Pre-Insulated Pipe Joint Sleeve for Water Spread Limiting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pre-insulated piping systems face significant damage and energy loss due to water intrusion through breaches in the outer protective jacket, particularly at joint locations, leading to boiling water that deteriorates the foam insulation and causes extensive damage.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a heat dissipating element, such as a cylindrical metal sleeve insulated with high temperature polyisocyanurate foam, surrounding the inner carrier pipe to rapidly cool intruding water below boiling point, thereby limiting damage and preventing further deterioration of the insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the outer protective jacket is punctured or breached, then water enters the piping system and contacts the hot carrier pipe causing boiling, but this leads to deterioration of the foam insulation and huge energy losses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegrity of protective jacketVSAvoidwater damage to insulation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The piping system is divided into segments with water spread limiting elements installed at specific locations (such as at joints or每隔一定距离) to compartmentalize potential water damage. This segmentation prevents water from spreading throughout the entire pipeline, limiting damage to only the section where the breach occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A water spread limiting element is introduced as an intermediary component between the carrier pipe and the outer protective jacket. This element acts as a barrier that slows or prevents water from reaching the hot carrier pipe and foam insulation, thereby mediating the harmful interaction between intruding water and the insulation system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If maintenance personnel delay repairing breaches in the protective jacket, then water continues to damage the insulation, but prompt repair is difficult to coordinate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse time to breachesVSAvoiddelay in repair

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The water spread limiting element is installed in advance as a preventive measure that cushions against potential water intrusion. Even if the outer protective jacket is breached, this pre-installed element provides immediate protection, buying time for maintenance personnel to respond without causing catastrophic damage in the meantime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Loss of energy

If the foam insulation deteriorates from water contact, then energy losses increase significantly, but preventing all water intrusion is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy loss from insulation deteriorationVSAvoidwater intrusion

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The water spread limiting element converts the harmful effect of water intrusion into a controlled, localized phenomenon. Rather than allowing water to freely damage the insulation along the entire pipeline, the element restricts water to a small confined area, transforming a potentially catastrophic energy loss into a manageable, localized issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 heat dissipating element effectively limits water damage to a small area adjacent to the joint, preventing boiling water from traveling significant distances and reducing energy losses by cooling the water before it can cause extensive damage to the foam insulation.

Implementation Method 1

a heat dissipating element, such as a cylindrical metal sleeve insulated with high temperature polyisocyanurate foam, surrounding the inner carrier pipe to rapidly cool intruding water below boiling point

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS8468677B2Water spread limiting system for pre-insulated piping

Publication Date: 2013.06.25 THERMACOR PROCESS INC

AI summary

A section of pipe is used in a pre-insulated piping system where the system is made up of lengths of insulated and jacketed pre-insulated piping. Each length of piping is made up of an inner carrier pipe having an interior surface and an exterior surface. An envelope of foamed insulation surrounds the inner pipe exterior surface and an outer protective jacket surrounds the envelope of foamed insulation. The length of piping has a joining end for joining to an adjacent length of piping, whereby the adjacent lengths of piping provide a continuous length of fluid conduit for conveying high temperature fluids. A heat dissipating element surrounds the inner carrier pipe for at least a portion of the length thereof. The heat dissipating element is itself insulated, whereby any water which penetrates the outer protective jacket contacts the heat dissipating element and is cooled below boiling before traveling any significant distance along the length of the section of piping.