A projectile launching apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of a tube by forcing a projectile through the tube, comprising: a main body containing a breech chamber terminating in an exit port, wherein the breech chamber is provided with a loading port in a side thereof for radially loading a projectile into the breech chamber; a slide disposed on an exterior surface of the main body, the slide being axially movable between a first position wherein the loading port is exposed for loading of a projectile into the breech chamber and a second position wherein the loading port and the breech chamber are sealed; a gas gun operatively connected to the main body in pneumatic communication with the breech chamber; and an exit nozzle connected to the exit port and being connectable to a first end of the tube to be cleaned.

A method of treating an apparatus to remove surface deposits therefrom is performed by selecting a colloidal particle dispersion having inorganic nanoparticles with an average particle size of from 500 nm or less that exhibit properties of Brownian motion that facilitate penetration of solid deposits on surfaces of an apparatus that is subject to surface deposits from contact with fluids. The surfaces of the apparatus are contacted with a treatment composition comprising the colloidal particle dispersion. The composition is allowed to act upon the materials adhering to the surfaces of the apparatus to loosen and breakup the materials adhering to the surfaces of the apparatus. The loosened and broken materials are removed from the surfaces of the apparatus.

Dynamic pressure wave propagation can be used in pipelines to provide information about the available, unobstructed diameter and any partial or complete blockages in the pipeline. Based on this information, a system can automatically determine optimal times to launch pipeline inspection gauges for cleaning or other purposes. A pipeline inspection gauge is sometimes referred to as a pig. Certain aspects and features include a system that can launch pigs as needed automatically by activating an automatic multiple pig launcher at appropriate times.

A projectile launching apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of a tube by forcing a projectile through the tube, comprising: a main body containing a breech chamber terminating in an exit port, wherein the breech chamber is provided with a loading port in a side thereof for radially loading a projectile into the breech chamber; a slide disposed on an exterior surface of the main body, the slide being axially movable between a first position wherein the loading port is exposed for loading of a projectile into the breech chamber and a second position wherein the loading port and the breech chamber are sealed; a gas gun operatively connected to the main body in pneumatic communication with the breech chamber; and an exit nozzle connected to the exit port and being connectable to a first end of the tube to be cleaned.

A method of treating a pipeline is performed by selecting a colloidal particle dispersion having inorganic nanoparticles with an average particle size of from 500 nm or less that exhibit properties of Brownian motion that facilitate penetration of solid deposits on interior surfaces of a pipeline. A treatment composition comprising the colloidal particle dispersion is introduced into an interior of a pipeline by at least one of (A) introducing a batch amount of the treatment composition in a selected volume into the interior of the pipeline, and (B) continuously introducing the treatment composition at a selected rate into the interior of the interior of the pipeline. The composition is allowed to act upon the surfaces and materials adhering to the surfaces of the interior of the pipeline.

Dynamic pressure wave propagation can be used in pipelines to provide information about the available, unobstructed diameter and any partial or complete blockages in the pipeline. Based on this information, a system can automatically determine optimal times to launch pipeline inspection gauges for cleaning or other purposes. A pipeline inspection gauge is sometimes referred to as a pig. Certain aspects and features include a system that can launch pigs as needed automatically by activating an automatic multiple pig launcher at appropriate times.

A communicator (1) for monitoring a worker in a work environment when carried or worn by said worker, the communicator (1) comprises: a transmitter (7) for communicating with abase station remote from the communicator (1); a location monitoring means (3) for monitoring the location of the communicator (1) and for continuously or intermittently sending to the base station worker location data associated with the respective communicator (1) and/or the worker wearing or carrying the communicator (1); a fall detection device (4) configured to detect a fall event of a worker carrying or wearing the communicator (1); an input means (5) operable by the worker carrying or wearing the communicator (1); and an alarm (8; 9) configured to activate if a fall of the worker has been detected by the fall detection device (4), where the communicator (1) is configured to transmit a fall warning to the base station using the transmitter (7) when the fall detection device (4) detects a fall event of a person carrying or wearing the communicator (1) unless the input means (5) is activated to prevent the transmission, wherein the alarm (8; 9) is configured to activate only if a fall warning has been or is being transmitted.

A pig routing insert or drain is used in various subsea systems having a block structure, e.g., block manifolds, with a plurality of perforated fluid passages. The insert generally includes a substantially unrestricted flow opening configured to allow substantially unrestricted fluid flow and passage of a cleaning pig, and a partially restricted opening having at least one pig blocking structure, in which the partially restricted opening is configured to allow substantially unrestricted fluid flow through the partially restricted opening whilst blocking the passage of the cleaning pig through the partially restricted opening. A method for manufacturing and installing the pig routing insert or drain in a machined block manifold includes positioning a manufactured pig routing insert at an intersection of first and second perforated fluid flow holes formed in a body of a structure and fastening the manufactured pig routing insert within the intersection in the body.

The method of using the flow within a pipeline to clean the inner wall of the pipeline including placing the cleaning pig into the pipeline to be cleaned at a first location, using a restraining rope or cable to cause the cleaning pig to move along the pipeline at a speed slower than the speed of the flow within the pipeline and thereby causing a pressure differential between the upstream side and the downstream side of the cleaning pig, providing one or more jetting nozzles and using the pressure differential to jet a portion of the flow within the pipeline through the one or more jetting nozzles onto the inner wall of the pipeline while providing a flow area through the cleaning pig to bypass the portion of the flow which does not pass through the one or more jetting nozzles.

Systems and methods for safe on-line pigging decoking of a coker furnace tubes and which also permits on-line spalling operations.