Pig launching device and method

Abstract

The application discloses a pig launching device and method, wherein the pig launching device comprises a ball storage cylinder, a launching valve and an oil pipeline. The launching valve comprises a shell, a ball and a moving part. The ball storage cylinder is arranged on the top surface of the shell, the shell is provided with a spherical valve cavity, the ball is rotatably arranged in the spherical valve cavity, a straight channel is arranged in the ball and penetrates the ball center and both ends of the ball, and the moving part is axially movably arranged in the straight channel. The length of the moving part is less than the length of the straight channel, both ends of the moving part are closed surfaces, and the outer side wall of the moving part can be attached to the inner wall of the straight channel. The oil pipeline can be sealed through the shell and is arranged below the ball. A launching port is arranged on the oil pipeline, and the two ports of the straight channel can be respectively connected and communicated with the lower port of the ball storage cylinder and the launching port when the straight channel is in a vertical state. The application can effectively avoid that the accumulated pressurized crude oil in the oil pipeline is accumulated in the launching valve or brought into the normal-pressure ball storage cylinder.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of crude oil transportation, and in particular to a pigging and ball launching device and method. BACKGROUND

[0002] Mechanical wax removal is a simple and effective method for removing wax, which works by launching a pig into the pipeline, using the oil flow to push the pig to move, and scraping off the crystalline wax attached to the pipe wall, which is then brought out of the pipeline. This method is simple to operate, highly adaptable, and low in cost, and is the main method for removing wax in the process of pipeline crude oil gathering and transportation. The commonly used pig can be divided into straight pipe pig for cleaning large pipe diameter (Φ114 or more) and spherical pig for cleaning small and medium pipe diameter (Φ114 or less).

[0003] For the spherical pig for cleaning small and medium pipe diameter, for example, the prior art discloses an intelligent ball launcher and control method (invention patent with publication number CN 114643239 A), which launches balls by a plunger rod cooperating with a ball storage barrel. However, launching balls by the plunger rod will inevitably bring some crude oil into the ball storage sleeve.

[0004] For another example, the prior art also discloses an intelligent ball launching device (invention patent with publication number CN 113182293 A), which launches balls by rotating a ball launching valve installed on the front section of a push rod, and installs a rubber sealing ring in the circumferential direction of the ball launching valve. However, the device will also bring some crude oil into the ball storage pipe during ball launching.

[0005] For another example, the prior art also discloses a pipeline automatic ball launching device (utility model patent with authorization number CN 215031982 U), which is widely used in the current market. The device launches balls into the pipeline by rotating a spherical valve with a recess. However, the device cannot solve the problem of oil leakage.

[0006] In the related research on ball launching mechanisms, the focus is on the improvement and innovation of the structure. Currently, reciprocating or rotating motion mechanisms are mainly used for ball launching. Since the crude oil runs under pressure in the oil pipeline, and the space above the pig ball launching mechanism is under normal pressure, the crude oil will splash onto the ball launching valve and be brought to the ball storage barrel or accumulated inside the ball launching valve during the ball launching operation. In the actual production process, this will cause the ball to be launched slowly, and the accumulated crude oil in the ball launching valve and the ball storage barrel needs to be cleaned and discharged regularly, increasing the labor intensity of the site operators and causing environmental pollution. In terms of intelligent ball launching, the problems caused by the above hardware structure have not been solved, and the device cannot truly realize automation and intelligence.

[0007] Therefore, the inventor, based on years of experience and practice in the relevant industry, proposes a pigging and ball launching device and method to overcome the defects of the prior art. SUMMARY

[0008] The present application aims to provide a pigging and ball launching device and method that can effectively prevent the accumulation of pressurized crude oil in the oil pipeline from entering the ball launching valve or the ball storage cylinder under normal pressure.

[0009] The above-mentioned object of the present application can be achieved by using the following technical solutions:

[0010] The present application provides a pigging and ball launching device, comprising:

[0011] A vertically arranged ball storage cylinder for storing wax removal balls;

[0012] A ball launching valve comprising a housing, a ball, and a moving part, the ball storage cylinder is arranged on the top surface of the housing, the housing has a spherical valve cavity, the ball is rotatably arranged in the spherical valve cavity, a straight channel is formed in the ball, the straight channel penetrates the center of the ball and both ends, the moving part is axially movably arranged in the straight channel; the length of the moving part is less than the length of the straight channel, both ends of the moving part are closed surfaces, and the outer side wall of the moving part can be in close contact with the inner wall of the straight channel;

