METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING UNDERWATER PIPES

Abstract: A bladed cylindrical member (12) with high pressure fluid jet nozzles (58) cuts and sweeps aquatic foreign matter (108) from the inside surface of underwater pipes (60). The method for removing the foreign matter includes reciprocally pulling the device through the pipe and injecting high pressure air into a containment area (134) to force any extricated foreign matter to the surface.

Description: METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING UNDERWATER PIPES Field of the Invention This invention relates to underwater conduit cleaning systems and apparatus for removing blockage due to organism or animal growth inside a conduit. More particularly, this invention relates to bladed devices for removing zebra mussel growth and other undesirable aquatic infestation from the inside of underwater conduits such as water intake pipes. Background of the Invention The zebra mussel or Dreissena polymorph is a bivalve ollusk native to Europe. This organism has been unintentionally introduced into North American waters by the discharge of ballast water from transoceanic ships. Adult zebra mussels spread rapidly because the adults produce a free-floating reproductive stage called a veliger. Veligers are planktonic young that may drift in currents for up to 30 days. These larvae are abundant and small, and are able to pass through water intake pipe grates and infest the interior of the intake pipes. Often these intake pipes may be several miles long. 5 These mussels have already attached themselves to the submerged parts of municipal water systems, including intake pipes, which has greatly restricted the inflow of water to electrical generating and water treatment facilities, by reducing the diameter of the available water 10 flow area inside the intake pipe. The zebra mussel is harmful to water systems, and are capable of colonizing on any firm substrate. Intake screens and pipes are especially good for mussel colonization due to the abundance of food near the iri€ake pipe screens. Colonies form that may be 15 over seven inches thick. Current cleaning devices and methods require the municipality to cease use of the pipe for many months while the cleaning operation is carried out. Typical pipe cleaning operations use either pressurized fluids to propel 20 and clean dirt or sludge in pipes, or use pipe pigs with rubber seals that conform to the inside of the pipe. However, such systems typically are limited to up to 48" diameter pipes and are very expensive to operate to remove this type of underwater aquatic infestation. Another 25 problem is that municipalities can not afford to close off intake pipes for an extended period of time to allow for cleaning. onsequen , er s a nee or an e underwater pipe cleaning device that is capable of removing unwanted aquatic infestation such as zebra mussels without causing extended shut down of the use of the pipe. Furthermore, there exists a need for a cleaning device that may be inserted regardless of the extent of infestation in the pipe. Summary of the Invention These needs and others have been substantially met by the method and device for cleaning underwater pipes disclosed below. The inventive cleaning device, for removing an aggregation of foreign matter adhered to an inside surface of an underwater conduit, includes a member, such as a cylindrical ring, having a blade-like front surface and a blade-like rear surface for scraping the foreign matter from the inside surface of the conduit; forward attachment pads, coupled to the member, for attaching a system for generating forward movement of the member through the underwater conduit such as a forward pull rod assembly and accompanying winches; and rearward attachment pads, coupled to the member, for attaching a system for generating reverse movement of the member through the underwater conduit such as a rear pull rod assembly and accompanying winches. The attachment pads are welded to the member. A plurality of additional radial cutting blades are mounted on an inner surface of the member, with each cutting blade having a front cutting edge and a rear cutting edge. The member has an outer surface of a size and shape generally conforming to the inside surface of the underwater conduit. The member is supported upon an axial member, such as a cylindrical tank, by a plurality of radial braces. These radial braces also have a front cutting edge and a rear cutting edge. The cleaning device also includes fluid jet nozzles for producing a jet stream used in transferring the foreign matter along the pipe's floor. The axial tank facilitates high pressure fluid expulsion through the jet nozzles. The method includes inserting the bladed cleaning device in the underwater conduit, moving the bladed cleaning device in a first axial direction causing the foreign matter to be extricated from the inside surface of the conduit and moving the bladed cleaning device in a second axial direction opposite the first direction causing the jet stream to transport the extricated foreign matter in the second axial direction. