Expandable Pipe Stent Sealing for Live Leak Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe repair methods require shutting down piping systems, leading to inconvenience and high costs due to the need for extensive construction and disruption of infrastructure, as they often necessitate digging and shutting off fluid flow to perform repairs.
Innovation Solution
A stent comprising a spring and sealing layer that can be expanded within a pipe to create a watertight seal at damaged areas, allowing for insertion in a compressed state and expansion to prevent leaks without interrupting fluid flow or requiring extensive excavation, utilizing a spring force and sealing layer to engage the pipe's inner wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional pipe repair methods are used, then the pipe can be repaired, but the piping system must be shut off and extensive construction is required
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is inserted into the pipe in a compressed, nested state through the existing pipe infrastructure without excavation. Once positioned at the repair location, the stent expands from its compressed configuration to its expanded configuration, nesting within the pipe's internal diameter while providing external sealing support against the pipe's outer surface, thus repairing the pipe without shutting down the system or digging up infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent transitions dynamically between a compressed configuration for insertion and an expanded configuration for repair. This dynamic transformation allows the stent to be inserted through the flowing fluid in a compact state, then expand in-place to provide structural support and sealing, maintaining fluid flow continuity throughout the repair process while achieving reliable pipe repair.
2Reliability
If traditional pipe repair methods are used, then the pipe can be repaired, but extensive digging and construction are required
Solution Approach 1:
The repair function is extracted from the traditional excavation-based construction process and embedded within a minimally invasive stent device. The stent is delivered through the existing pipe infrastructure via insertion devices that navigate through the pipe system, extracting the need for external digging and construction while maintaining effective pipe repair through the stent's expansion and sealing mechanism.
3Strength
If the stent is inserted in expanded configuration, then it can provide immediate support, but it cannot be inserted through the pipe without excavation
Solution Approach 1:
The stent employs dynamic configuration transformation, transitioning from a compressed low-profile state for easy insertion through the pipe to an expanded high-strength state for providing structural support. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the stent to be inserted through existing pipe infrastructure without excavation, then expand in-place to deliver the necessary structural reinforcement and sealing capability.
4Reliability
If the piping system is shut off for repair, then the repair can be performed safely, but customer convenience and cost are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The stent repair system enables continuous fluid flow throughout the repair process. The stent is inserted through the flowing fluid without shutting down the system, and the expansion and sealing process occurs in-place while maintaining fluid flow continuity. This eliminates the need to shut off the piping system, preserving customer convenience while ensuring repair safety through the controlled stent deployment mechanism.
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 minimally invasive pipe repairs by allowing fluid flow to continue during stent insertion and expansion, reducing costs and disruption, while providing a durable seal and structural support to the pipe.
Implementation Method 1
A stent comprising a spring and a sealing layer. The stent can be expanded within a pipe
Implementation Method 2
the sealing layer to engage the pipe's inner wall
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A stent for repairing a leak in a pipe (550) carrying water, gas, and/or oil, the stent (100) comprising: a spring (510) comprising a metal wire (524) rolled into a tubular structure (511), wherein the spring (110, 510, 910) defines a wave pattern, the spring (510) defining an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a void (120); and a seal wrapped around the outer surface of the spring (510), the stent (100) configurable in a compressed orientation, wherein the spring (510) is compressed, and an expanded orientation, wherein the spring (510) is expanded, the spring (510) biasing the stent (100) to the expanded orientation.