[0013] and a horizontally arranged oil pipeline that can be sealed through the housing and located below the ball, the oil pipeline has a ball launching port, and when the straight channel is in a vertical state, both ends of the straight channel can be respectively connected to the lower port of the ball storage cylinder and the ball launching port.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present application, both end surfaces of the moving part are convex spherical surfaces, and the curvature of the convex spherical surface matches the curvature of the spherical surface of the ball.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present application, the moving part is a straight cylinder with both ends closed, a long hole is formed in the side wall of the cylinder, a transmission part is arranged in the moving part, the inner side end of the first valve rod can pass through the housing, the ball, and the long hole in sequence and be connected to the transmission part, and the first valve rod can drive the moving part to move through the transmission part.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present application, the transmission part comprises a gear and a rack, the rack is fixedly arranged on the inner wall of the moving part, and the length direction of the rack is arranged along the axial direction of the moving part, and the gear is fixedly arranged on the inner side end of the first valve rod and engaged with the rack.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present application, the ball launching valve further comprises a first driving device and a second driving device, the first driving device is connected to the outer side end of the first valve rod and can drive the first valve rod to rotate, and the second driving device is connected to the ball through the second valve rod and can drive the ball to rotate.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, annular grooves are provided on the outer walls of both ends of the movable member, and sealing rings are embedded in the annular grooves, wherein the outer wall of the sealing rings can contact the inner wall of the straight channel.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing includes a valve body and a valve seat. The valve body includes a cubic shell formed by a top plate, a bottom plate and a side plate. The valve seat is a cubic block with a spherical valve cavity formed inside. The valve seat is sealed and fixed in the valve body and forms a receiving cavity between it and the bottom plate. The oil pipeline passes through the receiving cavity. The bottom end of the ball storage cylinder is fixedly connected to the top plate.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first pressure sensor is provided on the oil pipeline near the ball-throwing port, and a second pressure sensor is provided on the oil pipeline near the end of its conveying direction; the pigging ball-throwing device also includes a controller, which is electrically connected to both the first and second pressure sensors, and can adjust the ball-throwing frequency according to the pressure difference detected by the first and second pressure sensors.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pigging device further includes an alarm, and the controller is connected to the alarm and can control the alarm to sound when the pressure difference detected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor is greater than a preset value.

[0022] The present invention also provides a method for cleaning and throwing balls, which uses the above-mentioned cleaning and throwing ball device to throw balls. The cleaning and throwing ball method includes:

[0023] S1. Adjust the movable part to the current bottom end of the straight channel so that the space above the movable part in the straight channel can accommodate a wax ball.

[0024] S2, drive the sphere to rotate 180°;

[0025] S3. Drive the moving part downwards to the current bottom of the straight channel to complete a throwing action;

[0026] S4. Based on the set throwing frequency, repeat steps S2 and S3 after each preset time interval to make the next throw.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pitching frequency is determined according to the following method:

[0028] The pressure difference between the beginning and end of the oil pipeline is detected in real time, and the current ball-throwing frequency is adjusted and determined in real time based on the pressure difference.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pigging device further includes an alarm that sounds when the pressure difference exceeds a preset value.

[0030] As described above, this application, by setting a movable component inside the ball, can synchronize the catching and throwing actions into one, eliminating the need for additional plunger rod components on the outside of the mechanism and greatly reducing the equipment space. Meanwhile, on the one hand, because the outer wall of the moving part matches the inner wall of the straight channel, a seal is formed between them with minimal gaps. Furthermore, during ball throwing, the moving part can move downwards and push the dewaxing ball downwards, pushing the crude oil splashed in the space transporting the dewaxing ball into the oil pipeline. On the other hand, because the inner wall of the spherical valve cavity matches the spherical shape of the ball, a seal is formed between them with minimal gaps. After the previous ball throwing, when the ball rotates and the next ball throwing is performed, the inner wall of the spherical valve cavity scrapes off the crude oil adhering to the surface of the ball. This ensures that the upper space will not come into contact with oil stains during the next transport of the dewaxing ball, effectively preventing pressurized crude oil from accumulating in the ball throwing valve or being carried into the atmospheric pressure ball storage tank. This ensures smooth ball throwing and eliminates the need for regular cleaning of the ball throwing valve and the ball storage tank by dedicated personnel, reducing the labor intensity of workers. The entire device has a simple structure, is safe and reliable, and has a long service life. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The accompanying drawings are intended only to illustrate and explain the present invention and do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0032] in:

[0033] Figure 1 : This is a front view of the pigging and ball-throwing device provided by the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 :for Figure 1 A sectional view.

[0035] Figure 3 : Figure 2 Enlarged view of part of the structure.

[0036] Figure 4 : Side view of the pigging and ball-throwing device provided by the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5 :for Figure 4 A sectional view.

[0038] Figure 6 : Figure 5 Enlarged view of part of the structure.

[0039] Figure 7 : A top view of the pigging and ball-throwing device provided by the present invention.

[0040] Figure 8 : A schematic diagram of the pigging and ball-throwing device provided by the present invention in its initial state during operation.

[0041] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the pigging and ball-throwing device provided by the present invention after the ball rotates 180° during operation.

[0042] Figure 10 : This is a schematic diagram showing the moving part of the pigging and ball-throwing device provided by the present invention moving downwards to the bottom during operation.

