RU2803588C1 - Method of starting and extracting in-line cleaning or diagnostic tools - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: pipeline transport.

SUBSTANCE: method of launching in-pipe cleaning or diagnostic tools into the pipeline includes: tie-in of a branch pipe with shutoff valves at an acute angle into the pipeline; connection of the chamber, which includes an input device - a pusher and a cleaning and diagnostics tool placed in it, with the branch pipe via the shut-off valves; connection to the chamber of a hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical linear drive; moving the cleaning or diagnostic tool with the help of a drive along the chamber through the shut-off valves and branch pipe to the pipeline until it is entrained by the flow of the pumped product; pulling with the help of a drive through the shut-off valves of the pusher into the chamber; closing of shut-off valves, dismantling of the chamber. A method for receiving and extracting in-line cleaning or diagnostic tools from a pipeline includes: tie-in of a branch pipe with shutoff valves into the pipeline at an obtuse angle; connection to the branch pipe via the shut-off valves of the chamber, which includes an extraction device - an extractor; connection of a hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical linear drive to the chamber; extension with the help of the extractor drive through the shut-off valves and branch pipe into the pipeline; direction of the cleaning or diagnostics tool from the pipeline to the branch pipe due to contact with the extractor; pulling the cleaning or diagnostic agent into the chamber using a drive through the shut-off valves until it is completely placed in the chamber; closing the shut-off valves, dismantling the chamber and removing the cleaning or diagnostic tool from it.

EFFECT: reduced amount of installation work, accelerated installation of temporary launchers and receivers due to absence of the need to install piping for pig launching.

2 cl, 7 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of pipeline transport and can be used for starting and receiving cleaning or diagnostic means (SOD) without stopping the transport of the product.

A device is known for launching one or more scrapers into a process flow (RF patent No. 2713934, published 02.11.2020, Bulletin No. 5). The device includes a housing defining a chamber with a length and containing an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet receives one or more scrapers into the chamber, wherein the outlet communicates with the process stream and discharges one or more scrapers from the chamber into the process stream, wherein a portion of the chamber communicates with the process stream ; and a firing mechanism for launching one or more scrapers from the chamber, the firing mechanism comprising: a guide located in the chamber and guiding one or more scrapers in the chamber, the guide being movable along the length of the chamber from an inlet to an outlet; and an actuator operatively coupled to the guide and mechanically delivering one or more scrapers guided by the guide along the length of the chamber toward the outlet.

The disadvantage of the technical solution is: the complexity of the design, the need to install piping pipelines to direct part of the process flow for the release of SOD into the main line.

The technical problem of the invention is the creation of a method for launching and receiving SOD with the achievement of the following technical result: reducing the volume of installation work, accelerating the installation of temporary launching and receiving units due to the absence of the need for the proposed method to install piping pipelines for releasing SOD into the main line.

The specified technical result is achieved by the fact that the method of launching the SOD into the pipeline includes inserting a branch pipe with shut-off valves (ZA) into the pipeline at an angle of 30-45°, connecting to the branch pipe through the SOD of the chamber, which includes an input device - a pusher and the SOD placed in it; connection to the linear drive chamber; moving the SOD with the help of a drive along the chamber through the valve and the branch pipe to the pipeline until it is carried away by the flow of the pumped product; pulling with the help of a drive through the pusher into the chamber; closing FOR, dismantling the camera. The method of receiving and extracting SOD from a pipeline includes inserting a branch pipe with a closed valve into the pipeline at an angle of 135-150°; connection to the pipe through the chamber, which includes an extraction device - extractor; connection to the linear drive chamber; extension using an extractor drive through shut-off valves and a pipe into the pipeline; directing the SOD from the pipeline into the nozzle due to contact with the extractor; pulling the SOD into the chamber using a drive through the ZA until it is completely placed in the chamber; closing the PRO, dismantling the chamber and removing the SOD from it.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, which show:

- in fig. 1 - SOD launch unit;

- in fig. 2 - pusher;

- in fig. 3 - SOD receiving unit;

- in fig. 4 - extractor;

- in fig. 5 - pushing the SOD into the highway (1st step);

- in fig. 6 - pushing the SOD into the highway (2nd step);

- in fig. 7 - extraction of the SOD into the receiving unit from the highway.

The proposed method is implemented using two separate nodes:

launching unit and receiving unit, which can be used both in combination and independently of each other.

The launch unit contains a linear drive 1, a chamber 2, an input device - a pusher 3, a drive ramp 4 (see Fig. 1).

The pusher 3 is a curved metal rod, one end of which extends outward through the gland seal in the cover of the chamber 2, and the other end is equipped with a spring-loaded tip 5, capable of being raised at a small angle relative to the axis of the pusher 3 in the free state, so that when the pusher 3 moves forward, the tip 5 rested against the SOD flange, and during the return movement of pusher 3, it straightened out coaxially with pusher 3 (see Fig. 2).

The receiving unit contains the same components, only instead of a pusher 3 it is equipped with an extractor 6 (see Fig. 3).

The extractor 6 is also a curved metal rod, one end of which passes outward through the gland seal in the cover of the chamber 2, and the other end is equipped with two elements: a spring-loaded tip 7 installed in the opposite direction, and a trap 8 (see Fig. 4). The tip 7 is capable, in a free state, of rising at a small angle relative to the extractor axis so that when the pusher moves forward, the tip 7 is straightened coaxially with the extractor, and when the extractor moves back, it rises and rests against the SOD flange.

To drain possible condensate, water or sludge, chamber 2 is equipped with drain pipes 9, and to relieve pressure - with pipe 10.

The method is implemented as follows.

