Patent ID: 7491368

Claim:
In a method for temporarily sealing and reopening at least one reactor tube for later remediation and reuse of same, said at least one tube having a body that defines the exterior of said tube and an interior volume of said tube, said tube and said interior volume being terminated by opposing inlet and outlet ends, the improvement comprising employing in a temporary sealing manner in one of said inlet and outlet ends a first closure plug, said first plug having at least one first passage way that is in fluid communication between said interior volume and said exterior of said tube body, said at least one first passage way having at least one first valve cooperating there with so that said at least one first passage way can be opened and closed at will by means of operation of said at least one first valve, said first plug being employed with said at least one first passageway closed so that there is no fluid communication there through between said exterior and said interior volume of said tube, employing a second closure plug in said opposing end, and when reopening said tube first opening said at least one first passage way in said first plug to remove fluid from said interior volume prior to removing either of said first and second plugs from said outlet and inlet ends.