WO2023007299A2 - A device for moving in a pipeline - Google Patents

A device for moving in a pipeline Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2023007299A2
WO2023007299A2 PCT/IB2022/056524 IB2022056524W WO2023007299A2 WO 2023007299 A2 WO2023007299 A2 WO 2023007299A2 IB 2022056524 W IB2022056524 W IB 2022056524W WO 2023007299 A2 WO2023007299 A2 WO 2023007299A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
gauge
pipeline
flow adjustment
module
valve
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2022/056524
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2023007299A3 (en
Inventor
Poramate MANOONPONG
Sujet PHODAPOL
Tachadol SUTHISOMBOON
Pong KOSANUNT
Thutchai KASEMWARAPACH
Petch JANBANJONG
Original Assignee
Ptt Exploration And Production Public Company Limited
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from TH2103002124U external-priority patent/TH19768C3/en
Application filed by Ptt Exploration And Production Public Company Limited filed Critical Ptt Exploration And Production Public Company Limited
Publication of WO2023007299A2 publication Critical patent/WO2023007299A2/en
Publication of WO2023007299A3 publication Critical patent/WO2023007299A3/en

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
    • F16L55/26—Pigs or moles, i.e. devices movable in a pipe or conduit with or without self-contained propulsion means
    • F16L55/28—Constructional aspects
    • F16L55/30—Constructional aspects of the propulsion means, e.g. towed by cables
    • F16L55/38—Constructional aspects of the propulsion means, e.g. towed by cables driven by fluid pressure
    • 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
    • F16L2101/00—Uses or applications of pigs or moles
    • F16L2101/30—Inspecting, measuring or testing