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a front view of the cleaning device in accordance with the invention; FIG. 2 is a rear view of the cleaning device in accordance with the invention; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 as it appears in an underwater conduit; and . s a ss-sec ona v ew s ow ng e operation of the cleaning device in accordance with the invention. Detailed Description of the Invention FIG. 1 generally depicts a front view of the conduit cleaning device 10 that includes a cylindrical member 12, radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52, front pad eyes 64, 65, 66, and 67, an axial support member 18, radial braces 24, 28, 32, and 36, and a jet spray head 57. The cylindrical member 12 has an outer annular surface 13 and an inner annular surface 14. The outer annular surface 13 has a size and shape generally conformin to the inside surface of the underwater conduit. A front cutting edge 15 extends about the circumferential front end of the cylindrical member 12. The radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52 are bolted, welded, or otherwise mounted on the annular inner surface 14 of the cylindrical body 12. The radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52 each include a front cutting edge 41, 45, 49, and 53, respectively. The radial lengths of th radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52 are adjustable. This is accomplished by mounting the blades to slide in a groove and bolted or pinned to a plate comprising the groove, as is known. The axial support member 18 or element is located in the center of the cylindrical member 12 and serves both as structural support and as a tank for storing pressurized liquid, which will be discussed later. Structural support and additional cutting capability is provided by the radial braces 24, 28, 32, and 36. Each of these radial braces include a cutting edge 25, 29, 33, and 37, respectively. These radial braces are attached to the tank 18 using bolts, however, any other suitable attachment method may be employed such as welding or brazing. The distally opposite ends of each of these radial braces 24, 18, 32, and 36 is attached to the inner annular surface 14 of the cylindrical member 12 using bolts. The front pad eyes 64,.65, 66, and 67 include eyelets and are welded to the inner annular surface 14 under or adjacent to the radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52. These pad eyes serve as coupling mechanisms for pull rods (shown in FIG. 3) which are attached to the member 12 for pulling the conduit cleaning device 10 through a conduit. The front pad eyes 64, 65, 66, and 67 help maintain forward movement of the member as it is pulled through the conduit. A high pressure water line 56 is attached to the water tank 18 and is also coupled to the jet spray head 57. One end of a jet spray head stabilizer rod 55 is coupled to the tank 18 while the other end is coupled to a surface of the jet spray head 57. The jet spray head stabilizer rod 55 holds the head 57 securely during operation, using pipe threads in one embodiment. FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the cleaning device 10. The rear face of the cylindrical member 12 also has a rear cutting edge 16 which extends about the rear face of . , cutting edge 16 is also formed by the outer annular surface 13 and the inner annular ;rface 14. The radial braces 24, 28, 32, and 36 also have rear knife edges 26, 30, 34, and 38, respectively. Similarly, radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52 have rear cutting edges 42, 46, 50, and 54, respectively. Rear pad eyes 64a, 65a, 66a, and 67a are mounted in the same manner as the front pad eyes 64, 65, 66 and 67. The rear pad eyes help maintain reverse movements of the clearing device through the conduit. Another embodiment may include at least one hole through the radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52 as the coupling mechanism tor the pull rods. The axial support tank 18 has a rear face 20 with an aperture 21 for receiving a high pressure hose (see Fig. 3) . A hose is connected to the aperture 21 using a hose connection fixture 22. The jet spray head 57 includes a plurality of jet spray nozzles 58 that are directed toward the inside floor surface of an underwater conduit. The size and angle of all of the cutting edges vary according to the size of the pipe involved. For example, for a 42" pipe, the cylindrical member 12 may be 18" long and h" thick at its thickest point; while the radial blades 40, 44, 48, and 52 may be 8" long. The cylindrical member 12 is made from stainless steel, but any other suitable material may also be used. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the condui cleaning device 10 located inside an underwater conduit 60. The cleaning device 10 is able to remove secured mussels or other growth from the inner walls 59 of the conduit by being pulled in a forward direction and a backward direction. Pulling rods 70, 71 are each hooked in a separate eye of the 5 pads 65 and 67, respectively. The front forward pulling rods 70 and 71 are coupled to a front draw bar element 74. A front cable ring 75 is coupled to the front draw bar element 74. A front pull cable 76 is coupled to the front cable ring 75 using a front cable clamping element 77. 