There are three basic purposes served by pigs. The first is to provide an understanding of what is happening within the interior of the pipeline: Are there any reductions, debris or other problems that may inhibit production? Another use of the pig is to separate two different products within the pipeline that you do not want mixing. Finally, you can use pigs to move materials out of the pipe whether decommissioning product or removing paraffin wax or unwanted liquids.
Foam pigs, for instance, are useful for the first option. They are lightweight and their flexibility enables them to easily move through a pipe and navigate through any buckles or reductions in the pipe. Available in multiple foam densities, foam pigs are a smart choice for a variety of applications. On the other hand, you should consider using a good sealing disc pig or pigging spheres, sometimes called prover spheres because they are used in prover loops for liquid measurement, to keep different materials separate from one another. They have an amazing ability for tight sealing, and are comprised of elements that are durable enough to maintain this separation under duress.
If knowing where your pig is traveling during the pigging process is important to you, then take a look at our full range of pig tracking equipment. Of course knowing where your pipeline is located is essential when trying to locate your pig. Check out our extensive inventory of Line markers and other detectors will provide this type of assistance throughout operations.
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In addition to pigging, prover spheres are also used in prover loops for liquid measurement. The ball travels through a prover barrel activating a Metric PMI detector switch by which calculations are made to determine the amount of liquid passing through the loop. Drinkwater Products carries a full range of Prover Spheres in varying sizes. These spheres are available in seamless or in two-piece compression molds. Also, different durometers are available which include, U53 Yellow, U58 Green, and U66 Red.
Whether tracking pigs or just alerting the public to the whereabouts of your pipeline or cable line, line markers play a key role in marking where your interests lie. We carry a full range of line markers including, aerial, flat line, and snap-on line markers. We can provide printed artwork and just about any color to brightly indicate your company’s pipeline or cable line. Line markers are a necessity to alerting your field workers and the public of the location of your lines.