Curing system for curing pipe liners impregnated with light-curing plastic

Abstract

Curing system (100) for curing pipe liners impregnated with light-curing plastic, with - a head (10) having at least one light source (12), - a cable (20) connected to the head (10) to supply power to the light source (12) and - a cable drum (30) designed for receiving and releasing the cable (20) with an axially extending winding body (32), characterized in that the cable drum (30) - a first row (34) extending axially along the winding body (32) of a plurality of equidistantly arranged radially extending rods (38) and - has a second row (36) extending axially along the winding body (32) of a plurality of equidistantly arranged radially extending rods (38), wherein - the first row (34) and the second row (36) are formed parallel to each other at opposite positions of the winding body (32), - the distance between the bars (38) of the first row (34) and the distance between the bars (38) of the second row (36) is identical and corresponds at least to the diameter of the cable (20), and - the bars (38) of the second row (36) are arranged offset from the bars (38) of the first row (34) in the axial direction by half the distance between the bars (38) of each other.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a curing system for curing hose liners impregnated with light-curing plastic, comprising a head having at least one light source, a cable provided with the head for supplying the light source with current and a cable drum provided for receiving and releasing the cable with an axially extending winding body.

[0002] Such systems are known from previous use, whereby, in the case of non-accessible damaged pipelines, a new pipe is manufactured on-site using a so-called relining process with curable molding compounds. For this purpose, a carrier or reinforcing material (cured-in-place pipe liner) impregnated with curable plastic is inserted into an existing pipe to be rehabilitated. Radiation-curing resins are usually used as the curable plastic. After the inserted liner is positioned and pressed against the inner wall of the existing pipe using compressed air, radiation sources are moved through the liner to cure it from the inside using the emitted radiation.

[0003] However, a problem with the known technology is that, due to the power consumption of the light sources required to cure the hose liner and the power output of the corresponding control unit required in the area of ​​the cable windings of the cable drum, a high heat-related power loss occurs at the same time.

[0004] With typical cable lengths of 300 m and a power loss of approximately 9 W / m, this equates to a total power loss of 2700 W. Therefore, fans and air conditioning units are installed on the cable drums, which are designed as winches, to cool the cable. Despite these measures, the cable sheath still deforms or melts at high temperatures of around 150 °C. Melting of the cable sheath can lead to system failure and, in the worst case, to an installation error of the custom-made liner. This liner must then be at least partially removed and a new, custom-made one installed. Furthermore, the damaged cable must be removed and disposed of in a time-consuming process.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to create a high-performance curing system.

[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention by the curing system with the features of claim 1. The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0007] The invention is based on the observation that, with standard cable drum performance, the heating of the curing system limits its output. To increase performance with the same cable cross-section and length, more heat must be dissipated from the cable to the environment. Based on this relationship, lower cable temperatures can increase the cable's service life, reliability, system performance, and the maximum installation length of inliners.

[0008] The basic idea of ​​the invention is therefore to arrange the cable on the winding body of the cable drum using spacers in such a way that (rhomboid-shaped) gaps are created between the adjacent cable windings of each winding layer, allowing radial ventilation through the winding layers held by the winding body. Due to the larger surface area available for cooling compared to conventional systems, improved cable cooling can be achieved. Furthermore, even the hottest cable strands, located in the center of the winding body, can be cooled directly.

[0009] In a test with a cable drum designed according to the invention, a steady-state temperature between 90 °C and 95 °C was measured with four winding layers, whereas this temperature is already reached with a conventionally designed drum with only two to three layers. A further increase in the transmissible power loss can preferably be achieved with a fan and / or air conditioning units that create forced convection between the conductors.

[0010] According to the invention, a curing system for curing hose liners impregnated with light-curing plastic is proposed, comprising a head with at least one light source, a cable connected to the head for supplying power to the light source, and a cable drum with an axially extending winding body for receiving and releasing the cable, wherein the cable drum has a first row of a plurality of equidistantly arranged radially extending rods extending axially along the winding body and a second row of a plurality of equidistantly arranged radially extending rods extending axially along the winding body, wherein the first row and the second row are formed parallel to each other at opposite positions on the winding body.The spacing between the bars of the first row and the spacing between the bars of the second row is identical and corresponds at least to the diameter of the cable, and the bars of the second row are axially offset from the bars of the first row by half the spacing between the bars.

[0011] The winding body has, in particular, two flanges arranged at its ends, between which the cable can be wound in multiple layers. Furthermore, the winding body is specifically designed as a reel, i.e., it has a grid or frame structure that allows ventilation of the cable from both the outside and the inside. The bars extending radially from the winding body are preferably round, with the diameter of the bars being preferably smaller than the diameter of the cable. The length of the radially extending bars is such that a desired number of winding layers can be arranged in an orderly fashion between the bars.

[0012] The curing unit's head can include a light source and a camera for monitoring the curing process. The cable can be used not only to power the light source but also the camera, as well as for data transmission and control of this and other elements located on the head. In particular, the head can be designed as a carriage, with or without its own drive system.

[0013] Although the cable on the cable drum according to the invention can be wound and unwound manually, a drive rotating the winding body is preferably provided, which is designed in particular as a motor, specifically as an electric motor. The output of the electric motor is connected to the shaft of the winding body, for example by means of a belt.

[0014] For automated handling of the system, a winding device driven by the winding body is provided, which has a cable guide slidably arranged on a reversing spindle parallel to the axis of the winding body. The cable guide is designed in particular as a deflection roller.

