Corrosion Resistant Electrical Conduit System with Continuous Grounding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current corrosion-resistant electrical conduit systems face challenges with inconsistent polymer coatings, increased material usage, reduced conduit cross-sectional area, complex installation processes, and high labor costs due to the need for precise coating maintenance during assembly and bending, which affects electrical continuity and safety.

Innovation Solution

A multilayer conduit system with a metallic layer between polymeric layers, featuring a conduit fitting with a conductive component that ensures continuous electrical grounding through a grounding ring or similar mechanism, allowing for easy assembly and reduced stress on polymer coatings, using push-fit or snap-fit connectors to minimize torsional moments and simplify installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If polymer coating is applied using long spraying wand inserted inside conduit, then corrosion resistance is improved, but coating thickness becomes inconsistent and material usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidcoating thickness consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A mandrel is introduced as an intermediary device during the coating process. The mandrel is inserted into the conduit and rotated to evenly distribute and spread the polymer coating material along the interior surface, ensuring uniform coating thickness throughout the conduit length while reducing material waste compared to traditional spray methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If thick polymer coating is applied to ensure adequate coverage, then corrosion resistance is improved, but conduit cross-sectional area is reduced and pulling force requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrosion resistanceVSAvoidconduit cross-sectional area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The coating application process parameters are optimized by controlling the amount of polymer material applied and using the rotating mandrel to distribute it evenly. This creates a consistent, adequate coating thickness that provides sufficient corrosion protection while minimizing the coating thickness to preserve maximum conduit cross-sectional area and reduce wire pulling forces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If threaded connections are used to assemble conduit system, then mechanical strength is improved, but installation time increases and coating integrity becomes difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical connection strengthVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The threading operation is extracted and performed separately on conduit sections before they are coated with polymer material. This allows the threads to be cut on the metallic substrate without compromising the polymer coating, enabling both strong mechanical connections and maintained coating integrity during assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If conduit is bent in the field to form curved paths, then adaptability is improved, but polymer coating may crack or split

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefield bending capabilityVSAvoidpolymer coating integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Conduit sections are pre-coated with polymer material during manufacturing before field installation. This preliminary coating application ensures that the coating is properly bonded to the metallic substrate, providing flexibility and adhesion strength that allows the conduit to be bent in the field without cracking or splitting the polymer coating

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a corrosion-resistant, cost-effective, and reliable electrical conduit system with improved installation efficiency, reduced material usage, and enhanced electrical continuity, ensuring safety and durability by maintaining the integrity of the polymer coatings and facilitating easy field modifications.

Implementation Method 1

The present invention is a corrosion resistant electrical conduit system that includes metal conduits and fittings with polymeric interior and exterior layers that is continuously electrically grounded

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

Plastic coatings prevent salts, cleaning products, and/or process chemicals, etc., from oxidizing the metallic components of the conduit system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCorrosion resistance:

Data Source

PatentUS10283236B2Corrosion resistant electrical conduit system

Publication Date: 2019.05.07 ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG

AI summary

A corrosion resistant conduit system that protects against corrosion and against electrical shortage. The corrosion resistant conduit system includes: a multilayer conduit having a metal layer disposed between two polymeric layers, a conduit fitting having an electrically conductive component and a body having one or more layers of polymeric material, and means for conductively coupling the metallic layer of the multilayer tube to the electrically conductive component of the fitting, which provides a continuous electrical path throughout the corrosion resistant conduit system.