System and method for pumping lubricant in gas pipeline

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022010925-A1
Application number	US-202117372414-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2021
Priority date	Jul 12, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for pumping lubricant in a gas transportation pipeline includes a pipeline robot and a control terminal system. The pipeline robot includes a lubricant position detection, module, a lubricant pumping module, an electro-hydraulic control system, a data acquisition and processing system, and a lubricant sucking port. The location at which the lubricant deposits can be detected online, and the lubricant staving in the gas transportation pipeline can be removed in real time. The system is highly automatic and efficient. Resistance against the natural as transportation is reduced effectively, the efficiency of transporting the natural gas is improved, and safety of transporting the natural gas is ensured.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for pumping lubricant in a gas transportation pipeline, comprising a pipeline robot and a control terminal system, wherein the pipeline robot comprises a lubricant sucking module and a lubricant position detection module.

2 . The system for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 1 , wherein the control terminal system comprises a data processing center, a signal transceiver, an input device, a storage unit, and a display;
each of the signal transceiver, the input device, the storage unit, and the display is connected to the data processing center and is controlled by a control module in the data processing center; and the display is configured to display coordinates of a three-dimensional trajectory position of the pipeline robot.

3 . The system for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant pumping module comprises an electro-hydraulic control system and a data acquisition and processing system;
the electro-hydraulic control system comprises a two-position three-way electromagnetic valve, a booster pump, a unidirectional valve A, a unidirectional valve B, a unidirectional valve C, a lubricant collection apparatus, a relief valve, and a power-off normally closed electromagnetic switch valve; each of the power-off normally closed electromagnetic switch valve and the two-position three-way electromagnetic valve is independently controlled by a DSP; the power-off normally closed electromagnetic switch valve is connected to the two-position three-way electromagnetic valve in series; two outlets of the two-position three-way electromagnetic valve are connected to the unidirectional valve A and the booster pump respectively; the booster pump is connected in series with the unidirectional valve B; the relief valve, the unidirectional valve A, and the unidirectional valve B are connected in parallel; the relief valve, the unidirectional valve A, and the unidirectional valve B are connected in series with the unidirectional valve C; and the unidirectional valve C is further connected in series with the lubricant collection apparatus.

4 . The system for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant position detection module comprises a power supply module, an industrial CCD camera, a non-transitory memory B, a stepper motor A, an ultrasonic liquid level detection sensor, and a gravitational accelerometer B; and
each of the stepper motor A, the ultrasonic liquid level detection sensor, and the gravitational accelerometer B is independently controlled by a DSP.

5 . The system for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant sucking module has 6-10 lubricant sucking ports that are evenly distributed in a circumferential direction.

6 . The system for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 1 , wherein a unidirectional valve D is the only component that is connected in series between the lubricant sucking port and the power-off normally closed electromagnetic switch valve, and the unidirectional valve D is conductive unidirectionally;
the stepper motor B is configured out of the lubricant sucking port; and the lubricant sucking ports are rotated by the stepper motor B to select a predetermined one of the lubricant sucking ports for sucking the lubricant.

7 . The system for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 5 , wherein a unidirectional valve D and an electromagnetic switch valve are configured to connect in series between the lubricant sucking port and the power-off normally closed electromagnetic switch valve;
the electromagnetic switch valve is independently controlled; and a predetermined one of the 6-10 lubricant sucking ports is selected for pumping the lubricant by controlling the electromagnetic switch valve to be conductive or nonconductive.

8 . A method for pumping lubricant in a gas transportation pipeline, comprising:
S1, a lubricant position detection module monitoring a lubricant deposition signal inside a pipeline in real time to determine a location at which the lubricant deposits; S2, a lubricant pumping module sending the lubricant deposition signal to the control terminal system, the control terminal system sending a lubricant sucking signal to the lubricant pumping module, an electro-hydraulic control system sucking out the lubricant; and S3: the lubricant being completely sucked out, a electromagnetic valve being turned off, and lubricant suction being terminated.

9 . The method for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 8 , wherein the operation of determining the location at which the lubricant deposits comprises:
S11: the lubricant position detection module calculating a height of a liquid level; and S12: in response to the height of the liquid level being higher than a predetermined height, an industrial CCD camera taking a photo of the gas transportation pipeline, wherein the location at which the lubricant deposits is corrected for a second time based on the photo to determine that the lubricant does deposit at the location.

10 . The method for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 8 , wherein the operation S2 comprises:
S21, when deposition of the lubricant is present, the lubricant pumping nodule encoding the information and ending the encoded information to the control terminal system; S22, a data processing center of the control terminal system processing the information and sending the lubricant sucking signal to the lubricant pumping module through a signal transceiver; and S23, the electro-hydraulic control system in the lubricant pumping module controlling a power-off normally closed electromagnetic switch valve and two-position three-way electromagnetic Valve to suck out the lubricant.

11 . The method for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 8 , wherein in the operation S3, before the lubricant is completely sucked out, a liquid level sensor may collects a lubricant level in real time and transmits lubricant level data to a DSP; and
when the lubricant level is lower than a predetermined value, an electromagnetic valve is turned off, and suction of the lubricant is terminated.

12 . The method for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 8 , wherein in operation S2, in the process of sucking out the lubricant, a gravitational accelerometer A detects an angle between a lubricant sucking port and a gravitational acceleration direction in real time; and
when the angle is greater than 10°, a stepper motor B is initiated to rotate the lubricant sucking port in real time to allow the lubricant sucking port to face the gravitational acceleration direction to start sucking the lubricant.

13 . The method for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 12 , wherein 6-10 lubricant sucking ports are defined and evenly distributed in a circumferential direction, each lubricant sucking port is configured with one electromagnetic valve; the gravitational accelerometer A detects one of the 6-10 lubricant sucking ports that has a minimum angle away from the gravitational acceleration direction; an electromagnetic valve corresponding to the detected lubricant sucking port is turned on for sucking the lubricant.

14 . The method for pumping lubricant in the gas transportation pipeline according to claim 8 , wherein in the operation S2,

Assignees

• Univ Southwest Petroleum

Inventors

• Zhao Jianguo
• Wang Guorong
• Liu Qingyou
• Han Shuo
• Dong Run
• Dai Jiliang

Classifications

• F16N29/00 Primary

  Special means in lubricating arrangements or systems providing for the indication or detection of undesired conditions; Use of devices responsive to conditions in lubricating arrangements or systems · CPC title

• F16N31/00 Primary

  Means for collecting, retaining, or draining-off lubricant in or on machines or apparatus (oil separators for separating oil from exhaust steam F22G) · CPC title

• F16N2210/00

  Applications · CPC title

• F16N2250/00

  Measuring · CPC title

• F16N2280/02

  electromagnetically operated · CPC title