Hydrogel Pipeline Purging With Residue Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
The internal condition of pipelines carrying potable water deteriorates over time due to debris like rust, leading to poor water quality, and existing cleaning methods are either costly or non-compliant with regulations, especially when pipelines are inaccessible.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a hydrogel with additives like chloride, sulphate, or nitrate ions is transported through the pipeline to purge debris, followed by flushing and verification of residual hydrogel removal using detectable additives, ensuring thorough cleaning and compliance with safety regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pipeline portions are removed and replaced to address water quality deterioration, then adequate water quality is reinstated, but the process becomes expensive and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cleaning function from the pipeline structure itself by introducing a separate cleaning medium (hydrogel) that can be transported through the pipeline to remove debris, avoiding the need to extract or replace pipeline portions while still achieving the goal of removing contaminants
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrogel acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates the cleaning process by being transported through the pipeline, carrying cleaning agents and physically removing debris, then being flushed out, thereby mediating between the need for cleaning and the constraint of not replacing pipeline sections
2Reliability
If chemicals are used to clean pipelines, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but strict regulations regarding chemical use and residual content must be complied with
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the cleaning medium from liquid chemical to semi-solid hydrogel, which alters how the cleaning agents are delivered and retained, allowing for controlled release and easier removal, thereby simplifying regulatory compliance while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrogel incorporates colored additives that provide visual indication of the gel's position and presence in the pipeline, enabling operators to verify complete flushing and ensure no residual hydrogel remains, thereby simplifying compliance verification
3Reliability
If the hydrogel is transported through the pipeline to purge debris, then cleaning is achieved, but verification of complete hydrogel removal is required
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrogel contains colored additives that make it visually detectable in the pipeline and in flushed water, allowing operators to easily verify complete removal by visual inspection, thereby converting a difficult detection problem into a simple visual verification process
Solution Approach 2:
The colored additive provides continuous visual feedback during the flushing process, allowing operators to monitor the effluent and determine when complete hydrogel removal has been achieved, thereby enabling real-time verification rather than requiring separate testing procedures
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
This method effectively cleans pipelines while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance, reducing the need for costly pipeline replacements and maintaining water quality by thoroughly removing debris and hydrogel residues.
Implementation Method 1
the additive ion is dissociable from the hydrogel by diffusing into the volume of flushing water to thereby enable detection of its presence within a volume of flushing water collected from the offline liquid-carrying conduit following the flushing step
Data Source
AI summary
Method of purging and subsequently verifying a liquid-carrying conduit includes the steps of: providing a hydrogel comprising additive(s) selected from the group comprising: chloride ions, sulphate ions, nitrate ions fluorescein dye, carmine dye and cation salts; transporting the hydrogel along at least a portion of an offline liquid-carrying conduit to thereby purge the conduit; substantially or completely removing the hydrogel from the offline liquid-carrying conduit; flushing the offline liquid-carrying conduit with a volume of flushing water; and verifying removal of the hydrogel from the offline liquid-carrying conduit by checking the flushed water for detectable traces of the additive. The flushing step is repeated as often as necessary until the additive cannot be detected. The method may be employed to purge different types of liquid-carrying conduits, e.g.conduits for transporting potable water; conduits for transporting sewage; and oil pipelines.