Pipeline Cleaning

Cleaning of internal pipeline bore plays an important role in its operation. Pipeline capacity and quality of the transported product directly depend on cleanliness of pipeline internal bore. Moreover, thorough cleaning is a necessary condition for good-quality in-line inspection.

Our company manufactures and operates pipeline cleaning equipment from 200 to 1420 mm in diameter. Depending on the type of product, type of debris and degree of contamination, as well as pipeline diameter, the best available cleaning technology and equipment can be chosen.

Our company employees have developed the following types of pipeline cleaning tools:
  • Gauging pigs
  • Cleaning pigs
  • Magnetic cleaning pigs

Gauging pigs (GP)

Скребок очистной калибр
GP-1200 Ø 1200 mm
Tasks

Gauging pigs are intended for primary cleaning and estimation of minimal passable pipeline cross-section prior to launching cleaning and inspection pigs.

Passable cross-section can be estimated by the bend of gauging plates installed on the pig. When the pig moves through unacceptable ID reductions, the plates change their shape and, based on the bend and its magnitude, a decision can be made on further cleaning and inspection.

The gauging pigs are capable to go through the reductions up to 0.7 of outer diameter of the pipeline. The gauging plates installed on these pigs are of 0.85 and 0.9 in diameter which corresponds to the passability of inspection pigs.

Operation characteristics
Diameter of gauging discs:
0.85 and 0.9 of pipeline outside diameter
Minimum pipeline bend radius:
1.5 of pipeline outside diameter
Minimal passable diameter:
0.7 of pipeline outside diameter
Operation speed range:
0.5 - 4 m/s
Maximum pressure of the medium:
12 MPa

Cleaning pigs (CP)

Скребок очистной
CP-1200 Ø 1200 mm
Tasks

Cleaning pigs are intended for cleaning of internal bore and walls of the pipeline from various debris, sediments and foreign objects.

Main operating elements of the cleaning pigs are discs and cups. They are made of high impact wear and tear resistant polyurethane.

Depending on the quantity of debris, the cleaning pigs can be equipped with complimentary attachments:

• reinforced cups (to improve general cleaning efficiency);

• metal brushes (for harsher cleaning of solid sediments);

• permanent magnets (for removal of metal debris).

Operation characteristics
Minimum pipeline bend radius:
1.5 of pipeline outside diameter
Minimal passable diameter:
0.7 of pipeline outside diameter
Operation speed range:
0.5 - 4 m/s
Maximum pressure of the medium:
12 MPa

Magnetic Cleaning Pigs (MCP)

Поршень магнитоочистной
MCP-1200 Ø 1200 mm
Tasks

Magnetic cleaning pigs are intended for final cleaning of pipelines.

Equipped with permanent magnets and metal brushes, these pigs provide highly efficient cleaning and are capable of passing the reductions up to 0.85 outside pipeline diameter.

Hardware of magnetic cleaning pigs is similar to that of intelligent pigs, that’s why they can, except for cleaning, make trial estimation of pipeline piggability before launching the intelligent pigs.

Operation characteristics
Minimum pipeline bend radius:
1,5 of pipeline outside diameter (for the pigs of 200-550 mm in diameter)
2,5 of pipeline outside diameter (for the pigs of 500 mm in diameter and more)
Minimum passable diameter:
0,85 of pipeline outside diameter
Operation speed range:
0.5 - 4 m/s
Optimal speed:
2 - 3 m/s
Maximum pressure of the medium:
12 MPa

If required, all the cleaning pigs can be equipped with low-frequency transmitters. The transmitter makes it possible to track the movement of the equipment along the pipeline route and find it if stuck.