Abstract:
The remote controlled chemical pigging apparatus includes a housing and an inflatable device. The inflatable device contains chemicals to dissolve hardened or fossilized materials or contaminants contained within the interior portion of a pipeline, such as an oil or gas pipeline. At a specific location in the pipeline, such as at a pig apparatus receiver portion of the pipeline, the inflatable device is inflated and exploded to disperse the pipeline chemicals contained therein onto the hardened materials or contaminants that have fossilized within the pipeline. The hardened, fossilized materials or contaminants are then dissolved to liquefy the contaminants and, subsequently, to discharge the liquefied contaminants through a drain located in the pipeline. A method of cleaning a pipeline with a remote controlled chemical pigging apparatus having an inflatable device is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to tools and devices for cleaning and maintaining equipment and particularly to a chemical pigging apparatus for pipelines. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Practically all fluids, e.g. gas and oil, include various contaminants and materials that eventually fall out of solution or react with other materials. This is a particular problem in oil and gas pipelines and related conduits, as the contaminants and solids can include, for example, heavy organic materials such as asphaltenes, asphaltogenic acids, diamondoids, paraffins/wax, and resins, which exist in crude oils and tend to build up along the inner walls of the pipes. If this condition is left to continue for a sufficiently long time, the buildup of contaminants can reach such a thickness that the inner diameter of the pipe becomes significantly restricted, thus reducing fluid flow and efficiency of the pipe. The deposition of these suspended particles, therefore, severely inhibits the production and transportation of petroleum fluids. Moreover, such buildups almost always also results in uneven buildups within the pipes, thus creating turbulence and hydrodynamic or aerodynamic drag or resistance to the flow of materials through the pipes. 
     Accordingly, various systems have been developed in the past for cleaning such residue and deposits from the interior wall surfaces of pipes. Many, if not most, of these systems include remotely controlled or automated “pigs,” i.e., devices that conform to the interior of the pipe and travel the pipe to accomplish their intended purpose automatically. These pipeline pigs that are adapted or configured for cleaning out the pipes generally use some form of physical action to remove the buildup within the pipes, such as mechanical scrapers or high pressure blasting with liquids and/or particulates. 
     However, such scrapers and automatic pigs typically do not have the ability to break up and dissolve the deposits and residues that remain in the pipes, particularly in the receiving end of the pipeline, after the interior wall surfaces of the pipes are cleaned. This can make the process of extracting the scraper and cleaning the pig relatively hazardous and dangerous. 
     Thus, a chemical pigging apparatus addressing the aforementioned problem is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of a chemical pigging apparatus and methods are provided to clean a pipeline and substantially eliminate materials and contaminants that have hardened within the interior of the pipeline, particularly in the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion of the pipeline. Embodiments of a chemical pigging apparatus include an inflatable device having pipeline cleaning chemical(s) therein. The inflatable device is adapted to explode to disperse the pipeline cleaning chemical(s) onto the hardened materials or contaminants in the interior of the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion of the pipeline. Once the materials and contaminants have been liquefied by the action of the dispersed pipeline cleaning chemical(s), the liquefied materials and contaminants are drained from the pipeline through a drainage line. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental perspective view of an embodiment of a chemical pigging apparatus for pipelines according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a chemical pigging apparatus of  FIG. 1 , illustrating its various components according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an environmental side elevation view in section showing an embodiment of the chemical pigging apparatus of  FIG. 1  installed within a straight section of pipeline according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an environmental top elevation view of an embodiment of a remote control device of an embodiment of a chemical pigging apparatus of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of a generalized system of a remote control device for use with embodiments of a chemical pigging apparatus, such as an embodiment of the chemical pigging apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an environmental side elevation view showing an embodiment of the chemical pigging apparatus of  FIG. 1  installed within a straight section of pipeline, illustrating the explosion of the inflatable device and the dispersal of the pipeline cleaning chemicals, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an environmental side elevation view showing an embodiment of the chemical pigging apparatus of  FIG. 1  installed within a straight section of pipeline, illustrating the drainage of the liquefied contaminants located in the interior portion of the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion of the chemical pipeline according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Unless otherwise indicated, similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of a chemical pigging apparatus  10  is illustrated. The chemical pigging apparatus  10  includes a housing  12  and an inflatable device  22 , such as an air bag, which is passively propelled through a pipeline by differential pressure in a chemical pipeline P illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and  7 . Once the chemical pigging apparatus  10  reaches a given location of the pipeline P, such as a chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the chemical pipeline P, as associated with hardened materials or contaminants C to be removed, such as accumulated hydrocarbons, the inflatable device  22  is inflated to explode the inflatable device, such as by an explosion caused by an electric charge delivered by a power source  24  acting on one or more explosive agents. Prior to explosion, the inflatable device  22  can be in inflated, partially inflated or deflated, and includes the pipeline cleaning chemical(s). 
