Cairo University

Faculty of Engineering
4
th
Year Mechanical Power Engineering Department
Pipeline&Networks
Submitted to:
Dr\ Mostafa El Sallak
Prepared by
Wael Kamal Mohamed Mahmoud
SEC:6 B.N:25
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CONTENTS
o Cleaning Of Pipeline
3 The Importance Of A Clean Pipeline
3 Typical Cleaning Methods
3 important reasons to have a clean pipeline
4 Why Clean Your Pipeline?
4 These methods include
5 PIGGING MEDIUMS
5 Liquid
5 Gas
6 Multiphase Fluid
6 PIG LAUNCHING AND RECEIVING
8 High pressure water cleaning
8 Flushing
9 Hydro Blasting
9 Chemical cleaning
9 Chemical treatment for improved pipe line flushing
9 References
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The Importance Of A Clean Pipeline
Today, most transmission pipelines are cleaned routinely with various types of
cleaning pigs. However, the effect of this routine cleaning is rarely monitored and the
internal
cleanliness of a line is seldom known. The most often asked question is
When is a pipeline clean?
This question can only be answered after one determines the need for cleaning the
line. This article will identify the
levels of cleanliness required for the different applications. It will also address.
the different methods used to clean pipelines
Both mechanical cleaning andchemical cleaning will be discussed
along with the benefits of both. Inline inspection, corrosion control and increased flow
efficiency are the primary reasons for cleaning pipelines. The level of cleanliness and
the cleaning approach will vary with each reason.
There are certain measures one can use to gauge line cleanliness. The most common
are: flow rates, differential pressure measurements, inspection of filters or separators,
internal measuring with geometry pigs, condition of cleaning fluids or simple
inspection of cleaning pigs during their removal from receivers.
Typical Cleaning Methods:-
Hydrocarbon flush & end separation
Pigging for deposit removal
-Magnetic pick-up pigs
-Scraper and brush pigs
Chemical flush
- Water / Surfactant mixture
- Acid Clean
There are several important reasons to have a clean pipeline
Increased throughput
Increased operating efficiency
Reduced internal corrosion
Safer to operate
Lower maintenance cost
Longer pipeline life
Achieve accurate corrosion inspection results
All of the above reasons equate to lower operating expenses and higher profits.
Therefore, the importance of a clean pipeline becomes obvious to the pipeline
operator. If pipelines are not
cleaned and maintained well, a larger loss of profits might be the result.
There is a commercial in the United States where an automobile owner is getting
ready to pay a high price to have his engine completely rebuilt. The reason for the
rebuild is lack of or no maintenance on the automobile during its operation. The
owner of the repair shop makes the statement: You can pay me now or you can pay
me later. The point is that if you dont take care of your pipeline today, it will cost
you more tomorrow.
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Why Clean Your Pipeline?
We can all agree it is very important to clean and maintain your pipeline. However, as
stated before, the most often asked question continues to be
When is a pipelineclean?
There are different levels of cleanliness and, depending on your reason for cleaning,
different levels of cleaning required. Forty years ago, lines were cleaned with
mechanical cleaning pigs, primarily for increased flow throughput. We all know that
the cleaner that a line is, the more gas or liquid can be flowed through the system.
Internal cleaning with mechanical
pigs increases the pipe ID by removing the internal deposit build-up. It also smoothes
the interior surface which reduces
the drag or coefficient of friction. A low coefficient of friction meansincreased flow.
The justification to clean these lines was not to increase throughput but to reduce the
operating cost. However, it is common to see a dramatic increase in flow
when routine online cleaning programs are conducted.
There are several methods used to evaluate the effectiveness
of a cleaning program.
These methods include
The clean liness of the cleaning pig
The amount of debris collected in the filter or strainers following a pig run
The reduction of operating pressure
The increase in flow rate
Improved product quality
A reduction in the consumption of compressor or pump fuel
A successful corrosion inspection
The reduction in corrosion rates of corrosion coupons
All of these methods are commonly used today. Depending on your operation the best
method used will be determined.
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PIGGING MEDIUMS
Liquid
The preferred medium for propelling pigs is an incompressible liquid. Incompressible
liquids
provide maximum control over pig speed as well as lubrication for the pig seals,
minimising wear, and maximising seal effectiveness and life.
Liquids such as water, crude oils, or process products and chemicals can be used as
propelling mediums. Care should be taken to ensure sealing element materials are
compatible with fluid medium and prevailing pressure and flow conditions.
Gas
As gasses are compressible, the amount of stored energy behind a pig propelled with
gas is far greater than that of a similar pig propelled with liquid. Appropriate
consideration should be given to safety implications resulting from this stored energy.
Pig movement can also be affected by improper use of a compressible gas as a
propulsion fluid. Failure to deliver adequate quantities of gas required to maintain
sufficient pressure behind the pig can result in a stop-start motion of the pig. This
effect can be minimised to some extent by sizing equipment properly and maintaining
a constant back pressure on the pig to minimise velocity changes.
