Fluid handling – With cleaner – lubrication added to fluid or liquid sealing... – Cleaning or steam sterilizing
Patent
1998-07-20
1999-08-10
Hepperle, Stephen M.
Fluid handling
With cleaner, lubrication added to fluid or liquid sealing...
Cleaning or steam sterilizing
137599, 251 611, 138 93, F16L 55124
Patent
active
059343117
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a linestopping system for stopping the flow of fluids or gases in a section of a pipe.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Repair and replacement of pipes, whether in an emergency or maintenance situation, is a financial liability for service providers such as Utilities and Processors. Linestopping presently involves removing an approximately circular section of approximately the same radius as the pipe from an upper portion of the pipe. Removal of the section can seriously weaken the pipe structure, requiring reinforcement or strapping of the pipe. This reinforcement may take the form of pipe encasing metal sleeves secured to the pipe. Additionally, concrete reinforcing is often used. Considerable human and consumable resources are required to ensure adequate reinforcing is provided.
Once the pipe is reinforced, the process of line stopping employed hitherto involves several stages. The first stage is to attach an upwardly protruding branch connection to the pipe, such that the circumference of the aperture caused by removing the section is enclosed. The support section and the associated line stopper insertion apparatus is then attached to the protruding connection via a flange. The third stage of the operation involves insertion of the linestopper at an angle approximately ninety degrees to the direction of flow through the pipe. The linestopper is inserted into the pipe, by way of a linestopper insertion apparatus. Where the line stopper is a rubber line stopper, it is forced through the aperture and deforms to seal around the internal circumference of the pipe. The length of the rubber line stopper is limited to the diameter of the aperture. Alternatively, where the line stopper employs a solid hinged rubber seated disc to seal the pipe, the disc is positioned such that the plane of the disc is at an angle approximately ninety degrees to the direction of flow through the pipe. Both these methods have limitations, in addition to the time and cost liabilities previously discussed. These limitations include the physical size of the equipment, weakening of the pipe to be linestopped and little or no capability for the equipment to deal with a range of pipe sizes. Further, these methods are only effective when used with pipes having a smooth interior surface. Any debris or irregularities on the inside of the pipe greatly reduce the effectiveness of previously known linestopping devices. In addition, these methods result in the application of large forces onto the pipeline, which usually cause weakening. Further these methods do not cater for the flow of fluid to continue around the section of pipe to be repaired or replaced.
One method for dealing with line stopping, used predominantly in the petroleum industry, is to insert steel packers with a rubber jacket within the pipe. The rubber jacket is arranged such that a seal can be produced between the pipe and the packer by inflating the rubber jacket. These packers are inflexible and they have to be custom made for each application. They are usually used in very high pressure applications. Other main disadvantages of this method are the requirement to access one end of the pipe and the interruption of the flow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to, at least in part, overcome some or all of the problems of the prior art outlined above.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a linestopping system for pipes characterised by first and second linestopping means, each linestopping means including an inflatable plug, an inflation means and an insertion means, first and second branch pipe supports each having an apertured flange with a pipe section mounted thereon at an acute angle, each pipe section containing a valve wherein, in use, the pipe supports are disposed on a pipe in spaced apart locations with the pipe sections facing in opposite directions such that upon apertures being cut in the pipe at the pipe supports inflatable plugs of respective line stopping
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Bastianelli John
Hepperle Stephen M.
Water Corporation
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