Pipeline Pig Signaller

Description

But in order to solve the problems of the ball indicator. For example, it is difficult to maintain and replace, the shutdown cost is high, and the safety risk is high. Now, the ball indicator is analyzed and studied by professionals. We have developed a ball indicator that can be disassembled under pressure. This tool can be used when the long-distance pipeline is under pressure. It can maintain and replace the ball indicator movement. The practical application shows that the tool can reduce the abnormal shutdown time of long-distance pipelines. So if you have any other questions about Pipeline Pig Signaller, please contact our professionals to answer them for you.

Advantage:

Its operation is simple, safe, and reliable. This can reduce enterprise maintenance costs. Therefore, it also has broad application prospects. Ball indicators are often used in the descaling of long-distance pipelines. At present, most of the long-distance pipelines are mechanical ball indicators. For example, most ball indicators used by SINOPEC are explosion-proof mechanical ball indicators. This kind of indicator has the advantages of a simple structure, explosion-proof, intuitive, and reliable indication. And it can be mechanically positioned on the pipeline. At this time, it can regularly transmit the passage of pig objects in the pipeline. This can also guide the switching of the flow.

After the ball indicator is used for a long time, the equipment will be corroded and aged to different degrees. So it must be maintained and replaced. Because we usually install the ball passing indicator on the inlet and outlet pipelines and the receiver and launcher of the oil station. Therefore, the operators maintain and replace the ball indicator. This can only be carried out after the pipeline is shut down and vented. Moreover, some oil stations are affected by terrain. After shutdown, the venting operation takes a long time and is difficult. It is very difficult to maintain and replace the ball indicator. Moreover, the pipeline shutdown cost is high and the safety risk is large.

We solve the problem of maintenance and replacement of ball indicators. EMT analyzed this type of equipment in detail. We have developed a practical disassembly tool with pressure. So it can directly maintain and replace the ball indicator under pressure.

Question raising

The pipeline staff mainly installs the ball indicator above the incoming and outgoing pipelines. It has been outdoors for a long time. It is easy to cause malfunction of the indicator movement due to corrosion or other factors. The internal movement of the ball indicator is severely corroded. And the aging of the internal O-ring is unknown. Moreover, the O-ring inside the movement is aging and has leakage marks. It is difficult to replace a new movement. When there is no special tool for disassembly and assembly under pressure. We must shut down and empty the pipeline. Then we can remove and reinstall the ball indicator movement.

Through field research and analysis. At present, most ball indicators of long-distance pipelines have similar structures. It mainly includes trigger, base, movement, increasing stud tappet, upper connector, and other components. Wherein, the base is made of forging with good welding performance with the pipeline. The upper and outer sides are DN50 mm pipe threads. The movement is a sealed transmission assembly. Which is threadedly connected with the base. Sealing is mainly completed by O-ring. The upper connector is the protective cap of the motion mechanism and is connected to the clock control head. During maintenance and replacement.

The operator must remove the upper connector of the ball indicator and the extension stud tappet and other components. And then the upper part of the movement is exposed. Then it is disassembled and assembled with a special wrench for the movement. Through the analysis of the structure of the upper part of the movement and the characteristics of the special spanner used. There are 4 screw holes and grooves on the movement. Therefore, it is possible to design a tool that can be effectively connected with the movement and can be disassembled under pressure.

Development of pressure disassembly tool for Pipeline Pig Signaller

There are 9 parts in the disassembly and assembly tool of the ball indicator. It mainly includes an organic core connector, long-axis smooth rod, ball valve, and reducing connecting pipe. There are also sealing cylinders, pressure gauge joint, and sealing glands. As well as feeding devices (feeding threaded pipes, feeding sleeves), casing heads, etc. The connecting head of the movement is connected with the long-axis smooth rod through a square head and one screw. The DN65 mm ball valve is connected with the reducing pipe and the sealing cylinder through threads. The pressure gauge joint is welded on the sealing cylinder.

