Patent classifications
B08B9/0495
Pipe inspection system with jetter push-cable
Pipe inspection systems including a push-cable, jetter, and camera assembly are disclosed. A jetter nozzle may be configured to spin and/or propel the camera head within a pipe or other cavity. A cutter line may be attached to the camera head to clean obstructions. A sonde may be coupled to a camera head to generate magnetic field signals for use with a buried utility locator to locate a pipe or other cavity into which the camera head is deployed.
NOZZLE INSPECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS
A method for inspecting a nozzle includes producing a jet from the nozzle, moving the nozzle to cause the jet to approach a stylus of a touch probe, generating a contact signal under a force acting on the stylus, and determining that the jet is appropriate in response to a contact signal received first after the jet has an axis at a distance from the stylus that is equal to or less than a first normal distance calculated from a normal jet shape.
Apparatus for cleaning a surface with a liquid jet and related methods
Apparatus for cleaning a surface with a liquid jet, the apparatus having: a primary fluid conduit having a longitudinal axis and two ends, a fluid-intake end and a fluid-exit end; a first motor-driven drive assembly configured to engage the primary fluid conduit and turn the primary fluid conduit about the primary-fluid-conduit longitudinal axis; a first motor configured to engage the first motor-driven drive assembly; a section of the primary fluid conduit being inside of an adjacent penetration sleeve; a section of the penetration sleeve being inside of a piston sleeve; the piston sleeve configured to engage the penetration sleeve and move the penetration sleeve back and forth along a penetration-sleeve linear path over a primary-fluid-conduit exterior surface; an actuator configured to engage the piston sleeve and move piston sleeve back and forth along the piston-sleeve linear path; a penetration-sleeve end being attached to an extension sleeve that has a first end and a second end; the extension-sleeve second end being attached to a swivel rod that has a first end and a second end; the primary-fluid-conduit fluid-exit end being attached to a fixed nozzle having a first end and a second end; the fixed-nozzle second end being attached to a swivel nozzle; the swivel-rod second end being attached to the swivel nozzle; the swivel nozzle configured to pivot between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position as the swivel rod respectively extends and retracts as the penetration sleeve moves back and forth; the swivel nozzle being attached to a nozzle pipe; the nozzle pipe being attached to a nozzle configuration that is configured to open and close a flapper door having a fluid exit orifice; and a continuous fluid-flow channel that extends from the primary-fluid-conduit fluid-intake end through the swivel nozzle.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPPING BORES AND CURVED INNER SURFACES WITH A ROTATING HIGH-FREQUENCY FORCED PULSED WATERJET
A method of prepping a cylindrical inner surface of a bore using a high-frequency forced pulsed waterjet apparatus entails generating a pressurized waterjet using a high-pressure water pump, generating a high-frequency signal using a high-frequency signal generator, applying the high-frequency signal to a transducer having a microtip to cause the microtip to vibrate to thereby generate the high-frequency forced pulsed waterjet, and rotating the rotatable ultrasonic nozzle inside the bore to prep the inner cylindrical surface of the bore using the high-frequency forced pulsed waterjets exiting from the angled exit orifices of the rotatable ultrasonic nozzle.
WATER MAIN FLUSHING WITH HIGH PRESSURE JETTING AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND REVERSE FLOW MANIFOLD FOR A WATER MAIN FLUSHING SYSTEM
A flushing system includes a recirculating unit having a pump, filter, and flow manifold. The manifold includes a first conduit delivering water to the filter utilizing the pump. A first valve divides the first conduit into first and second portions. A second conduit receives water from the filter. A second valve divides the second conduit into first and second portions. A first reverse conduit having a third valve couples the first portion of the first conduit with the second portion of the second conduit. A second reverse conduit having a fourth valve couples the second portion of the first conduit with the first portion of the second conduit. When the first and second valves are open and third and fourth valves are closed, water flows in a forward direction. When the first and second valves are closed and third and fourth valves are open, water flows in a reverse direction.
Method and apparatus for prepping bores and curved inner surfaces with a rotating high-frequency forced pulsed waterjet
A method of prepping a cylindrical inner surface of a bore using a high-frequency forced pulsed waterjet apparatus entails generating a pressurized waterjet using a high-pressure water pump, generating a high-frequency signal using a high-frequency signal generator, applying the high-frequency signal to a transducer having a microtip to cause the microtip to vibrate to thereby generate the high-frequency forced pulsed waterjet, and rotating the rotatable ultrasonic nozzle inside the bore to prep the inner cylindrical surface of the bore using the high-frequency forced pulsed waterjets exiting from the angled exit orifices of the rotatable ultrasonic nozzle.
Removing material buildup from an internal surface within a gas turbine engine system
A method is provided involving a gas turbine engine system. The method includes configuring a plug within a fluid passage in the gas turbine engine system, where the plug is between first and second portions of the fluid passage. Material is removed from an interior surface of the fluid passage in the first portion of the fluid passage to provide removed material, where the plug substantially prevents the removed material from entering the second portion of the fluid passage. The removed material is directed out of the fluid passage. The plug is removed from the fluid passage.
Method and apparatus for cleaning and inspecting oil well drilling mud flow lines
The present invention is directed to a method of cleaning and inspection of drilling mud carrying flow lines, each flow line having an inner surface. The method includes affixing a fitting to the flow line, the fitting having a main flow channel and a branch flow channel extending at an angle from said main flow channel. A first end portion of the fitting can have an attachment that enables connection of the fitting to the flow line at one flow line end portion. A second end portion of the fitting can have one or more doors that can be moved between opened and closed positions, the door or doors providing an opening that is not closed when the doors are in the closed position. A suction line can be connected to the branch flow channel. A cleaning tool can be guided first into the fitting and then into the flow line using a fluid carrying cable. The cleaning tool and jetting fluid can be used to clean drilling mud and debris from the inner surface of the flow line. The jetting fluid can be removed via the branch flow channel using the suction line. The cable can extend through the door opening or openings when the door or doors are in the closed position. A camera can be guided into the flow line using a camera cable wherein the camera cable extends through the door opening or openings. The cleaning tool is preferably too small to fit through the door opening.
CLEANING DEVICE
A device including an outer hose segment, an inner hose segment, a first air chamber for accommodating a first air flow, a second air chamber for accommodating a second air flow, a drive tool coupler into engagement with a first end portion of the outer hose segment and inner hose segment, a cleaning end section that is configured to allow tools to be attached and detached to and from said device, and a hose coupler into engagement with a second end portion of the outer and inner hose segments, wherein the hose coupler is configured to control the first and second flow of air into the first and second air chambers independently.
Inspection and/or cleaning nozzle with camera housing
An inspection and/or cleaning nozzle for operation with liquids under high pressure includes a coupling section coupleable to a high-pressure tube and a camera recess running concentric to a longitudinal axis arranged in a camera-receiving portion. A camera module is accommodated releasably connected to an encapsulated water-tight camera housing. Optics and camera electronics are permanently incorporated in the camera housing such that the optics and camera electronics are protected in the interior of the camera housing and fogging of the optics is prevented. This is achieved in that a bore is made in the wall of camera housing running radially across the longitudinal axis direction, the opening of bore is sealed water-tight and air-tight with a membrane, so that the surface of membrane fully overlaps the opening of bore. This surface of the membrane is made correspondingly larger than bore and the membrane is formed multilayered from a laminate film.