Block valve isolation tool
AssigneeSaudi Arabia Oil Company
InventorMohammad Ahmed AL SHAMMARY
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Abstract
A leaking block valve isolation tool for insertion through a vent duct and blocking valve of a gas flow duct. The isolation tool includes an outer tube having proximal and distal ends, the outer tube having a diameter sized to extend through the vent duct and blocking valve. An inner tube having proximal and distal ends is arranged coaxially with and movable within the outer tube. An inflatable balloon is attached to the distal end of the inner tube, wherein the isolation tool outer tube is insertable through the vent duct to an opening in the gas flow duct. The inner tube is slidably insertable through the outer tube until the balloon is situated within a bore formed through the gas flow duct and is inflatable therein to block any gas leak through the gas flow duct.
Claims13
A valve isolation tool to block gas flow leakage through a blocking valve in a gas flow duct that has a duct segment downstream of said blocking valve and a vent duct in fluid communication with the bore said duct segment through an opening in the wall of said duct segment, comprising:
- an outer tube having proximal and distal ends, the outer tube having a diameter sized to extend through said vent duct and blocking valve;
- an inner tube having proximal and distal ends arranged coaxially and movable axially within said outer tube;
- and
- an inflatable balloon attached to said distal end of said inner tube, wherein said isolation tool outer tube is insertable through the vent duct to said opening in the gas flow duct, and said inner tube is slidably insertable through said outer tube until said balloon is situated within the bore of said duct segment and is inflatable therein to block any gas leak through said duct segment.
A method for blocking gas flow leakage through a blocking valve in a gas flow duct that has a duct segment downstream of said blocking valve and a vent duct in fluid communication with the gore of said duct segment through an opening in the wall of said duct segment, comprising the steps of:
- providing a tubular isolation tool including an outer tube having proximal and distal ends, the outer tube having a diameter sized to extend through said vent duct and blocking valve, an inner tube having proximal and distal ends and axially movable within said outer tube in a coaxial arrangement, and an inflatable balloon attached to said distal end of said inner tube;
- inserting said coaxial distal ends of the outer and inner tubes of said valve isolation tool through said vent tube and said blocking valve until said balloon is extended into said bore of said duct segment;
- and
- inflating said balloon from said high pressure source of gas until the balloon fills said bore of said duct segment and blocks gas flow leakage in said duct segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.