The upper part of the sealing cylinder is a sealing part. The feeding device is composed of two parts. The feed screw pipe is directly connected to the sealing cylinder. The feed sleeve is connected to the feed screw pipe. Which are combined to form a device that can be fed. Then the sleeve head is connected with the feeding sleeve and the upper part of the long-axis smooth rod. And there is an O-ring in the sleeve head as the shaft seal. This can prevent the entry of external moisture, impurities, etc. This will cause corrosion inside the tool.

Operation method

The disassembly and assembly of the ball indicator mainly include the following 10 steps:

• Firstly, use an Allen wrench to connect the movement connector to the movement.
• Then, connect the reducing pipe with the ball indicator base. This is because the raw tape can be wound around the thread to enhance the sealing property.
• Slowly rotate the long-axis polished rod counterclockwise. Observe the pressure gauge value. When the value of the pressure gauge changes, stop rotating the long-axis smooth rod. After the pressure and the pressure in the pipeline are balanced and stabilized. Continue to rotate the long-axis polished rod counterclockwise without abnormal conditions. Then we unscrew the movement from the base.
• Rotate the feed device counterclockwise. Then, we completely retract the movement into the sealed cylinder.

EMT Pig signallers

• Close the ball valve and vent the crude oil in the sealing cylinder. Do this until the pressure gauge value is 0.
• Remove the seal cartridge from the ball valve. Then we take out the old movement and install a new one.
• Connect the sealing cylinder with the ball valve. Then slowly open the ball valve. We should also pay attention to the change of the pressure gauge value.
• After the pressure gauge value is stable, rotate the feeding device clockwise. Then we move the movement to the base of the ball indicator.
• Rotate the long-axis polished rod clockwise. Screw the movement onto the ball indicator base.
• Finally, slowly drain the crude oil in the sealing cylinder. At the same time, we should pay close attention to the change of pressure gauge value. If there is no change within a period of time after the value of the pressure gauge is 0. It means that the movement has been replaced successfully. If the pressure gauge value is not 0. This indicates that there is a leakage problem between the movement and the base. At this time, we need to dismantle the movement and replace it again.

Test and Application

The on-site test shall be carried out after the development of the ball indicator with a pressure disassembly tool. Because it can check the use effect of the tool and whether the function of each component is safe and reliable.
So the test pressure starts from 1 MPa. Leakage was found in the first test. The main reason is that the connection between the reducing connecting pipe, the sealing cylinder, and the ball valve is not sealed tightly. The leakage problem is solved by adding a sealing ring inside the ball valve. At the same time, a rubber gasket is added between the reducing connecting pipe and the base for sealing. The maximum working pressure of the mechanical ball indicator is 6.4 MPa. The cycloid has only two free directions.

Therefore, the base is grooved, and gaskets cannot be used between the base and the reducing connecting pipe. It can only be sealed with raw tape. Therefore, the pressure in the field test is only 3 MPa. We conducted three trials. They are all qualified and meet the use requirements. 2.62 MPa and three workers completed the removal, renewal, and installation of the ball indicator movement within 30 minutes. All steps and links in the operation process are safe and reliable. So in this way, the target task can be successfully completed

Instructions for successful disassembly and assembly of our ball indicator movement. This tool can be used under the condition of an oil pipeline with pressure (2.62 MPa). It can quickly complete the disassembly and replacement of the leak-free ball indicator. The risk of operation under pressure is high. Our goal is to ensure 100% safety and save time and effort in operation. It is recommended to operate under 2.5 MPa

Summary

Finally, the practical application shows that the disassembly and assembly tool with pressure developed by us. So it can solve the problem of maintenance and replacement of ball indicators under pressure. For the ball indicator commonly used in the long-distance pipeline industry at present. For ball indicators of different sizes, the main structure of the tool remains unchanged. And the movement connectors of different sizes can be replaced. In this way, most ball indicators can be disassembled under pressure. And this can greatly reduce the pipeline shutdown time. So the production cost of the enterprise is reduced. It also has great reference significance for the same industry in the maintenance and replacement of the ball indicator movement.