Excavated Pipe Coating Removal With Debris Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The coatings on excavated pipe sections, typically made of coal tar-based materials, hinder the recycling of the metal due to their hazardous nature, necessitating controlled removal and disposal.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing an enclosure with a high-pressure spray system, active and passive separation systems, and a conveyor to remove coatings from pipe sections, containing and separating debris from water, and transporting it for disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If coatings are applied to pipe sections to reduce corrosion, then the pipe sections are protected from corrosion, but the hazardous coatings prevent recycling of the metal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the hazardous coating material from the pipe section surface through high-pressure water jetting, allowing the metal pipe to be separated and recycled while the coating is contained and disposed of separately
Solution Approach 2:
The hazardous coating that previously prevented recycling is transformed into a contained, separated material that can be properly disposed of, while the cleaned metal pipe becomes available for recycling, converting the harmful presence into a manageable separation problem
2Ease of manufacture
If cleaning is performed to remove hazardous coatings, then the pipe sections can be recycled, but the cleaning process creates hazardous debris that must be properly contained and disposed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary containment system including enclosures, summits, and filtration systems that mediate between the cleaning process and the environment, capturing hazardous debris in controlled areas and preventing its release
Solution Approach 2:
The hazardous coating debris is extracted from the cleaning process and separated into contained piles within the enclosure, allowing it to be isolated from the environment and transported to disposal facilities
3Productivity
If high-pressure spray systems are used to remove coatings, then the coating removal efficiency increases, but the generation of entrained debris increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses high-pressure hydraulic spray systems to remove coatings efficiently, and employs hydraulic filtration systems including filters and summits to capture and separate the entrained debris generated during the process
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
Efficiently removes and contains hazardous coatings from pipe sections, enabling safe recycling of the metal by ensuring proper disposal of the coatings.
Implementation Method 1
a spray head having at least one nozzle, where the nozzle is configured to form a pressurized liquid stream to impact the exterior surface of the portion of the section of pipe
Implementation Method 2
a liquid filtration system fluidly connected to the sump, the liquid filtration system having a filter media configured to remove a portion of the entrained debris from the mixture
Implementation Method 3
a conveyor having a first portion and a spaced apart second portion, the first portion located along at least a portion of the debris retention surface of the sump, and the second portion being external to the sump, such that the conveyor transports debris from the sump
Implementation Method 4
an enclosure defining an interior, the interior sized to enclose at least a portion of the section of pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for removing a coating from an excavated pipe section includes impacting liquid jects against the coating and collecting a mixture of the liquid and debris of the removed coating. The mixture is subjected to active separation and passive separation to capture the debris, wherein the debris can be appropriately disposed.