rotated by an operator or by a suitable machine to firstly cut or shear the rotatable hose 142 passing through the throughbore 81 of the TPS 80 and secondly to seal the throughbore 81 of the TPS 80 such that no fluid can flow across the ball valve. However, the shear ball valve 110 is not essential to the invention and could be omitted from embodiments of the present invention if the operator does not require its inclusion.

Each seal arrangement 82 may comprise a sensor mount 87B in which can be mounted a sensor which senses metal passing within e.g. 10mm of the sensor such that when a metal hose coupler 144 passes underneath the sensor (as will be described subsequently), the sensor indicates to the user that the coupler 144 is now underneath the sensor and thus informs the user when the coupler 144 has passed through. A blank 87C may be provided on the other side of the tubular fluid lock 86, where the blank 87C could be removed to permit another sensor (not shown) to be located within the tubular fluid lock 86 or could allow a window (not shown) to be inserted in its place to permit the operator to view the throughbore of the seal arrangement 82. In addition, a bleed port 87D is provided in the tubular fluid lock 86 and which can be operated by a user to bleed off pressure in the unlikely event of a failure of wedge seal 94.

Fig. 14 shows stage one of seven of a method of inserting two or more rotatable hose lengths in the form of a first length 142A and a second length 142B (where each length is typically in the region of 10 to 30 metres and preferably around 20 metres in length) into the client pipework to be cleaned 30 in accordance with the present invention, and as can be seen in Fig. 14, the first length of rotatable hose 142A has already been fed nearly all the way (from upstream to downstream - from right to left in relation to the presentation arrangement of Figs. 12 to 21) into the client pipework 30 such that the most downstream end of the first length of rotatable hose 142A comprises a nozzle (not shown) through which the extremely high pressure fluid is pumped by the high pressure pump unit 50 and, by operation of the twister unit 46, the rotatable hose 142 rotates itself and also rotates the nozzle to clean the first approximately 20 metres of the inner throughbore of the client pipework 30. Furthermore, the rotatable hose 142 has been rotated into the client pipework 30 through the throughbore 81 of the TPS 80 with all three seal arrangements 82 being in the energised state, such that the TPS 80 maintains the pressurisation of the client pipework 30.

In addition, the TPS 80 has the very substantial advantage over the prior art PIO 40 that it can permit a hose coupler 144 (which has a larger outer diameter than the adjoining rotatable hoses 142A and 142B which it connects together) to pass through the TPS 80, whilst the TPS 80 is still able to seal its throughbore 81 and still therefore maintain the pressurisation of the client pipework 30. Accordingly, a second length of rotatable hose 142B can safely be rotated through the TPS 80 and into the client pipework 30 in order to permit another approximately 20 metres of client pipework 30 to be cleaned by the rotatable hose 142, as will now be described in detail. The skilled reader will understand that a yet further (third) and subsequent lengths of rotatable hose 142 could, with further hose couplers 144 also be rotated through the TPS 80 and into the client pipework 30 in order to permit yet further sections of 20 metres or so of client pipework 30 to be cleaned per additional length of rotatable hose 142 used.

Figs. 12 and 14 show that the first length of rotatable hose 142A has been almost fully rotated into the client pipework 30 such that its upstream end is just short of entering the third (most upstream) seal arrangement 82C. At that point, the operator has (already) uncoupled the twister unit 46 from that upstream end 142AU of the first length of rotatable hose 142A and will have screwed the downstream end 144D of the coupler 144 to the upstream most end 142AU of the first length of rotatable hose 142A in order to attach or securely and sealingly connect the downstream end 142BD of a second length of rotatable hose 142B to the first length 142A via the upstream end 144U of the coupler 144. The operator will then connect the upstream most end (not shown) of the second length of rotatable hose 142B to the twister unit 46 (albeit not shown in Figs. 12 to 20) such that the TPS 80 and the rotatable hose 142 is now in the configuration shown in Fig. 14 where the coupler 144 is approaching the inner throughbore 81 of the TPS 80.

At this stage, all three respective wedge seals 94A, 94B, 94C of the first 82A, second 82B and third 82C seal arrangements are energised.

The operator will then, in order to progress the coupler 144 through the TPS 80, rotate the handle 88A of the third seal arrangement 82C in the direction arranged to move the rotatable handle 88 and thus the connected wedge seal coupler body 92 and thus the wedge seal 94 in the axial direction from left to right such that the wedge seal 94A is moved from left to right and is therefore moved away from the angled sealing surface 100 such that a third seal arrangement 82C is now in the relaxed or de-energised state - see Fig. 16. The rotatable hose 142 and coupler 144 can now be moved further through the TPS 80 such that the coupler 144 can move into the tubular fluid lock 86 located in between the third 82C and second 82B seal arrangements. At this point the second 82B and first 82A seal arrangements are still in an energised state whereas the third seal arrangement 82C is in the relaxed or de-energised state - see Figs. 16 and 17.

