RU2468279C2 - Method and mobile device of shutting off pipeline - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: oil and gas industry.

SUBSTANCE: method is implemented by mobile device for process shutoff of pipeline, which is introduced to the pipeline, moved to the shutoff place and fixed by means of retaining assembly. Mobile device includes housing on rolling bearings, retaining and sealing assemblies, and their hydraulic line. Sealing assembly is made in the form of a row of rings assembled of sealing segments. The latter of adjacent rings are offset by the half of their circumferential pitch and installed concentrically to flow part of pipeline on movable elements of support split ring with possibility of being pressed to inner surface of pipeline and compressed in axial direction with rigid disc. Movable elements of support split ring and rigid disc are moved with hydraulic cylinders.

EFFECT: improving the reliability of the device for shutting off the pipeline from inside.

2 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The invention relates to pipeline transport and can be used to shut off the pipeline from the inside for technological purposes (installation, repair, testing, etc.).

A known method of technological overlapping of the pipeline from the inside by means of inflatable elastic sealing units installed on a mobile device that is inserted into the pipeline, is moved to the overlap, is fixed with a stop assembly and with which elastic elements are inflated. The method is implemented by a mobile device for technological overlap of the pipeline from the inside according to the invention patent RU No. 2117851, IPC F16L 55/18, published on 08/20/1998. The device consists of a tubular cylindrical body, a pneumatic receiver, a stop assembly and inflatable elastic sealing units covering the body. The locking unit includes shoes driven into position by pneumatic cylinders controlled by electromagnetic spools. The internal cavities of the pneumatic cylinders are connected to the pneumatic receiver, and the external cavities to the product flow. The sealing units are made in the form of pneumatic-hydraulic cylinders placed on the outer surface of the cylindrical body, the hydraulic system of which is connected with inflatable sealing cuffs, and the pneumatic system is connected through electromagnetic spools to the pneumatic receiver. The ends of the tubular body are equipped with shutters with remotely controlled electromagnetic latches. The device is moved inside the pipeline by the flow of the transported medium. The start of movement, its speed and stops are determined by the position of the dampers.

The disadvantage of this method is the low reliability of inflatable elastic sealing units.

The known mobile device has the following disadvantages: low energy consumption due to the lack of replenishment of the pneumatic receiver, lack of rolling bearings and wear of inflatable cuffs on the inner surface of the pipeline, the presence of two working media with the corresponding complication of design, low positioning accuracy in the pipeline.

As a prototype, the method and its self-propelled mobile device according to the patent RU No. 2220362, IPC F16L 55/18, published on December 27, 2003, is selected. The device consists of a tubular cylindrical body on rolling bearings, a stop assembly, a hydraulic drive of the stop assembly covering the inflatable elastic body sealing units and pneumatic drive sealing units. The device is equipped with an electric current source, an engine and propulsion device for moving, as well as a remote control system.

The device uses two working media: liquid and gas, which complicates the design, and the use of inflatable elastic sealing units reduces the reliability of the method and device.

The problem solved by the invention is to increase the reliability of the method and device for shutting off the pipeline from the inside through the use of non-inflatable sealing units.

The technical result from the use of the invention is to increase safety and reduce the cost of technological overlap of the pipeline.

The specified result is achieved in the following way.

The pipeline is closed from the inside by means of a sealing unit mounted on a mobile device, which is inserted into the pipeline, moved to the place of overlap and fixed with a locking unit. To achieve the result, the sealing unit is made in the form of a series of rings assembled from the sealing segments. The sealing segments of adjacent rings are displaced by half of their circumferential pitch and mounted concentrically to the flowing part of the pipeline on the movable elements of the support split ring. The sealing segments are pressed against the inner walls of the pipe by the movable elements of the split ring and axially compressed by a hard disk. The movable elements of the support split ring and the hard disk are moved by means of hydraulic cylinders.

