Pivoting Pig Holder for Flow-Through Pipeline Diversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipeline diverters in the subsea oil and gas industry disrupt fluid flow when diverting pigs, complicating maintenance and cleaning processes, especially in structures like manifolds and tees, and there is a need for a solution that allows pig diversion without blocking flow.
Innovation Solution
A pig diverter with a pivotable pig holder that maintains fluid communication through the diverter by aligning ports and apertures during rotation, ensuring uninterrupted flow during pig transfer between pipeline loops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional diverter valve with a rotating ball or rotor is used to divert pigs, then the pig can be redirected to the appropriate outlet, but the fluid flow is blocked during the diversion process
Solution Approach 1:
The diverter body is segmented into multiple ports (first inlet port, second inlet port, first outlet port, second outlet port) with separate flow paths, allowing independent pig diversion while maintaining fluid flow through alternative paths. The rotating ball is segmented with multiple passageways that can be independently aligned with different ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating ball with internal passageways is nested within the diverter body, creating a compact structure where the ball rotates to align different inlet and outlet ports. This nested arrangement allows multiple flow paths to coexist within a single device without blocking the overall fluid communication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional external piping systems (pigging loops) are added to manage pigs in restricted spaces, then pig management becomes possible, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The diverter valve is designed with multiple inlet ports and outlet ports that can handle both pig flow and fluid flow through the same device. The rotating ball with multiple passageways allows the diverter to route pigs to different outlets while also maintaining fluid communication, eliminating the need for separate pigging loops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the pig diversion function and fluid flow function into a single diverter valve body. By combining multiple ports and a multi-passageway rotating ball, the device handles both pigs and fluid simultaneously without requiring external pigging loops, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If a pig holder is made pivotable to align with different ports during rotation, then seamless pig diversion without flow interruption is achieved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pig holder is designed to be pivotable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically align with different ports during the rotation of the rotating ball. This dynamic adjustment ensures that the pig holder maintains proper alignment throughout the diversion process, enabling seamless pig transfer without interrupting fluid flow through other ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating ball is designed with pre-configured passageways that guide the pig to the correct outlet port based on its rotational position. The alignment features and seal positions are pre-established during manufacturing, reducing the complexity of achieving precise alignment during operation and facilitating smoother pig diversion.
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 pig diverter enables seamless pig diversion without interrupting fluid flow, simplifying maintenance and cleaning operations in subsea pipelines by maintaining continuous fluid flow through the diverter during pig transfer.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure differential is created within the pipe between a volume ahead of the pig and a volume behind the pig, with respect to the intended direction of travel. Thus, a pig is driven along a pipe from a pig launcher to a pig receiver by a pressure differential in the pipe between upstream and downstream sides of the pig
Data Source
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
A pig diverter (10) comprises a hollow housing (24) having a flowline inlet port (30), a flowline outlet port (32), a pig entry opening (34) and a pig exit opening (36), all communicating with the interior of the housing. A tubular pig holder (44) enclosed by the housing is pivotable between a receiving position and a launching position. In the receiving position, the pig holder is aligned with the pig entry opening to receive a pig (22) and effects fluid communication between the pig entry opening and the flowline outlet port. In the launching position, the pig holder is aligned with the pig exit opening to launch a pig and effects fluid communication between the flowline inlet port and the pig exit opening.