Definitions

  • a pipeline inspection gauge is a device which moves in a pipeline to detect abnormalities or clean the pipeline surface. Said device is moved by fluid pressure, such as water or oil pressure.
  • a problem usually found in using PIG as a device for moving in the pipeline is that the movement speed of the device in the pipeline is inconsistent and does not correspond to the speed determined by the user. Therefore, there is an effort to develop a device for moving in the pipeline with a mechanism for controlling and adjusting the speed to be within a required range. Examples of prior art related to the improvement of the device for moving in the pipeline are as follows.
  • a research on "Bypass-valve and its Resistance Characteristic of Speed Regulating PIG in Gas Pipeline" at the 3 rd international conference of the 2011 Measuring Technology and Mechatronics Automation discloses a basic structure of a speed controllable PIG, including several speed acquiring units, central control units, and processing units. Three or more odometer wheels in the speed acquiring unit of PIG run along the pipe wall and generate distance signals and velocity pulses. A bypass valve is driven by a motor or a cylinder to regulate the flow through the bypass hole and the velocity of PIG.
  • PIG consists of a speed control unit provided for controlling the speed of PIG to be at a constant speed, especially in large diameter and high-pressure gas pipelines.
  • a rotatable bypass-valve is provided in the speed control unit to control the speed of PIG by changing the amount of the bypass flow across PIG.
  • US patent no. 6,190,090 B 1 discloses an apparatus for use in a pipeline having a housing through which pipeline fluid may enter from the rear of the housing, pass through the housing, and subsequently exit the housing.
  • a first bonnet having several openings, is mounted at the front of the housing on a shaft which is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing.
  • a second bonnet is mounted on the housing and fits over the first bonnet.
  • the second bonnet has openings which, when aligned with the openings in the first bonnet, permit the flow of pipeline fluid out of the housing in various directions.
  • the first bonnet is movable in relation to the second bonnet so as to vary the degree of alignment of the openings in the bonnets.
  • the devices for moving in the pipeline disclosed in the above prior arts still have some drawbacks.
  • the valve mounted inside the gauge or facing the inner side of the gauge results in a limitation of space and an inconvenience in condition inspection and maintenance in case of damage.
  • the valves of those devices are mounted in a fixed manner and cannot be detached from the gauge, thus posing a limitation in application as the valves cannot be applied to other gauges.
  • the valves and the gauges also cannot be replaced in case the device is damaged.
  • the invention is aimed at developing a device for moving in a pipeline using fluid pressure of which its movement speed can be adjusted to correspond to the determined speed using a speed control module mounted in a detachable manner at an end portion of a gauge module to allow a more convenient application of the device.
  • the device for moving in the pipeline comprises a gauge module which is moved by fluid pressure in the pipeline.
  • the gauge module comprises a gauge body having a cylindrical shape and at least one fluid channel provided along a longitudinal direction of the gauge body to allow the fluid to flow through; and a speed control module which is mounted to the gauge module.
  • the speed control module is mounted to the gauge module in a detachable manner and comprises a flow adjustment valve mounted in a detachable manner through a connecting means to an end portion of the gauge module on a side where the gauge module moves in the pipeline to receive the fluid from the fluid channel and a valve control unit connected to the flow adjustment valve to control an opening of the flow adjustment valve according to a movement speed of the gauge module.
  • the device for moving in the pipeline has the speed control module comprising the flow adjustment valve mounted to the gauge module in a detachable manner which allows the speed control module to be used in a wider range of application. That is, the speed control module can be assembled to other gauge modules with different sizes by modifying the connecting means to make it suitable for the size of the gauge module to be connected. Moreover, the condition inspection and the maintenance of the device can be carried out in a more convenient manner as the gauge module and the speed control module can be disassembled in order to inspect the condition of the device. Replacement or repair of only damaged elements can also be carried out conveniently.
  • the device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention was designed such that it can be connected to other devices for moving in the pipeline by using a suitable joint in order to control the speed of such device as needed.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the front side where the speed control module is mounted.
  • Fig. 2 is a lateral view of the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A line of Fig. 2 of the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the rear side where the speed control module is not mounted.
  • Fig. 5 is a lateral view showing the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention which is connected to other devices for moving in the pipeline.
  • front side of the device according to the present invention means the side where the speed control module is mounted or the side facing the same direction as the direction of movement in the pipeline of the device for moving in the pipeline.
  • rear side of the device according to the present invention means the side where the speed control module is not mounted or the side facing the direction opposite to the direction of movement in the pipeline of the device for moving in the pipeline.
  • Figs. 1-4 show exemplary embodiments and different components of the device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention.
  • Fig. 5 shows an application in which the device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention is connected to other devices for moving in the pipeline.
  • the device for moving in the pipeline of the present invention comprises the gauge module (1) which is moved by fluid pressure in the pipeline.
  • the gauge module (1) comprises the gauge body (1.1) having a cylindrical shape; and the at least one fluid channel (1.2) (clearly shown in Fig. 3) provided along the longitudinal direction of the gauge body (1.1) to allow the fluid to flow through.
  • the speed control module (2) is mounted to the gauge module (1) and at least one gasket (1.3) is provided on an peripheral outer wall of the gauge body (1.1) such that it is in contact with an inner surface of the pipeline for blocking the fluid flow and generating friction against the inner surface of the pipeline to control the speed of the device.
  • the speed control module (2) is mounted to the gauge module (1) in a detachable manner and comprises the flow adjustment valve (2.1), which is mounted in a detachable manner through the connecting means (C) to the end portion of the gauge module (1) on the side where the gauge module (1) moves in the pipeline to receive the fluid from the fluid channel (1.2); and the valve control unit (2.2), which is connected to the flow adjustment valve (2.1) for controlling the opening of the flow adjustment valve (2.1) according to the movement speed of the gauge module (1).
  • the control of the opening of the flow adjustment valve (2.1) according to the movement speed of the gauge module (1) is performed so that the movement speed of the device for moving in the pipeline corresponds to the determined speed.
  • the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is adjusted such that more fluid flows through so that the device for moving in the pipeline reduces its speed.
  • the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is adjusted such that less fluid flow through so that the device for moving in the pipeline increases its speed.
  • the flow adjustment valve (2.1) mounted in a detachable manner through the connecting means (C) is advantageous in that it allows the speed control module (2) to be detached from the gauge module (1) when it is not in use, for example, when the gauge module (1) needs to be maintained or repaired, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) can also be assembled to other gauge modules (1) with different sizes to conveniently use the device with the pipelines with different sizes.
