Dictionary Definition
pig
Noun
3 a person regarded as greedy and pig-like [syn:
hog]
5 mold consisting of a bed of sand in which pig
iron is cast [syn: pig bed]
6 a crude block of metal (lead or iron) poured
from a smelting furnace
Verb
1 live like a pig, in squalor [syn: pig it]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɪɡɪŋ
Synonyms
Noun
- The action of the verb to pig.
Verb
pigging- present participle of pig
Extensive Definition
Modern pigging systems are highly sophisticated
sets of equipment that consist of a standard 5-6 finned pig with an
intelligent transmitter that has a global
positioning system fixed on it to tell the exact location of
the pig inside the pipeline while it is on the move. Along with the
GPS positioner there are a host of other instruments like the
internal camera that takes live video of the pipe condition inside
while the pig is moving, the thickness gauge that constantly
measures the thickness of the wall of the pipe as the pig
moves.
As the pig moves inside the pipe data like the
speed of the pig, flow, rate of fluid inside etc is measured at
regular intervals. So by the time the pigging process is over the
complete set of data for all the measurable parameters is ready
outside.
This data is compiled and used for post pigging
analysis about the condition of the pipeline from inside.
For GPS positioning, the pig has a transmitter
that sends a signal outside the pipe where a recorder (above ground
marker) records the time the pig passes by that precise location.
The pig actually has a gyro on it that records angles and combines
that with distances and when combining all 3 data sets the GPS
positioning can determined. It is difficult for a GPS receiver to
be located on a pig since it may be several feet below ground
and/or surrounded by steel.
pigging in German:
Molchtechnik