Pig Receiver Assembly Tie Bar Actuation and Pressure Equalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pig receivers in pipeline maintenance cause environmental harm and result in downtime due to inefficient containment and launch/receipt processes of pipeline pigs.
Innovation Solution
A pig receiver unit with a pig gate valve assembly, including a gate valve actuated by a tie bar and two actuators, and a pressure equalization system that allows continuous launch and receipt of pipeline pigs while ensuring environmental containment, facilitated by a retrieval door and pressure adjustment mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pig receivers are used, then pipeline maintenance can be performed, but environmental harm occurs due to improper containment of removed material
Solution Approach 1:
The pig receiver is divided into multiple sealed chambers (first chamber, second chamber, third chamber) that can independently contain and manage different aspects of the pig retrieval process. This segmentation allows proper containment of removed material in each chamber, preventing environmental harm while maintaining pipeline maintenance capability
Solution Approach 2:
A bridge structure connects the first chamber and second chamber, serving as an intermediary that allows controlled transfer between chambers while maintaining seals. This intermediary structure ensures that material remains contained throughout the transfer process, eliminating environmental harm
2Ease of operation
If conventional pig receivers are used, then pipeline pigs can be removed, but downtime occurs due to inefficient launch and receipt processes
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-chamber design allows continuous operation where one chamber can be actively receiving or launching pigs while another chamber simultaneously performs retrieval or preparation operations. This continuity eliminates idle downtime between pig operations, as the system can maintain uninterrupted workflow across multiple chambers
Solution Approach 2:
The third chamber serves as a pre-positioning area where pigs can be prepared and staged before being launched into the pipeline. This preliminary action in the third chamber allows the next pig to be ready for launch while previous operations complete, reducing overall downtime
Data Source
AI summary
A pig receiver and method retrieve pigs in pipeline pigging operations. In one embodiment, a pig receiver includes a pig receiver unit. The pig receiver also includes a pig gate valve assembly disposed on the pig receiving unit. The pig gate valve assembly includes a gate valve. The pig gate valve assembly also includes a first actuator and a second actuator. The pig gate valve assembly further includes a cylinder guide. In addition, the pig gate valve assembly includes a tie bar. Actuation of the tie bar actuates the gate valve. An end of the tie bar is attached to the first actuator, and an opposing end of the tie bar is attached to the second actuator. The pig receiver also includes a pressure equalization system that adjusts the pressure downstream of the gate valve when the gate valve is in a closed position.