  • the flow adjustment valve (2.1) mounted to the end portion of the gauge module (1) on the front side such that it faces away from the gauge module (1) also reduces the limitation of space of both the gauge module (1) and the flow adjustment valve (2.1).
  • the flow adjustment valve (2.1) can be designed to have a larger size as needed without having to consider the limitation of space.
  • the gasket (1.3) provided on the gauge body (1.1) can be replaced when using a pipeline with different sizes to allow the gauge to be used with different sizes of pipeline.
  • the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is a rotary valve.
  • the present invention is not limited to the rotary valve; other devices which can adjust the flow in the same manner as the rotary valve may also be used.
  • the flow adjustment valve (2.1) comprises an internal valve part (2.1.1) having a cylindrical shape and having a number of internal openings (2.1.1.1) provided on a peripheral surface; and an external valve part (2.1.2) having a shape corresponding to the internal valve part (2.1.1) such that they can be fitted well together and having a number of external openings (2.1.2.1) provided at the same position as the internal openings (2.1.1.1) when the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is fully opened.
  • the internal valve part (2.1.1) may be provided in a stationary manner and the external valve part (2.1.2) is provided such that it can be rotated, or the internal valve part (2.1.1) may be provided such that it can be rotated, and the external valve part (2.1.2) is provided in a stationary manner.
  • the arrangement of both valves can be adjusted for suitability in application.
  • the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) can be positioned such that they are completely aligned, partially aligned or not aligned. Therefore, the fluid flowing through the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is adjusted according to the positioning of the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1). Therefore, the movement speed of the device for moving in the pipeline is adjusted according to the fluid flowing through the flow adjustment valve (2.1).
  • the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) have a length in a device movement direction of at least 0.2 times the diameter of the gauge body (1.1) and at most 0.45 times the diameter of the gauge body (1.1). It can be seen that the length of the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) corresponds to the size of the gauge body (1.1), that is, when the diameter of the gauge body (1.1) becomes greater, the length of both openings will increase as well. For example, when the diameter of the gauge body (1.1) is 30 cm., the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) will have a minimum length of 6 cm. and a maximum length of 13.5 cm.
  • the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) are present in a number of 3-6. Said number is preferred as it provides a suitable response to the control of the device movement speed. If the number of the opening is too small, there will be a great degree of rotation of the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2) which will result in a too low response to the speed control. On the other hand, if the number of the opening is too large, there will be a small degree of rotation of the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2) which would result in a too high response to the speed control. That is, a slight adjustment of the degree will result in a greater change in the area where the fluid flows through the valve compared to the case where there is a small number of openings, thus resulting in an unstable control system.
  • the valve control unit (2.2) comprises a movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1) (not shown in the drawings) provided on the gauge module (1) and/or the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to measure a movement parameter of the device; a controller (2.2.2) provided on the gauge module (1) and/or the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to receive the movement parameter measured by the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1), convert the movement parameter into speed, and create a drive instruction; a driving motor (2.2.3) which is in communication with the controller (2.2.2) and connected to the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to drive the flow adjustment valve (2.1) (i.e.
  • the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2)) to close, partially open, or fully open, based on the drive instruction received from the controller (2.2.2); and a battery (2.2.4) (not shown in the drawings) provided for supplying electric power to the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1), the controller (2.2.2), and the driving motor (2.2.3). Since the driving motor (2.2.3) driving the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2) is operated at a low control frequency and does not need to be operated at high rotation cycle and torque, the overall energy consumption of the device is not so high. Therefore, it is not necessary to design the battery (2.2.4) to have a large size which is advantageous as the overall weight of the device can be reduced.
  • the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1) may comprise an odometer (2.2.1.1) (shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5) provided for measuring the movement distance of the device and/or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) (2.2.1.2) provided for measuring an acceleration of the device.
  • IMU inertial measurement unit
  • the movement parameter such as, the movement distance of the device and/or the acceleration of the device, is measured by the same, these movement parameters will be transmitted to the controller (2.2.2) to be converted into speed of the device.
  • the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1) comprises the odometer (2.2.1.1) and the inertial measurement unit (2.2.1.2)
  • both the odometer (2.2.1.1) and the inertial measurement unit (2.2.1.2) can concurrently process the parameters obtained from both tools to increase accuracy in finding the movement speed of the device for moving in the pipeline.
  • the driving motor (2.2.3) is a servo motor comprising a motor rotation angle sensor and a motor current sensor to measure a motor rotation angle and a motor current and transmit the measured values to the controller (2.2.2).
  • the controller (2.2.2) when the controller (2.2.2) receives the measured values, i.e., the motor rotation angle and the motor current, the controller (2.2.2) can perform an additional processing to find the motor rotation speed and the motor torque.
  • the motor rotation angle, the motor current, the motor rotation speed, and the motor torque are processed by the controller (2.2.2) to create the drive instmction for the driving motor (2.2.3) to control the position of the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2) of the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to rotate to the required position.
  • a preferred example of the connecting means (C) according to the present invention is a flange. More preferably, the flange is mounted to the gauge module (1) in the presence of the gasket to prevent the fluid from flowing through in the connected region.
  • the connecting means (C) is advantageous in that the speed control module (2) can be easily and rapidly mounted to or detached from the gauge module (1) without using any special tools.
  • Fig. 4 shows the device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention additionally comprising a universal joint (3) provided on the end portion of the gauge module (1) on the side opposite to the movement in the pipeline to connect to other devices for moving in the pipeline according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.
  • connection through the universal joint (3) is applied to other devices for moving in the pipeline which have relatively great overall length such that they cannot make a turn along the pipeline when moving in the pipeline.
  • the scope of the present invention is not limited by the above description of the aspects of the invention. Substitutions or analogues of the aspects of the present invention and any slight modifications or changes which are apparent to a person skilled in the art should be considered to be within the spirit, the scope, and the concept of the invention.
  • the size and the number of components for example, the gauge body (1.1), the fluid channel (1.2), the number of external opening (2.1.2.1), and the means of connection, can be adjusted for suitability in application and still be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Abstract

