Pipeline sphere with tracking device
A pipeline sphere is shown which houses an electronics package. The sphere is formed as a hollow elastomeric body having a predetermined wall thickness and an initially void interior. A carrier tube is positioned within the initially void interior of the sphere and is supported by oppositely arranged carrier plates which are themselves embedded within oppositely arranged end openings of the sphere. A removable inflation valve is contained in one of the valve plates at a first end of the carrier tube. The carrier tube has a plurality of apertures formed through its wall to enable inflating or deflating the sphere. One electronics package that can be used is an electrical tracking device.
1. A method of manufacturing a pipeline sphere with electronic tracking capabilities, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
securing a valve plate in a hemisphere mold;
loading an elastomeric material into said mold;
vulcanizing the elastomeric material within the mold to form a first hemisphere with the valve plate embedded therein at a first end opening formed at one location in the first hemisphere;
removing the first hemisphere from the mold and allowing said first hemisphere to cure;
bonding the first hemisphere to a second identically formed hemisphere to form a sphere, wherein the second hemisphere is made of the same elastomeric material as the first hemisphere and is also provided with an identical valve plate located in an end opening thereof;
installing a perforated carrier tube and contained electronics package into said sphere, through a selected one of the sphere end openings, wherein said carrier tube and contained electronics package is secured within the sphere via a pair of follower assemblies attached to said valve plates; and
installing at least one valve body assembly within a selected follower assembly.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness of the sphere is less than the radius of the sphere.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the electronics package is a locator device selected from the group consisting of a magnet, an inertial tracker, a data acquisition device, and a sensor for detecting temperature, pressure, and chemical composition of pipeline or well substances.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of neoprene, nitrile, and polyurethane.