Process of and apparatus for electric pipeline heating

• Main Author: GONCALVES, CARLOS ALBERTO DE CASTRO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 28.02.1996
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: BLASTING; CLEANING; CLEANING IN GENERAL; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PIPES; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

A process to clear pipelines carrying fluids which are viscous and/or rich in organic residues, utilizing heat generation through electric phenomena, whether or not combined with the injection of special fluids. The heating process of this invention includes basically the introduction of a heating element inside a pipeline carrying the fluid through a coupling spool which is intercalated in said fluid-carrying pipeline, whilst simultaneously applying to said heating element an electric current, so that the heat generated by said heating element is transmitted to the viscous fluid or to the compacted residual mass inside the fluid-carrying pipeline. This causes the detachment of the residues from the internal wall of the pipeline and reestablishment of the conditions for fluid flow.