Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
DRA LEAK DETECTION AND RECOVERY SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cross Reference.
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent
Application Serial No. 62/513,521 filed June 1, 2017.
Field of the Invention.
[0002] This invention relates generally to a leak detection and recovery
system, and more
particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a system for use with drag
reducer injection
equipment that prevents loss and contamination of leaking DRA, as well as
providing for
detection of the leak and recovery of the leaked DRA.
Description of the Related Art.
[0003] Drag reducing agent (DRA) is often injected into pipelines to reduce
drag and
associated turbulence within the pipeline. DRA is dangerous, however, if
released into the
environment, namely the soil, ground water, and waterways, such as through DRA
storage or
injection equipment leaks. Furthermore, DRA that leaks from storage or
injection equipment is
subject to contamination, and thus cannot be reused and must be disposed of
through incineration
or remediation. This can be expensive, both in terms of the loss of the DRA
chemicals
themselves, which must then be replaced, and the actual expense of disposal.
[0004] Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a system of DRA leak
detection
and recovery.
[0005] It is further desirable for such system to provide clean collection of
leaked DRA,
eliminating the opportunity for contamination and allowing the DRA to be
reused.
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[0006] It is further desirable for such system to provide leak detection to
alert an operator
to the presence of a leak and allow the leak to be repaired quickly.
[0007] It is further desirable for such system to allow immediate reuse of the
leaked
DRA, eliminating the need for hazardous waste disposal.
[0008] It is further desirable for such system to prevent environmental damage
due to
DRA leaks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a system
comprising an upper
section comprising injection equipment and a lower section comprising a catch
basin. The catch
basin may be positioned such that leaks from the injection equipment of the
upper section are
collected in the catch basin. The catch basin may be located entirely within
the lower section,
while the upper section may be located above the lower section. Thus, the
upper section may
fully cover the lower section such that the upper section protects the catch
basin from
contamination from ambient elements.
[0010] The catch basin may have a floor that slopes to a single low point. The
lower
section may further comprise a drain located at the low point of the catch
basin. The drain may
be in fluid communication with the exterior of the lower section via a valve.
[0011] The system may further comprise a level detection instrument, which may
be
located at the low point of the catch basin. The level detection instrument
may be in
communication with a PLC capable of shutting down the injection equipment
located within the
upper section.
[0012] The injection equipment may be DRA injection equipment. The lower
section
may be generally rectangular with closed sides and an open top, while the
upper section may be
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generally rectangular with closed sides and a partially open bottom. The
bottom of the upper
section may have the same dimensions as the top of the lower section and the
upper section may
sit atop the lower section such that the lower section is protected from
contamination from
ambient elements.
[0013] In a second aspect, the invention relates to a method of detecting and
recovering
DRA leaks, the method comprising: injecting DRA into a pipeline via injection
equipment
located in an upper section, where the upper section is located above a lower
section; and
catching leaks from the injection equipment in a catch basin located in the
lower section, where
the catch basin is protected from contamination from ambient elements.
[0014] The method may further comprise detecting leaks from the injection
equipment.
Specifically, leaks may be detected by a level detection instrument located at
a low point in the
catch basin, where the catch basin slopes downward at all points to the low
point such that all
leaked DRA from the injection equipment travels to the low point. The method
may further
comprise shutting down the injection equipment when the level detection
instrument detects a
leak. Shutting down the injection equipment may comprise transmitting a signal
from the level
detection instrument to a PLC when the level detection instrument detects a
level and shutting
down the injection equipment when the PLC receives the signal indicating that
the level
detection instrument detects the level. The method may further comprise
notifying a person or
relaying a signal to a remote PLC when the level detection instrument detects
a leak.
