Pipeline exterior blasting system

Abstract

A pipeline exterior blasting system, movably mounted to a pipeline, to blast only uncoated end sections of a first and second pipe at a weld site where the first and second pipes were welded together. Uniquely, there is a blasting containment device having: a fixed portion 22; a rotating containment portion 24 rotatably mounted to the fixed portion 22, and releasably and rotatively coupled to the second pipe 20B; a support devices system 106, coupled to the blasting containment device 12 via connections 107, including: a blasting device 16, a vacuum device 18; and an electrical power generator 14. Finally, there is a lateral movement system, coupled to the blasting containment device 12, having: a first position that holds the grit blasting containment device 12 in a fixed position as the grit blasting containment device blasts particles circumferentially around the two pipes; a second position that moving the grit blasting containment device off of the two pipes; and a third position that provides movement of the grit blasting containment device along the two pipes.

1 . A pipeline exterior blasting system  10 , movably mounted to a pipeline  20 , to blast only uncoated end sections of a first and second pipe  20 A and  20 B at a weld site where the first and second pipes were welded together, comprising:
 a) a blasting containment device  12  having:
 i) a fixed portion  22 , having:
 a. a releasable holder  66  that releasably attaches to the first pipe  20 A, to hold the fixed portion  22  in position during blasting operation; 
 b. a motor  40 , coupled to the fixed portion  22 ; 
 c. a linkage system  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  50 , with one end coupled to the motor  40 ; 
 
 ii) a rotating containment portion  24  rotatably mounted to the fixed portion  22 , and releasably and rotatively coupled to the second pipe  20 B; having:
 a. a linkage engagement portion  48 , coupled to a second end of the linkage system  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  50 ; 
 b. a blasting nozzle  27 , directed at the weld site; 
 c. a vacuum hose  38 , oriented to suck out airborne dust; 
 d. a support device  68 , abutting to the second pipe  20 B, positioned to rotatively move around the second pipe as the rotating containment portion  24  circumferentially moves around the second pipe; 
 
   b) a support devices system  106 , coupled to the blasting containment device  12  via connections  107 , including:
 i) a blasting device  16 , coupled to the blasting containment portion  22  via a blasting material delivery hose  36  and the material blasting nozzle  27 , to enable delivery of blasting material  72  to the material blasting nozzle  27  at high air pressure and speed, and thereby impacting the weld site  11  with the blasting material  72 ; 
 ii) a vacuum device  18 , coupled to the blasting containment device  12 , via a vacuum port  37 , to enable resulting dust  62  to be vacuumed out of the blasting containment device after impacting the weld site  11  with the blasting material  72 ; and 
 iii) an electrical power generator  14 , electrically coupled via electrical cord  34  to the grit blasting containment device  12 , the grit blasting device  16 , and the grit vacuum device  18  to enable electrical power to be provided thereto; and 
   c) a lateral movement system, coupled to the blasting containment device  12 , having:
 iv) a first position that holds the grit blasting containment device  12  in a fixed position as the grit blasting containment device blasts particles circumferentially around the two pipes; 
 v) a second position that moving the grit blasting containment device off of the two pipes; and 
 vi) a third position that provides movement of the grit blasting containment device along the two pipes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral movement system includes:
 a) a first and second releasable holder devices  35 , mounted to the fixed portion  22  and rotating containment portion  24  respectively;   b) a connector  33 , inserted through the releasably first and second holder devices  35 ; and   c) a vehicle  100  with a lifting device  101  that is releasably couplable to the connector  35 .   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein lateral movement device includes a remote controlled vehicle  170 , coupled to the grit blasting containment device  12 , and positioned on a top portion of the pipeline  20  during movement thereof, having a carriage  175 , movable into a first position that moves the grit blasting containment device  12  along the pipeline  20 . 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further includes:
 a) a camera  133 , mounted to the rotatable containment portion  24  oriented to send real time images of the pipeline  20  relative positioning thereto, and to enable proper alignment of the blasting nozzle  27  with the welding site  11 ; and   b) a remote viewing system  200 , in controlling communication with the remote controlled vehicle  170 , sending controlling signals to the remote controlled vehicle  170  to move the grit blasting containment device  12  forward and backward along the pipeline  20 .   
     
     
         5 . A method  150  of progressive welding, cleaning and coating a pipeline, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing at least a first, second, third, and forth pipe, each progressively lined up end to end, wherein the site of the first and second abutting pipe ends  111  are not welded, the site of the second and third abutting pipe ends  11  are welded, and the site of the third and forth abutting pipe ends  122  are welded and cleaned; 
 b) providing a welding system  110  at the site of the first and second abutting pipe ends  111 ; 
 c) providing a blasting containment device  12  at the site of the second and third abutting pipe ends  11 , that is removably coupled around the second and third pipe ends  11 ; 
 d) providing a pipe protective coating application system  120  at the site of the third and forth abutting pipe ends  122 ; 
 d) providing a blasting containment device moving system; 
 e) welding the first and second abutting pipe ends with the welding system  110 ; 
 f) blasting the second and third abutting pipe ends  11  with the blasting containment device  12  without allowing dust from the blasting to escape from the blasting containment device  12 ; 
 g) coating the third and forth abutting pipe ends  122  using the pipe protective coating application system  120 ; and 
 h) after completing the welding, blasting and coating steps, performing the following steps:
 i) releasing the blasting containment device  12  from being coupled around the second and third pipe ends  11 ; 
 ii) moving the welding system  110  to a subsequent site where two subsequent pipe ends are not welding together; 
 iii) moving the blasting containment device  12 , via the blasting containment device moving system, to a subsequent site where two subsequent pipe ends are welded together but not coated by the pipe protective coating application system  120 ; and 
 iv) moving the pipe protective coating application system  120  to a subsequent site where two subsequent pipe ends were previously welded together and previously blasted by the blasting containment device  12 . 
 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the blasting containment device moving system includes a vehicle with a boom arm coupled to a cable attached to the blasting containment device  12 . 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the blasting containment device moving system includes a remote control vehicle mounted above the pipeline  20  and coupled to the blasting containment device  12 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the blasting containment device  12  is coupled to a support system  106  having: a power system  14 , a blasting material delivery system  16 , and a vacuum system  18 .