UV patch repair device

Abstract

UV patch repair device UV patch repair device (6) for repairing damaged pipelines (7), comprising an outer layer (6a) as fabric impregnated with resin, a middle layer (6b) as one foil and an inner layer (6c) as an inflatable hose; sealing in a start section (8b) of the hose; a cable (3) attached to an UV head (5) placed inside the hose; characterised by that the device comprising an end section (8a) of the hose as a closure, a rod (1) attached to the UV head (5) with a string (2) and placed inside the hose, the string further attached to the end section (8a) of the hose and the cable (3) is an electrical cable electrically connected to the UV head (5) and a flow channel for feeding air to the UV head (5) and is placed inside of the UV patch repair device (6).

Description

[0001] UV patch repair device

[0002] Technical field of the invention

[0003] The obj ect of the present invention relates to an UV patch repair device for pipelines .

[0004] The state of the art

[0005] Current technology in UV patch repair systems includes resin systems as well as standard UV packers . The UV packers have transparent silicone covers . The resin systems are UV curable resins that are applied to the UV packers . This system is placed inside the damaged pipeline and inflated to press the resin against the pipeline . The UV packer contains fixed UV light sources running the length of the packer . These UV light sources cure the resins through the silicone cover . A signi ficant disadvantage of these systems is the need for multiple packer si zes to accommodate di f ferent pipeline diameters , combined with the rapid deterioration and high cost of silicone covers .

[0006] The JP2007030237A patent document shows an embodiment in which the UV light source is a train of connected UV light sources that can be moved along the length of the pipeline . The disadvantage of this embodiment is that it is necessary to use several UV light sources and the system is too complex with a work vehicle and cable drum to move the train-shaped device .

[0007] As a consequence of the above , there is a need for an UV patch repair device that is flexible and capable to be used in pipelines with di f ferent lengths and diameters . Further, there is a need for an UV patch repair device capable of working with a removable UV light source that can be easily moved .

[0008] Brief description of the figures

[0009] Figure 1 shows the layers of a hose according to the invention;

[0010] Figure 2 shows a schematic drawing of the hose according to the invention in a side view;

[0011] Figure 3 shows a schematic drawing of the hose with the UV head in the end section of the hose according to the invention in a side view;

[0012] Figure 4 shows a schematic drawing of the hose with the damaged string according to the invention in a side view; Figure 5 shows the curing process according to the invention in a side view;

[0013] Brief description of the invention

[0014] The present invention is based on the recognition that a hose , which is an UV packer without an UV light source , is flexible and can be used in any type of pipeline , and further, a removable UV light source can be moved inside the hose with rods .

[0015] In accordance with the recognition above , the present invention relates to an UV patch repair device for repairing damaged pipelines , comprising an outer layer as fabric impregnated with resin, a middle layer as at least one foil and an inner layer as an inflatable hose ; a fixing clamp with sealing in the start section of the hose ; a cable and an attached UV head placed inside the hose ; characterised by that the device comprising a rod attached to the UV head with a string and placed inside the hose and the cable is an electrical cable electrically connected to the UV head and a flow channel for feeding air to the UV head and inside of the UV patch repair device .

[0016] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are determined in the subclaims .

[0017] Detailed description of the invention

[0018] The essence of the UV patch repair device according to the invention is that a single removable UV head with a rod is movable inside the hose to cure resin inside the pipeline .

[0019] In the context of the present invention, hose is a flexible , durable , and resistant tube which is speci fically designed to be inflated or deflated .

[0020] In the context of the present invention, prepreg is fabric, usually from glass fiber, which is impregnated with UV-curable resin . The hose is coated with this prepreg before the hose is placed inside the pipeline .

[0021] In the context of the present invention, an UV head is an UV light unit , which contains one or more UV light source ( s ) , usually in the form of diode ( s ) . Further, the UV head is connected to a cable for electricity and coolant .

[0022] In the context of the present invention, a transparent foil is a thin, flexible material that allows light to pass through . The transparent foil is usually made of plastic, for example polyethylene ( PE ) or polypropylene ( PP ) , but we do not exclude any other material , such as silicon, which is capable of forming a transparent foil .

[0023] In the context of the present invention, an UV packer is a device , which cures pipelines with UV curable resins . The parts of the UV packer are hose with a foil , fixed UV light source inside the hose and sealings .

[0024] The basic idea of the present invention is that i f the UV light source is not distributed along the entire UV packer, but using only a removable UV head that can be moved along the length of the pipeline to be cured, then it is not necessary to prepare packers of di f ferent lengths or inflated diameters for curing pipelines . It is much easier using a deflated hose and placing an independent UV head inside the hose to cure the resin on the pipeline surface .

[0025] Figure 1 shows the order of layers in a 6 UV patch repair device . The 6 UV patch repair device 6a outer layer is a prepreg, which is a fabric impregnated with resin . The prepreg will be pressed to the damaged part of a 7 pipeline and after UV radiation, the resin will be cured and hardened to cover the damages . This prepreg is the replaceable part of the 6 UV patch repair device after every use . The 6b middle layer is a foil to maintain the pressure inside the 6 UV patch repair device and to separate the resin from the 6c inner layer after the curing . Therefore , the 6 UV patch repair device without the prepreg will be reusable after the prepreg is reapplied to it . The 6c inner layer is the inflatable hose .

[0026] The foil in the 6b middle layer can be a single foil or multiple foils either . In particular, some foil material is good for separating the 6c inner and 6a outer layers or good for maintaining the pressure . In this case , i f we use di f ferent types of foil for the two purposes , mainly for maintaining the pressure and separating the 6c inner and 6a outer layers , we need to use at least two layers of foil , one for each purpose . For example , PE (polyethylene ) , PP ( Polypropylene ) or silicone foils are good for separation . These foils can be as thin as 10- 100 microns depending on the material .

