Automated pig launching system

An apparatus for launching one or more pigs into a process flow, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber with a longitudinal axis and having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet receiving the one or more pigs into the chamber, the outlet in communication with the process flow and passing the one or more pigs out of the chamber to the process flow, a portion of the chamber in communication with the process flow;
• a guide disposed in the chamber and guiding the one or more pigs in the chamber, at least a portion of the guide comprises a paddle movable along the longitudinal axis of the chamber;
• and
• an actuator operatively coupled to the paddle and mechanically feeding the one or more pigs guided by the paddle along the longitudinal axis toward the outlet, wherein the actuator comprises a motor moving a belt along the longitudinal axis, the paddle coupled to the belt and movable with the movement of the belt.

An apparatus for launching one or more pigs into a process flow, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber with a longitudinal axis and having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet receiving the one or more pigs into the chamber, the outlet in communication with the process flow and passing the one or more pigs out of the chamber to the process flow, a portion of the chamber in communication with the process flow;
• a guide disposed in the chamber and guiding the one or more pigs in the chamber, wherein at least a portion of the guide movable along the longitudinal axis of the chamber comprises a conveyor belt having the one or more pigs disposed thereon;
• and
• an actuator operatively coupled to the portion of the guide and mechanically feeding the one or more pigs guided by the guide along the longitudinal axis toward the outlet, wherein the actuator comprises a motor moving the conveyor belt along the longitudinal axis of the chamber.

An apparatus for launching a plurality of pigs into a process flow, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber with a longitudinal axis and having an inlet and an outlet on the longitudinal axis, the inlet configured to receiving the pigs arranged end-to-end into the chamber, the outlet in communication with the process flow and configured to pass the pigs in the longitudinal direction out of the chamber to the process flow, a portion of the chamber in communication with the process flow;
• a guide disposed in the chamber and guiding the pigs in the chamber, wherein a portion of the guide comprises a surface engaging at least a last of the pigs and being movable continuously along the longitudinal axis of the chamber from the inlet toward the outlet;
• and
• an actuator operatively coupled to the portion of the guide, wherein the actuator is configured to move the pigs-arranged end-to-end from a first to the last along the length of the chamber guided by the surface and is configured to mechanically feed each of the pigs successively from the first to the last toward the outlet.