This invention relates to a device for moving in a pipeline comprising a gauge module which is moved by fluid pressure in the pipeline. The gauge module comprises a gauge body having a cylindrical shape and at least one fluid channel provided along a longitudinal direction of the gauge body to allow the fluid to flow through and a speed control module which is mounted to the gauge module. The speed control module is detachably mounted to the gauge module and comprises a flow adjustment valve detachably mounted through a connecting means to an end portion of the gauge module on a side where the gauge module moves in the pipeline to receive the fluid from the fluid channel and a valve control unit connected to the flow adjustment valve to control an opening of the flow adjustment valve according to a movement speed of the gauge module.

Description

A DEVICE FOR MOVING IN A PIPELINE
TECHNICAL FIELD
Engineering related to a device for moving in a pipeline
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A pipeline inspection gauge (PIG) is a device which moves in a pipeline to detect abnormalities or clean the pipeline surface. Said device is moved by fluid pressure, such as water or oil pressure.
A problem usually found in using PIG as a device for moving in the pipeline is that the movement speed of the device in the pipeline is inconsistent and does not correspond to the speed determined by the user. Therefore, there is an effort to develop a device for moving in the pipeline with a mechanism for controlling and adjusting the speed to be within a required range. Examples of prior art related to the improvement of the device for moving in the pipeline are as follows.
A research on "Bypass-valve and its Resistance Characteristic of Speed Regulating PIG in Gas Pipeline" at the 3rd international conference of the 2011 Measuring Technology and Mechatronics Automation discloses a basic structure of a speed controllable PIG, including several speed acquiring units, central control units, and processing units. Three or more odometer wheels in the speed acquiring unit of PIG run along the pipe wall and generate distance signals and velocity pulses. A bypass valve is driven by a motor or a cylinder to regulate the flow through the bypass hole and the velocity of PIG.
A research on "Experimental study on dynamics of rotatable bypass-valve in speed control PIG in gas pipeline" in Elsevier, Measurement vol. 47, January 2014, p. 686-692 discloses a PIG of oil and gas pipelines for dewatering, cleaning, and inspecting the pipeline condition. PIG consists of a speed control unit provided for controlling the speed of PIG to be at a constant speed, especially in large diameter and high-pressure gas pipelines. A rotatable bypass-valve is provided in the speed control unit to control the speed of PIG by changing the amount of the bypass flow across PIG.
US patent no. 6,190,090 B 1 discloses an apparatus for use in a pipeline having a housing through which pipeline fluid may enter from the rear of the housing, pass through the housing, and subsequently exit the housing. A first bonnet, having several openings, is mounted at the front of the housing on a shaft which is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing. A second bonnet is mounted on the housing and fits over the first bonnet. The second bonnet has openings which, when aligned with the openings in the first bonnet, permit the flow of pipeline fluid out of the housing in various directions. The first bonnet is movable in relation to the second bonnet so as to vary the degree of alignment of the openings in the bonnets.
However, the devices for moving in the pipeline disclosed in the above prior arts still have some drawbacks. For example, the valve mounted inside the gauge or facing the inner side of the gauge results in a limitation of space and an inconvenience in condition inspection and maintenance in case of damage. Particularly, the valves of those devices are mounted in a fixed manner and cannot be detached from the gauge, thus posing a limitation in application as the valves cannot be applied to other gauges. The valves and the gauges also cannot be replaced in case the device is damaged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to develop a device for moving in a pipeline which has been improved to eliminate the limitations of the previously disclosed devices. The invention is aimed at developing a device for moving in a pipeline using fluid pressure of which its movement speed can be adjusted to correspond to the determined speed using a speed control module mounted in a detachable manner at an end portion of a gauge module to allow a more convenient application of the device.
The device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention comprises a gauge module which is moved by fluid pressure in the pipeline. The gauge module comprises a gauge body having a cylindrical shape and at least one fluid channel provided along a longitudinal direction of the gauge body to allow the fluid to flow through; and a speed control module which is mounted to the gauge module. The speed control module is mounted to the gauge module in a detachable manner and comprises a flow adjustment valve mounted in a detachable manner through a connecting means to an end portion of the gauge module on a side where the gauge module moves in the pipeline to receive the fluid from the fluid channel and a valve control unit connected to the flow adjustment valve to control an opening of the flow adjustment valve according to a movement speed of the gauge module.
The device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention has the speed control module comprising the flow adjustment valve mounted to the gauge module in a detachable manner which allows the speed control module to be used in a wider range of application. That is, the speed control module can be assembled to other gauge modules with different sizes by modifying the connecting means to make it suitable for the size of the gauge module to be connected. Moreover, the condition inspection and the maintenance of the device can be carried out in a more convenient manner as the gauge module and the speed control module can be disassembled in order to inspect the condition of the device. Replacement or repair of only damaged elements can also be carried out conveniently.
