Recent Patents on Petroleum Pipe Inspection Gauge in China

Background: As the demand for petroleum products grows, pipes to carry these products are also required extensively. Consequently, petroleum pipe blockage has become a frequent and severe problem in China. In order to ensure trouble-free operation, it is necessary to clean and inspect the petroleum pipe regularly. However, currently available petroleum pipe inspection gauges can block the petroleum pipe easily, and their cleaning efficiency is not as high as desired. Therefore, mechanisms to prevent pipe blockage and ensure high-efficiency cleaning are being given much importance in studies on petroleum pipe inspection gauges. Objective: The aim of the study is to review recent patents related to petroleum pipe inspection gauges in China and forecast possible designs that can mitigate present-day problems associated with petroleum pipe inspection gauges. Methods: This paper has studied and compared various representative patents relevant to the petroleum pipe inspection gauge. Results: A large number of patents filed in China related to petroleum pipe inspection gauges have been studied and the anti-blocking mechanism as well as the cleaning efficiency of the petroleum pipe inspection gauges described in those patents have been analyzed and compared. Forecasts were made regarding the possible development trajectories in the design of petroleum pipe inspection gauges. Conclusion: The problems of easy blockage and poor cleaning efficiency are yet unsolved for petroleum pipe inspection gauges. It is expected that future work will focus on the development of pigging, new materials, power sources, and intelligent control to resolve these issues.