[0015] Although additional ventilation of the wound cable with a fan has proven not to be absolutely necessary, a fan that creates a radial airflow through the winding body is preferably provided, which can effectively dissipate the waste heat.

[0016] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a particularly preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1. The basic structure of a particularly preferred embodiment according to the invention in an overview diagram; Fig. 2 a perspective view of a particularly preferred cable drum of a particularly preferred embodiment; Fig. 3 a frontal view of the in Fig. 2 cable drums shown; Fig. 4 a top view of the in Fig. 2 cable drums shown; Fig. 5 a cutaway frontal view in the area of ​​the cable drum shaft.

[0017] Fig. 1. The basic structure of a particularly preferred embodiment according to the invention is shown in an overview diagram. In particular, it shows Fig. 1. A vehicle F equipped for sewer pipe rehabilitation is positioned near a manhole S connected to a sewer pipe R. The vehicle F carries a curing unit 100 for curing pipe liners impregnated with light-curing plastic, with the head 10, which has a plurality of light sources 12, being inserted into the pipe. To supply the light sources 12 with power, the head 10, specially designed as a carriage, is connected to a cable 20 wound on and supplied from a cable drum 30 located in the vehicle. In addition to the light sources 12, the head 10 can have a camera (not shown) that can be used to monitor the curing process and is powered via the cable 20. The cable 20 also includes a corresponding line for transmitting the image captured by the camera to a monitor installed in the vehicle.Furthermore, cable 20 may also have control lines for controlling the head 10 and the (possibly further) devices arranged on it.

[0018] Fig. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a particularly preferred cable drum of a particularly preferred embodiment. The cable drum 30 has – as is known – an axially extending winding body 32, designed for receiving and discharging the cable 20, wherein the winding body 32 has flanges on its two end faces that define the winding layers.

[0019] For winding the cable 20 onto the winding body 32 of the cable drum 30, a drive designed as an electric motor is provided, which drives the winding body 32 via a belt. Furthermore, the cable drum 30 has a winding device 40 driven by the winding body 32, which has a cable guide 44 slidably arranged on a reversing spindle 42 arranged parallel to the axis of the winding body 32.

[0020] The rotational movement of the winding body 32 and the linear movement of the cable guide 44, designed as a deflection roller, caused by the cross-threaded spindle 42 are synchronized in such a way that an orderly winding of the cable 20 between the terminal flanges can take place.

[0021] Specifically, the synchronization between the winding device 40 and the winding body 32 is to be carried out in such a way that the cable 20 - as Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 5 shows that the cable can be inserted between the rods 38 arranged around the circumference of the winding body 32. For this purpose, the cable drum 30 has a first row 34 extending axially along the winding body 32, comprising a plurality of equidistantly arranged, radially extending rods 38, and a second row 36 extending axially along the winding body 32, comprising a plurality of equidistantly arranged, radially extending rods 38. The first row 34 and the second row 36 are parallel to each other and located at opposite positions on the winding body 32. In other words, the angle between the two rows, measured around the circumference of the winding body 32, is 180°. The spacing between the rods 38 of the first row 34 and the spacing between the rods 38 of the second row 36 is identical and corresponds at least to the diameter of the cable 20.As a (further) special feature, the bars 38 of the second row 36 are arranged offset in the axial direction by half the distance between the bars 38 and the bars 38 of the first row 34.

[0022] Out of Fig. 4, which shows a top view of the in Fig. As shown in Figure 2 of the cable drum, it is evident that, particularly when the bars 38 are designed as round bars with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the cable 20, the bars 38 merely act as point guides for the cable 20 and otherwise result in spacing between the cable windings of a winding layer. Due to the gaps created between the cable windings by this spacing, through which the shaft of the winding body 32 can be seen, the cable surface available for cooling the cable 20 is significantly improved compared to conventional systems.

Claims

[1] Curing system (100) for curing pipe liners impregnated with light-curing plastic, with - a head (10) having at least one light source (12), - a cable (20) connected to the head (10) to supply power to the light source (12) and - a cable drum (30) designed for receiving and discharging the cable (20) with an axially extending winding body (32), characterized by , that the cable drum (30) - a first row (34) extending axially along the winding body (32) of a plurality of equidistantly arranged radially extending rods (38) and - has a second row (36) extending axially along the winding body (32) of a plurality of equidistantly arranged radially extending rods (38), wherein - the first row (34) and the second row (36) are formed parallel to each other at opposite positions of the winding body (32), - the distance between the bars (38) of the first row (34) and the distance between the bars (38) of the second row (36) is identical and corresponds at least to the diameter of the cable (20), and - the bars (38) of the second row (36) are arranged offset from the bars (38) of the first row (34) in the axial direction by half the distance between the bars (38) of each other. [2] Curing system (100) according to claim 1, characterized by a drive rotating the winding body (32). [3] Curing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims characterized by a winding device (40) driven by the winding body (32), which has a cable guide (44) slidably arranged on a reversing spindle (42) arranged parallel to the axis of the winding body (32). [4] Curing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the diameter of the rods (38) is smaller than the diameter of the cable (20). [5] Curing system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the winding body (32) is designed as a reel. [6] Curing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims characterized by a fan that creates an airflow radially through the winding body. [7] Curing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the head (10) is designed as a carriage. [8] Curing system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the head (10) has a camera.

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