Cleaning of the exterior surface of a pipeline to remove coatings

Claim 3

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cleaning unit is mounted to said frame through a cantilever arm.

Claim 4

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said second cleaning unit is mounted to said frame through a cantilever arm.

Claim 5

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said nozzles are rotatably mounted on said jet modules.

Claim 6

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said nozzles are mounted for rotation about rotation axes normal to the pipeline exterior surface.

Claim 7

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a nozzle rotation drive device for effecting rotation of said nozzles.

Claim 8

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each said module comprises a plurality of rotatably mounted nozzles.

Claim 9

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a drive roller mounted on said frame whereby said drive roller can engage the exterior surface of said pipeline.

Claim 10

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a drive roller power source whereby said drive roller can be rotated, thereby causing said pipeline to move relative to said frame.

Claim 11

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said frame comprises an upper frame section having a first end and a second end, said cleaning apparatus further comprising a first lower frame section pivotally mounted at said first end of said upper frame section and a second lower frame section pivotally mounted at said second end of said upper frame section whereby said lower frame sections can be pivoted between an open position and a closed position, whereby said frame can be lowered over said pipeline when said frame is in said open position, and whereby said nozzles direct hydrocleaning liquid at the entire circumference of said pipeline when said frame is in said closed position.

Claim 12

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising a first actuator mounted between said upper frame section and said first lower frame section, said apparatus further comprising a second actuator mounted between said upper frame section and said second lower frame section, whereby said first actuator and said second actuator move said frame between said open position and said closed position.

Claim 13

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said first actuator and said second actuator impart a biasing force against said first lower frame section and said second lower frame section whereby said frame is biased toward said closed position.

Claim 14

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an exterior surface of a pipeline comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end, said frame defining a passage of a size sufficient to permit said pipeline to pass longitudinally therethrough from said first end of said frame to said second end of said frame; a first cantilever arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first cantilever arm being mounted to said first end of said frame; a second cantilever arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second cantilever arm being mounted to said first end of said frame; a first cleaning unit mounted on said second end of said first cantilever arm, said first cleaning unit comprising a plurality of jet modules, each said jet module comprising a rotatable liquid jet nozzle wherein said nozzles are directed inwardly toward said pipeline and whereby said jet modules are positioned such that cleaning liquid emitted by said nozzles impacts the entire circumference of said pipeline; and a second cleaning unit mounted on said second end of said second cantilever arm, said second cleaning unit comprising a plurality of jet modules, each said jet module comprising a rotatable liquid jet nozzle wherein said nozzles are directed inwardly toward said pipeline and whereby said jet modules are positioned such that cleaning liquid emitted by said nozzle impacts the entire circumference of said pipeline.

Claim 15

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an exterior surface of a pipeline comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end, said frame defining a passage of a size sufficient to permit said pipeline to pass longitudinally therethrough from said first end of said frame to said second end of said frame; a first cantilever arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first cantilever arm being mounted to said first end of said frame; a second cantilever arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second cantilever arm being mounted to said first end of said frame; a first cleaning unit mounted on said second end of said first cantilever arm, said first cleaning unit comprising a plurality of jet modules, each said jet module comprising a rotatable liquid jet nozzle wherein said nozzles are directed inwardly toward said pipeline and whereby said jet modules are positioned such that cleaning liquid emitted by said nozzles impacts the entire circumference of said pipeline; and a second cleaning unit mounted on said second end of said second cantilever arm, said second cleaning unit comprising a plurality of jet modules, each said jet module comprising a rotatable liquid jet nozzle wherein said nozzles are directed inwardly toward said pipeline and whereby said jet modules are positioned such that cleaning liquid emitted by said nozzle impacts the entire circumference of said pipeline.

Claim 16

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said jet modules of said second cleaning unit are angularly offset relative to said jet modules of said first cleaning unit whereby the jet nozzles of said first cleaning unit scribe a different cleaning path than the jet nozzles of said second cleaning unit.

Claim 17

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said second cleaning unit is angularly offset relative to said first cleaning unit.

Claim 18

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an exterior surface of a pipeline comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end, said frame defining a passage therethrough of sufficient size to permit said pipeline to pass longitudinally therethrough from said first end of said frame to said second end of said frame; a first cantilever arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said cantilever arm mounted on said first end of said frame; a first cleaning unit mounted on said second end of said first cantilever arm, said first cleaning unit comprising a plurality of jet modules, each of said jet modules comprising a rotatable liquid jet nozzle, wherein said jet nozzles are directed inwardly toward said pipeline and whereby said jet modules are positioned such that cleaning liquid emitted by said nozzles impacts the entire circumference of said pipeline; a second cantilever arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said cantilever arm mounted on said second end of said frame; a second cleaning unit mounted on said second end of said second cantilever arm, said second cleaning unit comprising a plurality of jet modules, said plurality of jet modules of said second cleaning unit being rotated relative to the position of said jet modules of said first cleaning unit, each of said jet modules comprising a rotatable liquid jet nozzle, wherein said jet nozzles are directed inwardly toward said pipeline and whereby said jet modules are positioned such that cleaning liquid emitted by said nozzles impacts the entire circumference of said pipeline; and a high pressure cleaning liquid source connected to each of said rotatable nozzles.

Claim 19

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning an exterior surface of a pipeline comprising: a frame having a first end and a second end, said frame defining a passage therethrough of sufficient size to permit said pipeline to pass longitudinally therethrough from said first end of said frame to said second end of said frame; a first cantilever arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said cantilever arm mounted on said first end of said frame; a first cleaning unit mounted on said second end of said first cantilever arm, said first cleaning unit comprising a plurality of jet modules, each of said jet modules comprising a rotatable liquid jet nozzle, wherein said jet nozzles are directed inwardly toward said pipeline and whereby said jet modules are positioned such that cleaning liquid emitted by said nozzles impacts the entire circumference of said pipeline; a second cantilever arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said cantilever arm mounted on said second end of said frame; a second cleaning unit mounted on said second end of said second cantilever arm, said second cleaning unit comprising a plurality of jet modules, said plurality of jet modules of said second cleaning unit being rotated relative to the position of said jet modules of said first cleaning unit, each of said jet modules comprising a rotatable liquid jet nozzle, wherein said jet nozzles are directed inwardly toward said pipeline and whereby said jet modules are positioned such that cleaning liquid emitted by said nozzles impacts the entire circumference of said pipeline; and a high pressure cleaning liquid source connected to each of said rotatable nozzles.

Claim 20

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said first cleaning unit comprises six jet modules and said second cleaning unit comprises six jet modules.

Claim 21

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the jet modules of said second cleaning unit are angularly offset 30° relative to the jet modules of said first cleaning unit.

Claim 22

The cleaning apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said frame comprises an upper frame section having a first end and a second end, said cleaning apparatus further comprising a first lower frame section pivotally mounted at said first end of said upper frame section and a second lower frame section pivotally mounted at said second end of said upper frame section whereby said lower frame sections can be pivoted between an open position and a closed position, whereby said frame can be lowered over said pipeline when said frame is in said open position, and whereby said nozzles direct cleaning liquid at the entire circumference of said pipeline when said frame is in said closed position.