Further, the device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention was designed such that it can be connected to other devices for moving in the pipeline by using a suitable joint in order to control the speed of such device as needed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the front side where the speed control module is mounted.
Fig. 2 is a lateral view of the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along A-A line of Fig. 2 of the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the rear side where the speed control module is not mounted.
Fig. 5 is a lateral view showing the device for moving in the pipeline according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention which is connected to other devices for moving in the pipeline.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The details of the invention will be described hereinafter in conjunction with the drawings to obtain a better understanding. The same reference numbers as in the drawings are used and explain identical or similar elements throughout the description of the invention.
Any aspects shown herein shall encompass the application to other aspects of the present invention as well, unless stated otherwise.
The term “front side” of the device according to the present invention means the side where the speed control module is mounted or the side facing the same direction as the direction of movement in the pipeline of the device for moving in the pipeline. The term “rear side” of the device according to the present invention means the side where the speed control module is not mounted or the side facing the direction opposite to the direction of movement in the pipeline of the device for moving in the pipeline.
Figs. 1-4 show exemplary embodiments and different components of the device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention. Fig. 5 shows an application in which the device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention is connected to other devices for moving in the pipeline.
As shown in Figs. 1-4, the device for moving in the pipeline of the present invention comprises the gauge module (1) which is moved by fluid pressure in the pipeline. The gauge module (1) comprises the gauge body (1.1) having a cylindrical shape; and the at least one fluid channel (1.2) (clearly shown in Fig. 3) provided along the longitudinal direction of the gauge body (1.1) to allow the fluid to flow through. The speed control module (2) is mounted to the gauge module (1) and at least one gasket (1.3) is provided on an peripheral outer wall of the gauge body (1.1) such that it is in contact with an inner surface of the pipeline for blocking the fluid flow and generating friction against the inner surface of the pipeline to control the speed of the device.
According to the present invention, the speed control module (2) is mounted to the gauge module (1) in a detachable manner and comprises the flow adjustment valve (2.1), which is mounted in a detachable manner through the connecting means (C) to the end portion of the gauge module (1) on the side where the gauge module (1) moves in the pipeline to receive the fluid from the fluid channel (1.2); and the valve control unit (2.2), which is connected to the flow adjustment valve (2.1) for controlling the opening of the flow adjustment valve (2.1) according to the movement speed of the gauge module (1).
According to the above embodiment, the control of the opening of the flow adjustment valve (2.1) according to the movement speed of the gauge module (1) is performed so that the movement speed of the device for moving in the pipeline corresponds to the determined speed. For example, when the speed of the device for moving in the pipeline is higher than the determined speed, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is adjusted such that more fluid flows through so that the device for moving in the pipeline reduces its speed. On the contrary, when the speed of the device for moving in the pipeline is lower than the determined speed, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is adjusted such that less fluid flow through so that the device for moving in the pipeline increases its speed. Additionally, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) mounted in a detachable manner through the connecting means (C) is advantageous in that it allows the speed control module (2) to be detached from the gauge module (1) when it is not in use, for example, when the gauge module (1) needs to be maintained or repaired, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) can also be assembled to other gauge modules (1) with different sizes to conveniently use the device with the pipelines with different sizes.
Further, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) mounted to the end portion of the gauge module (1) on the front side such that it faces away from the gauge module (1) also reduces the limitation of space of both the gauge module (1) and the flow adjustment valve (2.1). For example, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) can be designed to have a larger size as needed without having to consider the limitation of space.
According to a preferred embodiment, the gasket (1.3) provided on the gauge body (1.1) can be replaced when using a pipeline with different sizes to allow the gauge to be used with different sizes of pipeline.
According to a preferred exemplary embodiment as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is a rotary valve. Flowever, the present invention is not limited to the rotary valve; other devices which can adjust the flow in the same manner as the rotary valve may also be used.
Referring to Figs. 1-3, the flow adjustment valve (2.1) comprises an internal valve part (2.1.1) having a cylindrical shape and having a number of internal openings (2.1.1.1) provided on a peripheral surface; and an external valve part (2.1.2) having a shape corresponding to the internal valve part (2.1.1) such that they can be fitted well together and having a number of external openings (2.1.2.1) provided at the same position as the internal openings (2.1.1.1) when the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is fully opened.
