Expandable Pipe Grooves for Grout Placement in Conduit Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for restoring conduits using grout materials are costly and labor-intensive, with difficulty in controlling the placement of grout, often resulting in uneven distribution and failure to fill all cracks within the conduit.
Innovation Solution
An expandable pipe with a liner featuring radially extending grooves to contain and distribute grout material, which expands upon moisture contact to fill voids and imperfections within the conduit, providing controlled placement and sealing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If grout material is pumped into the annular space to fill cracks in the metal conduit, then the conduit is restored, but the grout material is disposed unevenly and does not fill all cracks
Solution Approach 1:
The liner is segmented with radially extending grooves that divide the grout material into discrete segments or cells. This segmentation allows each groove to contain and distribute grout material to specific areas of the conduit, ensuring complete and controlled filling of cracks in different zones rather than uncontrolled pumping into a continuous annular space.
Solution Approach 2:
The grooves create local containment zones for grout material, allowing different quantities and distributions of grout to be applied to different sections of the conduit based on local damage requirements. This enables precise control over where grout is placed and how it distributes, ensuring complete filling of cracks in each specific area.
2Manufacturing precision
If a liner with grooves containing grout material is used, then grout placement is controlled and cracks are filled, but the liner cannot be folded for convenient transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves in the liner are designed to be collapsible or foldable, allowing the liner to transition from a rigid, shape-maintaining structure during installation to a flexible, compact form during transportation. This dynamic property enables the liner to be folded into a convenient size for shipping while still providing structural support and grout containment when deployed in the conduit.
3Reliability
If grout material is pumped into the annular space, then the conduit is restored, but significant material costs and labor costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The grout material is pre-placed in the grooves of the liner before the liner is installed in the conduit. This preliminary action eliminates the need for expensive and labor-intensive pumping equipment and operations to inject grout into the annular space after liner installation. The grout is already positioned and contained where it needs to go, reducing both material waste and labor costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The liner with pre-placed grout in its grooves is a self-contained system that requires no additional pumping equipment, hoses, or specialized labor for grout injection. The liner itself serves as both the structural reinforcement element and the grout delivery system, eliminating the need for separate grout pumping operations and reducing overall project costs.
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 expandable pipe effectively and cost-efficiently restores conduit integrity by ensuring even grout distribution, filling cracks and voids, and providing a seal against water and debris, suitable for various types of conduits.
Implementation Method 1
A grout material having a dimension is disposed on the exterior surface. The grout material is expandable in the dimension upon contact with moisture.
Implementation Method 2
The grout material expands to engage the interior surface of the damaged conduit and fills cracks, holes, indentations, or other imperfections and voids along the interior surface of the conduit
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable pipe (20) for restoring a damaged conduit (22) includes a liner (24) formed of polypropylene material. The liner (24) presents exterior surface (26) defining a plurality of grooves (28) and surrounding a center opening (32). The grooves (28) contain a grout material (30) and provide for controlled placement of the grout material (30). The grooves (28) maintain the placement of the grout material (30) when sliding the expandable pipe (20) into the conduit (22). The grout material (30) includes urethane and recycled fibers (36), and expands in volume upon contact with moisture. The grout material (30) expands to fill cracks in the conduit (22). The grooves (28) also render the expandable pipe (20) bendable in width (W) at the groves for folding and transporting the expandable pipe (20) and for maneuvering around bends of the conduit (22).