Pipe Repair Assembly With Internal Stent Deployment at Pipe Breaks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipe repair methods require shutting down piping systems, leading to inconvenience and high costs, as they often necessitate extensive construction and excavation to address pipe wall breaks, which can be time-consuming and disruptive.
Innovation Solution
A pipe repair assembly comprising a stent and a deployment probe, where the stent can be compressed for insertion and expanded to create a watertight seal within the pipe, using a release mechanism to facilitate navigation and deployment, allowing for minimally invasive repair without shutting down the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pipe repair methods are used, then pipe breaks can be repaired, but the piping system must be shut down and extensive construction is required
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is nested within the deployment probe during navigation, allowing the repair device to be inserted through the existing pipeline without external access. The stent is contained in a compressed state within the probe body, then deployed in-situ at the repair location, eliminating the need for system shutdown and extensive excavation.
Solution Approach 2:
The deployment probe acts as an intermediary device that delivers the stent to the crack location through the pipeline interior. The probe includes a release mechanism that mediates between the delivery state (compressed stent within probe) and the functional state (expanded stent sealing the crack), enabling repair without disrupting pipeline operation.
2Reliability
If conventional pipe repair methods are used, then pipe breaks can be repaired, but extensive construction and excavation are necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is nested within the deployment probe, which is inserted through the pipeline interior to the repair location. This nested configuration eliminates the need for extensive excavation and construction, as the entire repair process occurs in-situ through minimal access points.
Solution Approach 2:
The repair function is extracted from the traditional external construction approach and moved into the pipeline interior. The stent and deployment probe are introduced through the pipeline flow, separating the repair operation from external construction activities and enabling minimally invasive repair.
3Reliability
If the stent is expanded to create a seal, then pipe breaks can be sealed, but the stent cannot be navigated through the pipeline
Solution Approach 1:
The stent transitions dynamically between two states: a compressed navigation configuration that fits within the deployment probe for easy passage through the pipeline, and an expanded functional configuration that creates the seal at the crack location. The release mechanism enables this dynamic transformation at the appropriate location.
Solution Approach 2:
The repair system is segmented into two functional components: the deployment probe for navigation and delivery, and the stent for sealing. The stent is segmented from the probe structure and contained within it during navigation, then separated and deployed at the target location, allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function.
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
Enables efficient and cost-effective repair of pipe breaks by allowing the stent to be inserted and expanded within the pipe to create a seal, reducing the need for system shutdowns and extensive construction, thus minimizing disruption and costs.
Implementation Method 1
biasing the stent to an expanded configuration in the pipeline
Data Source
AI summary
Example aspects of a deployment probe for deploying a stent, a pipe repair assembly, and a method for repairing a pipeline are disclosed. The deployment probe for deploying a stent can comprise a probe body defining an inner surface, an outer surface, and a slot extending from the inner surface to the outer surface, the inner surface defining a probe void, the probe void defining a probe axis, the slot extending in an axial direction relative to the probe axis; and a release mechanism comprising a retainer body received within the probe void and a stent retainer coupled to the retainer body, the stent retainer substantially aligned with the slot and configured to engage a stent.