A pipe rehabilitation system and/or robot can be used inside a pipe to measure characteristics of branch conduits, install plugs into branch conduits before the pipe is lined with a liner, remove portions of plugs and liners after lining to restore fluid communication between the pipe and branch conduits, and/or install fittings into the branch conduits to connect the liner to the branch conduits. A probe can measure characteristics of a branch conduit. A tool can install plugs and/or fittings into the branch conduits. A linkage can connect a tool to a robotic tractor so that the connected elements can navigate through a main pipe. A visualization system can aid in aligning a robot with a branch conduit. Height-adjustable braces can support robotic tools in a pipe. A plug can include integrated locating features and/or movable parts that enable expanding the plug to seal with the branch conduit.

The present application discloses a device and method for detecting and ablating hydrates in a natural gas pipeline. The device includes a transmission mechanism, a detection mechanism and an ablation mechanism. The detection mechanism and the ablation mechanism are both connected to the transmission mechanism through an elastic connector, such that the device can smoothly pass through bends in the natural gas pipeline. The transmission mechanism includes a universal wheel component, which forms static friction with an outer wall of an inner natural gas pipeline, such that the device can move along the inner natural gas pipeline. The detection mechanism detects the temperature of the natural gas pipeline and determines whether hydrates are generated in the natural gas pipeline to block the pipeline, and then the blockage is heated by the ablation mechanism to ablate the hydrates.

A pipe rehabilitation system and/or robot can be used inside a pipe to measure characteristics of branch conduits, install plugs into branch conduits before the pipe is lined with a liner, remove portions of plugs and liners after lining to restore fluid communication between the pipe and branch conduits, and/or install fittings into the branch conduits to connect the liner to the branch conduits. A probe can measure characteristics of a branch conduit. A tool can install plugs and/or fittings into the branch conduits. A linkage can connect a tool to a robotic tractor so that the connected elements can navigate through a main pipe. A visualization system can aid in aligning a robot with a branch conduit. Height-adjustable braces can support robotic tools in a pipe. A plug can include integrated locating features and/or movable parts that enable expanding the plug to seal with the branch conduit.

In a mobile system for pipe rehabilitation, a tractor moves a motorized electrical cutter inside a pipe. The cutter is used to remove a blockage from a branch conduit connected to the main pipe. A power management system powers the mobile system, including the cutter, from a direct current power source with an input current having a voltage less than 60V. The power management system powers the electrical cutter by discharging current from the supercapacitor module to the cutter. Power to other components is provided without discharge from the supercapacitor module and is not interrupted by supercapacitor discharge to the cutter. The power management system can include a housing for the supercapacitor module with a first connector at one end for connecting to an umbilical cord and a second connector an opposite end for connecting to the tractor.

A system for applying a chemical agent within a pipe includes a skid assembly, moveable longitudinally within the pipe. The skid assembly has a bottom positionable on a bottom, internal portion of the pipe. A delivery nozzle is carried by the skid assembly and is coupleable to a chemical agent supply. A dispensing tip delivers a controlled stream of chemical agent within the pipe toward an internal surface of the pipe. The tip is held at or above a surface of fluid carried by the pipe while at least a portion of the skid assembly is positioned below the fluid surface. The dispensing tip is limited from delivering the chemical agent downwardly toward the bottom of the skid assembly such that the dispensing tip delivers the controlled stream of chemical agent upwardly away from the bottom surface of the pipe and upwardly away from the fluid surface.

A system and method for detecting passage of a pipeline pig, the system and method including a passive impulse detector (10) having a housing (13); a non-intrusive connection (15) of the housing to an exterior wall (17) of a pipeline (P), at least one vibration sensor (11) housed by the housing, and signal processing (23) including at least one band pass filter (27) configured to receive data collected by the vibration sensor, the vibration sensor and band pass filter configured to monitor frequencies in a predetermined range indicating a series of impulses caused by start-and-stop movement of the pipeline pig. The selected frequencies should be those more easily detectable above the baseline (signature or natural resonance) frequency of the section of pipeline being monitored. In some embodiments, the selected frequencies are lower frequencies. No portion of the passive pipeline pig signal intrudes into an interior of the pipeline.

A system is provided for applying a chemical agent within a pipe. The system includes a skid assembly, moveable longitudinally within the pipe and a delivery nozzle carried by the skid assembly and coupleable to an external chemical agent supply. A dispensing tip is carried by the delivery nozzle, the dispensing tip being configured to deliver a controlled stream of chemical agent within the pipe toward an internal surface of the pipe. The dispensing tip is held above a surface of fluid carried by the pipe while at least a portion of the skid assembly is positioned below the fluid surface. The dispensing tip delivers the controlled stream of chemical agent upwardly away from the fluid surface.

A motorized apparatus includes a body assembly and a maintenance device mounted to the body assembly. The maintenance device is configured to perform a service operation on a surface. The maintenance device extends from the body assembly at an angle. The motorized apparatus also includes a plurality of leg assemblies coupled to the body assembly and configured to support the body assembly and the maintenance device at a distance from the surface. The motorized apparatus further includes at least one actuator assembly coupled to the plurality of leg assemblies and configured to independently actuate each leg assembly of the plurality of leg assemblies. The at least one actuator assembly is configured to receive instructions related to a position of the maintenance device and actuate the plurality of leg assemblies to adjust an orientation of the body assembly and the maintenance device relative to the surface.

An apparatus for hydrodemolishing the inside surfaces of an inclined pipe, particularly suited to contiguous pipe sections with access ports between the sections. The fluid supply hose is fed to the hydrodemolition rig inside the pipe from the same side as the winch that controls the movement of the rig. The rig is moved upstream in a scarifying pass, then downstream in a cleaning pass for each section and re-staged at each access port.

A remediation pig for cleaning a pipeline of wax or paraffin mechanically, with heating, and/or with jetting, comprising a body having an axis, an impeller mounted in the body to receive power from the flowing fluid within the pipeline, wheels mounted on the body for contacting the internal bore of the pipeline, the wheels being powered by the power received from the impeller and being mounted in a skewed position relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis such that as the wheels roll on the internal bore the remediation pig will move along the pipeline.