SEALING PLUG ASSEMBLIES, SEALING ELEMENTS, AND BLEED LANCES FOR LINE STOPPING A PIPE AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS THEREOF
The present disclosure provides a sealing plug assembly for stopping flow of a product in a pipe, the assembly having two sealing elements and having an isolation zone in the assembly which can be drained by a bleed lance to maintain pressure in the isolation zone within a safe limit. The present disclosure further provides sealing elements, bleed lances, systems, and methods of using the same. A benefit of the sealing plug assembly, and methods of using the same, can include forming safer seals during line stopping and the efficiency of recovering product.
14 . A sealing element for a sealing plug assembly, comprising:
a flat face, an elastomeric face, an outer edge having an exterior diameter, and an inner edge having an interior diameter, and
wherein the elastomeric face may have a circular groove extending a circular groove depth into the elastomeric face, and
wherein at least one of the inner edge, the outer edge, and the circular groove of the sealing element are concentric.
15 . The sealing element of claim 14 , wherein an outer edge of the circular groove is located a radial distance of from about 1.2 cm to about 15.3 cm from the outer edge of the sealing element.
16 . The sealing element of claim 14 , wherein the groove depth is from about 0.5 cm to about 4.5 cm.
17 . The sealing element of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the flat face includes a fabric or a rubber, and
wherein the outer edge having an outer edge axial thickness of from about 1.8 cm to about 10.2 cm.
18 . The sealing element of claim 14 , at least a portion of the flat face includes a fabric or a rubber, and
wherein the inner edge having an inner edge axial thickness of from about 1.2 cm to about 10.2 cm.
19 . The sealing element of claim 14 , wherein the diameter of the sealing element is from about 5.0 cm to about 150.0 cm.
20 . The sealing element of claim 14 ,
wherein an outer edge of the circular groove is located a radial distance of from about 1.2 cm to about 15.3 cm from the outer edge of the sealing element; and
wherein the groove depth is from about 0.5 cm to about 4.5 cm; and
wherein at least a portion of the flat face includes a fabric or a rubber, and
wherein the outer edge having an outer edge axial thickness of from about 1.8 cm to about 10.2 cm; and
wherein the inner edge having an inner edge axial thickness of from about 1.2 cm to about 10.2 cm; and
wherein the diameter of the sealing element is from about 5.0 cm to about 150.0 cm; and
wherein the inner edge, the outer edge, and the circular groove of the sealing element are concentric.
21 . A bleed lance for draining an isolation zone of a sealing plug assembly, comprising:
a stab inlet, a body, and a bleed lance exit, wherein the body includes a hollow pipe or tube, and the body is connected to the stab inlet and the bleed lance exit by a lance flow pathway;
wherein the stab inlet has a stab inlet exterior that contains a stab inlet opening, and
wherein the stab inlet exterior has a shape complementary to a product port on a nose piece of the sealing plug assembly.
22 . The bleed lance of claim 21 , wherein the body includes a rigid material and has a body length of from about 10 cm to about 500 cm and a body internal diameter of from about 0.5 cm to about 5.0 cm.
23 . The bleed lance of claim 21 , wherein the stab inlet includes a stab inlet adapter, wherein a bottom end the stab inlet adapter has a shape complementary to a product port on a nose piece of the sealing plug assembly.
24 . The bleed lance of claim 21 , wherein the stab inlet has an exterior surface that contains a pin protruding from the stab inlet exterior.
25 . The bleed lance of claim 21 , wherein the bleed lance exit has an external lip that is capable of being attached to a hose or tube.
26 . A method of removing a liquid or gas product from a sealing plus assembly, comprising:
providing a sealing plug assembly, wherein the sealing plug assembly contains a sealing plug head, a proximal sealing element, a distal sealing element, an isolation plate, and a nose piece, wherein the nose piece includes a product port;
providing a bleed lance, wherein the bleed lance includes a stab inlet, a body, and a bleed lance exit, wherein the body includes a hollow pipe or tube, and the body is connected to the stab inlet and the bleed lance exit by a lance flow pathway, wherein the stab inlet has a stab inlet exterior that contains a stab inlet opening, and wherein the stab inlet exterior has a shape complementary to the product port on the nose piece of the sealing plug assembly;
sealing a pipe containing the product by sealing an outer edge of the proximal sealing element and an outer edge of the distal sealing element against an interior surface of the pipe;
accessing a product port in the nose piece by cutting an opening into the pipe downstream of the sealing plug assembly and approximate to the product port;
inserting the bleed lance in the product port of the sealing plug assembly; and
flowing liquid or gas product from the sealing plug assembly through the bleed lance to the bleed lance exit.
27 . The method of claim 26 , further comprising:
attaching a tube or hose to the bleed lance exit, collecting at least a portion of the product.