Girard solid and inflatable polyurethane spheres are manufactured in a
range of durometers for pipeline and meter prover applications. Neoprene,
Nitrile and Viton spheres are also available for special
applications. To
achieve the maximum performance Girard inflatable spheres must be properly
filled and sized. Specific applications will determine the most effective
sizing and filler fluid to be used.
Typical Sphere Applications
Liquid Batch Separation - Girard spheres are used for separating various
products such as gasolines, fuel oils, crude oils, jet fuels, and other
petroleum products transported through a pipeline. Product integrity is
maintained while navigating tees and ells.
Line Testing - Girard spheres purge air from the pipeline to
insure accurate hydrostatic testing. This is achieved by inserting
a sphere ahead of the water column which displaces the air. Girard
spheres can remain in the line throughout all phases of testing. Once
the test is complete, the spheres are used to dewater the pipeline.
Line Maintenance - Girard spheres maintain pipeline integrity
by removing paraffin and condensate. During pipeline corrosion control
maintenance, spheres are used to batch corrosion inhibitors.
Meter Prover Spheres - Girard spheres gauge volume displacement
to confirm the accuracy of flow meters.
Sphere Pump - A sphere pump is recommended to properly inflate
a Girard sphere. The pump is easy to operate by placing the appropriate
fluid in the filling cup, attaching the hose to the valve body in the
sphere, and manually pressing the handle. The pump and attachments
are available from Girard Industries. Please click
here for sphere pump details and filling instructions.
