Rehabilitation Packer Sleeve Transition for Longer Service Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rehabilitation packers for tubular conduits experience material weakening at the transition from the lining insert to the expandable sleeve due to repeated pressurization and balloon-like expansion, significantly limiting their service life.
Innovation Solution
A rehabilitation packer with a balloon-like expandable tubular sleeve sealed at both ends, featuring axial material recesses and insert extensions between them, which creates a gradual transition from a rigid lining insert to the expandable sleeve section, preventing excessive strain and material weakening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sleeve is repeatedly filled with pressurized medium and expanded like a balloon, then the rehabilitation function is achieved, but the service life of the sleeve is significantly limited due to material weakening at the transition area
Solution Approach 1:
The lining insert is segmented into multiple axially spaced sections with material recesses, creating distinct zones including a rigid peripherally sealed initial section and an expandable elastic section. This segmentation prevents stress concentration at any single transition point by distributing the mechanical load across multiple insert extensions, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving rehabilitation function and maintaining material strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the lining insert are given different local properties: the initial area adjacent to the end plug is made peripherally sealed and rigid for structural stability, while the intermediate sections with material recesses provide gradual transition zones, and the elastic sleeve section allows balloon-like expansion. This local differentiation of material properties enables each zone to perform its specific function optimally, preventing overall material weakening.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a peripherally sealed rigid lining insert is used, then structural stability is achieved, but abrupt transition to the expandable sleeve causes excessive strain
Solution Approach 1:
The insert extensions formed between the material recesses act as intermediary elements that gradually transition the structure from the rigid peripherally sealed initial section to the freely expandable elastic sleeve section. These intermediate zones prevent abrupt transitions by providing a progressive change in rigidity, thereby reducing excessive strain while maintaining overall structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The lining insert is designed with dynamic characteristics through the material recesses and insert extensions, allowing it to adapt its rigidity along the axial direction. The peripherally sealed initial area provides static structural stability, while the subsequent sections with material recesses allow progressive deformation, creating a dynamic transition zone that reduces stress concentration.
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 design enhances the service life of the rehabilitation packer by optimizing the expansion and adaptation to conduit diameters and pressures, allowing for effective use in both straight and curved conduits without abrupt material stress.
Implementation Method 1
filled with pressurized medium. The rehabilitation packer hereby expands like a balloon
Implementation Method 2
balloon-like expandable and tubular sleeve that can be pressurized
Implementation Method 3
A fluid transition from the predominantly rigid, peripherally sealed initial section of the lining insert to the balloon-like expandable elastic sleeve section is created as a result of the formation of peripherally spaced, axially running recesses and the material extensions formed between them
Data Source
AI summary
A rehabilitation packer for pipe and sewer rehabilitation that includes a balloon-like expandable and tubular sleeve that can be pressurized with a pressurized medium. The sleeve is respectively sealed at both its ends with an end plug and has a peripheral lining insert at both its ends which limits an expansion of the sleeve. The respective lining insert has material recesses running in the axial direction and mutually peripherally spaced from each other starting from its peripherally sealed initial area which is adjacent to the respective end plug and insert extensions are configured between the material recesses. A sleeve for use in such a rehabilitation packer is also described.