Abstract: In a hydraulic circuit including a ball circulation pump skid, a single pump, and a set of valves in a manifold of the ball circulation pump skid, the pump and valves are operated to move all fluid in the hydraulic circuit alternately along two paths through an operative device and a ball collection capsule in the manifold, so that none of the balls ever enter the pump. The first path enables (a) ball-containing fluid flow from the operative device to the ball collection capsule and (b) ball-free fluid flow from the ball collection capsule to the exactly one pump and back to the manifold. The second path provides for (c) ball-free fluid flow from the pump to the ball collection capsule and (d) ball-entraining flow from the ball collection capsule to the operative device.

Abstract: A ball circulation pump skid includes a piping manifold mounted to a base frame, having a first inlet and a first outlet each connected to a pump, and provided with a second inlet and a second outlet connectable to an external device. The manifold houses a ball collection capsule configured to permit flow of fluid and entrained cleaning balls into the ball collection capsule in a first flow direction and to permit flow of fluid and entrained cleaning balls out of the ball collection capsule in a second flow direction. Valves mounted to the piping manifold are operative to create alternately a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path through the piping manifold, to capture the cleaning balls in the collection capsule prior to fluid flow to the pump and to re-entrain the cleaning balls prior to fluid delivery to the external device.