10 Forward motion is effectuated by pulling front pull cable 76. In a similar manner, rear pulling rod 80 and rear pulling rod 81 are coupled to rear pad eyes 65a and 67a and to the rear draw bar element 84. A rear cable ring 85 is 15 coupled to the rear draw bar element 84. A rear cable 86 is coupled to the rear cable ring 85 using a rear cable clamping element 87. Rearward motion is effectuated by pulling rear cable 86. Although not shown, two additional front forward pulling rods and two additional rear pulling 20 rods are attached to the remaining pad eyes (64a and 66a not shown) . A high pressure flexible conduit 89, such as a high pressure fire hose or the like, is coupled to the axial tank 18 via the hose connection fixture 22. A hose 25 connection fixture 90 mates with hose connection fixture 22 on the rear face 20 of the high pressure central tank 18. The drawbars 74 and 84 are preferably made of steel and may have any suitable configuration. One suitable configuration may be a block structure wherein four square projections or teeth extend linearly from one end of the block to the other. Each of the square projections has a hole for receiving one of the forward pulling rods 70, 71, 72, and 73, or the rear pulling rods, 80, 81, 82, and 83. These pulling rods have hooks at both ends wherein one end couples to one of the holes in the drawbar element and the opposite end couples to an eye in a corresponding pad eye 64, 64a, 65, 65a, 66, 66a, 67 and 67a. Another drawbar configuration may be a cross-type structure, "-}-", wherein an aperture is present in each one of the cross 1 extensions. Front and rear pull bars may the be configured as flat bars instead of rods to facilitate bolting of the flat bars to the cross-type drawbar. FIG. 4 illustrates the use of the cleaning device 10 in an underwater pipe 60 resting on an underwater surfac G. The pipe 60 has an inlet elbow section 93, an expanded inlet collar 94, and a bell-shaped inlet screen 97. Aquati infestation of living mussels and deceased mussels 108 are shown adhered to the pipe 60. The pipe 60 connects to a municipal pump house. typical municipal pump house includes a wet well 118 where water from the underground pipe 60 is discharged, and at least one pump suction line 140 extending to a water pump (not shown) . The wet well 118 typically contains water having a surface level S above the pump suction line 140. Back at the inlet of the pipe 60, a barge 111 hel above the water surface by support legs 112 contains a mounted variable speed motor 110 for controlling a single drum winch 109. This winch 109 and variable speed motor 160 control the movement of the front cable 76. Located at the distal end of the pipe 60, at the pump house, is a skid mounted single drum cable winch 122 containing the rear cable 86, also controlled by a variable speed motor 123, controls the amount of reverse motion of the cleaning device 10. Also located at the pump house is a high pressure water pump 129, a tubular air lift 142, a high pressure air compressor 143, and a disposal system 146. These devices are used to remove and transport the extricated mussels from the inside of the pipe 60 to a disposal cart 147 in the pump house. An on-shore high pressure water pump system, generally known in the art, provides the cleaning device 10 with the high pressure fluid for generating the underwater jet streams 61. This pump system includes a high pressure water pump 129, a pump suction line 130, a pump discharge line 131, a variable speed motor 128, and a skid mounted single drum winch 127 for the high pressure water hose 89. The suction line 130 draws water, or any suitable fluid, from a water source whereafter the high pressure water pump 129 increases the pressure of the water in the discharge line 131 to a pressure suitable for providing adequate jet streams 61. The variable speed motor 128 controls the winch 127 which increases or decreases the length of hose 89 available to the cleaning device 10. n e ax a ss ce cable 76 along the longitudinal axis of the underwater pipe 60. Additional inlet pulleys 115 prevent the front cable 7 from touching the wall of the underwater pipe. Pulleys 115 116 are secured to the walls of the intake pipe by using screw-type jacks extending from the pulleys to the side walls of the pipe, or by other suitable means. An outlet axial pulley assembly 121 is secured to the wall of wet well 118 and centers the rear cable 86 alon the longitudinal axis of the underwater pipe 60. This outlet axial pulley assembly 121 is located in the wet well 118 just outside the outlet opening 119 of the pipe 60 wher water is discharged into the wet well 118. Additional outlet pulleys 120 prevent the rear cable 86 from touching the interior wall of the wet well 118. In operation, a construction or commercial diver or divers installs the cleaning device at the mouth or crib of the outlet opening 119 of the pipe 60 in the wet well 118. The cylindrical member 12 is sectionally divisible an may be split into two or more, and preferably four, equally sized pieces to provide ease of transport and assembly unde water in the wet well or above water in the pump house. Th segments may be bolted together, using suitable bolts and joining brackets, now shown. In addition, the radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52 may be adjusted in length. The forward winch 109 pulls the cleaning device 10 in a forward direction indicated by arrow 62. The bladed front surface 15 of the cylindrical member 12, the bladed front edges 41, 45, 49, and 53 of the radial cutting blades 40, 44, 48, and 52 and the bladed front knife edges 25, 29, 33, and 37 of the radial supports 24, 28, 32, and 36 cut the aggregation of deceased and living mussels 108 from the 5 inner surface 59 of the underwater conduit 60. The cutting action caused by the cylindrical ring configuration of the cleaning device and its associated cutting blades lets the extricated mussels pass through the device 10 without clogging inside the interior of the device 10. 