When pigging with gas as a propelling medium, wear may be increased on the sealing
discs. This should be considered during pig selection.
Multiphase Fluid
When the pig propelling medium is multiphase, the same safety consideration should
be given to the pigging operation as if the propelling medium were gas. Extra care
should be taken to consider the effect of slugging and the associated forces at the
receiving end. Any temporary pipework should be secured and permanent facilities
and equipment should be rated for multiphase flow.
PIG LAUNCHING AND RECEIVING
Pigs can be inserted into lines directly or via spool insertion, however, the most
common
method of getting pigs in and out of lines is through the use of pig traps. Theselection
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of pig traps and the method of launch and receipt of pigs depend on several factors.
Subsea, topside, and land-based traps differ in design, as can be seen from the
photographs above. Additional protection for associated launch/receive pipework and
valves is required, as are the proper type and operation method of the valves used.
The type and size of pig will have a bearing on pig launcher or pig receiver design.
An example would be spheres being launched rather than pigs. In that case, the pig
trap design could be shorter. Similarly, if articulated pigs or an inline inspection tool
were to be launched, the pig trap design would reflect this.
The number of pigs required to be launched or received in the pig train would have an
effect on the physical size of trap and associated pipework required, although space
limitations may also have an effect.
The pressure rating of the pig trap required to meet system design codes/standards and
function can also affect physical size and design of the trap
Whether a trap is temporary or permanent can affect design. Construction material
can be affected, as can method of closure. Temporary traps may have simple flange
closures, whereas, permanent traps tend to have quick opening door-type closures.
The actual method of operation for launching and receiving pigs also affects how the
pig trap is constructed. As an example, a multiple-pig pig train can be launched in
several ways. Each pig can be loaded individually and launched at set intervals,
stopping flow of propelling medium, and venting line pressure to ambient prior to
loading each pig. The same train can be loaded behind a pigging valve and launched
without stopping flow, allowing pressure equalisation between the line and pig trap.
Again the same pig train can be launched from a multiple-pig pig trap by redirecting
flow through pipework to allow individual pig launching as in the sketch below.
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A new pipeline cleaning tool is the Clock-KALIPER, which provides oclock
positioning of dents
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High pressure water cleaning
Hydro J etting uses high pressure water to remove contaminants. Covenant Pipeline
uses this high pressure technology to clean and unclog any size piping that is at your
residence, commercial, or industrial building. The high pressure water is effective at
clearing any drain blockage and cleaning the inside of the drain pipes at the same
time.
For this work Reym uses mobile high-pressure units, with water pressure varying
from 100 to 2,500 bar.
These mobile high-pressure units which can be used with hot or cold water ensure
that we are able to remove contamination from the most hard-to-reach places.
Our specialised equipment, which includes power or rotor lances, compressor and
filter systems, hot water units and surface cleaners, can be adjusted to your specific
situation and the installation that needs cleaning. This enables us to offer you an
optimum degree of cleaning.
Flushing:
Flushing can be accomplished by pumping water into a line at a specified rate for
product removal. Water can then by pumped, blown, or drained from the line.
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Hydro Blasting:
This method utilizes a bi-directional nozzle to cut through build-up within the pipeline
and move it towards the point of insertion for easy removal.
Chemical cleaning
Chemical cleaning is applicable for pipelines and process plants such as lubrication
oil, fuel gas, water injection and compressor systems. It involves chemical cleaning,
removal of milescale, rust (oxides) and particles whilst leaving the internal preserved
to prevent future deterioration.
OTS chemicals for chemical cleaning have a number of specific advantages and
similar chemicals. Using them will simplify both the equipment, treatment stages
required, the disposal of spent chemicals, the hazards of the job and the risk of
unwanted chemicals action in parts of the system. These advantages will reduce the
direct cost of the job and peripheral costs and problems which are not always
accounted for.
These chemicals have been used for chemical cleaning of pipelines and process
systems where a very high level of cleanliness is required.
Chemical treatment for improved pipe line flushing
The present invention comprises a method for removing residual hydrocarbon fluids
from pipe systems by contacting the hydrocarbon with a solution containing a
hydrocarbon-stripping agent which is capable of decreasing the wetting characteristics
of the residual hydrocarbon on the internal surfaces of the pipe system whereby the
film retracts from the surface and forms droplets which are thereafter removed with
the water solution. Specific hydrocarbon-stripping agents are disclosed.
References:
http://www.oildompublishing.com/PGJ /pgjarchive/March02/clean%20pipelin pdf
http://www.potomacenv.com/industrial/pipeclean/pipeclean.html
http://www.reym.nl/web/show/id=2650741/langid=42
http://www.covenantpipeline.com/hydrojetting.asp