PIPELINE POD TRANSPORT METHOD

• US 20110076104A1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gas Technology Institute (GTI Energy)
• Original Assignee: Gas Technology Institute (GTI Energy)
• Inventors: Ersoy, Daniel Allen
• Application Number:
  US12/862,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20110076104A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 406/34
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/24 Switches

Abstract

A method for transporting gaseous, liquid, and solid materials in which a sealed containment vessel containing a material for transport is introduced into an underground pipeline or conduit. The sealed containment vessel is then motivated through the underground pipeline or conduit to a predetermined location. Pipelines for use in accordance with the method of this invention may be natural gas or water pipelines.

Claims

1. A method for transporting materials comprising the steps of:

introducing a material for transport into a containment vessel suitable for maintaining said material inside said containment vessel and sized to fit inside an underground conduit;

introducing said containment vessel into a fluid flowing through said underground conduit; and

motivating said containment vessel through said underground conduit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid is a gas.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid is a liquid.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of solids, liquids, gases, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said containment vessel comprises identification means for identifying said containment vessel from an aboveground location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said containment vessel comprises direction control means for controlling a direction of motivation of said containment vessel through said conduit.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said identification means comprises a smart tag.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said direction control means comprises a smart tag.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said containment vessel is motivated through said underground conduit by a driving force selected from the group consisting of fluid flow (drag), differential pressure across said containment vessel, electromagnetic, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said containment vessels are simultaneously motivated through said underground conduit.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said containment vessels contain different said materials.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said material is a hazardous material.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said material is a pressurized gas.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said pressurized gas is hydrogen.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising automatic sorting of said containment vessels in said underground conduit at a predetermined location.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said containment vessel provides at least one of cleaning and measuring of said underground conduit as it is motivated through said conduit.

17. A method for transporting materials through an underground conduit comprising the steps of:

introducing a sealed containment vessel containing a material for transport into said underground conduit; and

motivating said sealed containment vessel through said underground conduit to a predetermined location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said containment vessel is suitable for containing hazardous materials.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said containment vessel is suitable for containing fluids at pressures greater than atmospheric.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said sealed containment vessel is motivated through said underground conduit by a fluid flowing through said underground conduit.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said fluid is natural gas.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said fluid is water.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said containment vessel is motivated through said underground conduit by electromagnetic drive means.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said containment vessel comprises identification means for identifying said containment vessel from an aboveground location.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said identification means comprises a smart tag.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said smart tag is used to control said motivating of said containment vessel through said underground pipeline.