[0043] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0044] 100. Ball valve;

[0045] 1. Housing; 11. Top opening; 12. Bottom opening; 13. Valve body; 131. Top plate; 132. Bottom plate; 133. Side plate; 14. Valve seat; 141. Protrusion; 15. Receiving cavity; 16. Support;

[0046] 2. Sphere; 21. Straight channel; 22. First oilless bearing; 23. Second oilless bearing;

[0047] 3. Moving parts; 31. Convex spherical surface; 32. Elongated hole;

[0048] 4. Transmission components; 41. Gears; 42. Racks;

[0049] 5. First driving device; 51. First valve stem;

[0050] 6. Second drive unit; 61. Second valve stem;

[0051] 200. Ball storage container; 201. Wax removal ball; 202. Cap;

[0052] 300. Oil pipeline; 301. Ball inlet; 302. Bypass tee. Detailed Implementation

[0053] To provide a clearer understanding of the technical features, objectives, and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, this application provides a pipe cleaning and ball-throwing device, comprising:

[0055] A vertically arranged ball storage cylinder 200 is used to store wax cleaning balls 201;

[0056] The ball valve 100 includes a housing 1, a ball 2, and a movable component 3. A ball storage cylinder 200 is disposed on the top surface of the housing 1. The housing 1 has a spherical valve cavity. The ball 2 is rotatably disposed in the spherical valve cavity. A straight channel 21 is opened in the ball 2, penetrating its center and both ends. The movable component 3 is axially movable and disposed in the straight channel 21. The length of the movable component 3 is less than the length of the straight channel 21. Both ends of the movable component 3 are closed surfaces, and the outer wall of the movable component 3 can fit against the inner wall of the straight channel 21.

[0057] And a horizontally arranged oil pipeline 300, which can seal through the shell 1 and is located below the sphere 2. The oil pipeline 300 is provided with a ball-throwing port 301. When the straight channel 21 is in a vertical state, its two ends can be connected to the lower end of the ball storage cylinder 200 and the ball-throwing port 301 respectively.

[0058] The length of the moving part 3 should meet the following requirements: Figure 8 When the straight channel 21 shown is in a vertical position and the moving member 3 moves to the lower end of the straight channel 21, the space above the moving member 3 in the straight channel 21 can be used to accommodate a wax removal ball 201. The aforementioned ball 2 should be a ball with a smooth outer surface, and the inner wall of the spherical valve cavity should be a smooth wall surface. The ball 2 can fit tightly with the inner wall of the spherical valve cavity and the ball 2 can rotate. An upper opening 11 and a lower opening 12 communicating with the spherical valve cavity are provided on the housing 1. The upper opening 11 communicates with the bottom end of the ball storage cylinder 200, and the lower opening 12 communicates with the ball inlet 301; the ball 2 can be arranged according to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The portion shown extends out of the lower opening 12, or may be located above the lower opening 12; when the straight channel 21 moves to the vertical state, its upper port is connected to the ball storage cylinder 200 through the upper opening 11, and its lower port is directly connected to the ball throwing port 301 or connected to the ball throwing port 301 through the lower opening 12.

[0059] In the initial state, refer to Figure 8 The straight channel 21 is in a vertical position, and the moving part 3 is located at the bottom of the straight channel 21. A wax-removed ball 201 at the bottom of the ball storage cylinder 200 falls into the upper space of the straight channel 21. When a ball needs to be thrown, refer to... Figure 9 The drive sphere 2 rotates 180°, and the sphere 2, along with its internal moving part 3, also rotates 180°. The wax-removing ball 201 is rotated to the bottom of the current straight channel 21 and reaches the throwing port 301. The drive moving part 3 moves downward, pushing to ensure that the wax-removing ball 201 falls into the oil pipeline 300. As the moving part 3 gradually moves downward, the upper space of the straight channel 21 is gradually emptied, and the next wax-removing ball 201 gradually falls into the straight channel 21. (Refer to...) Figure 10 When the moving part 3 moves to the bottom of the straight channel 21 again, it returns to the initial state and waits for the next throw.

[0060] Therefore, the device of this application can synchronize the receiving and throwing actions by setting a movable moving part 3 inside the ball 2, without the need to install additional plunger rod parts outside the mechanism, which greatly reduces the equipment space. Meanwhile, on the one hand, since the outer wall of the moving part 3 matches the inner wall of the straight channel 21, a seal is formed between them with minimal gaps. When throwing the ball, the moving part 3 can move downwards and push the dewaxing ball 201 downwards, which can push the crude oil splashed in the space for transporting the dewaxing ball 201 into the oil pipeline 300. On the other hand, since the inner wall of the spherical valve cavity matches the spherical shape of the ball 2, a seal is formed between them with minimal gaps. When throwing the ball again after the previous throwing, the inner wall of the spherical valve cavity will scrape off the crude oil adhering to the surface of the ball 2 when the ball 2 rotates. Thus, the upper space will basically not come into contact with oil stains when transporting the dewaxing ball 201 next time, effectively preventing the pressurized crude oil in the oil pipeline 300 from accumulating in the ball throwing valve 100 or being brought into the atmospheric pressure ball storage cylinder 200, ensuring smooth ball throwing. There is basically no need for dedicated personnel to regularly clean the accumulated crude oil in the ball throwing valve 100 and the ball storage cylinder 200, reducing the labor intensity of workers. The entire device has a simple structure, is safe and reliable, and has a long service life.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment, refer to Figure 3 Both ends of the movable part 3 are convex spherical surfaces 31, and the curvature of the convex spherical surface 31 matches the curvature of the spherical surface of the sphere 2.

[0062] The two ends of the movable part 3 are designed as convex spherical surfaces 31 with the same arc as the ball 2. When the movable part 3 moves to the bottom of the straight channel 21, the lower part of the ball 2 connects with the convex spherical surface 31 at the bottom of the movable part 3, forming a smooth and complete spherical surface and pushing almost all of the crude oil out of the ball 2 (valve core). During the rotation of the ball valve 100, after the convex spherical surface 31 and the outer surface of the ball 2 form a complete smooth spherical surface, it can fit tightly with the inner wall of the spherical valve cavity with very small gaps, and will not bring crude oil into the ball storage cylinder 200. This design has the characteristics of simple structure, stable operation and not easy to be damaged. It can effectively prevent crude oil from being carried out of the oil pipeline 300, realize almost zero contact between the ball storage cylinder 200 and the oil pipeline 300, and almost zero discharge and zero pollution of crude oil during the ball throwing process.

[0063] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 6 The movable part 3 is a straight cylinder closed at both ends, with an elongated hole 32 on its side wall. A transmission part 4 is provided inside the movable part 3. The inner end of the first valve stem 51 can pass through the housing 1, the ball 2 and the elongated hole 32 in sequence and be connected to the transmission part 4. The first valve stem 51 can drive the movable part 3 to move through the transmission part 4.

[0064] The structure of the transmission component 4 can be implemented as follows: the transmission component 4 includes a gear 41 and a rack 42. The rack 42 is fixed on the inner wall of the moving component 3, and the length direction of the rack 42 is arranged along the axial direction of the moving component 3. The gear 41 is fixed on the inner end of the first valve stem 51 and meshes with the rack 42.

[0065] The aforementioned straight cylinder can be, for example, a cylindrical structure. Gear 41 is coaxially arranged with the first valve stem 51 and also with the rotation axis of the ball 2. The elongated hole 32 is positioned along the axial direction of the moving part 3. During the throwing process, gear 41 remains at the center of the ball 2. When throwing, refer to... Figure 9 The sphere 2 rotates 180° along with the moving part 3. During this rotation, the gear 41 will rotate along with the rack 42; see reference. Figure 10 When the first valve stem 51 drives the gear 41 to rotate, the gear 41 drives the rack 42 to move downward, which in turn drives the moving part 3 to move downward together.

[0066] To facilitate the rotation of sphere 2 and gear 41, refer to... Figure 5 The ball valve 100 also includes a first driving device 5 and a second driving device 6. The first driving device 5 is connected to the outer end of the first valve stem 51 and can drive the first valve stem 51 to rotate. The second driving device 6 is connected to the ball 2 through the second valve stem 61 and can drive the ball 2 to rotate.

[0067] The rotation axis of the gear 41 and the rotation axis of the ball 2 should be coaxial. Correspondingly, the first valve stem 51 and the second valve stem 61 should be coaxial. The first drive device 5 and the second drive device 6 can be electric actuators or other drive mechanisms, as long as they can easily drive the ball 2 or the gear 41 to rotate.

[0068] To further prevent crude oil from entering the ball valve 100, refer to... Figure 3 Annular grooves are formed on the outer walls of both ends of the movable component 3, and sealing rings are embedded in the annular grooves. The outer wall of the sealing ring can contact the inner wall of the straight channel 21. The specific number of sealing rings can be determined according to actual needs. For example, in this embodiment, three sealing rings are fitted on both ends of the movable component 3.

[0069] Furthermore, for ease of processing and installation, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The housing 1 includes a valve body 13 and a valve seat 14. The valve body 13 includes a cubic shell formed by a top plate 131, a bottom plate 132 and a side plate 133. The valve seat 14 is a cubic block with a spherical valve cavity inside. The valve seat 14 is sealed and fixed inside the valve body 13 and forms a receiving cavity 15 between it and the bottom plate 132. The oil pipeline 300 passes through the receiving cavity 15. The bottom end of the ball storage cylinder 200 is fixedly connected to the top plate 131.

[0070] The base plate 132 and side plate 133 can be fixed by welding, while the top plate 131 and side plate 133 can be fixed by bolts or other fasteners for easy removal. The valve seat 14 can be press-fitted into the valve body 13. For example, a support step can be provided on the inner wall of the side plate 133, and a groove can be provided on the bottom surface of the top plate 131. The outer periphery of the bottom surface of the valve seat 14 abuts against the support step, and the protrusion 141 on the top surface of the valve seat 14 is inserted into the groove. After the top plate 131 and side plate 133 are fixed, the valve core can be press-fitted into the valve body 13. At the same time, corresponding sealing rings need to be added between the valve seat 14 and the side plate 133, and between the side plate 133 and the top plate 131, to ensure sealing. The aforementioned receiving cavity 15 constitutes a sealing cavity. During use, crude oil in the oil pipeline 300 will enter this sealing cavity, but it will not affect the ball-throwing action of the ball-throwing valve 100. The valve seat 14 can be formed by connecting two parts, upper and lower, to facilitate processing and assembly. Appropriate openings should be provided on the top plate 131 and the top of the valve seat 14 to form the aforementioned upper opening 11, and the aforementioned lower opening 12 should be provided at the bottom of the valve seat 14.

[0071] Generally, a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole are coaxially arranged on opposite sides of the ball 2. The first valve stem 51 passes through the first mounting hole and the elongated hole 32 on the moving part 3 and is fixedly connected to the gear 41. Generally, a first oilless bearing 22 and a second oilless bearing 23 are respectively interference-fitted into the first mounting hole and the second mounting hole. After passing through the first oilless bearing 22, the first valve stem 51 extends into the straight cylinder, passes through the gear 41, and then extends into the second oilless bearing 23. The first valve stem 51 and the two oilless bearings are clearance-fitted. The use of oilless bearings can prevent material scratching during rotation and ensure service life. The inner end of the second valve stem 61 is fixed in the second mounting hole to fix it to the ball 2. Generally, a corresponding sealing ring is also sandwiched between the first valve stem 51, the second valve stem 61 and the ball 2 to further prevent crude oil from entering the ball 2.

[0072] For the material of the aforementioned housing 1, steel is preferred to provide corrosion resistance and wear resistance, thereby increasing the service life of the equipment. A support 16 can also be fixed to the bottom of the housing 1, which can be secured to a corresponding platform with fasteners to support the entire device. The aforementioned ball storage cylinder 200 is a cylindrical structure open at both ends, and a detachable cap 202 is provided at its top. The entire device can adopt a modular and standardized design for easy installation and disassembly. Of course, the housing 1 can also adopt other processing and installation methods as needed, and the material of the housing 1 can also be other materials; this embodiment is merely an example.

[0073] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 7Generally, a bypass tee 302 is connected to both sides of the oil pipeline 300 and the ball valve 100. The bypass interfaces of the two bypass tees 302 are connected by a pipeline so that the oil pipeline 300 can continue to transport oil in case of maintenance.

[0074] Furthermore, a first pressure sensor is installed on the oil pipeline 300 near the ball-throwing port 301, and a second pressure sensor is installed on the oil pipeline 300 near the end of its conveying direction. The pigging ball-throwing device also includes a controller, which is electrically connected to both the first and second pressure sensors and can adjust the ball-throwing frequency based on the pressure difference detected by the first and second pressure sensors (the ball-throwing frequency specifically refers to how often a ball is thrown).

[0075] Furthermore, the pigging device also includes an alarm, and the controller is connected to the alarm. When the pressure difference detected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor is greater than a preset value, the controller can control the alarm to sound.

[0076] The controller is also electrically connected to the first drive device 5 and the second drive device 6 mentioned above, and controls the first drive device 5 or the second drive device 6 to operate when a ball needs to be thrown.

[0077] The aforementioned pigging device is specifically installed in the oil pipeline 300 near the beginning of its transport direction. Specifically, the first pressure sensor is located at the beginning of the oil pipeline 300, and the second pressure sensor is located at the end of the oil pipeline 300. The controller can dynamically adjust the pigging frequency based on the pressure difference between the beginning and end of the oil pipeline 300, as shown in Table 1. When the two pressure sensors detect a pressure difference in zone A, it indicates a low level of wax buildup in the pipeline, and the pigging device performs pigging every 24 hours. When the pressure difference is detected in zone B, it indicates a moderate level of wax buildup, and the pigging device performs pigging every 12 hours. When the pressure difference is detected in zone C, it indicates a high level of wax buildup, and the pigging device performs pigging every 8 hours. When the pressure difference is detected in zone D, it indicates that the pressure difference exceeds a safe value, and the pigging device enters a safety lockout state and reports the abnormality to the relevant operators.

[0078] Table 1. Pipeline Pressure Difference and Ball Throwing Frequency

[0079]

[0080] Of course, the pressure difference zone divisions and pitching frequencies listed above are just examples, and adjustments need to be made based on actual working conditions.

[0081] More specifically, the working principle of the entire pigging and ball-throwing device is as follows:

[0082] The pigging device is installed at the pigging point of the oil pipeline 300, and a certain number of dewaxing balls 201 are placed in the ball storage cylinder 200. The pigging valve 100 in the whole device is composed of a smooth ball and a hollow cubic shell with a ball groove. The two are in close contact to form a sealing effect. The rotation of the ball 2 inside the pigging valve 100 and the operation of the straight cylinder are realized by an electric actuator. The inside of the ball 2 is a movable straight cylinder that runs through the center. The upper and lower end faces of the straight cylinder are the same as the arc surface of the ball 2. It can only move inside the ball 2, and its length is less than the diameter of the ball 2. The straight cylinder moves by means of gear 41. When the straight cylinder completes the pigging action, the entire lower valve body 13 is a spherical surface.

[0083] In the workplace, such as Figures 8 to 10 As shown, the action of pushing out the wax-removing ball 201 in the straight cylinder and the action of receiving the wax-removing ball 201 in the ball storage cylinder 200 are synchronized (one wax-removing ball 201 is pushed out of the straight cylinder into the oil pipeline 300, and another wax-removing ball 201 enters at the other end to await delivery); when the wax-removing ball 201 is transported by the ball-feeding valve 100, because the ball-feeding valve 100 rotates in the cube and is tightly sealed, the ball storage area (atmospheric pressure area) of the device and the ball-feeding area (pressurized area) of the oil pipeline 300 are isolated from each other, almost... There will be no crude oil carry-out; when the wax removal ball 201 reaches the ball throwing port 301, the straight cylinder pushes the wax removal ball 201 into the oil pipeline 300, and at the same time pushes the crude oil splashed in the space transporting the wax removal ball 201 into the oil pipeline 300. When throwing the ball again, the ball 2 of the ball throwing valve 100 rotates and scrapes off the crude oil adhering to the surface of the ball 2, ensuring that the upper space will hardly come into contact with oil stains when transporting the wax removal ball 201 again. This truly achieves almost zero emissions and zero external emissions from the ball throwing device.

[0084] In terms of software design, by setting relevant pressure difference parameters through the software system, the pigging and ball-throwing device will automatically throw balls according to the current pipeline pressure difference, and can upload the ball-throwing status data in real time as needed (which can be achieved using any existing method). The administrator can remotely view the operating status of the pigging and ball-throwing device, the number of remaining wax balls 201, and the device's operating status. Furthermore, when the pigging and ball-throwing device encounters special circumstances during operation (such as ball-throwing failure or damage to the mechanism due to force majeure), the device will immediately issue an emergency alarm to notify the management personnel for inspection and enter the safety protection system. The entire pigging and ball-throwing device will cease all ball-throwing actions to ensure the normal operation of the oil pipeline 300. Subsequent troubleshooting and replacement can be carried out through the maintenance pipe.

[0085] Furthermore, the specific operating steps of this pigging and ball-throwing device are as follows:

[0086] Step 1: Determine the interface pipe diameter of the pigging device, the specifications of the wax removal ball 201, and the storage capacity of the wax removal ball 201 based on the specifications of the oil pipeline and the wax content of the crude oil in the region.

[0087] Step 2: Install the cleaning ball device at the beginning of the dewaxing pipeline and add dewaxing balls 201;

[0088] Step 3: Configure the operating system's working pressure parameters and frequency, and start the pigging and pigging device; (The specific optimal pressure zone parameters and pigging frequency should be determined based on the different operating conditions of different pipelines).

[0089] Step 4: The pipeline cleaning and ball-throwing device performs intelligent ball-throwing actions based on the monitored pipeline pressure values;

[0090] Step 5: Under the program control, the electric actuator drives the ball 2 to rotate, and at the same time, the movable straight cylinder inside the ball valve 100 also performs corresponding actions in accordance with the program.

[0091] Step 6: When the wax removal ball 201 is transported to the ball inlet 301 of the oil pipeline 300, the straight cylinder moves downward to push out the wax removal ball 201, and at the same time, a wax removal ball 201 enters the upper space of the straight cylinder.

[0092] Step 7: The system performs a status self-check, sending data such as the number of balls deployed, the remaining number of wax cleaning balls 201 in the ball storage tank 200, and the operating status of the pigging ball deployment device to the station center, and saving the pipeline pressure data in real time.

[0093] Step 8: The cleaning and ball-throwing device enters standby mode, waiting for the next ball throw.

[0094] In summary, the pigging and ball-throwing device in this embodiment has the following advantages:

[0095] (1) The ball valve 100 forms a sealing structure through the ball 2 and the cubic shell of the ball cavity. The shell 1 is made of steel. The ball valve 100 is used to unclog and clean the oil pipeline 300 during the oil collection and transportation process when there are blockages or wax build-up. It has the characteristics of corrosion resistance, wear resistance and high sealing, which greatly extends the service life of the equipment. The ball valve 100 will not have problems such as puncture or leakage.

[0096] (2) It is designed for small and medium diameter pipelines in the oilfield crude oil gathering and transportation process. It can meet the actual needs of small and medium diameter gathering and transportation pipelines in oilfields, solve the problem that the well site oil pipeline ball-dropping pig needs to be manually cleaned of oil stains at regular intervals, is safe and environmentally friendly, improves the efficiency of ball-dropping work, and reduces the failure rate.

[0097] (3) In the cleaning of oil pipelines, conventional pigging devices often carry crude oil into the area to be pigged or into the atmospheric pressure space during the pigging process, causing pollution in the area to be pigged and poor pigging. This requires regular cleaning of the crude oil in the pigging device. In addition, in order to overcome the problem of poor pigging, related products use a reciprocating mechanism (such as a plunger rod) to push the pig, which further increases the complexity of the device and cannot solve the problem of crude oil pollution. This embodiment achieves the function of catching and throwing balls simultaneously by installing a reciprocating motion mechanism (i.e., moving part 3) driven by gear 41 and rack 42 inside the ball valve 100. The two ends of the moving part 3 have the same arc surface as the ball valve. When the moving part 3 moves to one end, that part of the ball valve can form a smooth ball and push the crude oil out of the valve core. During the rotation of the ball valve, crude oil will not be carried into the ball storage tank 200. The entire ball valve 100 can achieve the effect of almost no contact between the ball storage tank 200 and the oil pipeline 300, zero crude oil discharge, and no need for regular maintenance. In addition, the equipment has good sealing performance and long service life.

[0098] In the initial operating position, the inner cylinder of the ball-throwing valve 100 is vertical. At this time, the dewaxing ball 201 in the ball storage cylinder 200 falls into the empty area of ​​the cylinder. Subsequently, the ball 2 of the ball-throwing valve 100 rotates. When it reaches the position of the oil pipeline 300, the cylinder mechanism moves down, pushing the dewaxing ball 201 into the oil pipeline 300. Simultaneously, the upper part of the cylinder will again empty the area for the ball storage cylinder to receive the ball, waiting for the next ball-throwing action. This device has a simple structure, is not easily damaged, is safe and reliable, has high stability, and operates efficiently and reliably. It eliminates the need for an additional reciprocating mechanism, reducing the overall complexity of the ball-throwing mechanism, making it more compact and saving space, and increasing its robustness.

[0099] (4) The entire pipeline cleaning and ball-launching device is an automated mechanism for clearing blockages and wax buildup in the oil pipeline 300 during the oil collection and transportation process. It is an intelligent closed-loop pipeline cleaning and ball-launching mechanism. The hardware system and software system work together. The software system includes the controller mentioned above, two pressure sensors and a fault alarm system (i.e., the alarm mentioned above). It can also be equipped with a real-time monitoring system for operation status (so that the pipeline cleaning and ball-launching device can provide real-time feedback on the current number of wax-removing balls 201 in the ball storage tank, the number of balls launched, the operation status of the mechanism, etc.) and an emergency safety protection system (so that the pipeline cleaning and ball-launching device can be locked in case of failure).

[0100] The software control system is highly integrated and intelligent. It can dynamically adjust the frequency of pigging by collecting the pressure difference within 300 meters of the oil pipeline, realizing the intelligent operation of the pigging device. In addition, the management personnel can remotely monitor the operating status of the equipment and obtain information such as the number of pigs already thrown and the number of pigs remaining in the 200-meter storage tank in real time. At the same time, the equipment will issue fault alarms and safety protection automatic shutdown systems in case of emergencies, thereby ensuring the safe and stable operation of the gathering and transportation pipeline.

[0101] Furthermore, this application also provides a method for cleaning and throwing balls, which uses the aforementioned cleaning and throwing ball device to throw balls. The cleaning and throwing ball method includes:

[0102] S1. Adjust the movable part 3 to the current bottom end of the straight channel 21 so that the space above the movable part 3 in the straight channel 21 can accommodate a wax ball 201.

[0103] S2, drive sphere 2 to rotate 180°;

[0104] S3, drive the moving part 3 to move downwards to the current bottom end of the straight channel 21 to complete a throwing action;

[0105] S4. Based on the set throwing frequency, repeat steps S2 and S3 after each preset time interval to make the next throw.

[0106] The specific throwing process has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here. The entire cleaning and throwing method uses the aforementioned cleaning and throwing device and has the same advantages as the device described above.

[0107] Furthermore, the pitching frequency is determined as follows:

[0108] The pressure difference between the beginning and end of the oil pipeline 300 is detected in real time, and the current ball-throwing frequency is adjusted and determined in real time based on the pressure difference.

[0109] The specific pressure is detected in real time by the first and second pressure sensors mentioned above. By adding pressure sensors to monitor the pressure difference parameter of the oil pipeline 300, the pipeline blockage status can be perceived and assessed, thereby controlling the pigging and pigging device to dynamically adjust the pigging frequency. Furthermore, pipeline measurement data can be stored in a standardized data format as needed, laying the foundation for oilfield and AI-powered pipeline network status monitoring.

[0110] Furthermore, the pigging device also includes an alarm that sounds when the pressure difference exceeds a preset value.

