Pipeline Plug Gripper Assembly for Secure Isolation Locking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current pipeline isolation technologies face challenges in effectively maintaining isolation during maintenance, repair, and pressure testing, as existing pipeline plugs often fail to securely engage and disengage from the pipeline, leading to inefficiencies and potential safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A gripper assembly for pipeline plugs is introduced, featuring an actuator plate with a wedge surface, a bowl with expansion steps, and a gripper unit with a sliding wedge, allowing for secure engagement and disengagement by utilizing a combination of longitudinal and radial movement to lock the plug in place, ensuring fluid isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing pipeline plugs are used for isolation, then pipeline isolation can be achieved, but the plugs fail to securely engage and disengage from the pipeline
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper assembly employs dynamic elements including a movable actuator plate that translates longitudinal movement into radial expansion of gripper arms. The arms can dynamically adjust their position between retracted and expanded states, enabling secure engagement with the pipeline wall while maintaining ease of insertion and removal through controlled actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper arms are nested within the plug body in a compact configuration when not in use. The actuator plate and gripper arms form a nested structure where the arms can be stored within the plug housing, reducing the profile during insertion and allowing compact storage while maintaining full functionality during operation.
2Reliability
If a secure engagement mechanism is implemented, then isolation reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper assembly utilizes self-actuating mechanisms where longitudinal movement of the actuator plate automatically triggers radial expansion of the gripper arms through wedge-shaped surfaces. The system serves itself by converting the primary actuation motion into the secondary engagement motion without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper assembly is divided into modular components including multiple independent gripper arms, each capable of independent actuation. The actuator plate is segmented with multiple wedge surfaces that correspond to individual arms, allowing distributed engagement points around the pipeline circumference while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
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 gripper assembly provides reliable and efficient pipeline isolation by securely engaging and disengaging the plug, maintaining fluid isolation and facilitating maintenance and pressure testing processes.
Implementation Method 1
The actuator plate may include a wedge surface. The gripper unit may include a gripper body and a sliding wedge. The sliding wedge may abut a radially outer surface of the gripper body.
Implementation Method 2
The bowl expansion face may have bowl stairsteps. The gripper body may include an expansion face having gripper stairsteps, the gripper stairsteps corresponding to the bowl stairsteps. The method may include engaging the gripper stairsteps to the bowl stairsteps.
Data Source
AI summary
A gripper assembly for a pipeline plug includes an actuator plate, bowl, and gripper unit. The actuator plate includes a wedge surface. The bowl includes a bowl expansion face. The bowl expansion face has bowl stairsteps. The gripper unit includes a gripper body. The gripper body is positioned between the actuator plate and the bowl. The gripper body includes an expansion face having gripper stairsteps, the gripper stairsteps corresponding to the bowl stairsteps.