Plastic Liner Pipe Thermal Reduction for Tubular Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for lining tubular structures with plastic liner pipes require substantial infrastructure and high mobilization costs due to the need for on-site assembly and management of tensile loads to maintain the liner pipe's reduced diameter, which complicates and costs construction, especially for smaller projects and poses safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A method involving temporarily reducing the outside diameter of the liner pipe using a roller system, cooling it, and applying a thermal restraint to maintain the reduced diameter during transport to a remote installation site, where it is installed without the need for on-site mobilization of capital equipment, using refrigerated transport to prolong the liner's stability until installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the liner pipe is kept under tensile load to maintain reduced diameter for insertion, then the liner pipe can be inserted into the host pipe, but substantial infrastructure is required to manage the magnitude of loads, adding complexity and cost to construction
Solution Approach 1:
The liner pipe is pre-cooled to reduce its outside diameter before insertion, eliminating the need for on-site tensile loading infrastructure. The cooling is performed in advance at a centralized location, allowing the pipe to be transported and installed without requiring substantial load management equipment at the installation site.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical tensile loading system is replaced with a thermal cooling system. Instead of applying mechanical tension to maintain reduced diameter, the invention uses thermal contraction through cooling to achieve and maintain the reduced diameter state during transport and installation.
2Manufacturing precision
If diameter reduction equipment is assembled on-site, then the liner pipe can be reduced to fit the host pipe, but mobilization costs increase and smaller projects become uneconomic
Solution Approach 1:
The diameter reduction process is extracted from the installation site and performed at a centralized preparation location. The liner pipe is cooled and reduced in diameter before being transported to the installation site, separating the manufacturing process from the installation process and eliminating on-site equipment mobilization requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The diameter reduction is performed in advance at a centralized facility rather than on-site. By pre-cooling and pre-reducing the liner pipe diameter before transport, the invention eliminates the need for expensive on-site equipment assembly, making smaller projects economically viable.
3Device complexity
If the liner pipe is cooled and transported in reduced diameter, then transport infrastructure can be used without on-site equipment, but the liner pipe must be heated and expanded at installation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes thermal phase transitions of the polymer material. The liner pipe is cooled below its transition temperature to reduce diameter for transport, then heated at installation to allow expansion. This phase transition approach enables simple transport and installation equipment while maintaining the ability to achieve tight fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the liner pipe to control its diameter. By cooling the pipe to reduce diameter for transport and then heating it at installation to enable expansion, the invention simplifies equipment requirements while managing the installation process through temperature control.
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 approach reduces the complexity and cost of construction by allowing diameter reduction and installation at a remote site, using existing transport infrastructure, and enables longer coiled lengths without buckling collapse, while ensuring a close fit with the host pipe through controlled reversion with internal pressure.
Implementation Method 1
temporarily reducing an outside diameter of the liner pipe by passing the liner pipe through a roller system
Implementation Method 2
cooling it, and applying a thermal restraint to maintain the reduced diameter during transport
Implementation Method 3
applying a thermal restraint to maintain the reduced diameter during transport to a remote installation site
Implementation Method 4
using refrigerated transport to prolong the liner's stability until installation
Implementation Method 5
ensuring a close fit with the host pipe through controlled reversion with internal pressure
Data Source
AI summary
Method of lining a tubular structure with a plastics liner pipe comprising the steps of: —temporarily reducing an outside diameter of the liner pipe by passing the liner pipe through a roller system; —cooling the liner pipe once its outside diameter has been reduced and applying a thermal restraint; —transporting the liner pipe to an installation site remote from the roller system; —removing said thermal restraint; and —installing the liner pipe in said tubular structure at said installation site.