SHOCK WAVES FOR PIPE CLEANING
A pipe cleaning apparatus includes a shock wave generating device of a shock wave module and a traction module with rollers connected to the shock wave module. The modules are connected by a joint permitting maneuverability around pipe bends.
1 . An apparatus for cleaning an obstacle in a pipe comprising:
at least one shock wave module including a shock wave generating device;
at least one traction module including rollers connected to a motor; and
a joint maneuverable around pipe bends coupling said at least one shock wave module to the traction module.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rollers are spring-loaded.
3 . The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising at least one turbine module generating energy from fluid flow in a pipe and coupled to provide energy to at least one of the traction module and the shock wave module.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of shock wave modules each including at least one shock wave generator coupled to the at least one traction module.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of traction modules each including rollers coupled to the plurality of shock wave modules.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said plurality of shock wave modules including a first shock wave module at least generating frontal shock waves and a second shock wave module at least generating lateral shock waves.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said at least one shock wave module generates frontal and lateral shock waves.
8 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said at least one shock wave module generates frontal and lateral shock waves.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of shock wave modules each including at least one shock wave generator coupled to the at least one traction module.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of traction modules each including rollers coupled to the plurality of shock wave modules.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising at least one turbine module generating energy from fluid flow in a pipe and coupled to provide energy to one or more of the traction modules and the shock wave modules.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical cleaning module coupled to the at least one traction module and at least one shock wave module.
13 . The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a mechanical cleaning module coupled to the at least one traction module and at least one shock wave module.
14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising at least one turbine module generating energy from fluid flow in a pipe and coupled to provide energy to at least one of the traction module and the shock wave module.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a mechanical cleaning module coupled to the at least one fraction module and at least one shock wave module.
16 . A method for cleaning an obstacle in a pipe comprising maneuvering at least one shock wave generating device within a pipe to a site of an obstacle and applying frontal and lateral shock waves to the obstacle.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising maneuvering the at least one shock wave generating device around one or more pipe bends in the pipe.
18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the obstacle includes at least one of scale, asphaltene, paraffin deposit, biofilm formation and sludge.
19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the obstacle includes at least one of scale, asphaltene, paraffin deposit, biofilm formation and sludge.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the shock wave generating device includes spring-loaded rollers.