Inflatable Packers

Inflatable Packers range in length from 10” up to five feet or more. They are specifically designed for depths more commonly found in grouting jobs. With their sliding head design, they have the ability to double in size from their run-in diameter and typically furnish a longer seal than that of a Mechanical Packer. The ratio of through-pipe I.D. to packer O.D. is a valuable asset. (Example: 2”-3” O.D. packer is available with a 3/4” I.D. center tube.) Grout Packers have integral tube scrapers that remove excess grout that has adhered to the outside of the center tube. The scrapers work each time the packer is deflated.

Mechanical packers work well for surface plugging applications or surface setting for low pressure grouting, and is not going to be injected to any depth, typically only from two to ten feet maximum. They work well in cased holes, but in an irregular borehole, it may not expand adequately for proper sealing of washed-out zones.

Since most grouting projects are in formations that are unstable or open boreholes, Packers using steel reinforced glands can be advantageous. Their excellent memory returning to their at-rest diameter, maximizes their reuse potential by avoiding the common sticking and retrieval problems.

Please give us a call to discuss which packer type best suits your particular project