The internal valve part (2.1.1) may be provided in a stationary manner and the external valve part (2.1.2) is provided such that it can be rotated, or the internal valve part (2.1.1) may be provided such that it can be rotated, and the external valve part (2.1.2) is provided in a stationary manner. The arrangement of both valves can be adjusted for suitability in application.
According to the above embodiment, as the internal valve part (2.1.1) and the external valve part (2.1.2) can be relatively rotated, the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) can be positioned such that they are completely aligned, partially aligned or not aligned. Therefore, the fluid flowing through the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is adjusted according to the positioning of the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1). Therefore, the movement speed of the device for moving in the pipeline is adjusted according to the fluid flowing through the flow adjustment valve (2.1).
According to a preferred embodiment, the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) have a length in a device movement direction of at least 0.2 times the diameter of the gauge body (1.1) and at most 0.45 times the diameter of the gauge body (1.1). It can be seen that the length of the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) corresponds to the size of the gauge body (1.1), that is, when the diameter of the gauge body (1.1) becomes greater, the length of both openings will increase as well. For example, when the diameter of the gauge body (1.1) is 30 cm., the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) will have a minimum length of 6 cm. and a maximum length of 13.5 cm.
According to a preferred embodiment, the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) are present in a number of 3-6. Said number is preferred as it provides a suitable response to the control of the device movement speed. If the number of the opening is too small, there will be a great degree of rotation of the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2) which will result in a too low response to the speed control. On the other hand, if the number of the opening is too large, there will be a small degree of rotation of the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2) which would result in a too high response to the speed control. That is, a slight adjustment of the degree will result in a greater change in the area where the fluid flows through the valve compared to the case where there is a small number of openings, thus resulting in an unstable control system.
Referring to Fig. 3, the valve control unit (2.2) comprises a movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1) (not shown in the drawings) provided on the gauge module (1) and/or the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to measure a movement parameter of the device; a controller (2.2.2) provided on the gauge module (1) and/or the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to receive the movement parameter measured by the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1), convert the movement parameter into speed, and create a drive instruction; a driving motor (2.2.3) which is in communication with the controller (2.2.2) and connected to the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to drive the flow adjustment valve (2.1) (i.e. either the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2)) to close, partially open, or fully open, based on the drive instruction received from the controller (2.2.2); and a battery (2.2.4) (not shown in the drawings) provided for supplying electric power to the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1), the controller (2.2.2), and the driving motor (2.2.3). Since the driving motor (2.2.3) driving the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2) is operated at a low control frequency and does not need to be operated at high rotation cycle and torque, the overall energy consumption of the device is not so high. Therefore, it is not necessary to design the battery (2.2.4) to have a large size which is advantageous as the overall weight of the device can be reduced.
In an exemplary embodiment, the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1) may comprise an odometer (2.2.1.1) (shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5) provided for measuring the movement distance of the device and/or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) (2.2.1.2) provided for measuring an acceleration of the device. When the movement parameter, such as, the movement distance of the device and/or the acceleration of the device, is measured by the same, these movement parameters will be transmitted to the controller (2.2.2) to be converted into speed of the device. In case where the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1) comprises the odometer (2.2.1.1) and the inertial measurement unit (2.2.1.2), it is advantageous in that both the odometer (2.2.1.1) and the inertial measurement unit (2.2.1.2) can concurrently process the parameters obtained from both tools to increase accuracy in finding the movement speed of the device for moving in the pipeline.
As an example, the driving motor (2.2.3) is a servo motor comprising a motor rotation angle sensor and a motor current sensor to measure a motor rotation angle and a motor current and transmit the measured values to the controller (2.2.2).
According to the above, when the controller (2.2.2) receives the measured values, i.e., the motor rotation angle and the motor current, the controller (2.2.2) can perform an additional processing to find the motor rotation speed and the motor torque.
