Sliding Pipe Isolation Seals for Pressurized Leak Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe isolation devices are cumbersome and prone to failure due to the use of pivoting arms, which are points of potential failure, especially in challenging environments, and do not accommodate a wide range of pipe sizes and pressurized fluids effectively.
Innovation Solution
A pipe isolation device featuring a control bar head and two sliding sealing heads with sliding engagements that allow them to traverse a right angle, forming concentric seals within the pipe, with a locking mechanism to ensure secure positioning and easy deployment, reducing equipment complexity and enhancing versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pivoting arms are used in pipe isolation devices, then the device can provide isolation functionality, but the device becomes prone to failure due to mechanical complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the pivoting arm mechanism entirely from the sealing head assembly. Instead, the sealing head is directly coupled to the drive screw thread, eliminating the intermediate pivoting connection that caused reliability issues. This extraction of the problematic component directly addresses the contradiction by removing the source of mechanical failure while maintaining the isolation functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical pivoting arm system with a direct threaded connection system. The sealing head is advanced into the pipe through rotational motion of the drive screw, converting the complex multi-joint mechanical system into a simpler single-degree-of-freedom threaded advancement mechanism, thereby reducing complexity and improving reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single sealing head with pivoting arm is used, then the device structure is simplified, but the device cannot accommodate a wide range of pipe sizes and thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested configuration where the second sealing head is positioned within or adjacent to the first sealing head, with both sealing heads sharing a common drive mechanism. This nesting allows the device to adapt to different pipe sizes by adjusting the positioning and engagement of the nested sealing heads, while maintaining a compact and simple overall structure through the shared threaded drive system.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual sealing head design with common threaded drive provides multi-functionality, enabling the device to accommodate various pipe sizes and thicknesses. The first and second sealing heads can engage with different pipe configurations, and the threaded advancement mechanism can adjust to different pipe diameters, making the device universally applicable across multiple pipe specifications without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
3Reliability
If double isolation-and-bleed apparatus with two seals is used, then fluid leakage is contained, but the device becomes cumbersome and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the two sealing functions into a compact integrated assembly where the first and second sealing heads are coupled together and advanced by a single threaded drive mechanism. This combining of the dual-seal functionality into one unified structure maintains the leakage containment capability while eliminating the need for separate, cumbersome isolation devices, thereby reducing overall equipment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded drive screw acts as an intermediary mechanism that simultaneously controls the advancement of both sealing heads into the pipe. This single intermediary driving mechanism replaces what would otherwise require two independent actuation systems, simplifying the overall device architecture while maintaining the dual-seal leakage containment function.
Data Source
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AI summary
A pipe isolation device and method of using the same. The pipe isolation device includes a control bar head, a first sealing head, and a second sealing head. The first sealing head has a first seal element and a first sliding engagement. The first sliding engagement permits the first sealing head to slide relative to the control bar head along a first fixed path and traverse a right angle to gain access to an interior space of a pipe. The second sealing head has a second seal element and a second sliding engagement. The second sliding engagement permits the second sliding head to slide relative to the first sealing head along a second fixed path and traverse the right angle to gain access to an interior space of the pipe.