US 12,474,009 B2
Apparatus for tracking a pig
John Phipps, Chester (GB); Jakub Wnuk, Sztum (PL); and Lukasz Kremski, Chester (GB)
Assigned to Cokebusters Limited, Chester (GB)
Appl. No. 18/271,630
Filed by Cokebusters Limited, Chester (GB)
PCT Filed Jan. 18, 2022, PCT No. PCT/GB2022/050135
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 10, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/157487, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 28, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2100799 (GB), filed on Jan. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0068614 A1, Feb. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. F16L 55/48 (2006.01); B08B 9/055 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 55/48 (2013.01) [B08B 9/0551 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for tracking a pig travelling inside a tubular object, the apparatus comprising:
a sensor arrangement including at least one position sensor configured to detect a passage of the pig travelling inside the tubular object;
a tracking device configured to:
process the detected passage of the pig from a run of the pig through the tubular object to determine a travel time of the pig;
using the determined travel time, calculate a speed of the pig through the tubular object; and
using the calculated pig's speed, perform real-time tracking of the pig's position inside the tubular object in a subsequent run of the pig through the tubular object; and
a propulsion device configured to automatically control a propulsion of the pig inside the tubular object in response to information obtained or derived from the real-time tracking of the pig's position inside the tubular object,
wherein the propulsion device is a fluid propulsion device for propelling the pig inside the tubular object using fluid pressure.