Lift station safety spider web
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorKhalid H. Al-Jamea
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A safety apparatus includes a safety fabric that in use is positioned in an access opening of a subsurface chamber. The safety fabric has a mesh with a plurality of mesh openings and a band formed around a perimeter of the mesh. At least one safety indicator is attached to the band by at least one strap. The safety indicator may be positioned outside of the access opening by extension of the strap when the safety fabric is positioned in the access opening. The subsurface chamber with the access opening may be an inlet chamber of a lift station.
Claims18
A safety apparatus comprising:
- a safety fabric that in use is positioned in an access opening of a subsurface chamber, the safety fabric comprising a mesh having a plurality of mesh openings and a band formed around a perimeter of the mesh;
- at least one vacuum port formed in the mesh, the at least one vacuum port comprising a hole and a reinforced pad formed around a perimeter of the hole;
- and
- at least one safety indicator attached to the band by at least one strap, the at least one safety indicator to be positioned outside of the access opening by extension of the at least one strap when the safety fabric is positioned in the access opening.
A lift station comprising:
- an enclosure having a first subsurface chamber, a second subsurface chamber, and an access opening, the first subsurface chamber to receive a liquid stream from a flowline, the second subsurface chamber fluidly connected to the first subsurface chamber, the access opening connected to the first subsurface chamber;
- at least one pump having a suction end fluidly connected to the second subsurface chamber and operable to pump liquid out of the second subsurface chamber;
- a safety fabric removably positioned in the access opening, the safety fabric comprising a mesh having a plurality of mesh openings and a band formed around a perimeter of the mesh;
- at least one vacuum port formed in the mesh, the at least one vacuum port comprising a hole and a reinforced pad formed around a perimeter of the hole;
- at least one safety indicator attached to the band by at least one strap, the at least one safety indicator positioned outside of the enclosure by extension of the strap outside of the access opening;
- and
- at least one removable cover plate mounted over the access opening.
A method of cleaning a lift station, the method comprising:
- detecting at least one safety indicator coupled to a safety fabric disposed in an access opening of the lift station from outside of the lift station;
- removing at least one cover plate mounted over the access opening to reveal the safety fabric;
- inserting a hose of a vacuum tanker through at least one vacuum port formed in a mesh of the safety fabric into a subsurface chamber of the lift station, wherein the at least one vacuum port comprises a hole and a reinforced pad formed around a perimeter of the hole;
- and
- operating the vacuum tanker to clean the subsurface chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.