Pipe loosening device and method
A pipe loosening device and methods are shown. In one example, the pipe loosening device enables a method wherein a pipe to be replaced is deformed but not burst, and a portion of a sidewall of the pipe is forced outward into the surrounding soil to compact a local region of the surrounding soil and loosen the existing pipe. The pipe may then pulled from the ground along an axis of the pipe.
1. A pipe loosening device, comprising:
a solid single deforming die, including:
a leading end cylinder portion, having a first diameter;
a trailing end cylinder portion, having a diameter substantially matching the first diameter, wherein a trailing end axis is substantially aligned with a leading end axis;
a deforming cylinder portion located between the leading end cylinder portion and the trailing end cylinder portion, wherein an axis of the deforming cylinder portion is parallel to, and displaced by a distance away from the trailing end axis and the leading end axis, wherein the leading end, the trailing end, and the deforming cylinder portion each include a sliding surface; and
a threaded connection on the leading end cylinder portion that is adapted to couple to a directional drill rod section.
2. The pipe loosening device of claim 1 , wherein the distance of displacement of the axis of the deforming cylinder portion from the trailing end axis and the leading end axis is between 5 and 10 percent of the first diameter.
3. The pipe loosening device of claim 1 , wherein the distance of displacement of the axis of the deforming cylinder portion from the trailing end axis and the leading end axis is approximately 7 percent of the first diameter.
4. The pipe loosening device of claim 1 , wherein the threaded connection is a female threaded connection.
5. The pipe loosening device of claim 1 , wherein the threaded connection is a male threaded connection.
6. The pipe loosening device of claim 1 , further including a threaded connection on the trailing end cylinder portion that is adapted to couple to a directional drill rod section.
7. The pipe loosening device of claim 6 , wherein the threaded connection is a female threaded connection.
8. The pipe loosening device of claim 6 , wherein the threaded connection is a male threaded connection.
9. The pipe loosening device of claim 1 , further including reduced width sides of the solid single deforming die in a direction perpendicular to a direction of displacement of the deforming cylinder portion.
10. A method of pipe extraction, comprising:
forcing a deforming die through an existing pipe in the ground;
deforming but not bursting at least a portion of a sidewall of the existing pipe outward into the surrounding soil to compact a local region of the surrounding soil and loosen the existing pipe;
wherein deforming but not bursting includes using a solid single deforming die, including:
a leading end cylinder portion, having a first diameter;
a trailing end cylinder portion, having a diameter substantially matching the first diameter, wherein a trailing end axis is substantially aligned with a leading end axis; and
a deforming cylinder portion located between the leading end cylinder portion and the trailing end cylinder portion, wherein an axis of the deforming cylinder portion is parallel to, and displaced by a distance away from the trailing end axis and the leading end axis; and
pulling the loosened pipe from the ground along an axis of the pipe.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein forcing the deforming die includes pulling with a directional drill stem.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein forcing the deforming die includes pulling with a winch.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein forcing the deforming die includes pushing with a directional drill stem.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein forcing the deforming die includes pushing with a rod pusher.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein forcing the deforming die includes pushing with a pneumatic hammer.