10 Once a sufficient forward distance has been travelled by the device 10, water under high pressure in the range of 300 psi is pumped through a fire hose 89 into the axial tank 18. The pressure in the tank causes water to be forced through the jet spray nozzles 58 in the jet spray 15 head 57. The jet spray nozzles 58 are directed toward the floor 59 of the inside of the underwater conduit 60 so that jet streams of water force loose deposits of broken shells 107 rearwardly as indicated by the arrows 61. A winch pulls the conduit cleaner 10 in a reverse 20 direction indicated by arrow 63. This rearward motion enables the jet stream 61 to force extricated broken shells 107 into a containment area 134 or other suitable debris holding area. Water pressure in the intake pipe produced by the pumps in the pump house, may provide additional rearward 25 force to assist removal of the extricated aggregations. ■ The removal system for transporting the loose deposits of broken shells includes a tubular air lift system 136, and a conventional disposal system. The tubular air lift system 136 includes the containment area 134 wh ch is typically a three-walled enclosure for containing the loose mussels in an area small enough to facilitate transport using a tubular air lift 142. The tubular air lift 142 may be made of aluminum or other suitable material, and is usually in the range of eight to twelve inches in diameter. The high pressure air compressor 143 injects air up the tubular air lift 142, which is located proximate the containment area 134, throug a high pressure air line 144. As air is injected into the tubular air ift 142, the loosened mussels are suctionally extracted up the air lift 142 and deposited into a conventional disposal system. Multiple tubular air lifts, such as a dual tubular air lift, may be used to increase th rate of extraction of the loosened mussels. The conventional disposal system may include a conveyor system 146 and a dumping cart 147. The disposal system is located on the floor of the pump house 149. The high pressure water pump 129 should be large enough to develop 300 psig at the pump head to produce 50-7 psig at the jet spray nozzles 58. A larger pump may provid enough pressure to flush extricated shells through a one mile long pipe line. The spray nozzles consist of seven " holes at a pressure of 100 psi. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that varyi. g the pump pressure and varying the size of the jet spray nozzles may be advantageous depending upon the particular application. The above described invention is capable of cleaning one mile of pipeline in approximately 30 hours assuming an inside pipe diameter of 72" and a 5"-10" thickness of mussel infestation throughout the circumference of the pipe line. Once a guide cable, either the front cable 76 or rear cable 86, is fed through the pipe, a diver in the pump station connects the front cable 76 and rear cable 86 to the cleaning device 10. The device 10 is pulled from the barge 111 end for approximately 200' whereafter the jet spray is activated and the cleaning device 10 is pulled back toward the pump station. This forward and backward pulling continues until the cleaning device 10 has been pulled the entire length of the pipe. Although the preferred embodiment details a cylindrical cleaning member, other variations in shapes that generally conform to the interior of the underwater conduit may also be used. For example, an octagonal outer surface may provide sufficient contact with the inside of the conduit to facilitate adequate removal of the encrusted mussels. Another embodiment of the invention may include only a partial front and rear blade face as may be desired where mussels are only colonized on the floor of a pipe so that the-blades need only extend about a partial area of the circular face or rear of the cylindrical member. An alternative embodiment of the cylindrical member may also include a snap-on blade edge so that the outer surface of the member and the inner surface of the mem er o no orm e ron an rear a e e ges u instead act only as supports to which separate blades are affixed. Specific embodiments of the cleaning device and method for using the same have been described for the purposes of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be used and made. It should be understood that the implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. It is therefor contemplated to cover by the present invention any and all modifications obvious to thos having ordinary skill in the art.