     For example, the inflatable device  22 , in addition to the chemicals to dissolve the contaminants C, can include the one or more explosive agents as can be various gas generating explosive agents, such as one or more of sodium azide, sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate, for example. When an electric charge from the power source  24  is applied, and the explosive agents are ignited, such as to generate a gas, as nitrogen gas, for example, to cause the inflatable device to inflate and explode to disperse the pipeline cleaning chemical(s) onto the hardened materials or contaminants C contained within a portion of the interior of the pipeline P, such as the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the pipeline P. 
     The power source  24  can include a direct current (DC) power supply derived from a battery, such as a 12 volt DC battery, for example. The electric charge delivered to the one or more explosive agents from the power source  24  to cause the explosion of the one or more explosive agents is delivered through wires  27  that are in communication with inflatable device  22 . The explosion of the inflatable device  22  causes the pipeline cleaning chemical(s) therein to be dispersed onto the hardened materials or contaminants C contained within a portion of the interior of the pipeline P, such as the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the pipeline P. 
     The pipeline cleaning chemical(s) contained within the inflatable device  22  can be any of various suitable conventional chemical(s), such as organic solvents, or suitable chemical solutions including surfactants that are selected for their ability to dissolve the particular hardened materials or contaminants C within the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the chemical pipeline P, depending on the use or application, such chemicals or chemical solutions including surfactants are known to one skilled in the art. 
       FIG. 2  provides an exploded perspective view of the chemical pigging apparatus  10  illustrating various components of the chemical pigging apparatus  10 , with  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and  7  illustrating the chemical pigging apparatus  10  at different points in the chemical pipeline P. The chemical pigging apparatus  10  includes the housing  12  having a forward end  14  and a rearward end  16 . The forward end  14  is coupled to the inflatable device  22 , which can be selectively removed to include the pipeline cleaning chemical(s), as well as one or more explosive agents to inflate and explode the inflatable device  22 , the one or more explosive agents can also be incorporated with the materials forming the inflatable device  22 . The housing  12  is adapted to hold a control unit  26  to control the delivery of power from the power source  24  to inflate and explode the inflatable device  22  to disperse the pipe cleaning chemical(s) into the pipeline P. The housing  12  is associated with a support  28  to hold and position the control unit  26  and the power source  24  within the housing  12  (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). 
     A forward seal  20  is installed about the forward end  14  of the housing  12 , and a rearward seal  18  installed about the rearward end  16  of the housing  12 , the two seals  20  and  18  respectively sealing the forward end  14  and the rearward end  16  of the housing  12 . The inflatable device  22  can be positioned in association with the forward seal  20 , for example. These two seals  18  and  20  are of a suitable configuration, such as a generally conical configuration, and can have peripheral sealing edges or lips adapted to fit closely against portions of the interior of the chemical pipeline P, as shown in  FIG. 3 , for example. The two seals  18  and  20  can be formed of any suitable flexible material such as rubber, silicone, etc. having chemically resistant properties to substantially reduce the likelihood of damage from the hardened materials or contaminants C contained in the chemical pipeline P and also from the pipeline cleaning chemical(s) dispersed from the inflatable device  22 . 
     Continuing with reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and  7 , a general operation of an embodiment of the chemical pigging apparatus  10  and embodiments of methods for cleaning at least a portion of the chemical pipeline P, such as the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the chemical pipeline P. In  FIG. 3 , the chemical pigging apparatus  10  is illustrated as traversing through the chemical pipeline P toward the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the chemical pipeline P. Travel or movement of the chemical pigging apparatus  10  through the chemical pipeline P is typically passive, i.e., the chemical pigging apparatus  10  typically does not include a propulsion means or a propulsion device or system to independently move the chemical pigging apparatus  10  in the chemical pipeline P, per se, but can also include such propulsion device or system, and should not be construed in a limiting sense. 
     Movement or travel of the chemical pigging apparatus  10  through the chemical pipeline P is typically accomplished by a differential pressure in the chemical pipeline P, with a relatively higher pressure supplied behind the rearward seal  18  of the rearward end  16  to move the chemical pigging apparatus  10  through the chemical pipeline P. For example, the forward seal  20  and the rearward seal  18  substantially prevent leakage of this pressure past the chemical pigging apparatus  10 , resulting in the chemical pigging apparatus  10  being pushed or moved by the differential pressure through the chemical pipeline P. 
