Urethane Casting in Pipeline Pigs
Why choose pipeline pigs that are made using a urethane casting process?
To start with, urethane casting is an inexpensive, high-quality method of creating rugged pipeline pigs that are versatile, flexible and get the job done.
Pipeline Pigs and Urethane Casting
The first urethane casting products were produced in the 1930s. New technology and product knowledge has led to a variety of resins on the market that can be used for all sorts of applications, and under a host of different conditions.
Pipeline pigs made from cast-urethane perform at the same level as mandrel pigs that are manufactured out of metal. These lightweight urethane casting pipeline pigs are made in sizes that are as small as 2”, and as large as 36”. Urethane casted pipeline pigs are designed to accommodate restrictions in a pipeline up to 20%, and can easily negotiate 1.5D bends in a pipeline.
Urethane casting pipeline pigs can be made for a huge number of bespoke conditions and applications. Tracking devices can be built into these multi-directional pigs (The Smart Sphere™ by Drinkwater Products is a good example). Stalled pigs are easily located and recovered, meaning less downtime and resulting in consequential savings in time and costs.
When you need to clean ferrous debris from the inside of a pipeline, The Smart Sphere™ can be fitted with magnets that can also act as non-intrusive indicators.
How Good are Pipeline Pigs Made by Urethane Casting?
Urethane casted pigs are robust and adaptable to be used in applications like:
- Batching
- Cleaning
- Dewatering
There are different hardnesses of urethane used during the pipeline pig urethane casting process:
- Soft - 60-65 Duro
- Medium - 70-75 Duro
- Hard (80-85) Duro
Urethane Casting Pigs vs Foam Pigs
Cast-Urethane pigs are generally more hard wearing and rugged than foam pigs. This means that urethane casting pigs can be run more times, and more vigorously and aggressively. Better productivity translates to savings in your effort and time, and this means more dollars in your bank account.
Drinkwater Products is your professional supplier of all urethane casting pigs. Our professional consultants will advise you on which of the urethane casting process products is suitable for your specific application.
Cast-Urethane Pigs
As mentioned, pigs that are produced through the urethane casting process are flexible, rugged and long-lasting. Whatever application is needed for your pipeline, we have a urethane casting pig for the job.
- Smart Sphere™ - Does all the same jobs of a conventional inflatable pigging sphere, but with tracking capabilities.
- K-DISC - The K-DISC sweeps in both directions, and is produced as a solid pig through the urethane casting process. Applications:
- Wax
- Sludge
- Black powder removal
The solid urethane casting is easy to clean and rigid, tapered discs gives it unbeatable sweeping and scraping power.
- Turbo Magnum - Designed for a large ranges of pipeline sizes and available in three varying durometers, this solid urethane casting pig has specialized uses in liquid pipelines, as well as wet gas systems.
- Turbo Flex - This solid urethane casting pig features a hollow, lightweight design that creates an effective seal. Ideal for:
- Product batching
- Line displacement
- Product evacuation
Transmitters and wire brushes for aggressive pigging and tracking can be added.
- Turbo Flow - A solid urethane casting pig that wipes and seals. Effective uses:
- Removing liquids from:
- wet gas systems
- liquid pipelines
- Control build up of paraffin in crude oil lines
- Separate refined products
- Product evacuation