Patent ID: 9664329
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: B08B,F16L

Claim:
1. A launching station for a pipeline pig comprising a pig cleaning chamber for cleaning the pipeline pig, a plunger, and at least one lateral inlet and at least one lateral outlet for cleaning fluid, wherein the pig cleaning chamber has a main portion which is substantially cylindrical, has a length sufficient to accommodate the plunger and at least a portion of the pig, and has a cross-sectional diameter which is up to √2 times larger than the largest cross-sectional diameter of a the pig such as to allow the pig to be completely surrounded by fluid; and wherein the plunger is axially movable within the main portion of the pig cleaning chamber, has a front end facing the pig and a back end on the opposite side of the front end, and has at least one internal fluid channel which connects the space in front of the front end with the space behind the back end.