Apparatus and method for an inflatable bladder valve system

摘要

An inflatable bladder valve including an inflatable bladder for sealing large diameter piping ducts. The sealing element is an inflatable membrane, surrounded by a high strength fabric restraint. Prior to deployment, the inflatable bladder is in a folded deflated state, and stowed in a stowing receptacle external to the piping duct. An aperture in the piping duct wall leads to the stowage receptacle. This aperture is blocked by a plug. One end of a gas pressure actuator is received through the base of the stowage receptacle where the inflatable bladder is stowed. When the actuator is actuated, the release of the gas pushes the plug out of the aperture causing the inflatable bladder to immediately inflate and seal the piping duct. The inflatable bladder is self-aligning by virtue of a spherical duct housing which serves to restrain movement of the inflatable bladder caused by upstream pressure. An inflatable torus seal, around the perimeter of the fabric restraint allows for dimensional variations in the piping duct.