US 11,806,765 B2
Sucker rod cleaning using inductive heating
Darren K. Fike, Dickinson, ND (US)
Assigned to Baranko Environmental LLC, Dickinson, ND (US)
Filed by Baranko Environmental LLC, Dickinson, ND (US)
Filed on Nov. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/993,209.
Application 17/993,209 is a continuation of application No. 16/908,892, filed on Jun. 23, 2020, granted, now 11,524,320.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/872,753, filed on Jul. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0126572 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B08B 7/00 (2006.01); B08B 5/02 (2006.01); B08B 13/00 (2006.01); E21B 17/10 (2006.01); E21B 37/00 (2006.01)
CPC B08B 7/0035 (2013.01) [B08B 5/023 (2013.01); B08B 13/00 (2013.01); E21B 17/1071 (2013.01); E21B 37/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sucker rod cleaning system comprising:
an induction heating device including an electromagnet comprising a wire coil head configured to inductively heat an electrically conductive sucker rod positioned within a heating zone of the wire coil head;
a sucker rod feed mechanism configured to feed a sucker rod through the heating zone of the wire coil head in a feed direction; and
a radiation sensor positioned on a downstream side of the inductive heating device relative to the feed direction and configured to generate a sensor output that is indicative of a level of ionizing radiation being discharged from the sucker rod.
 
13. A method of cleaning scale deposits from an exterior surface of a used sucker rod using a sucker rod cleaning system, which comprises an induction heating device including an electromagnet comprising a wire coil head having a heating zone, a sucker rod feed mechanism, and a radiation sensor, the method comprising:
feeding the used sucker rod in a feed direction through the wire coil head and the heating zone using the sucker rod feed mechanism;
inductively heating a portion of the used sucker rod within the heating zone using the induction heating device during feeding the sucker rod;
discharging the scale deposits from the exterior surface of the portion of the used sucker rod during inductively heating the portion; and
generating a sensor output using the radiation sensor that is indicative of a level of ionizing radiation being discharged from the used sucker rod at a location that is on a downstream side of the inductive heating device relative to the feed direction.