According to the above embodiment, the motor rotation angle, the motor current, the motor rotation speed, and the motor torque are processed by the controller (2.2.2) to create the drive instmction for the driving motor (2.2.3) to control the position of the internal valve part (2.1.1) or the external valve part (2.1.2) of the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to rotate to the required position.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a preferred example of the connecting means (C) according to the present invention is a flange. More preferably, the flange is mounted to the gauge module (1) in the presence of the gasket to prevent the fluid from flowing through in the connected region. Using the flange as the connecting means (C) is advantageous in that the speed control module (2) can be easily and rapidly mounted to or detached from the gauge module (1) without using any special tools.
Fig. 4 shows the device for moving in the pipeline according to the present invention additionally comprising a universal joint (3) provided on the end portion of the gauge module (1) on the side opposite to the movement in the pipeline to connect to other devices for moving in the pipeline according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.
According to the above embodiment, the connection through the universal joint (3) is applied to other devices for moving in the pipeline which have relatively great overall length such that they cannot make a turn along the pipeline when moving in the pipeline. The scope of the present invention is not limited by the above description of the aspects of the invention. Substitutions or analogues of the aspects of the present invention and any slight modifications or changes which are apparent to a person skilled in the art should be considered to be within the spirit, the scope, and the concept of the invention. For example, the size and the number of components, for example, the gauge body (1.1), the fluid channel (1.2), the number of external opening (2.1.2.1), and the means of connection, can be adjusted for suitability in application and still be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.
BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION
Best mode of the invention is as described in the detailed description of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A device for moving in a pipeline comprising: a gauge module (1) which is moved by fluid pressure in the pipeline, the gauge module (1) comprising a gauge body (1.1) having a cylindrical shape and at least one fluid channel (1.2) provided along a longitudinal direction of the gauge body (1.1) to allow the fluid to flow through; and a speed control module (2) which is mounted to the gauge module (1) characterized in that the speed control module (2) is mounted to the gauge module (1) in a detachable manner and comprises a flow adjustment valve (2.1) mounted in a detachable manner through a connecting means (C) to an end portion of the gauge module (1) on a side where the gauge module (1) moves in the pipeline to receive the fluid from the fluid channel (1.2) and a valve control unit (2.2) connected to the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to control an opening of the flow adjustment valve (2.1) according to a movement speed of the gauge module (1).
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is a rotary valve.
3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flow adjustment valve (2.1) comprises: an internal valve part (2.1.1) having a cylindrical shape and having a number of internal openings (2.1.1.1) provided on a peripheral surface; and an external valve part (2.1.2) having a shape corresponding to the internal valve part (2.1.1) such that they can be fitted well together and having a number of external openings (2.1.2.1) provided at the same position as the internal openings (2.1.1.1) when the flow adjustment valve (2.1) is fully opened wherein the internal valve part (2.1.1) is provided in a stationary manner and the external valve part (2.1.2) is provided such that it can be rotated, or the internal valve part (2.1.1) is provided such that it can be rotated, and the external valve part (2.1.2) is provided in a stationary manner.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) have a length in a device movement direction of at least 0.2 times the diameter of the gauge body (1.1) and at most 0.45 times the diameter of the gauge body (1.1).
5. The device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the internal openings (2.1.1.1) and the external openings (2.1.2.1) are present in a number of 3-6.
6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the valve control unit (2.2) comprises; a movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1) provided on the gauge module (1) and/or the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to measure a movement parameter of the device; a controller (2.2.2) provided on the gauge module (1) and/or the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to receive the movement parameter measured by the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1), convert the movement parameter into speed, and create a drive instruction; a driving motor (2.2.3) which is in communication with the controller (2.2.2) and connected to the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to drive the flow adjustment valve (2.1) to close, partially open, or fully open, based on the drive instruction received from the controller (2.2.2); and a battery (2.2.4) provided as an electric power supply.
7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the movement parameter measurement unit (2.2.1) comprises an odometer (2.2.1.1) provided for measuring a movement distance of the device and/or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) (2.2.1.2) provided for measuring an acceleration of the device.
8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the driving motor (2.2.3) is a servo motor comprising a motor rotation angle sensor and a motor current sensor.
9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means (C) is a flange.
10. The device according to any one of claims 1-9 further comprising a universal joint (3) provided at an end portion of the gauge module (1) on a side opposite to the movement in the pipeline for connecting to other devices for moving in the pipeline.
PCT/IB2022/056524 2021-07-30 2022-07-15 A device for moving in a pipeline WO2023007299A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
TH2103002124U TH19768C3 (en) 2021-07-30 Mobile device inside the pipe
TH2103002124 2021-07-30

