Description

OPTIONALL PIPELINE SOFT CLEANING PIG

A pipeline soft cleaning pig is a flexible, cylindrical device typically constructed from polyurethane foam or similar pliable materials, designed to be propelled through a pipeline by the product flow to perform essential maintenance. Its primary function is to gently remove soft debris, such as wax, sludge, sand, and scale, from the pipe’s inner walls through a wiping and scraping action, without causing damage to the pipeline’s interior. This non-abrasive cleaning process is crucial for maintaining flow efficiency, preventing blockages, and preparing the line for inspection, making it a vital tool in the routine pigging operations of oil, gas, and other industrial pipelines.

Specifications

Features

• Flexible, Porous Material: Typically made from open-cell polyurethane foam, which is soft and compressible.

• Non-Abrasive Cleaning: Safely removes soft deposits like wax, sludge, and debris without scratching or damaging the internal pipeline surface.

• Conformable Body: Its flexible nature allows it to easily navigate through tight bends, diameter changes, and multi-diameter pipelines.

• Various Configurations: Available in multiple shapes (e.g., bullet, cylindrical) and can be fitted with various appendages like wire brushes, blades, or abrasive coatings for more aggressive cleaning.

• High Permeability: The porous foam structure allows product flow to pass through it, which helps maintain propulsion and can be beneficial in bypass cleaning applications.

• Disposable or Reusable: While some basic foam pigs are designed as disposable, many can be cleaned and reused multiple times, offering cost-effectiveness.

• Versatile Applications: Used for routine maintenance, pre-inspection cleaning to remove loose debris, and for batching or product separation in pipelines.

• Safety and Efficiency: Helps restore flow efficiency, reduce pressure drops, and prevent corrosion under deposit, all while minimizing the risk of getting stuck compared to more rigid pigs.

Add-ons

• Cleaning Attachments: The bare foam pig can be outfitted with various abrasive components to increase its aggressiveness.

  • Brushes: Technicians spirally wind wire brushes (nylon, carbon steel, or stainless steel) around the body to scour off tougher deposits like rust and mill scale.

  • Abrasive Coatings: Urethane strips embedded with silicon carbide or other grit can permanently coat the foam core, turning it into a scrubbing tool for light-scale removal.

  • Jacketed Sleeves: Technicians can fit a heavy-duty urethane or rubber “sleeve” over the foam pig and equip it with blades, scrapers, or studs for more durable and aggressive cleaning runs.

• Tracking & Monitoring: To locate the pig in the pipeline, electronic transmitters (pingers) can be installed inside a hollow core or mounted externally in a specially designed cavity.

• Utility Add-ons:

  • Pulling Strings: A strong, synthetic string can be attached for guiding or retrieving the pig in non-flowing lines or complex piping layouts.

  • Magnetic Tools: A central mandrel with powerful magnets collects ferrous debris, turning the pig into both a cleaner and a debris collector.