Blocked valve isolation tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9447889-B2
Application number	US-201414456641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Dec 6, 2011
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A valve isolation tool for insertion through a vent duct and vent duct valve of a gas flow duct. The isolation tool includes an outer tube having proximal and distal ends, the outer tube having a diameter sized to extend through the vent duct and blocking valve. An inner tube having proximal and distal ends is arranged coaxially with and movable within the outer tube. An inflatable balloon is attached to the distal end of the inner tube, wherein the isolation tool outer tube is insertable through the vent duct to an opening in the gas flow duct. The inner tube is slidably insertable through the outer tube until the balloon is situated within a bore formed through the gas flow duct and is inflatable therein to block any gas leak through the gas flow duct.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. In a gas flow duct system which includes
(a) a gas flow duct with a central bore,
(b) a valve in said gas flow duct to be blocked from gas leakage therefrom,
(c) a permanent vent duct which has proximal and opposite distal ends, said distal end in permanent intersecting and fluid communication with the central bore of said gas flow duct,
(d) a vent duct valve in said permanent vent duct having open and dosed states, and
(e) a source of compressed gas and a compressed gas valve to selectively allow flow of said gas, the improvement of a valve isolation tool to block leakage gas flow through said valve to be blocked,
said valve isolation tool comprising:
(1) an outer tube having proximal and distal ends,
(2) an inner tube having proximal and distal ends and movable axially within said outer tube, said proximal end fluid coupled to said source of compressed gas,
(3) an inflatable balloon attached to said distal end of said inner tube and inflatable with gas flowed from said source of compressed gas, and
(4) a balloon deflection device having a first part secured to said inner tube, and a second part that extends distally from said first part to lie adjacent said balloon, said device being spring biased to bend in a predetermined inclination from the axis of said inner tube to deflect said balloon after said balloon is transported through said outer tube and into the bore of said gas duct,
wherein said isolation tool is insertable through said permanent vent duct valve when said valve is in its open state, and thence through said the vent duct to said gas flow duct, and said inner tube is axially movable through said outer tube until said balloon is situated within said gas flow duct where said balloon is inflatable and said second part of said balloon deflection device deflects said balloon in said predetermined direction toward the valve to be blocked.

2. In a gas flow duct system which includes
(a) a gas flow duct with a central bore,
(b) a valve in said gas flow duct to be blocked from gas leakage therefrom,
(c) a permanent vent duct which has proximal and opposite distal ends, said distal end in permanent intersecting and in fluid communication with the central bore of said gas flow duct,
(d) a vent duct valve in said permanent vent duct having open and closed states, and
(e) a source of compressed gas and a compressed gas valve to selectively allow flow of said gas, the improvement of a valve isolation tool to block leakage gas flow through said valve to be blocked,
said valve isolation tool comprising:
(1) an outer tube having proximal and distal ends,
(2) an inner tube having proximal and distal ends and movable axially within said outer tube, said proximal end fluid coupled to said source of compressed gas,
(3) an inflatable balloon attached to said distal end of said inner tube and inflatable with gas flowed from said source of compressed gas, and
(4) a balloon deflection device having a first part secured to said inner tube, and a second part that extends distally from said first part to lie adjacent said balloon, said device being spring biased to bend in a predetermined inclination from the axis of said inner tube to deflect said balloon after said balloon is transported through said outer tube and into the bore of said gas duct,

wherein said isolation tool is insertable through said permanent vent duct valve when said valve is in its open state, and thence through said the vent duct to said gas flow duct, and said inner tube is axially movable through said outer tube until said balloon is situated within said gas flow duct where said balloon is inflatable and said second part of said balloon deflection device deflects said balloon in said predetermined direction toward the valve to be blocked, and wherein said vent duct has a proximal part extending proximally from said vent duct valve and generally axially with said vent duct, said valve isolation tool further comprising a flexible cover having a proximal end securely disposed airtight about the proximal end of the inner tube, and a distal end of securely disposed airtight about said duct segment so that said cover encompasses said outer tube extending proximally of said distal portion of said vent duct and a proximal part of said inner tube.

3. The valve isolation tool of claim 2 wherein the balloon deflection device first part comprises a collar generally surrounding said distal end of said inner tube.

4. The valve isolation tool of claim 3 , wherein said second part of said balloon deflection device comprises a finger extending generally axially and distally from said collar.

5. The valve isolation tool of claim 2 , wherein the balloon is inflatable to a size corresponding to an interior surface of the gas flow duct to thereby prevent the flow of gasses past the inflated balloon.

6. In a gas flow duct system which includes (a) a gas flow duct with a central bore, (b) a valve in said gas flow duct to be blocked from gas leakage therefrom, (c) a vent duct which has proximal and opposite distal ends, said distal end intersecting and being in fluid communication with the central bore of said duct, (d) a vent duct valve in said vent duct having open and closed states, and (e) a source of compressed gas and a compressed gas valve to selectively allow flow of said gas, the improvement of a valve isolation tool to block leakage gas flow through said valve to be blocked,
said valve isolation tool comprising:
(1) an outer tube having proximal and distal ends,
(2) an inner tube having proximal and distal ends and movable axially within said outer tube, said proximal end fluid coupled to said source of compressed gas,
(3) an inflatable balloon attached to said distal end of said inner tube and inflatable with gas flowed from said source of compressed gas, and
(4) a flexible cover having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the flexible cover being securely disposed airtight about a proximal portion of the inner tube, and the distal end of the flexible cover being securely disposed airtight about said proximal end of said vent duct segment.

7. The valve isolation tool of claim 6 , wherein the flexible cover is an elongated elastic hood.

8. The valve isolation tool according to claim 6 further comprising at least one belt encompassing the distal end of said cover where it engages and overlies said proximal end of said vent duct segment.

9. The valve isolation tool according to claim 8 where said cover is air impervious.

10. A method in a gas flow duct system operable with a source of compressed gas, for blocking gas flow leakage through a blocked valve in a gas flow duct that has a duct segment downstream of said blocked valve and a vent duct having proximal and distal ends, said distal end in fluid communication with the bore of said duct segment through an opening in the wall of said duct segment, said vent duct including an on/off valve intermediate its ends, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a tubular isolation tool which includes an outer tube having proximal and distal ends, an inner tube having proximal and distal ends and axially movable within said outer tube, and an inflatable balloon attached to said distal end of said inner tube;
(b) providing a flexible tubular cover having proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal end of the flexible cover is securely disposed airtight about the proximal end of the inner tube, and the distal end of the flexible cover is securely disposed airtight about the junction where the inflation tool enters the vent duct,
(c) inserting said distal ends of the outer and inner tubes of said valve isolation tool through said on/off valve and thence throu

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al Shammary Mohammad Ahmed

Classifications

• F16K7/10 Primary

  with inflatable member · CPC title

• F16L55/134

  by means of an inflatable packing · CPC title

• Y10T137/0486

  Specific valve or valve element mounting or repairing · CPC title

• F16L55/124

  introduced radially into the pipe or hose · CPC title