Claims: What I claim is : 1. A cleaning device for removing an aggregation of foreign matter adhered to an inside surface of an underwater conduit, comprising: a member having a blade-like front surface and a blade-like rear surface for scraping the foreign matter from the inside surface of the conduit; means coupled to the member for imparting forward movement of the member through the underwater conduit, whereby said front surface scrapes foreign matter from the inside surface of the conduit as said member is moved forward; and means coupled to the member for imparting reverse movement of the member through the underwater conduit, whereby said rear surface scrapes additional foreign matter from the inside surface of the conduit as said member is moved in reverse. 2. The cleaning device of Claim 1 wherein the member includes: an outer surface having a size and contour generally conforming to the inside surface of the underwater conduit. 3. The cleaning device of Claim 1 wherein said means for generating and maintaining forward and reverse movement of said member comprises radial support means coupled to the member. 4. The cleaning device of Claim 1 wherein the member is supported upon an axially disposed support element by a plurality of radial braces extending between said support element and said member. 5. The cleaning device according to Claim 1 wherein plurality of additional radially inward extending cutting blades are mounted on an inner surface of the member, with each cutting blade having a front cutting edge and a rear cutting edge. 6. The cleaning device of Claim 1 wherein the member is sectionally divisible into a plurality of segments to facilitate assembly and disassembly. 7. A cleaning device for removing an aggregation of foreign matter adhered to an inside surface of an underwate conduit, comprising: a bladed member adapted to be reciprocally movabl in said conduit and having a size and shape generally conforming to the inside surface of said conduit; the bladed member further comprising: outer and inner axially extending surfaces . having front and rear portions; and cutting edges formed on both the front and rear portions of sai surfaces. 8. The cleaning device of Claim 7 further comprising a centrally disposed axial support member and a plurality of radial braces extending between said bladed member and said support member for centrally attaching said support member to said bladed member. 9. The cleaning device of Claim 7. wherein the bladed member is sectionally divisible into a plurality of segments to facilitate assembly and disassembly. 10. The cleaning device of Claim 8 wherein the axial support member includes means for attachment of a high pressure fluid source to said support member, and the axial support member further includes means for discharging the high pressure fluid rearwardly toward the bottom of the inner surface of the underwater conduit within which the cleaning device is disposed to remove foreign matter lying on the bottom of said conduit when said bladed member is moved in one of said reciprocal directions. 11. The cleaning device of Claim 8 wherein the radial braces are attached to the inner surface of said bladed member, each brace having a front face and a rear face, and each of the front and rear faces of the braces includes a cutting edge extending from said inner surface. 12. The cleaning device of Claim 11 wherein a plurality of radially extending cutting blades is mounted on the inner surface of said bladed member between adjacent braces of the plurality of braces, with each radially extending cutting blade having at least one cutting edge. 13. The cleaning device of Claim 12 wherein the radially extending cutting blades each have a front cutting edge and a rear cutting edge axially disposed relative to each other. 14. The cleaning device according to Claim 7 further including first means for attaching said bladed member to a means providing forward motion to said bladed member, and second means for attaching said bladed member to a means providing rearward motion to said bladed member within said underwater conduit. 15. A cleaning device for removing an aggregation of foreign matter adhered to an inside surface of an underwate conduit, comprising: a cylindrical bladed member having an outer surface and an inner surface; the outer surface conforming to the size and shape of the underwater conduit; said cylindrical bladed member having front and rear annular faces each including an axially extending cutting edge; the cylindrical bladed member further comprising a plurality of radially extending blades mounted to the inner surface of said bladed member and means to reciprocally move said cylindrical bladed member in axial directions through said conduit. 16. The cleaning device of claim 15 wherein the plurality of radially extending blades are substantially equidistant from one another. 17. The cleaning device of claim 15 wherein the cylindrical bladed member is connected to an axially extending centrally disposed support member by a plurality of radially extending braces extending between said support member and said bladed member. 18. The cleaning device of claim 17 wherein the axial support member has one end for attachment to a source of high pressure fluid, and the axial support member further comprises means for discharging the high pressure fluid outward from said support member toward the bottom of the inner surface of the underwater conduit in which the cleaning device is disposed to remove foreign matter lying on the bottom of said conduit when said bladed member is moved in one of said reciprocal directions. 19. ■ The cleaning device of Claim 15 wherein the member is sectionally divisible into a plurality of segments to facilitate assembly and disassembly. 20. A method for removing an aggregation of foreign matter adhered to an inside surface of an underwater conduit, comprising the steps of: inserting a bladed cleaning device in the underwater conduit which cleaning device conforms to the size and shape of the underwater conduit, wherein the blade cleaning device has front and rear axially extending faces each including a cutting edge proximate the inside surface of the conduit; moving the bladed cleaning device in a first axial direction causing the foreign matter to be extricated from the inside surface of the conduit by one of said cutting edges of said bladed cleaning device; and moving the bladed cleaning device in a second axial direction opposite the first direction while forcing a high pressure fluid stream about the bladed cleaning device, wherein directing the bladed cleaning device in the second axial direction causes the high pressure fluid stream to transport the extricated foreign matter in the second axial direction. 21. The method of claim 20 including the additional steps of: . transporting the extricated foreign matter to an underwater containment area; injecting compressed air under pressure proximate the containment area to suctionally extract the extricated foreign matter from the containment area to an out-of-water disposal system.

Inventors: RUFOLO PAUL G, RUFOLO, PAUL, G.
Applicants: RUFOLO PAUL G, RUFOLO, PAUL, G.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B08B9
IPC codes: B08B9, E03F9