Create an isolation almost anywhere in your system within one day without performing hot work.
Freeze plugs are a cold work solution that works by freezing your pipe medium by applying liquid nitrogen to the surface of your pipe.
In this article I will share with you what you need to know about using the freeze plug option, including the pipe medium qualifications, the safety of your pipe and personnel around using it, and how it reduces your isolation time by 80% compared to traditional methods while providing you cost efficiency.
A Qualifying Medium
Freeze plugs are efficient and cost effective, but there are a couple criteria that the pipe medium needs to meet in order to use these plugs successfully.
The first is that the medium is freezable. Not much of a surprise there. 70% water content or higher is the criterium.
The second is a no flow condition. And the no flow part needs to be stressed. A small amount of flow will not work.
The way freeze plugs are formed are from the outside in. Your medium will slowly freeze from the outside until there is that last bit in the center for the freeze to finish.
If you have any flow, the smaller that hole gets, the faster any flow will pass through it. This flow will make it impossible for the freezing to work its magic and solidify your plug so that you have your isolation.
