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Method and apparatus for determining proper curing of pipe liners using distributed temperature sensing

a temperature sensing and temperature sensing technology, applied in the direction of instruments, heat measurement, mechanical control devices, etc., can solve the problems of affecting the operation requiring replacement or repair, and starting to leak or fail structurally, etc., and achieving the effect of avoiding the failure of the entire lining operation, and avoiding the failure of the whole lining operation

Inactive Publication Date: 2011-08-04
LINDNER RICHARD +1
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  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

As pipes age, they begin to leak or fail structurally and require replacement or repair.
Replacing pipes, especially underground, can be extremely difficult and expensive.
However, there can be significant temperature variations within the liner so that a single temperature gauge does not provide sufficient information to assure that the temperature is within the prescribed range everywhere within the pipe so to assure proper curing over the entire length of the lining, especially as the lengths of the segment become longer.
If the liner is not completely cured over its full length, the entire lining operation may have been for naught.
Many factors can contribute to temperature variations within the lining, such as poor heating fluid circulation.
If the entire length of the liner has not been properly cured, the entire installation may be at risk of failing.
Such solutions are costly, time consuming and / or labor intensive.
Yet further, they are relatively bulky components that commonly remain in the pipe after installation and impede the flow of fluid within the pipe.

Method used

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  • Method and apparatus for determining proper curing of pipe liners using distributed temperature sensing
  • Method and apparatus for determining proper curing of pipe liners using distributed temperature sensing
  • Method and apparatus for determining proper curing of pipe liners using distributed temperature sensing

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Embodiment Construction

[0018]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a pipe segment in the process of being lined in accordance with the principles of the present invention and showing the various components involved in the practice of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the process near an end stage so as to illustrate all of the components involved. Particularly, a segment of pipe 101, such as sewer pipe, that is in need to repair is disposed underground and is accessible only at discrete points adjacent manholes 104a, 104b in the street, e.g., commonly spaced apart approximately 360-400 feet in the United States. Accordingly, a 360-400 foot long sock of cured-in-place pipe liner 103 is provided for lining the pipe 101. Before the liner 103 is placed in the pipe 101, an optical fiber cable 105 is placed in the pipe 101. Preferably, the optical fiber cable is longer than the actual pipe segment so as to provide at least approximately ten meters of extra cable at the far end and any extra cable needed at the nea...

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Abstract

The present invention relates to method and apparatus utilizing distributed temperature sensing (DTS) to monitor the temperature of a cured-in-place pipe liner to determine if proper curing temperatures and times are achieved. More particularly, an optical fiber is placed in the pipe between the original pipe and the liner running the entire length of the liner. The optical fiber is coupled to a DTS unit at neo end. During curing of the liner, the DTS unit sends light pulses down the fiber from one end and detects the characteristics and time delay of light backscattered to the unit. The characteristics of the backscattered light is indicative of the temperature of the optical fiber, while the time delay between the sending of the light pulse and the detection of any portion of the backscatter signal is indicative of the round trip time of the light within the fiber, and thus the distance down the fiber from the DTS unit from which that particular backscatter signal originated.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is based on, and claims priority to, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 473,459, filed Apr. 8, 2011, the entire contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates generally to the curing of cured-in-place pipe liners. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for assuring that a cure-in-place liner installed in a pipe is fully cured.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]It is often necessary to repair pipes, tubes and the like, such as sewer pipes, that are disposed in locations that are difficult or impossible to access. Some such situations are encountered in connection with underground sewer, storm water, potable water, gas, and other utility pipes. As pipes age, they begin to leak or fail structurally and require replacement or repair. Replacing pipes, especially underground, can be extremely difficult and expensive. Accordingly, technolo...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): B32B41/00B32B37/02B32B37/06B32B37/10B32B37/14
CPCB32B37/02B32B37/06B32B41/00B32B37/14B32B37/10G01K11/32G01K13/00G01K11/324
Inventor LINDNER, RICHARDGEARHART, STEPHEN VINCENT
Owner LINDNER RICHARD
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