Pipe Content Removal via Dynamic Pressure Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing contents from pipes require high-pressure gas flow maintenance, necessitating powerful equipment, which is inefficient and costly, especially for large pipe volumes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a decreasing gas pressure from an initial high pressure to a lower final pressure to remove pipe contents, allowing for the use of less powerful gas forcing means and eliminating the need for throttling valves, with a container providing initial pressure and additional gas flow generating means used as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high pressure is maintained throughout the entire first step to discharge pipe contents, then complete content removal is achieved, but the gas forcing means becomes excessively powerful and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static high-pressure maintenance to dynamic pressure reduction. The gas pressure is reduced from initial pressure (P1) to final pressure (P2) during the discharge process, allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions as pipe contents are removed, thereby avoiding the need for excessively powerful gas forcing means throughout the entire process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter dynamically during the discharge process. By reducing pressure from P1 to P2 as pipe contents are discharged, the system maintains effective content removal while reducing the power requirements of the gas forcing means, resolving the contradiction between reliable removal and device complexity
2Reliability
If high pressure is maintained throughout the entire first step, then all pipe contents are discharged, but the energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts pressure from high (P1) to low (P2) during the discharge process, matching the changing volume conditions as pipe contents are removed. This dynamic approach maintains effective content removal while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to maintaining constant high pressure
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the pressure parameter from P1 to P2 during the discharge process, the system achieves complete content removal while reducing energy consumption. The pressure reduction is triggered when a predetermined condition is met, optimizing the balance between removal effectiveness and energy usage
3Volume of moving object
If the pipe volume increases during the discharge process, then more space is available for gas flow, but the required gas forcing power increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system responds dynamically to the increasing pipe volume during discharge by reducing gas pressure from P1 to P2. This dynamic adjustment compensates for the increased volume, maintaining effective content removal without requiring proportionally increased gas forcing power
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure parameter is changed from P1 to P2 as the pipe volume increases during the discharge process. This parameter change allows the system to handle the increasing volume without requiring excessive gas forcing power, resolving the contradiction between volume and power requirements
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
This method effectively removes at least 95% of pipe contents with reduced energy requirements, preventing content puncture and maintaining efficient discharge speed, while avoiding the use of high-power gas forcing means and additional apparatus like throttling valves.
Implementation Method 1
forcing a gas flow through the pipe having a pipe volume, an inlet end and an outlet end... applying a gas pressure decreasing from an initial pressure to a lower final pressure to remove at least parts of the contents from the pipe
Data Source
AI summary
Method of removing the contents from a pipe (1)comprising forcing a gas flow through the pipe, the pipe having a pipe volume, an inlet end and an outlet end (9), characterized in that the gas flow is forced into the pipe (1) at the inlet end by applying a gas pressure decreasing from an initial pressure to a lower final pressure to remove at least parts of the contents from the pipe and maintaining that lower final pressure to remove the remaining contents from the pipe and apparatus for removing the contents from a pipe by forcing a gas flow through a pipe (1) having an inlet end and an outlet end (9), comprising gas flow generating means (5) and a container (3) having an inlet and having an outlet connectable to the inlet end of the pipe (1).