[0015] The method may further comprise collecting leaked DRA from the catch
basin via
a drain located at a low point in the catch basin, where the catch basin
slopes downward at all
points to the low point such that all leaked DRA from the injection equipment
travels to the low
point. Collecting leaked DRA from the catch basin via the drain may comprise
opening a valve
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in fluid communication with the drain. The method may further comprise re-
using the leaked
DRA.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the system of the present invention
during
assembly; and
[0017] Figure 2 is a top diagrammatic view of the system; and
[0018] Figure 3 is a side diagrammatic view of the system.
[0019] Other advantages and features will be apparent from the following
description and
from the claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The devices and methods discussed herein are merely illustrative of
specific
manners in which to make and use this invention and arc not to be interpreted
as limiting in
scope.
[0021] While the devices and methods have been described with a certain degree
of
particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the
details of the
construction and the arrangement of the devices and components without
departing from the
spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the devices and
methods are not limited
to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification.
[0022] In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a leak
detection and recovery
system for use with DRA equipment. The system is intended to reduce the risk
of a chemical
release into the environment, namely the soil, ground water, and waterways. It
may further
reduce the need and risk of disposing of a chemical release through
incineration or remediation.
These benefits may arise from the system when used as part of a DRA injection
skid.
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[0023] As described below, the system may provide clean collection of leaked
DRA,
early detection of DRA leaks, immediate notification of DRA leaks, and re-use
of leaked DRA
through clean recovery with no hazardous waste disposal.
[0024] The system may comprise an upper section 1, a tank 2, and a lower
section 3, as
shown in Figure 1. The upper section 1 may house DRA injection equipment,
while the tank 2
may be a storage tank. The upper section 1 may sit atop the lower section 3.
Little or
substantially no part of the upper section 1 may extend laterally beyond the
lower section 3, such
that all or substantially all of the DRA injection equipment may be located
above the lower
section 3. The tank 2 may sit within the lower section 3 and extend upward
into the upper
section 1 or may sit wholly within the upper section, and thus may be fully
enclosed within the
upper section 1 and lower section 3.
[0025] The lower section 3 may comprise a catch basin. The catch basin may be
fully
enclosed. The lower section 3 may be fully covered by the upper section 1.
Thus, the catch
basin may be isolated from any ambient elements, such as rain, snow, dirt,
wind, and sunlight.
The catch basin may be situated such that it may catch any leaks from the DRA
injection
equipment in the upper section 1, such as flanges, fittings, hoses, etc.
Isolating the catch basin
from ambient elements may eliminate cross contamination by these elements,
thus keeping the
DRA from being classified as hazardous waste. Furthermore, the catch basin may
be designed
and constructed to hold the entire volume of the tank as a measure of
insurance against release.
[0026] The catch basin may be sloped to a specific point, such as the middle
of the basin.
A drain may be located at the lowest spot, and the drain may be sloped to one
side. Thus, DRA
leaking from any location within the upper assembly 1 may flow to a single low
point in the
basin. A level detection instrument 4 may be located at this lowest point or
in the drain. The
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level detection instrument may be capable of detecting any level of liquid.
The level detection
instrument may generate a signal that may be transmitted to an onboard PLC and
tied into the
PLC's logic so as to shut down all functions of the skid upon detecting a
level. Locating the
instrument at the lowest section of the basin may allow for early detection,
thus minimizing the
leak.
[0027] In addition to shutting down the skid upon detection of a leak, the PLC
may
additionally notify people or a remote PLC that the leak detection instrument
has been tripped or
a leak has been detected. Thus, the system may provide for immediate
notification of a DRA
leak.
[0028] Once a leak is detected, the skid is shut down, and the relevant people
are
notified, the DRA may be recovered. The catch basin may have a valve located
at the center
drain, allowing the leaked, yet still contained and uncontaminated, DRA. to be
collected and re-
used.
[0029] Once the leak has been repaired and the leaked DRA has been collected,
normal
operations may resume with no environmental damage, no loss of DRA, and no
expensive
hazardous waste disposal.
[0030] Whereas, the devices and methods have been described in relation to the
drawings
and claims, it should be understood that other and further modifications,
apart from those shown
or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this
invention.
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