Ever since its inception in 2005, IUS pigging has been a pioneer in the pigging system. The purpose of the technology is to recover or remove residual remaining in the pipelines. In simple words, the pig is an object which is propelled through the pipeline. Pigging systems are used in many industries for a variety of purposes, like cleaning the internal diameter of a pipeline, multi-product transfer, and quick changeover and reduce contamination.
In this blog post, we will explore the different parts of a pigging system and how they work together to achieve the desired results. Pigging systems typically consist of three main components: a pig, a launcher, and a receiver. The pig is the object that is sent through the pipe to clean it or collect data, the launcher is used to send the pig through the pipe, and the receiver is used to catch the pig after it has exited the other end of the pipe.
Key Components and parts of a Pigging System:
The pigging system requires some key components associated with the operation of the pigging system…
Pipeline Pig:
The pipeline pig is an integral part of a pigging system. A “pig” is a tool that is sent down a pipeline and propelled by the pressure of the product flow in the pipeline itself.
Piggable Pipe:
For the pigging process, special seamless pipes are used as the internal diameter of the pipe is the most crucial part of the system.
Valves:
In a pigging system, valves are either used to isolate the piggable pipeline or to redirect the flow in the pipeline. Mainly 3 types of valves are involved… 2-way ball valve, 3-way ball valve or T-Port valve.
Bend:
Piggable long radius bends are specially fabricated to provide smooth pig passage with minimal increase in pressure requirements. Piggable bends can be provided for any pipe size, schedule, and material construction.
Tee:
The Piggable Tee is designed in such a way that they allow pigs to pass through easily.
Pig Detector:
A pig detector is a sensing tool used to detect the movement of a pig in a pipeline during pigging operations. Pig detectors are usually placed near the launching and receiving stations, and they are useful for confirming the progress of the pig through the pipeline.
Welding Sleeve:
To maintain the surface ID of a piggable pipeline, welding of two pipelines is done differently. If two pipes are welded directly, it can lead to damage to the ID surface at the welding region, hence the Pigging system uses welding sleeves.
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