The method is implemented by a mobile device for technological overlapping of the pipeline, comprising a housing on rolling bearings, locking and sealing units, their hydraulic drive. To achieve a technical result, the sealing assembly is made in the form of a series of rings assembled from the sealing segments. The sealing segments of adjacent rings are offset by half of their circumferential pitch and mounted concentrically to the flowing part of the pipeline on the movable elements of the support split ring with the possibility of compression to the inner walls of the pipe and axial compression by a hard disk. The movable elements of the support split ring and the hard drive are moved by hydraulic cylinders.

The mobile device can be performed as in a self-propelled version, i.e. equipped with an electric current source, an engine, a hydroelectric station and a remote control system, and in the form of a trailed module for other self-propelled mobile pipeline devices.

The latter option is more preferable for blocking the pipeline at access points to the flow part (flange connections, manholes, etc.).

Figure 1 presents a General view of the preferred design of a mobile device, figure 2 - segments of the ring, pressed against the inner wall of the pipe, figure 3 - view A in figure 2, figure 4 - view B in figure 2.

A mobile device for blocking the pipeline is assembled in the housing 1 with rolling bearings 2. The locking assembly is located between the front 3 and middle 4 walls of the housing and includes rubberized shoes 5, brought into operation by radial hydraulic cylinders 6. The sealing assembly is located between the middle 4 and rear 7 walls corps. The sealing assembly contains a number of rings assembled from the sealing segments 8 on the annular axes 9. The rings from the sealing segments 8 are mounted concentrically to the flowing part of the pipeline on the movable elements 10 of the split support ring, which are mounted on the rods of the radial hydraulic cylinders 11. The ring axes 9 are mounted by pins 12 to the elements 10 split support rings. The axial hydraulic cylinders 13 are connected by rods to a movable annular hard disk 14, which is mounted on the housing guide through a seal 15. An annular hard disk 14 is mounted with the possibility of axial compression of the rings from the sealing segments via pressure rings 16. A chamber is formed between the rings from the sealing segments by means of the sleeve 17 18 to control leaks, which through the holes of the sleeve and sleeve 19 is connected to the devices of the control station. For delivery to the pipeline and connection with a self-propelled mobile device, the device is equipped with eyebolts 20.

The device is inserted into the pipeline by means of mechanization and installed in the flow part on the supports 2. From the control station, a locking assembly is turned on - radial hydraulic cylinders 6 press rubberized shoes 5 to the inner surface of the pipeline. Then, the sealing unit is turned on - the radial hydraulic cylinders 11 press the sealing segments 8 through the elements of the split support ring 10 to the inner surface of the pipeline, and the axial hydraulic cylinders 13 compress the rings from the sealing segments through the ring hard disk 14 and pressure rings 16 due to the stop in the middle wall 4 of the housing. The tightness of the device is controlled by the devices of the control post through the sleeve 19.

Depressurization of the pipeline is carried out in the reverse order of the listed actions.

The industrial applicability of the invention is confirmed by bench tests and the operation of the installation series.

The production of the proposed device is implemented in a metalworking plant.

The present invention allows to reduce costs and improve the safety of technological overlap of the pipeline.

Claims (2)

1. The method of technological overlapping of the pipeline by means of a sealing assembly mounted on a mobile device that is inserted into the pipeline, is moved to the overlapping place and secured by a locking assembly, characterized in that the sealing assembly is made in the form of a series of rings assembled from sealing segments, sealing segments of adjacent rings displaced by half of their circumferential step and set concentrically the flowing part of the pipeline on the movable elements of the support split ring, the sealing segments are pressed to the inner surface of the pipeline by the movable elements of the split ring and axially compressed by a hard disk, the movable elements of the support split ring and the hard disk are moved by means of hydraulic cylinders. 2. A mobile device for technological overlapping of the pipeline, comprising a housing on rolling bearings, a locking assembly, a sealing assembly and their hydraulic drive, characterized in that the sealing assembly is made in the form of a series of rings assembled from sealing segments, the sealing segments of adjacent rings are offset by half of their circumferential step and installed concentrically flowing part of the pipeline on the movable elements of the support split ring with the possibility of compression to the inner surface of the pipeline and compression in the axial direction and a hard disk, the movable supporting elements of the split ring and a hard disk are connected with rods of hydraulic cylinders.

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