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2023007299A2 true WO2023007299A2 (en) 2023-02-02
WO2023007299A3 WO2023007299A3 (en) 2023-03-09

Family

ID=85088205

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2022/056524 WO2023007299A2 (en) 2021-07-30 2022-07-15 A device for moving in a pipeline

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2023007299A2 (en)

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SK282605B6 (en) * 1997-09-13 2002-10-08 Slovensk� Plyn�Rensk� Priemysel, A. S. Device for pipeline interior cleaning
US8650694B2 (en) * 2008-07-03 2014-02-18 Tdw Delaware, Inc Speed regulated pipeline pig
CO6790240A1 (en) * 2012-05-11 2013-11-14 Univ Ind De Santander Robotic platform for internal pipe inspection
CN206229789U (en) * 2016-11-28 2017-06-09 西华大学 A kind of adjustable speed wiper and its rate controlling mechanism

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2023007299A3 (en) 2023-03-09

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20050016592A1 (en) Process control valve
CN107498467B (en) Constant force floating system
JP7133809B2 (en) Pipe inspection robot
US8087181B2 (en) Valve body seat pocket inspection tool
US7284570B1 (en) Electrically powered valve for controlling, monitoring and evaluating fluid flow
BR112015007621B1 (en) PRESSURE PISTON ACTUATOR AND WASTEGATE VALVE CONTROL SYSTEM IN A TURBO COMPRESSOR
CN101499693A (en) Oil path built-in swivel motor for underwater manipulator
WO2023007299A2 (en) A device for moving in a pipeline
CN110159764B (en) Intelligent mechanical sealing system and implementation method thereof
JP2009197709A (en) Swash plate type variable displacement hydraulic pump
CN111022829B (en) Fluid energy-taking speed-adjustable leather cup type pipeline robot power device
CN114688279B (en) Flow regulating device, pipeline system and photoetching system
JP5280191B2 (en) Control device for tightening force of hydraulic torque wrench
CN106184664B (en) Couple the glider adjusting means of roll regulation and buoyancy adjustment
CN116357836A (en) Variable-speed fluid driving pipeline robot
JP5595105B2 (en) Method of measuring length of fastening member in tightening force control device of hydraulic torque wrench
JP2011230224A (en) Control device of fastening force of hydraulic torque wrench
JP2011230225A (en) Control device of fastening force of hydraulic torque wrench
KR102621494B1 (en) Driving apparatus for pipeline
CN216430890U (en) Pipeline robot with adjustable fluid drive speed
JP2011218480A (en) Control device for tightening force of hydraulic torque wrench
KR20220043408A (en) Driving apparatus for pipeline
JP2018179231A (en) Valve positioner
CN217901484U (en) Gas environment on-site detector
KR20220043409A (en) Driving apparatus for underwater pipeline

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE