Flow-Driven Leak Plugging in Fluid Vessels Without Shutdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for mitigating leakage from fluid vessels are costly and time-consuming, requiring process termination, repair, and restart, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A plugging device made of fibrous materials with a central body and enlarged geometry is introduced into the vessel, using fluid flow to carry and wedge the device into undesired openings, effectively sealing leaks by utilizing degradable or non-degradable materials with varying buoyancies and sizes to ensure proper placement and retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional leakage mitigation methods are used, then leakage can be fixed, but the process must be terminated and restarted, causing time loss and reduced productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The plugging device is designed to be self-deploying through the fluid flow system. The device enters through existing injection ports and uses the fluid flow itself to carry it to the leakage site, where it automatically plugs the leak without requiring external intervention or process shutdown. This self-service mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling reliable leakage fixation while maintaining continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Injection ports are pre-positioned in the fluid vessel to facilitate future plugging operations. These ports allow the plugging device to be introduced without modifying the vessel structure or interrupting the process. The preliminary preparation of access points enables rapid response to leakage events, maintaining productivity while ensuring reliable repair capability.
2Reliability
If the vessel is terminated and replaced for leakage, then reliable sealing is achieved, but significant time and resources are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The plugging device extracts and blocks the leakage path locally without requiring removal or replacement of the entire vessel. By targeting only the specific leakage point and using the device to occlude the defect, the system achieves reliable sealing while avoiding the time-consuming process of vessel shutdown, replacement, and restart.
Solution Approach 2:
The plugging device changes the flow parameters locally by blocking the leakage path. The device is designed to alter the fluid dynamics at the defect location, creating a seal that stops leakage while allowing the rest of the system to continue operating at normal parameters. This localized parameter change achieves reliable sealing without requiring global system shutdown.
3Reliability
If conventional plugging methods are used, then openings can be blocked, but the process requires termination and is resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The plugging device is designed with multi-functionality to address various leakage scenarios through a single standardized solution. The device can be deployed through existing injection ports in different locations, adapts to various leakage sizes and positions, and works with different fluid types. This universality simplifies the overall process complexity while ensuring reliable opening blockage across multiple applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The plugging device is segmented into functional components that work together: a body for structural integrity, fibers for sealing, and buoyancy control elements for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, simplifying the overall device design and deployment process while achieving reliable leakage prevention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The plugging device efficiently blocks fluid communication through leaks, allowing for continuous operation by using fluid flow to deploy and secure the device, reducing maintenance downtime and operational costs while ensuring effective sealing.
Implementation Method 1
fluid flow to carry and wedge the device into undesired openings
Implementation Method 2
utilizing degradable or non-degradable materials with varying buoyancies and sizes to ensure proper placement and retention
Data Source
AI summary
A method of plugging at least one undesired opening in a fluid vessel can include introducing one or more plugging devices into the vessel, conveying the plugging devices by flow to the opening, and blocking the flow through the opening with the plugging devices. A system for plugging at least one undesired opening in a fluid vessel can include a deployment apparatus configured to introduce one or more plugging devices into the vessel, a sensor that measures a physical parameter indicative of leakage from the vessel, and a controller that activates an actuator of the deployment apparatus in response to receipt from the sensor of an indication of leakage from the vessel.