METHOD FOR PROTECTING UNDERWATER EQUIPMENT FROM LIQUID AND HYDRATE PLUGS AND SYSTEM FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION Russian patent published in 2021 - IPC F17D3/16 

FIELD: underwater equipment.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method for protecting underwater processing equipment from liquid and hydrate plugs and a system for its implementation, containing a supply pipeline; outlet pipeline; an automatic pipeline valves control system designed to support the operation of subsea process equipment; a slug detector located on the supply pipeline and configured to determine information about a liquid or hydrate slug in the inlet gas-condensate stream; normally open pipeline valves located on the supply pipeline; plug removal line; the first normally closed pipeline fittings located on the plug removal line; moreover, normally open pipeline fittings are made with the possibility of transition from a normally open position, in which, during normal operation, the supply pipeline is open, to the position of closing the supply pipeline, in which, when determining information about a liquid or hydrate plug in the inlet gas condensate flow, the supply pipeline is closed, and back; and the first normally closed pipeline fittings are made with the possibility of transition from a normally closed position, in which, during normal operation, the plug removal line is closed, to the position of the plug removal line opening, in which, with information about a liquid or hydrate plug in the inlet gas condensate flow, the plug removal line is open, moreover, the specified opening of the plug removal line is carried out mainly simultaneously with the closure of the supply pipeline, while the opening value of the first normally closed pipeline valve depends on the closing value of the normally open pipeline valve in such a way as to ensure the bypass of the plug from the supply pipeline into the plug removal line, and further into the outlet pipeline.

EFFECT: ensured or significantly increased duration of maintaining a given flow rate in the outlet line of the compressor station, ensured or significantly increased duration of stable operation of the compressor equipment, ensured the bypass of a part of the transported stream containing liquid and hydrate plugs from the inlet of the compressor station to the outlet of the compressor station.

7 cl, 10 dwg