Motion Law and Mechanical Properties of PIGs When Passing through a Pipe Bend

Abstract

Pipeline inspection gauges (PIGs), as a kind of pipeline robot, are very efficient tools for cleaning and inspecting pipelines. However, the occurrence of obstructions in PIGs has always been a problem. The main cause of the PIG clogging pipeline problem is the reduced pressure differential between the front and rear due to damage to the cup. In this paper, a rigid-flexible coupled multibody dynamic motion system is established by importing flexible bodies. The stress and contact force generated by the elastic deformation of the cup in the pipe are analyzed. Moreover, the spacing ratio of PIG cups and the number of cups were changed, the number of cabin sections was increased, the bending of PIGs of different sizes and specifications was studied, and the influence of the cross-universal joint on the bending of PIGs, as well as the force between the cups and the core tube, was analyzed. Through the design and construction of the corresponding experimental equipment, the influence of the change in the number of leather cups on cornering is studied.

Analysis via 3D FEM of the Passing Capacity of Pipeline Inspection Gauges in Bends with Different Curvatures

“…However, the scenarios they studied assumed that the edge of the cup was not close to the pipe, which would lead to limited practical implications for guiding engineering practice. Chen et al [33] summarized the changing law in the equivalent force and the contact force of the PIG during changes of the cups. A theoretical basis for the design of the cup PIG can be established from their research.…”