Pipeline Valve Riser Assembly for Surface-Level Seal Pack Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
Subterranean and overland valves require frequent maintenance and monitoring, which is time-consuming and costly due to the need for excavation and access challenges, and existing solutions do not allow for efficient servicing or monitoring from ground level without disrupting traffic and infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
A pipeline apparatus with a housing and riser system that allows for the extraction and servicing of valve components from ground level, using a locking mechanism with inverted J-shaped channels and O-rings for secure positioning and easy removal of valve seats and seal packs, enabling quick maintenance and monitoring without excavation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If valves are located deep underground in pipelines, then they can control fluid flow through roadways and properties, but maintenance requires excavation which is time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is segmented into separable components: the valve body remains in the ground while the bonnet and closing mechanism can be removed and replaced through the bonnet access chamber. This allows maintenance of internal components without excavating the entire valve from underground position.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonnet acts as an intermediary access chamber that provides a pathway for service engineers to reach and service the closing mechanism from ground level through the riser, eliminating the need for excavation while maintaining underground valve functionality.
2Strength
If a cover plate is made small to withstand traffic weight, then it is more robust, but it is too narrow to allow service engineers to climb down for maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The access chamber is extended vertically through the riser to ground level, creating a new dimensional pathway for maintenance access. This allows engineers to access the valve from above through the vertical riser and bonnet chamber rather than requiring horizontal access by climbing down a narrow shaft beneath the cover plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The riser and bonnet chamber serve as intermediary structures that bridge the gap between ground level and the underground valve, providing a maintenance pathway that does not require compromising the cover plate's structural integrity.
3Ease of repair
If the bonnet is removed for maintenance, then the closing mechanism can be accessed, but the valve cannot be operated and requires excavation
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is segmented into a stationary body and a removable bonnet assembly. The bonnet can be completely removed to access the closing mechanism for maintenance, while the body remains in place. A new bonnet can be attached to restore valve operation without requiring excavation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonnet is designed as a dynamic, removable component that can be detached for maintenance and reattached for operation. This dynamic design allows the valve to transition between maintenance mode (bonnet removed) and operational mode (bonnet attached) without permanent disassembly or excavation.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c
AI summary
Pipeline apparatus (1) comprises a housing (2) including a riser (2a) and a pipeline connector (2b) and a seal pack assembly mounted in a member that is mounted in the riser (2a), the apparatus (1) including a shaft (12) extending through the seal pack assembly. The seal pack assembly includes at least one seal situated and configured to provide a seal between the outer surface of the shaft (12) and a component of the seal pack assembly through which the shaft (12) extends, that component being releasably attached to the member.