[0111] In summary, the entire pigging device and method solves the problems encountered in cleaning oil pipelines 300, such as the susceptibility of conventional pigging mechanisms to crude oil contamination during the pigging process, the need for regular cleaning and discharge of crude oil from the mechanism, and the leakage problems caused by insufficient structural design and sealing material performance. The entire intelligent closed-loop pigging device enables zero contact between the pig storage tank 200 and the oil pipeline 300, virtually zero discharge, and almost zero crude oil discharge from the pigging valve 100. It requires no regular maintenance and boasts excellent sealing performance and a long service life. The mechanism is simple in structure, safe, reliable, and highly stable, enabling automated unattended operation, intelligent pigging, system operation status reporting, fault alarms, and emergency safety protection functions.

[0112] This system not only meets the practical needs of small-diameter gathering and transportation pipelines in oil fields, solving problems such as the need for regular manual cleaning of oil stains in well site oil pipelines, ensuring safety and environmental protection, improving the efficiency of pigging operations, and reducing the failure rate; but also greatly extends the service life of the equipment through the 100-body structure design of the pigging valve, and prevents problems such as punctures and leaks, saving a lot of manpower and material costs; the system also has an intelligent system that can operate normally without human intervention, meeting the macro-layout needs of intelligent oilfield production and construction, and laying the foundation for future artificial intelligence-based monitoring of gathering and transportation pipeline networks.

[0113] The above are merely illustrative embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Any equivalent changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the concept and principles of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pigging and ball-throwing device, characterized in that, include: A vertically arranged ball storage cylinder is used to store wax removal balls; A ball valve includes a housing, a ball, and a movable component. A ball storage cylinder is disposed on the top surface of the housing. The housing has a spherical valve cavity. The ball is rotatably disposed within the spherical valve cavity. A straight channel is formed in the ball, penetrating its center and both ends. The movable component is axially movable within the straight channel. The length of the movable component is less than the length of the straight channel. Both ends of the movable component are closed surfaces, and the outer wall of the movable component can fit against the inner wall of the straight channel. Both end faces of the movable component are convex spherical surfaces, and the curvature of the convex spherical surfaces matches the curvature of the spherical surface of the ball. The movable component is a straight cylinder closed at both ends, with an elongated hole on its side wall. A transmission component is disposed within the movable component. The inner end of a first valve stem can sequentially pass through the housing, the ball, and the elongated hole and connect to the transmission component. The first valve stem can drive the movable component to move through the transmission component. The oil pipeline is horizontally arranged and can be sealed through the shell and located below the sphere. The oil pipeline has a ball-throwing port. When the straight channel is in a vertical state, its two ends can be connected to the lower end of the ball storage cylinder and the ball-throwing port, respectively.

2. The pigging and ball-throwing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission component includes a gear and a rack. The rack is fixed on the inner wall of the moving component, and the length direction of the rack is arranged along the axial direction of the moving component. The gear is fixed on the inner end of the first valve stem and meshes with the rack.

3. The pigging and ball-throwing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ball-throwing valve further includes a first driving device and a second driving device. The first driving device is connected to the outer end of the first valve stem and can drive the first valve stem to rotate. The second driving device is connected to the ball through the second valve stem and can drive the ball to rotate.

4. The pigging and ball-throwing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Annular grooves are provided on the outer walls of both ends of the moving part, and sealing rings are embedded in the annular grooves. The outer wall of the sealing ring can contact the inner wall of the straight channel.

5. The pigging and ball-throwing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a valve body and a valve seat. The valve body includes a cubic shell formed by a top plate, a bottom plate and a side plate. The valve seat is a cubic block with the spherical valve cavity formed inside. The valve seat is sealed and fixed in the valve body and forms a receiving cavity between it and the bottom plate. The oil pipeline passes through the receiving cavity. The bottom end of the ball storage cylinder is fixed to the top plate.

6. The pigging and ball-throwing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A first pressure sensor is provided on the oil pipeline near the ball-throwing port, and a second pressure sensor is provided on the oil pipeline near the end of its conveying direction. The pigging ball-throwing device also includes a controller, which is electrically connected to both the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor, and can adjust the ball-throwing frequency according to the pressure difference detected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor.

7. The pigging and ball-throwing device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The pigging device also includes an alarm. The controller is connected to the alarm and can control the alarm to sound when the pressure difference detected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor is greater than a preset value.

8. A method for cleaning and ball-throwing, characterized in that, The method of pigging and ball-throwing, which involves using the pigging and ball-throwing device as described in any one of claims 1-7, comprises: S1. Adjust the movable part to the current bottom end of the straight channel so that the space above the movable part in the straight channel can accommodate a wax ball; S2. Drive the sphere to rotate 180°; S3. Drive the moving part downwards to the current bottom end of the straight channel to complete a throwing action; S4. Based on the set throwing frequency, repeat steps S2 and S3 after each preset time interval to make the next throw.

9. The cleaning and ball-throwing method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The frequency of the throws is determined according to the following method: The pressure difference between the beginning and end of the oil pipeline is detected in real time, and the current ball-throwing frequency is adjusted and determined in real time based on the pressure difference.

10. The cleaning and ball-throwing method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The pigging and ball-throwing device also includes an alarm that sounds when the pressure difference exceeds a preset value.

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