Pneumatic Cable Laying in Sealed Ducts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for laying long cable connections require significant civil engineering costs due to the need for excavations at each duct end, which can be challenging to access, especially in mountainous or built-up areas.
Innovation Solution
A method using a floating-pushing technique with a pressure housing and pigs to lay cable sections within sealed ducts, minimizing the need for large excavations by dividing pressure drops along the cable and allowing for sequential connection of sections with reduced excavation requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional cable laying methods are used requiring excavations at each duct end, then cable sections can be laid and connected, but civil engineering costs increase significantly and access becomes difficult in mountainous or built-up areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic pressure to push cable sections through sealed ducts. A pressure housing applies pressure to the cable drum, forcing the cable through the duct using air pressure rather than requiring physical excavations. This hydraulic/pneumatic approach eliminates the need for large opening excavations at duct ends, reducing civil engineering costs and enabling access in difficult terrains.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable connection is divided into multiple sequential sections that can be laid independently through the same duct. Each cable section is laid separately using the pneumatic pushing method, and connections are made at intermediate points without requiring additional excavations. This segmentation allows the system to handle long-distance cable laying by breaking it into manageable sections.
2Ease of operation
If large excavations are made to access duct ends for cable laying, then cable sections can be introduced and laid, but the complexity and cost of civil engineering works increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical excavation and manual cable handling with a pneumatic pushing system. The pressure housing and air pressure mechanism automatically introduce cable sections through the duct, eliminating the need for large excavations and complex civil engineering works while simplifying the overall operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pneumatic system performs the cable introduction automatically without requiring manual intervention or large-scale civil engineering preparation. The pressure-driven mechanism self-regulates to push the cable through the duct, reducing the need for complex external infrastructure and manual operations.
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
This approach reduces civil engineering costs and facilitates cable laying in difficult environments by minimizing excavation size and frequency, enabling efficient and cost-effective long cable connections.
Implementation Method 1
pushing means for pushing a cable section towards the interior of the duct by the pressure of a pressurized fluid introduced through an orifice in the housing
Implementation Method 2
Each of the pigs comprises means with which a pressure drop may be obtained between the rear and the front of the pig
Data Source
AI summary
A method for laying a plurality of cable sections to be successively positioned in series in a buried duct, according to a flowing-pushing method using a pressurized fluid. The different cable sections are successively introduced into the duct in a single entry point comprising a laying device notably comprising an orifice for introducing a pressurized fluid, a cable section entirely introduced into the duct is pushed towards the position which it should occupy in the duct, only by the pressure of the fluid introduced by said laying device and when a cable section has reached his final position in the duct, an opening is made in the duct near to the rear of the cable section.