[0027] For maintaining the pressure in the 6 UV patch repair device , the foil can be PE (polyethylene ) , PP ( Polypropylene ) , PA ( Polyamide ) , silicone foils , filament-reinforced or any foil , which is capable to hold the necessary pressure in the 6 UV patch repair device . These foils are typically thicker than the foils for separation, such as 10-500 microns , preferably 10-200 microns . For a single foil in the 6b middle layer, which maintains the pressure and separates the 6c inner and 6a outer layers , the thickness of the foil is 80-500 microns depending on the material .

[0028] Figure 2 shows a schematic drawing of the 6 UV patch repair device with a movable 5 UV head and 1 rod . The 5 UV head is placed inside the deflated hose , the 5 UV head is connected to a 3 cable outside the 6 UV patch repair device and to a 2 string, the 2 string is connected to a 1 rod placed inside the deflated hose .

[0029] The 6 UV patch repair device is placed inside the damaged 7 pipeline and the 1 rod can be used to move the 6 UV patch repair device to the damaged part of the 7 pipeline . Figure 3 shows the moment when the 6 UV patch repair device is already in the right place around the damaged part of the 7 pipeline . Once the 6 UV patch repair device is in the correct position, we inflate it using the 3 cable attached to the 5 UV head . This 3 cable has a hole for gas flow, allowing air to reach the inside of the hose to increase the pressure and inflate the 6 UV patch repair device . Optionally, the 3 cable is capable of allowing evaporated liquid or liquid to enter the 6 UV patch repair device to cool the 5 UV head, if the coolant is not gaseous material . Furthermore , this 3 cable supply electricity and even communication with the 6 UV patch repair device , i f necessary . It is a mandatory knowledge of a person skilled in the art to create such a 3 cable or use multiple cables with di f ferent purposes . We pull the 1 rod until it is only in the 8b start section of the hose , so that the 5 UV head with the attached 2 string moves to the 8a end section of the 6 UV patch repair device .

[0030] Figure 4 shows the 5 UV head at the 8a end section of the 6 UV patch repair device with the 2 string removed . Once the 5 UV head is in the 8a end section of the 6 UV patch repair device , curing can begin . By removing the 2 string from the 5 UV head, the 5 UV head can be moved along the length of the 6 UV patch repair device to start the curing process . This can be done by applying force to the 1 rod or by heating from the 5 UV head . For example , use a heating panel with a button to switch on the 5 UV head when it reaches the 8a end section . Without the attached 2 string, the 5 UV head can be movable with pulling out the 3 cable from the inside of the 6 UV patch repair device .

[0031] Figure 5 shows the curing process , where we move back the 5 UV head from the 8a end section of the 6 UV patch repair device to the 8b start section with the 3 cable attached to the 5 UV head .

[0032] The role of the 8b start section of the 6 UV patch repair device is to seal the inside of the 6 repair device , thus maintaining the pressure in the inflated hose . To do this , the 8b start section comprising a sealing, which included 4 fixing clamps and silicone sheets to maintain the pressure and still allow the 1 rod and 3 cable to move . The 4 fixing clamp is fixing several silicone sheets with holes for the 3 cable and the 1 rod in the 8b start section . The silicone sheets are lubricated with lubricant in order to allow the 3 cable and 1 rod to move but maintain the pressure inside the 6 UV patch repair device . We do not exclude other type of sealings , which are maintaining the pressure in the 6 UV patch repair device and still allow the 1 rod and 3 cable to move .

[0033] The role of the hose 8a end section is to allow the movement and adj ustment of the prepreg and maintain the pressure . The 8a end section is the closure of the 6 UV patch repair device , which give the hose an at least partly solid structure even in deflated state for easier placement of the 6 UV patch repair device . Further, the 8a end section helps to maintain the pressure in the 6 UV patch repair device and the string attached to the end section to ensure , that the rod is able to place the 5 UV head close to the 8a end section of the hose to cure the whole prepreg in its movement . Further, the 8a end section can supply with wheels for easier placement of the 6 UV patch repair device .

[0034] To enhance the mobility the 8b start and 8a end section of the 6 UV patch repair device can occupy wheels or other attachments for easier movement of the 6 UV patch repair device .

[0035] The advantage of the repair device according to the invention is that it can repair multiple pipelines by replacing only the prepreg . A further advantage is that it is easy to use in pipelines with di f ferent physical parameters .

Claims

Claims1. UV patch repair device (6) for repairing damaged pipelines (7) , comprising an outer layer (6a) as fabric impregnated with resin, a middle layer (6b) as at least one foil and an inner layer (6c) as an inflatable hose; sealing in a start section (8b) of the hose; a cable (3) attached to an UV head (5) placed inside the hose; characterised by that the device comprising an end section (8a) of the hose as a closure, a rod (1) attached to the UV head (5) with a string (2) and placed inside the hose, the string further attached to the end section (8a) of the hose and the cable (3) is an electrical cable electrically connected to the UV head (5) and a flow channel for feeding air to the UV head (5) and is placed inside of the UV patch repair device ( 6 ) .

2. The UV patch repair device (6) according to claim 1, wherein the middle layer (6b) is comprising at least two f oil .

3. The UV patch repair device (6) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sealing is silicone sheets with holes for the cable (3) and the rod (1) and fixing clamps (4) to fix the silicone sheets.

4. The UV patch repair device (6) according to claim 1 - 3, wherein the UV head (5) is comprising a heater for detaching the string (2) .

5. The UV patch repair device (6) according to claim 1 - 4, wherein the cable (3) is further capable to feeding evaporated liquid to the UV head (5) for cooling.

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