Even though pipelines are a reliable way to transfer gas and liquids long distances, they’ll eventually back up due to the buildup of dirt, grime, and other materials. These forms of buildup aren’t always easy to get rid of because of the nature of industrial pipelines.
Fortunately, there are many ways to clean a pipeline. If you’ve ever wondered how industrial pipelines get cleaned, this guide will show you the entire process as well as the methods most people use.
The Cleaning Process
To properly clean a pipeline, you need to follow a step-by-step process. Depending on the types of pipes you’re cleaning and the dirt and debris stuck in them, this process may vary. However, most people will still follow this general guideline.
Perform the Initial Inspection
Before you begin, you need to confirm that there is, indeed, a blockage and what type of buildup has gotten stuck in your pipes. You need to perform an inspection to figure this out.
If you’ve already shut down your pipeline or have a way to get into your pipes without depressurizing them, you can use mobile video cameras to see what’s stuck inside. If that’s not possible, you can use ultrasonic testing to get an idea of what you’re dealing with. The sound waves can give you an idea of the buildup type and density without ever seeing it.
Decide on a Cleaning Method
Once you’ve ascertained all you can from the initial inspection, it’ll be time to choose a cleaning method. You’ll make this decision based on what the buildup is made of and how much of it there is, but we’ll cover these methods more in-depth in the next section.
Start the Cleaning Process
Once you’ve chosen a method, it’s time to start cleaning. Depending on your chosen method, you might need to shut down the pipeline to do it. If you want to only close off the section you’ll be cleaning, we can help with that. Our expert team of process piping contractors can shut down sections of a pipeline without disrupting the areas you’d like to keep running.
Once you’ve figured out whether you need to shut the pipeline down, it’s time to start cleaning. After you’ve inserted the cleaning equipment, you just need to sit back and let it do its thing. Some methods will need multiple passes in order to achieve the desired results.
Follow Up With a Second Inspection
Once you have finished cleaning the pipes, you’ll need to follow up with a second inspection to make sure the buildup is gone. The previous methods will all work, but if you’ve opened the pipeline to clean it, you might be able to tell how well it worked by looking down the pipes yourself.
If they’re still not clean, you’ll need to reassess and choose a different method. Hopefully, the second method will do the trick, but some buildup can be quite tricky to get rid of, so you’ll need to repeat this process until you’ve cleared out your pipes.
Cleaning Methods
Now that you know how exactly industrial pipelines get cleaned, it’s time to go into more detail about the methods you can use to clean them. Some of these are simple methods you can use on your own, while others might need trained professionals. Either way, most of these will give you the results you desire.
Flush Cleaning
This first method is by far the easiest but also the least effective. You can flush out your pipes to remove some forms of lighter debris that aren’t too stuck to the inner surface. Of course, this only works with liquid pipelines, but once you set them to maximum pressure, that lighter debris will likely get washed away.
High-Pressure Jet Cleaning
If the buildup is a bit too much for a standard flush, you might want to up the pressure with a high-pressure jet cleaning. These systems use a strong burst of water to clean out harder-to-remove substances such as sludge and mud. However, standard systems are only good for softer deposits.
For stronger ones like concrete and hardened scale, you’ll need an ultra-high-pressure jet. These can reach pressure well above 20,000 psi. The only downside is that this type of cleaning equipment is much harder to use and will require a trained professional to operate it properly.
Vacuum Cleaning
Previously, we mentioned that the flushing method was only good for liquid pipelines, which means you can’t use it for gas pipes with minimal buildup. Fortunately, there is another method that works well for light buildup in a gas system, known as vacuum cleaning. With a proper suction device, you can easily remove loose bits of sand or gravel from any piping system. This method will struggle with anything stuck-on, though.
Mechanical Cleaning
One of the most popular forms of cleaning is known as mechanical cleaning. This method uses scrapers and devices called pigs that move through the pipes, loosening and cutting through all the buildup they come across.
Scrapers are more flexible, which is good for pipelines with a lot of turns, and pigs are a bit stronger, making them perfect for cleaning up heavier deposits. Plus, pigs usually have cameras on them, which will help immensely with the second round of inspections.
Chemical Cleaning
If you discover that most of your buildup is made of organic materials, a chemical cleaning might be your best option. This method uses different types of acids and solvents to eat away at the buildup. Once it loosens up, it’ll be very easy to flush out of the piping system. On top of that, chemicals can help with some inorganic deposits such as scale and rust. You just need to make sure you get the right chemicals for the job.
Foam Cleaning
Finally, we have the foam cleaning method. This works similarly to the chemical method but with a less abrasive foam that won’t potentially destroy weaker pipes that might be unable to handle the harsh chemicals. To use this cleaning foam, you need to inject it into your pipeline and leave it to sit for a while. It will loosen up the buildup, which you can then easily flush out afterward.
