Non-Woven Fibre GRP Pipe Liner for Impact and Pressure Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) pipes are sensitive to impact damage and pigmentation in unsaturated polyester resin liners can reduce mechanical performance, particularly under internal pressure and hydrostatic testing, while also facing challenges in cold weather impact resistance and thermal cracking.
Innovation Solution
A glass-reinforced plastic pipe liner with a layer of non-woven fibres reinforced by unsaturated polyester resin, optionally mixed with vinyl ester resin, and containing colour pigments at 0.2-5.0 wt %, which improves impact performance, abrasion resistance, and water-jet resistance without damaging the liner, while allowing pigmentation and increased expected lifetime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pigments are added to unsaturated polyester resin liners, then visual inspection and pipe differentiation are enabled, but mechanical performance under internal pressure and hydrostatic testing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The liner is divided into multiple functional layers: a pigmented outer layer (containing 0.2-5.0 wt% pigments for visual inspection) and an inner unreinforced layer (free of pigments to maintain mechanical integrity). This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the liner have different properties: the outer layer is pigmented for identification and inspection purposes, while the inner layer remains unpigmented to provide the necessary mechanical strength and pressure resistance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between visual functionality and structural performance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If pigments are added to the liner, then pipe type differentiation is possible, but the liner may hide damage and deficiencies during visual inspection
Solution Approach 1:
The liner is segmented into a pigmented outer layer for identification and an inner unpigmented layer for inspection. This segmentation ensures that pigments do not interfere with damage detection, as the inner layer remains visually inspectable.
Solution Approach 2:
Pigmentation is applied locally only to the outer layer where identification is needed, while the inner layer remains free of pigments to allow clear visual inspection for damage and deficiencies, thus resolving the contradiction between identification and inspection capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a glass-reinforced plastic pipe liner of improved impact performance comprising layer B) from unsaturated polyester resin, optionally mixed with vinyl ester resin reinforced by non-woven fibres. Layer B) comprises colour pigments at 0.2-5.0 wt %. The invention provides flexible liners for pressure and non-pressure GRP pipes. It improves impact performance of the pipe liner whilst offering also improvements in abrasion resistance, water-jet resistance for high pressure cleaning without liner damage, increased expected lifetime by improved resistance to internal pressure and permits pigmentation of the liner. The invention also encloses a process for producing the glass-reinforced plastic pipe liner.