Pipeline Coater Purging Head for Solvent-Free Residual Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air purging systems for pipeline coating apparatuses require hazardous solvents for cleaning residual coating material, posing safety risks and inefficiencies in pipeline refurbishing or manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A remote-controlled air purging and coater apparatus with a high-pressure mixing device and spin head that allows for seamless transition between coating and purging modes, using pressurized air to expel residual material without solvents, ensuring safe and efficient operation within confined pipeline spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hazardous solvents are used for cleaning residual coating material, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of pressurized air (which can blow out residual coating material) into a beneficial purging mechanism. The air purging system uses the same pressurized air that is already part of the coating application system to effectively remove residual material, eliminating the need for separate hazardous solvent cleaning operations while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces pressurized air as an intermediary substance to perform the cleaning function. Instead of using hazardous solvents directly, the system uses air as a safe intermediary that can still effectively remove residual coating material through the purging mechanism, thereby eliminating safety risks while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
2Reliability
If solvent cleanup is used, then residual material removal is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the coating application system with the purging system by integrating the air purging function into the existing high-pressure mixing device and coating head assembly. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate solvent cleaning operations and reduces operational complexity while maintaining effective residual material removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the pressurized air system multi-functional, serving both the coating application process and the subsequent purging process. The same air supply system that delivers coating components also performs the cleaning function, reducing the number of separate systems needed and simplifying operations.
3Area of stationary object
If conventional coating application is used, then coating coverage is improved, but material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous purging action during the coating application process. The air purging operates continuously to prevent material buildup in the mixing chamber and coating head, ensuring that coating material flows continuously and efficiently to the pipe surface without waste, thereby maintaining full coverage while reducing material usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the coating material flow by using high-pressure mixing and controlled air purging to optimize material delivery. This results in more efficient material application with reduced waste, improving coverage effectiveness while reducing overall material consumption.
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 coating of internal pipeline surfaces with minimal material usage and eliminates the need for solvent cleanup, reducing safety hazards and operational costs while maintaining consistent coating quality.
Implementation Method 1
a source of pressurized air flows into and through the first and second inlets into the high-pressure mixing chamber and from the high-pressure mixing chamber through the outlet for purging any residual activated material
Implementation Method 2
The high-pressure mixing device defines a high-pressure mixing chamber. The arrangement is such that in an application disposition of the high-pressure mixing device, the high-pressure mixing chamber is connected to two components at high pressure such that the components mix and are activated within the high-pressure mixing chamber
Implementation Method 3
A motor is selectively connected to an energy source such that when the motor is connected to the energy source, the motor rotates the coating head. The arrangement is such that a ribbon of the coating material flows radially outwardly from the second end of the conical surface towards the internal surface of the pipe
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An air purging coater apparatus is disclosed for purging mixed components from the apparatus disposed in a pipeline at a pipeline site. The apparatus includes a remote-controlled apparatus for insertion within the pipeline at the pipeline site. The remote-controlled apparatus includes a drive for controllably moving the remote-controlled apparatus internally within the pipeline. A high-pressure mixing device defines a first inlet controllably connected to a pressurized source of a first component. The high-pressure mixing device also defines a second inlet controllably connected to a further pressurized source of a second component. The high- pressure mixing device defines a high-pressure mixing chamber connected to the first and the second inlets for mixing together the first and second components. The high-pressure mixing device defines an outlet connected to the high-pressure mixing chamber for receiving a flow therethrough of the mixed components. A spin head defines an internal conical surface having an apex which cooperates with the outlet of the high-pressure mixing device for receiving the flow of the mixed components. The spin head includes a baffle which is disposed adjacent to the apex such that when the spin head is rotated, the mixed components are deflected by the baffle onto the internal conical surface so that the mixed components are applied to an inside surface of the pipeline at the pipeline site. The high-pressure mixing device is controllably movable from an application disposition thereof to a purging disposition, the application disposition being such that the first inlet and the second inlet are aligned with and in fluid communication with the respective pressurized source and further pressurized source so that the mixed components are applied to the inside surface of the pipeline. When the high-pressure mixing device is controllably moved to the purging disposition, the first and second inlets are moved out of alignment with the pressurized sources so that the flow of the mixed components is terminated and a source of pressurized air flows into and through the first and second inlets and from the inlets through the high-pressure mixing chamber and the outlet for purging any residual mixed components from the high-pressure mixing device thereby avoiding any need for the use of a potentially hazardous solvent together with life threatening conditions that could result from the introduction of such solvent into the pipeline at the pipeline site.