LED Curing Device with Passive Radiator for Pipeline Linings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for curing resin pipeline linings using UV radiation pose health risks to workers due to harmful UV emissions and require compressed air for cooling, limiting their effectiveness and safety in longer pipelines.
Innovation Solution
A compact, passively cooled device with a monolithic or sectional cylindrical body equipped with LEDs along its circumference, featuring a unique radiator structure for efficient cooling and power management, allowing for sequential LED activation to reduce power consumption and increase curing length up to 1000 meters without compressed air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If UV radiation is used to cure resin pipeline linings, then curing effectiveness is improved, but health safety deteriorates due to harmful UV emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the radiation parameter from UV wavelength to visible light wavelength (430-470 nm blue light), maintaining curing effectiveness while eliminating harmful UV emissions. This parameter substitution resolves the contradiction by selecting a different portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that achieves the same chemical curing effect without the harmful side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs LEDs as the light source instead of vacuum UV lamps. LEDs have longer operational life, lower power consumption, and eliminate the need for compressed air cooling systems, thereby improving safety while maintaining curing effectiveness.
2Temperature
If compressed air cooling is used in UV curing devices, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for external compressed air cooling systems by using passive heat dissipation through thermally conductive housing structures. The device serves its own cooling needs through naturally conductive paths from LED mounts to the aluminum housing, which dissipates heat to the surrounding air without requiring active cooling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical compressed air cooling system with a passive thermal conduction and convection system. The aluminum housing acts as a heat sink, transferring heat from LEDs through thermal conduction and dissipating it to the environment through natural convection, thereby eliminating complex mechanical cooling components.
3Productivity
If UV lamps are used for curing, then curing capability is improved, but energy consumption worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes from UV lamp technology to LED technology, fundamentally altering the energy conversion parameters. LEDs convert electrical energy directly to light with much higher efficiency, consuming significantly less power while delivering sufficient blue light intensity for resin curing in pipeline applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs LEDs which consume minimal electrical power compared to UV lamps. The low power consumption eliminates the need for high-voltage power supplies and compressed air cooling systems, reducing both energy consumption and device complexity while maintaining effective curing capability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If device size is reduced for smaller pipelines, then adaptability is improved, but heat dissipation capability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses LEDs instead of UV lamps, which generate significantly less heat during operation. This parameter change in the light source technology allows the device to be miniaturized for smaller pipelines while the reduced heat generation from LEDs can be easily dissipated even in compact configurations without compromising thermal management.
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 device provides safer, more efficient curing of resin linings with reduced energy consumption and increased speed, capable of curing longer pipelines while minimizing the risk of overheating and fire, even in pipelines with small diameters.
Implementation Method 1
The device is equipped with light emitting diodes (LEDs) distributed along the whole of its circumference
Implementation Method 2
curing of resin linings by means of electromagnetic radiation, and more particularly by means of visible light, especially light with a wavelength of about 450 nm, i.e. blue light
Implementation Method 3
a compact, passively cooled device with a cylindrical monolithic or sectional body featuring a unique radiator design for efficient cooling without compressed air
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for curing inner linings of pipelines introduced into them in the form of lining tubes impregnated with a resin. The device includes metal three-piece monolithic body (52) both of the two extreme cylindrical portions (53 and 54) of which have a diameter (Ø1) larger than the diameter (Ø1′) of its middle cylindrical portion (56), whereas all components of the body are connected with each other detachably, and both of the two extreme portions (53 and 54) are provided on their cylindrical circumferences with a dozen or so longitudinal ribs (65) each distributed symmetrically on them along the circumferences and having an identical thickness (U) and height (V), and moreover, the ribs are provided with circumferential slit-shaped recesses (66) situated opposite from each other and oriented perpendicularly to horizontal axis (67) of the device forming thus profiles functioning as radiators (68) composed of individual segments (69) separated from each other with elongated recesses with an dilation angle (α) and with crosswise circumferential slit-shaped recesses (66), whereas the middle portion (56) of the body on its circumference with diameter (Ø1′) has also a dozen or so flat facets-chords (74) evenly distributed along the circumference and separated from each other with radially oriented slit-shaped recesses (75) ending on solid core (64) of this portion of the body (52) in which power leads (80) are guided supplying electric current to LEDs (79) and to the front camera unit (40), said recesses forming profiled figures functioning as radiators (76) flat facets (74) of which are connected detachably with plastic strip-shaped plates (78) with LEDs (79) installed in them, and moreover, both of the two extreme portions (53 and 54) of the body (52) are provided with round axial holes (61) ending with bevelled chamfers (62) forming annular slots (63) situated between them and the solid core (64) of the middle portion (56) of the body, whereas the axial holes (61) are coaxial with holes (59) of both of the two profiled shields (58) connected detachably with outer faces of both of the two extreme portions (53 and 54) of the body (52) of the device.