Device for Thermal Ablation of Pigging Devices

a technology for pigging devices and thermal ablation, which is applied in the direction of mechanical equipment, pipe elements, grain treatment, etc., can solve the problems of destroying and dismantling pig devices, and achieve the effect of convenient retrieval

Inactive Publication Date: 2018-08-30
SPT GRP LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The thermal ablation method allows for the effective destruction and retrieval of the pig within the pipeline, reducing retrieval costs and maintaining the pig's effectiveness throughout its journey, as demonstrated by experimental results showing zero pipe wall distortion and minimal temperature increase during the process.

Problems solved by technology

The interior of each thermal dispersion channel is melted to thereby disperse the exothermic material through the inner core and thereby destroy the pig device.
The interior of each thermal dispersion channel is melted to thereby disperse the exothermic material through the inner core of the pig device and thereby destroy the pig device.

Method used

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  • Device for Thermal Ablation of Pigging Devices
  • Device for Thermal Ablation of Pigging Devices
  • Device for Thermal Ablation of Pigging Devices

Examples

Experimental program
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examples

[0047]The following example details experiments designed and implemented using the pig device and ablation methods of the present disclosure. FIGS. 6-20 illustrate an exemplary pig design used in the experimental set up described herein. FIG. 6 illustrates the base of a pig device with a polyurethane foam inner core. An incendiary charge with two igniters is illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 illustrates this incendiary charge loaded into the base of the pig device. The radio receiver is shown loaded into the pig device in FIG. 9.

[0048]Testing results show that the materials and devices consistent with commercial pipe pigging may be effectively ablated or destroyed in place within the pipe to consistently allow materials to be flushed from the pipe past or through significant obstructions using water as a motive force. Due to the combustion process of the methods of the present disclosure, water as the motive force is the only method which may be used in this method of thermal ablatio...

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Abstract

The present disclosure provides for a novel pig design and method of retrieval based on thermal ablation. The pig comprises an external layer and an inner core, where the inner core further comprises at least one incendiary charge comprising at least one exothermic material. When ignited via an ignition source, the incendiary charge releases the exothermic material into one or more thermal dispersion channels. The exothermic material melts the interior of these thermal dispersion channels thereby distributing the exothermic material throughout the pig device causing its destruction via thermal ablation. The destroyed pig can then be easily retrieved from its location in a pipe, as detected via radio signals, without the need for costly excavation of large sections of the pipe.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This Application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 788,633, filed on Oct. 19, 2017, entitled “Device for Thermal Ablation of Pigging Devices,” which itself is a continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 187,866, filed on Jun. 21, 2016, entitled “System and Method for Thermal Ablation of Pigging Devices,” which itself claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 184,981, filed on Jun. 26, 2015, entitled “System and Method for Thermal Ablation of Pigging Devices.” These applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.BACKGROUND[0002]Pigging is used as a mechanism to clean internal surfaces of pipelines including sewer, process, water, wastewater and other types of pipes. Pigging is used to reduce the friction losses of pumping energy, improve flow rates of restricted piping, and as a general maintenance process. Typical materials of construc...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B02C19/18F16L55/48F16L55/40F16L55/46
CPCB02C19/186F16L55/48F16L55/40F16L55/46
InventorSANKEY, MARK S.STEWART, JAMES F.POUNDS, ANDREW J.STALNAKER, WILLIAM SCOTTWALKER, JOHN RODNEYWALKER, DENNIS AUBREYCOLLINS, JAMES R.
OwnerSPT GRP LLC