To start the SOD:

1. At the beginning of the pipeline section, a pipe 11 with shut-off valves 12 (ZA) with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the pipeline is welded at an acute angle to the axis of the pipeline. Welding of pipe 11 is carried out without stopping the transportation of the product through the pipeline, using known technologies and technical means for inserting pressure bends. The welding angle of the nozzle is determined by the following factors: a large angle (>45°) will make it difficult for the SOD to pass into the main, and choosing a small angle (<30°) will cause technical difficulties when welding the nozzle.

2. Any known device for inserting pressure taps (not shown) is mounted to flange 13 3A and a hole of maximum diameter is cut in the pipeline. Upon completion of the cutting, ZA 12 is closed and the tapping device, together with the template (removable part of the pipe) cut from the pipeline, is dismantled.

3. Chamber 2 with the pusher 3 and SOD assembled in it is mounted to flange 13 FOR.

A linear actuator 1 is mounted on the chamber 2 in a ramp 4, which can be mechanical, electric or hydraulic; the actuator rod 1 is connected to the pusher rod 3 protruding beyond the chamber.

4. After the complete opening of the ZA 12, under the influence of the linear drive 1, the SOD is pushed from chamber 2 through the ZA 12 into the hole cut in the pipeline until the first cuff of the SOD in the bow closes the cross-section of the pipeline, and the SOD is carried away by the product flow. Pushing of the SOD occurs due to the action of the pusher 3 on the steel flange of the frame of the multi-section SOD in the front part or on the rear part of the single-section SOD. To insert multi-sectional devices, the pusher rod 3 is curved and moves along the wall of the chamber 2 (see Fig. 5).

If the multi-section SOD is not inserted enough to enter the pipeline due to insufficient drive stroke, then the pusher 3 is pulled back until it is behind the next (second) flange of the SOD frame in accordance with Fig. 6.

After which the input procedure is repeated. In this case, the pressure before and after the SOD is equalized due to the flow of product along the pusher 3.

5. After the SOD leaves (starts to move through the pipeline), the pusher 3 is removed behind the ZA 12 into chamber 2. After closing the ZA 12 and bleeding off the residual pressure, the chamber 2 with the pusher 3 and the linear drive 1 is dismantled. After this, only pipe 11 with ZA 12 will remain on the pipeline, the open flange of which can be plugged.

6. At the end of the section, at an obtuse angle to the axis of the pipeline, pipe 14 is also welded to 15. The welding angle of the pipe is determined by the following factors: a small angle (<135°) will make it difficult to turn the SOD from the main and enter it into the pipe, and choosing a large angle (> 150°) will cause technical difficulties when welding the pipe.

7. Through ZA 15, a hole is cut in the pipeline. Upon completion of the work, the insertion device along with the cut out template is dismantled.

To take SOD:

1. Chamber 2 with the extraction device assembled in it - extractor 6 is mounted to flange 16 FOR. Linear actuator 1 is mounted on chamber 2 in ramp 4, the drive rod is connected to the extractor rod 6 protruding beyond the chamber 2.

2. After the complete opening of the WATER 15, the extractor trap 8, under the influence of the extractor rod of the linear drive 1, is inserted into the cavity of the pipeline through the WARNING 15.

3. When approaching the temporary receiving unit, if technologically possible, the speed of movement of the SOD is reduced to reduce the dynamic loads on the trap 8. When the SOD approaches, the trap 8 directs the SOD into the nozzle and is discharged through the ZA 15 into chamber 2 (see Fig. 7).

If there is no technological possibility of changing the pumping mode through the pipeline, it is necessary to install a bypass line (not shown) connecting the points before and after the insertion point of the pipe. In this way, the pressure in the line between the insertion points of the bypass line is equalized and the speed of the SOD is reduced.

The withdrawal is carried out due to the influence of the tip 7 of the extractor 6 on the flange of the SOD frame, which is pulled out by a linear drive 1. The procedure for pulling out the SOD can be repeated several times if the stroke of the drive 1 is not enough to do this at once.

4. After closing ZA 15, chamber 2 is dismantled along with the SOD and large foreign objects removed from the pipeline.

Upon completion of work on the pipeline, at the start-up and receiving nodes there remain pipes welded to the pipeline with protective equipment, which can be used in the future to periodically repeat the cleaning or diagnostic procedure. If in the future there are no plans for cleaning or inspection work in this area, then the WATER can also be dismantled by installing a plug in a special socket of the pipe.

Claims (14)

1. A method for launching in-line cleaning or diagnostic means into a pipeline, including: insertion of a branch pipe with shut-off valves into the pipeline at an angle of 30-45°; connection to the pipe through the shut-off valve of the chamber, which includes an input device - a pusher and a cleaning and diagnostic means placed in it; connection to the linear drive chamber; moving the cleaning or diagnostic means using a drive along the chamber through the shut-off valves and pipe to the pipeline until it is carried away by the flow of the pumped product; pulling with the help of a drive through the shut-off valves of the pusher into the chamber; closing the shut-off valves, dismantling the chamber. 2. A method for receiving and removing in-line cleaning or diagnostic means from a pipeline, including: insertion at an angle of 135-150° into the pipeline of a branch pipe with shut-off valves; connection to the pipe through the shut-off valve of the chamber, which includes an extraction device - extractor; connection to the linear drive chamber; extension using an extractor drive through shut-off valves and a pipe into the pipeline; directing a cleaning or diagnostic agent from the pipeline into the nozzle through contact with the extractor; pulling the cleaning or diagnostic agent into the chamber using a drive through the shut-off valves until it is completely placed in the chamber; closing the shut-off valves, dismantling the chamber and removing cleaning or diagnostic tools from it.

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