The relaxed state of the third seal arrangement 82C can be more clearly seen in Fig. 17 which shows that the wedge seal 94C is spaced apart from the angled surface 100A and thus the wedge seal 94C is not forced into sealing engagement with the outer surface of the rotatable hose 142B and indeed it can be seen in Fig. 17 that the coupler 144 has already moved through the relaxed inner throughbore of the wedge seal 94C of the third seal arrangement 82C.

The next (third) stage is shown in Fig. 18 where the operator has rotated the rotatable wheel 88C in the suitable rotational direction to move the rotatable wheel 88C and thus the connected wedge seal coupler body 92C and thus the connected wedge seal 94C from right to left in order to compress the wedge seal 94C against the angled sealing surface 100C such that the wedge seal 94C inner throughbore is now compressed against and sealed against the outer surface of the rotatable hose 142B. Accordingly, at this point, all three of the first, second and third seal arrangements 82 are energised and the coupler 144 is now located in the tubular fluid lock 86 located in between the third 82C and second 82B seal arrangements.

The next stage (fourth) of the operation is shown in Fig. 19. The operator rotates the rotatable wheel 88B in a suitable direction to relax or de-energise the second seal arrangement 82B such that the coupler 144 can now pass through the wedge seal 94B of the second seal arrangement 82B. Accordingly, at this stage, the second seal arrangement 82B is in the relaxed state whereas the first 82A and third 82C seal arrangements are still energised. At this point, the coupler 144 has now passed through the wedge seal 94B of the second seal arrangement 82B.

The next stage (fifth) is shown in Fig. 20, where the coupler 144 is now located in the tubular fluid lock 86 located in between the second 82B and first 82A seal arrangements. The operator can then rotate the wheel handle 88B in the correct rotational direction in order to re-energise the wedge seal 94B of the second seal arrangement 82B. At this point, all three seal arrangements 82A, 82B, 82C are energised.

The next stage (sixth) of the operation is shown in Fig. 21, where the operator has already rotated the wheel handle 88A to move the connected wedge seal 94A out of engagement with the angled sealing surface 100A such that the first seal arrangement 82A is now in the relaxed configuration and the coupler 144 can now pass through the relaxed throughbore of the relaxed wedge seal 94A.

The last (seventh) stage of the operation is shown in Fig. 22 where the rotatable hose 142 and coupler 144 have been further rotated and axially moved downstream into the client pipework 30 and thus the coupler 144 is now clear of the first seal arrangement 82A. The operator can then rotate the wheel handle 88A in the correct direction to move the wedge seal 94C from right to left in order to butt the wedge seal 94A against the angled sealing surface 100A and thereafter to close the inner throughbore of the wedge seal 94A around the outer circumference of the second length of rotatable hose 142B to form a seal at that location in the throughbore 81 of the TPS 80 (i.e. to form a seal in the annulus 81A at the location of the third seal arrangement 82A). At this point, all three of the seal arrangements 82A, 82B, 82C are energised and thus there is triple redundancy in terms of an annular seal being provided in the throughbore 81 of the TPS 80.

It may be possible to modify the TPS 80 to remove one of the first, second or third seal arrangements 82A, 82B, 82C such that there are only two seal arrangements 82 but it is preferred that there is a secondary or back-up redundancy in terms of always providing a second seal when one of the seal arrangements 82 is relaxed.

Consequently, embodiments of the pressurised cleaning system in accordance with the present invention that is provided by using the TPS 80 disclosed herein provide the great advantage that instead of only being able to run in one length of rotatable hose 142 (which is typically limited to 20 or 30 metres in length and therefore can typically only clean the first 20 or 30 metres of a client pipework 30), the TPS 80 of the present invention provides the great advantage that it can clean a much greater length of client pipework 30 because it can permit multiple lengths of rotatable hose 142 to be run into the client pipework 30 to be cleaned and therefore many more metres of client pipework 30 can be cleaned. Moreover, the TPS 80 provides at least one and preferably two energised seals in the annulus 81A within its throughbore 81 therein at any one time even when the coupler 144 that has the larger outer diameter is passing through the TPS 80 and therefore the client pipework 30 does not need to be de-pressurised in order to allow cleaning of it.

The TPS 80 can be coupled to the client pipework 30 in conjunction with an ETAP 60 should that be desired/required. A non-return valve such as a flapper valve (not shown) is typically placed in the line of the rotatable hose 142 just behind the nozzle located at the very downstream most end of the first length of rotatable hose 142 in order to prevent pressure from within the client pipework 30 from communicating back up the throughbore of the rotatable hose 142 and therefore the non-return valve (not shown) allows the upstream most end of the first length (or subsequent lengths) of rotatable hose 142A to be disconnected from the twister unit 46 and coupled to the hose coupler 144 to permit a second (or subsequent length 142B to be included in the overall length of rotatable hose 142.

The TPS 80 can be used in conjunction with very high pressure pump units 50, typically in the region of up to or around 1,000 bar or higher.

The TPS 80 further provides the advantage that it enables the hose coupler 144 (which has a larger outer diameter than the rotatable hose 142) to be “quarantined” in a fluid lock or air lock which is provided by the energised seal arrangement 82 either side of the respective tubular fluid lock 86.

