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US 12,005,483 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for internal cleaning of a pipeline
AssigneeENI S.p.A.
InventorsRiccardo Schiavon, Nicola Buongiorno
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and related process for the internal cleaning of a pipeline includes an interchangeable rotary cleaning head, a motor device coupled to the rotary head, a movement device configured to move the apparatus inside the pipeline, and a remote control system. The combined movement of the rotary head rotation and of the advancing motion of the apparatus inside the pipeline allows the disintegration of the deposits present internally of the pipeline by mechanical action.
Claims20
An apparatus for internal cleaning of a pipeline, the apparatus comprising:
- an interchangeable rotary cleaning head;
- a motor device coupled to the rotary cleaning head to selectively control the rotation thereof, the motor device comprising a casing, a gearmotor accommodated within the casing and a transmission shaft, that defines an axis of rotation A, projecting from the casing;
- a movement device connected to the motor device and configured to move the apparatus within the pipeline;
- and
- a remote system for controlling the apparatus, wherein the remote system is connected to the motor device and to the movement device by a means apt to transfer electrical signals and power,
- wherein the motor device is interposed between the rotary cleaning head and the movement device,
- wherein the motor device comprises:
- one or more metal heat-dissipator elements placed in contact with the housing of the gearmotor, wherein the casing of the motor device is filled with a diathermic and dielectric fluid;
- and
- a pressure compensator exposed both to the pressure of the diathermic and dielectric fluid and to the pressure of fluid external to the casing;
- wherein the pressure compensator is configured to balance the pressure of the diathermic and dielectric fluid, the volume of which is influenced by variations in temperature induced by the one or more metal heat dissipator elements relative to the external pressure.
8 more elements
An apparatus for internal cleaning of a pipeline, the apparatus comprising:
- an interchangeable rotary cleaning head;
- a motor device coupled to the rotary cleaning head to selectively control the rotation thereof, the motor device comprising a casing, a gearmotor accommodated within the casing and a transmission shaft, that defines an axis of rotation A, projecting from the casing;
- a movement device connected to the motor device and configured to move the apparatus within the pipeline;
- and
- a remote system for controlling the apparatus, wherein the remote system is connected to the motor device and to the movement device by a means apt to transfer electrical signals and power,
- wherein the motor device is interposed between the rotary cleaning head and the movement device
- wherein the rotary head comprises:
- a fixed part comprising:
- a fixing flange, integral with the casing of the motor device, provided with a passage hole for passage of the transmission shaft;
- a hollow tubular element, protruding orthogonally from the fixing flange and co-axial with the passage hole, set up to be traversed coaxially by the transmission shaft;
- a circular crown placed in a rear part of the rotary head, coaxial with the hollow tubular element, the circular crown having an internal diameter larger than that of the fixing flange;
- a plurality of radial ribs protruding from an external surface of the hollow tubular element and integral with the fixing flange and with the circular crown, the plurality of radial ribs configured in an upright truncated cone structure of the fixed part and delimiting a plurality of fixed passage apertures;
- wherein the movable part comprises:
- a front ring and a rear ring having an internal diameter that is larger than both an external diameter of the front ring and the external diameter of the circular crown, wherein the front ring and the circular crown are placed coaxially and distanced by connecting arms skewed to form an upright, truncated cone structure of the movable part and delimiting a plurality of movable passage apertures;
- wherein the fixed part is integral with the casing and with the hollow tubular element coaxial with the transmission shaft which protrudes beyond the hollow tubular element on the front part of the rotary head, while the movable part is coaxially installed in front of the fixed part so that a protruding portion of the transmission shaft is torsionally engaged with the front ring thereby permitting rotation of the movable part.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.