METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SEALING PIPELINE INTERIOR BY MEANS OF CLAY PLUG Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: construction engineering; pipeline repairs. SUBSTANCE: device has elbow-shaped tap with manifold; tap is connected to charging bin of press. Clay-to-manifold contact surface wetting unit is made in the form of internally threaded and bored ring connected on one end to contracting part of press working zone and on other end, to elbow-shaped tap. Flange is provided with gate valve joined with pipe connection welded to pipeline and used to press clay into pipeline through its specially cut port. Clay is pressed into pipeline through elbow-shaped tap with manifold over length sufficient to ensure its normal sealing. Prior to pressing clay into pipeline clay-to-manifold contact surface is moistened with water by means of wetting unit wherein water is supplied over perimeter. First clay is introduced in amount at which static pressure of product will be lower than holding capacity of pressed-in clay; wet clay is continuously pressed in through gate valve and port cut in pipeline until desired sealing is attained. Upon completion of pressing clay into pipeline defective section of the latter is removed using known method while both ends of pipe are kept reliably sealed. EFFECT: enhanced reliability of repair work. 2 cl, 2 dwg