Swellable Pipeline Seal Tool for Isolation Without Shutdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipeline maintenance and repair methods are time-consuming and costly due to the need to discontinue operations, drain or blow down fluids, and cut into the pipeline, and existing isolation tools are not permanent and do not allow product flow through the pipeline.
Innovation Solution
A pipeline tool with a swellable component that expands to seal the annulus within the pipeline and a temporary internal seal that can be selectively engaged or disengaged, allowing for efficient sealing, maintenance, and installation of permanent devices without completely shutting down pipeline operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pipeline isolation methods using valves or seals are used, then the pipeline section can be isolated for maintenance, but pipeline operations must be discontinued and fluids drained or blown down, resulting in time loss and product loss
Solution Approach 1:
A piggy seal device is introduced as an intermediary element that travels through the pipeline and attaches to the inner wall to create an isolation seal. This mediator allows isolation without requiring valve closure or complete shutdown, enabling maintenance while minimizing operational disruption and fluid loss
Solution Approach 2:
The piggy seal device is launched into the pipeline by the product flow itself and uses the flowing product to propel it to the isolation location. The device then seals against the pipeline inner wall, using the system's own resources (product flow) to achieve isolation without external intervention
2Productivity
If pipeline isolation pig is used to isolate pipeline section, then product flow can be maintained in other sections, but the seal is only removable by removing the pig entirely from the pipeline
Solution Approach 1:
The piggy seal device is designed as a segmented structure with a body portion and a separate seal portion that can be independently deployed. The seal can be released and left in the pipeline while the body is retrieved, allowing easy seal replacement without removing the entire device from the pipeline
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is nested within the piggy device body during transport and deployment, then extracted and left in the pipeline for isolation. The body can be retrieved separately, enabling independent replacement of the seal component without complete device removal
3Reliability
If conventional repair methods involving cutting into pipeline are used, then leaking sections can be replaced, but the process is time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The defective or leaking section of the pipeline is isolated by the piggy seal device, allowing the problematic section to be extracted or replaced without cutting into the main pipeline. The seal creates a contained work area where repairs can be performed on the isolated section while the rest of the pipeline remains operational
Solution Approach 2:
The piggy seal device is deployed in advance to isolate the pipeline section before repair work begins. This preliminary isolation action prepares the work area, allowing subsequent repair operations to proceed without interrupting overall pipeline operations and without requiring complex cutting and welding procedures
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
Enables efficient and cost-effective sealing and maintenance of pipelines, allowing for temporary or permanent repairs and installations while minimizing fluid loss and downtime, with the ability to resume normal operations quickly.
Implementation Method 1
a swellable component disposed about the tool body
Data Source
AI summary
A pipeline tool for use within a pipeline comprises a tool body with an internal flow bore, a swellable component disposed about the tool body, and a temporary seal disposed internally of the flow bore. The pipeline tool may further comprise a tracking device attached to the tool body, wherein the tracking device comprises a mechanical fixture, or an emitter that emits a signal that can be tracked.