Modifications and improvements may be made to the embodiments hereinbefore described without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:-

1. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus comprising:- at least two longitudinally spaced apart seal devices; and a fluid lock member; wherein the fluid lock member is located in between the at least two longitudinally spaced apart seal devices; and wherein the seal devices are moveable between:- an energised configuration in which they form a seal around an outer circumference of a hose that is passing through the apparatus; and a relaxed configuration in which they permit a hose coupling to pass therethrough.
2. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hose is inserted into the pressurised system in order to clean the interior thereof.
3. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to either of claims 1 or 2, further comprising three longitudinally spaced apart seal devices wherein a fluid lock member is located in between each adjoining two seal devices.
4. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein each seal device comprises a seal movement mechanism operable to translate the seal device between the energised and relaxed configurations.
5. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the seal movement mechanism is adapted to move a seal member into engagement with a sealing surface such that the seal device is in the energised configuration.
6. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the seal movement mechanism is further adapted to move the seal member in a direction that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pressurised system sealing apparatus and the hose.
7. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the seal member is moveable in an axial direction toward the sealing surface such that the seal device is moved into the energised configuration and is further selectively moveable away from the sealing surface such that the seal device is moved into the relaxed configuration.
8. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the pressurised system is a pressurised pipework system.
9. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the hose is inserted into the pressurised pipework system to clean the inner throughbore thereof.
10. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 4 or to any of claims 5 to 9 when dependent upon claim 4, wherein the seal movement is capable of being manually operated.
11. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 4 or to any of claims 5 to 9 when dependent upon claim 4, wherein the seal movement mechanism is machine operated.
12. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid lock member comprises a tapered sealing surface.
13. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 12 when dependent upon claim 5, wherein the sealing surface is a sealing seat surface upon which the seal member is adapted to be selectively seated and sealed against.
14. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the seal member is moveable in an axial direction toward the sealing surface such that the seal member is forced by the sealing surface to compress radially inwardly to seal against an outer surface of the hose such that the seal device is moved into the energised configuration.
15. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the seal member is further selectively moveable away from the sealing surface such that the seal member is moved out of sealing engagement with the outer surface of the hose and into the relaxed configuration.
16. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 5 or to any of claims 6 to 15 when dependent upon claim 5, wherein the seal member comprises a frusto-conically tapered outer surface.
17. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 4 or to any of claims 5 to 16 when dependent upon claim 4, wherein the seal movement mechanism further comprises a rotational wheel member arranged about the longitudinal axis of the pressurised system sealing apparatus and which is arranged, when rotated about the longitudinal axis of the pressurised system sealing apparatus in a first rotational direction, to move axially along the longitudinal axis of the pressurised system sealing apparatus in a first direction toward the tapered sealing surface and is further arranged when rotated about the longitudinal axis of the pressurised system sealing apparatus in a second rotational direction, to move axially along the longitudinal axis of the pressurised system sealing apparatus in a second direction away from the tapered sealing surface.
19. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid lock member comprises a pressure indication means to indicate, at a location external of the pressurised system sealing apparatus, the pressure within the throughbore of the fluid lock member.
20. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the seal device is adapted, when it is in the energised configuration, to permit the hose to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and to move axially along its longitudinal axis, respectively within and through the throughbore of the seal device as it is in sealing contact with the outer surface of the hose.
21. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 5 or to any of claims 6 to 20 when dependent upon claim 5, wherein the seal member is adapted to rotate with the hose whilst permitting the hose to move axially with respect to the seal member.
22. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising rotation means which act between the seal device and the seal member.
23. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to either of claims 21 or 22, wherein the sealing surface is adapted to rotate with the hose and with the seal member.
24. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising rotation means which act between the seal surface and the seal device.
25. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the pressurised system sealing apparatus comprises a connector member at each end to permit the apparatus to be securely and sealingly coupled to a system to be cleaned.
26. A method of inserting a hose into a pressurised system comprising:-connecting a pressurised system sealing apparatus to a system wherein the pressurised system sealing apparatus comprises at least two longitudinally spaced apart seal devices comprising a first seal device and a second seal device, and a fluid lock member, wherein the fluid lock member is located in between the at least two longitudinally spaced apart seal devices; moving a first length of hose through the pressurised system sealing apparatus and into the system whilst at least the second seal device is energised to seal an annulus between the outer surface of the hose and an inner surface of the pressurised system sealing apparatus; moving a hose coupler through the first seal device whilst the first seal device is relaxed; locating the hose coupler in a fluid lock; energising the first seal device; relaxing the second seal device; and moving the hose coupler through the relaxed second seal device; and moving the hose coupler and an attached second length of hose into the pressurised system.
27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the method is a method of cleaning a pipe system.
28. A method according to either of claims 26 or 27, wherein the first seal device is also energised when the second seal device is energised whilst the first length of hose is moved through the pressurised system sealing apparatus and in that case, the first seal device is relaxed prior to moving the hose coupler therethrough.
29. A pressurised entry sealing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figs. 4(a) to 22.
30. A method of inserting a hose into a pressurised system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figs. 4(a) to 22.