     As the pressure differential drives the chemical pigging apparatus  10  through the chemical pipeline P, the chemical pigging apparatus  10  is monitored by a remote control device  30  (shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 ). The remote control device  30  communicates with the control unit  26 , such as by wireless communication, and includes at least one display  32  to visually show information such as location, voltage, temperature, etc. that can provide information as to the cleaning of a portion of the chemical pipeline P, such as the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the chemical pipeline P. The remote control device  30  typically includes a transmitter/receiver, such as associated with an interface, to communicate with the control unit  26  to send control signals to the control unit  26  or to send or receive information therefrom, such as location, voltage, temperature information related to the chemical pigging apparatus  10  in relation to the chemical pipeline P. The remote control device  30  also can include a location check button  31 , that when activated provides an indication, such as on the at least one display  32 , if the chemical pigging apparatus  10  is located at or not located at a given location in the pipeline P. The remote control device  30  can also include an activation button  34  to send a control signal to the control unit  26  which, based on the received control signal, causes the power source  24  to deliver the electric charge to inflate and explode the inflatable device  22  to disperse the pipeline cleaning chemical(s) contained therein into the pipeline P. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a generalized system  36  for implementing embodiments of an apparatus and methods for controlling the chemical pigging apparatus  10 , such as a remote control device, as the remote control device  30 . The generalized system can also include components for implementing a control unit of the chemical pigging apparatus, such as the control unit  26 . It should be understood that the generalized system  36  can represent, for example, a standalone computer, computer terminal, portable computing device, networked computer or computer terminal, or networked portable device, and can also include a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a programmable logic controller (PLC), for example. 
     Data can be entered into the system  36  by the user, or sent or received from or by the remote control device  30  or the control unit  26  via any suitable type of interface  42  as can be associated with a transmitter/receiver  41 , such as for wireless transmission/reception or for wireless communication. The transmitter/receiver  41  can be associated with a position tracking device  43 , such as can send and receive signals as to a location of the chemical pigging apparatus  10  in the pipeline P. For example, the position tracking device  43  can be associated with a global positioning system (GPS) device, so as to provide information as to a position or location of the chemical pigging apparatus  10 . Also the transmitter/receiver  41  can send or receive data or control signals such as sent or received by or from the remote control device  30  or the control unit  26 . The control unit  26  and the remote control device  30 , as can be implemented by components of the system  36 , can also include a memory  38  such as to store data and information, as well as program(s) or instructions for implementing operation of the chemical pigging apparatus  10 . The memory  38  can be any suitable type of computer readable and programmable memory, such as non-transitory computer readable media, random access memory (RAM) or read only memory (ROM), for example. The system  36  can also be powered by a system power source  45 , such as a battery, for example, as can power operation of the remote control device  30  or the control unit  26 . However, the power source to power operation of the control unit  26  can also be the power source  24 . 
     Calculations, determinations, data transmission or data reception, sending or receiving of control signals or commands, such as in relation to inflating and exploding the inflatable device  22 , or providing information such as location, voltage, temperature, etc. that can provide information as to the cleaning of a portion of the chemical pipeline P, are performed or executed by a controller/processor  40  of the remote control device  30  or of the control unit  26 . The controller/processor  40  can be any suitable type of computer processor, such as a microprocessor or an ASIC, and the calculations, determinations, data transmission or data reception, sending or receiving of control signals or commands processed or controlled by the controller/processor  40  can be displayed to the user of the remote control device  30  on the display  32 , which can be any suitable type of computer display, such as a light emitting diode (LED) or liquid crystal display (LCD), for example. 
     The controller/processor  40  can be associated with, or incorporated into, any suitable type of computing device, for example, a personal computer or a PLC. The display  32 , the controller/processor  40 , the transmitter/receiver  41 , the position tracking device  43 , the memory  38 , and any associated computer readable media are in communication with one another by any suitable type of data bus, as is well known in the art. 
       FIG. 6  of the drawings illustrates the chemical pigging apparatus  10  traveling through the chemical pipeline P toward the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the chemical pipeline P. At one or more locations within the chemical pipeline P, or upon command from a user of the remote control device  30 , the remote control device  30  communicates with the control unit  26  located within the housing  12  of the chemical pigging apparatus  10  in order to send or receive information, control signals or commands. 
     At a given location, such as when the chemical pigging apparatus  10  is located at or within the chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the chemical pipeline P, the remote control device  30 , such as by an automatic, preprogrammed command or upon a user activating the activation button  34 , sends a control signal to the control unit  26 . The control unit  26 , upon receiving the control signal from the remote control device  30  controls the power source  24  to deliver an electric charge through the wires  27  associated with the inflatable device  22 , to inflate and explode the inflatable device  22  and disperse the pipeline cleaning chemical(s), such as by an explosion E, onto the hardened materials or contaminants C within the interior of the pipeline P, such as within chemical pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the pipeline P. 
     Continuing with reference to  FIG. 7 , as illustrated therein, once the pipeline cleaning chemical(s) contained within the inflatable device  22  are dispersed and react with the hardened materials or contaminants C within the interior of the pipeline P, such as within the pigging apparatus receiver portion R of the chemical pipeline P, the reaction of the dispersed pipeline cleaning chemical(s) and the hardened materials or contaminants C in the pipeline P converts the hardened materials or contaminants C into a liquefied hardened materials or contaminants L, the liquefied hardened materials or contaminants L are then drained from the chemical pipeline P through a drainage line D. 
     It is noted that the chemical pigging apparatus  10  can encompass various designs and uses. For example, the chemical pigging apparatus  10  can be adapted to be used in connection with pipes used in the transfer of lubricating oils, paints, chemicals, toiletries, cosmetics and foodstuffs, and should not be construed in a limiting sense. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.