# US 2018/0021891 A9 · Near-weld purge gas delivery system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021891 A9 - Document ID: US20180021891A9 - Status: Published application - Kind: A9 - Application number: 15/056,293 - Filed: 2016-02-29 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-02 - Assignees: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc. - Applicants: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc. - Inventors: Mark Clemmons; Shankar Rajagopalan; Jason W. Curbo; Jose C. Bouche; Siddharth Mallick; Brian L. Kirk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021891A9 ## CPC - B23K 31/027: {Making tubes by soldering or welding} - B23K 9/0286: {with an electrode moving around the fixed tube during the welding operation} - B23K 9/16: making use of shielding gas - B23K 9/291: {the shielding means being a gas} - B23K 9/326: {Purge gas rings, i.e. devices for supplying or evacuating shielding gas inside of hollow or tubular articles, e.g. pipes, vessels} - B23K 31/02: relating to soldering or welding - B23K 37/0276: {for working on or in tubes (B23K37/0211 takes precedence)} - B23K 37/0282: {Carriages forming part of a welding unit} - B23K 37/0531: Internal pipe alignment clamps - B23K 2101/06: Tubes - B23K 2101/10: Pipe-lines - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract Apparatus, systems, processes, control systems, means and methods for near-weld gas purging and welding. A focused circumferential near-weld purge gas delivery system for pipeline welding. A near-weld purge rig which has a near-weld purge gas channel and which achieves a low oxygen concentration proximate to a pipe gap for welding. The gas used for purging is also directed against an interior surface of the pipe to be welded. The directed gas cools the pipe to a desired temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A near-weld purge rig, the purge rig for insertion into a pipeline having a pipe interior, the pipeline including a first pipe end abutting a second pipe end to define a pipe end interface, the purge rig comprising: a core for at least partially defining a purge space; a purge dam extending from the core; a purge gas distributor supported on the core and longitudinally offset from the purge dam for discharging gas into the purge space; a purge gas supply passage supported on the core, the purge gas supply passage supplying purge gas to the purge gas distributor; wherein the near weld purge rig is configured to be positioned in the pipe interior such that the gas distributor is generally aligned longitudinally with the pipe end interface and at least a portion of the core, at least a portion of the purge dam, and at least a portion of the pipe interior define the purge space; and wherein the purge gas distributor directs purge gas directly against a portion of the interior surface at the pipe end interface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 1, wherein the directed purge gas exits the gas distributor to form a defined discharge pattern. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 2, wherein the defined discharge pattern is generally v-shaped. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 2, wherein the defined discharge pattern is generally cone-shaped. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 4, wherein the directed purge gas impacts a defined surface portion of the pipe interior in the pattern at the pipe end interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 5, wherein the gas distributor is defined by at least one radially outwardly directed gas distribution nozzle for impacting the defined surface portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 6, wherein the at least one gas distribution nozzle is a plurality of nozzles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 7, wherein the defined surface portion of each of the nozzles together combine to impact the entire pipe interior at the pipe end interface, and wherein a end of the defined surface portion of each nozzle overlaps an end of the defined surface portion of each of the adjacent defined surface portions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 6, wherein the directed purge gas cools the defined surface portion to control weld material temperatures near the defined surface portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 5, wherein the directed purge gas cools the defined surface portion to control weld material temperatures near the defined surface portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 6, wherein a spray gap is defined as the radial distance between a tip of the nozzle and the pipe interior and the spray gap is between 0.25 and 1.5 inches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 1, wherein said near-weld purge gas space has a purge gas space pressure which is greater than an ambient pressure, when the near-weld purge rig is placed into the pipeline at the interface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 12, wherein during a gas purge, purge gas flows from the gas supply passage, through the purge gas distributor, into the purge space and out of the pipe interior to the atmosphere; and ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 1, wherein said near-weld purge gas space achieves an oxygen concentration of about 100 to 200 ppm or less. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 1, wherein during a gas purge, purge gas flows from the gas supply passage, through the purge gas distributor, into the purge space and out of the pipe interior to the atmosphere. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 15, wherein the purge dam acts as a barrier disrupting the flow of at least a portion of the purge gas in the purge space from flowing longitudinally down the pipe in a direction from the purge gas distributor toward the purge dam. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The near-weld purge rig according to claim 1, wherein sufficient cooling purge gas is applied against the interior surface to prevent undesirable flow of molten weld material. ### Claim 18 A near-weld gas assembly comprising: a pipeline including a first pipe end abutting a second pipe end to define a pipe end interface and a pipe interior with a pipe interior surface of the pipe end interface; a near-weld purge rig including a core for at least partially defining a purge space; a purge dam extending from the core; a purge gas distributor supported on the core and longitudinally offset from the purge dam for discharging gas into the purge space; a purge gas supply passage supported on the core, the purge gas supply passage supplying purge gas to the purge gas distributor; wherein the near weld purge rig is positioned in the pipe interior such that the gas distributor is generally aligned longitudinally with the pipe end interface and at least a portion of the core, at least a portion of the purge dam, and at least a portion of the pipe interior define the purge space; and wherein the purge gas distributor directs purge gas directly against a portion of the interior surface at the pipe end interface. ### Claim 19 A near-weld gas assembly comprising: a pipeline including a first pipe end abutting a second pipe end to define a pipe end interface and a pipe interior with a pipe interior surface of the pipe end interface; a near-weld purge rig including a core for at least partially defining a purge space; a purge dam extending from the core; a purge gas distributor supported on the core and longitudinally offset from the purge dam for discharging gas into the purge space; a purge gas supply passage supported on the core, the purge gas supply passage supplying purge gas to the purge gas distributor; wherein the near weld purge rig is positioned in the pipe interior such that the gas distributor is generally aligned longitudinally with the pipe end interface and at least a portion of the core, at least a portion of the purge dam, and at least a portion of the pipe interior define the purge space; and wherein a gas delivery system forces purge gas through the distributor, into the purge space along the pipe interior, and back as out of the purge space cooling at least a portion of the pipe interior. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The near-weld gas assembly of claim 19, wherein the purge dam extending from the core is a single purge dam extending from the core.