Depressurizing a branch pipe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10877494-B2
Application number	US-201916405031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2019
Priority date	May 7, 2019
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A method for depressurizing a pipe includes forming, by an ejector assembly, a seal between a first pipe and a second pipe fluidically coupled to the tee pipe fitting. The first pipe flows a first fluid at a first pressure, and the second pipe flows a second fluid at a second pressure lower than the first pressure. The ejector assembly includes a nozzle converging along a flow direction of the first fluid flowing in the first pipe, and a mixing chamber at an outlet of the nozzle, the mixing chamber comprising an outlet is in fluid communication with the second pipe. The method also includes flowing the first fluid from the first pipe into the ejector assembly through the nozzle so that the pressure of the first fluid decreases to a third pressure lower than the second pressure to draw the second fluid into the mixing chamber.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
forming, by an ejector assembly and inside a tee pipe fitting, a seal between a first pipe and a second pipe fluidically coupled to the tee pipe fitting, the first pipe flowing a first fluid at a first pressure, the second pipe flowing a second fluid at a second pressure lower than the first pressure, the ejector assembly comprising:
a nozzle converging along a flow direction of the first fluid flowing in the first pipe, and
a mixing chamber at an outlet of the nozzle, the mixing chamber comprising an outlet that, with the seal formed, is in fluid communication with the second pipe; and

flowing the first fluid from the first pipe into the ejector assembly through the nozzle, wherein the first pressure of the first fluid decreases to a third pressure lower than the second pressure drawing the second fluid from the second pipe into the mixing chamber.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the seal comprises moving, by a moving assembly, the ejector assembly from a first position inside an ejector housing to a second position at an interface between the first pipe and the second pipe to form the seal, the ejector housing extending away from the first pipe adjacent the interface.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the ejector assembly is, in the first position, fluidically decoupled from the first fluid in the first pipe.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein moving the ejector assembly from the first position to the second position comprises actuating the moving assembly from outside the ejector housing.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing chamber comprises a first sealing ring and an inlet of the second pipe comprises a second sealing ring, and wherein forming the seal comprises engaging the first ring with the second ring.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein flowing the first fluid into the ejector assembly comprises opening a valve of the ejector assembly.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein opening the valve comprises actuating a valve mechanism from outside the tee pipe fitting.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after drawing the second fluid from the second pipe into the mixing chamber, undoing the seal between the first pipe and the second pipe.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein undoing the seal comprises:
isolating the second pipe;
interrupting the flowing of the first fluid into the ejector assembly; and
moving the ejector assembly away from an interface between the first pipe and the second pipe.

10. A system comprising:
an ejector moving gearbox assembly; and
a movable ejector coupled to the ejector moving gearbox assembly and configured to be moved by the ejector moving gearbox assembly to form a seal, inside a tee pipe fitting, between a first pipe and a second pipe fluidically coupled to the tee pipe fitting, wherein the first pipe is configured to flow a first fluid at a first pressure and the second pipe is configured to flow a second fluid at a second pressure lower than the first pressure, the ejector comprising:
a nozzle converging along a flow direction of the first fluid to decrease the pressure of the first fluid to a third pressure lower than the second pressure, and
a mixing chamber at an outlet of the nozzle, the mixing chamber comprising an outlet that, with the seal formed, is in fluid communication with the second pipe such that flowing the first fluid from the first pipe through the nozzle to the mixing chamber draws the second fluid from the second pipe into the mixing chamber.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a housing extending away from the first pipe adjacent the interface, the housing configured to house the ejector moving gearbox assembly.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the ejector housing extends orthogonally, with respect to the first pipe and the second pipe, away from the first pipe.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a guiding rail inside the housing and configured to guide the outlet of the mixing chamber to an inlet of the second pipe to form the seal between the first pipe and the second pipe.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the ejector is movable between a first position, inside the housing, and a second position at an interface between the first pipe and the second pipe to form the seal.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein in the first position, the ejector is fluidically decoupled from the first fluid in the first pipe.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the ejector moving gearbox assembly comprises a gearbox disposed inside the housing, the ejector moving assembly configured to be actuated, through the gearbox, from outside the housing to move the ejector.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the ejector moving gearbox assembly is configured to be actuated by applying torque, through the gearbox, to the ejector moving gearbox assembly, the torque applied by at least one of a motor and a handwheel.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the ejector moving gearbox assembly comprises a threaded rod comprising a first end coupled to the ejector and a second end disposed inside and threadedly coupled to a threaded sleeve, the threaded sleeve rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the threaded rod to move the first end toward and away from the threaded sleeve.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the threaded sleeve is disposed inside a sealed casing, the sealed casing affixed to the ejector housing and comprising bearings configured to reduce rotational friction between the sealed casing and the threaded sleeve.

20. The system of claim 10 , wherein the movable ejector further comprises a valve configured to open a channel for the first fluid to flow into the nozzle.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al Otaibi Abdulaziz M

Classifications

• F16L41/021

  T- or cross-pieces (F16L41/025, F16L41/026, F16L41/028 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16L55/02754 Primary

  using a central core throttling the passage · CPC title

• G05D16/04 Primary

  without auxiliary power · CPC title

• B01F25/312

  with Venturi elements; Details thereof · CPC title

• B01F25/31242

  the main flow being injected in the central area of the venturi, creating an aspiration in the circumferential part of the conduit (B01F25/31243 takes precedence) · CPC title