Polyester CIPP Resin Curing Without Cold Storage or Hot Spots
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipeline repair methods face challenges with leakage due to improper installation, aging, and environmental factors, leading to fluid waste and potential health hazards, and require cold storage initiators that are hazardous and costly.
Innovation Solution
A curable unsaturated polyester resin system with a Cumene-quat curing system, comprising cumene hydroperoxide, quaternary ammonium salts, and 2,4-pentanedione, which does not require cold storage and is safer, more cost-effective, and has a longer pot-life, allowing for efficient CIPP liner installation without hot spots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cold storage initiators are used in traditional CIPP processes, then the resin can be cured effectively, but the system becomes hazardous and costly requiring special storage conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the initiator system by replacing cold storage peroxide initiators with a cumene hydroperoxide and quaternary ammonium salt combination that operates at ambient temperatures. This parameter change eliminates the need for refrigerated storage while maintaining effective curing, directly resolving the contradiction between curing reliability and storage safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a stable, non-cold-chain initiator system that can be stored indefinitely at ambient conditions, replacing the short-lived cold storage initiators that degrade and require continuous refrigeration. This approach eliminates ongoing storage costs and hazards associated with maintaining cold chains.
2Productivity
If traditional peroxide initiators are used, then curing can proceed, but hot spots develop causing safety issues and reduced quality
Solution Approach 1:
The cumene-quat initiator system provides a more gradual, periodic release of active species compared to the rapid single-stage decomposition of traditional peroxides. This extended initiation profile distributes heat generation over time, preventing localized thermal runaway and hot spot formation while maintaining overall curing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The quaternary ammonium salt acts as an intermediary that mediates between the cumene hydroperoxide and the unsaturated polyester resin. This intermediary facilitates a controlled, stepwise curing process that avoids the direct, violent decomposition of peroxides, thereby eliminating hot spots while preserving curing effectiveness.
3Loss of time
If the resin system has long pot-life for efficient installation, then more time is available for liner placement, but the initiator may degrade or become unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The cumene hydroperoxide and quaternary ammonium salt are pre-combined in a stable formulation that remains inert during storage and handling. The actual curing action is triggered only when the liner is installed and exposed to moisture or heat from the surrounding environment, allowing extended pot-life without initiator degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The initiator system is designed to activate automatically in response to environmental conditions (moisture, temperature) encountered during normal installation procedures. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for premature mixing or activation, extending the stable storage life of the resin system while ensuring reliable curing when needed.
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 solution provides a safer, cost-effective, and efficient pipeline repair method with extended pot-life, reduced risk of hot spots, and maintains mechanical and corrosion-resistant properties comparable to current systems, while being easier to handle and store.
Implementation Method 1
The composition can include a peroxide initiator and a quaternary ammonium salt component. The peroxide initiator can initiate a free radical polymerization reaction.
Implementation Method 2
The cumene-quat curing system can comprise an unsaturated polyester resin, a peroxide initiator, a quaternary ammonium salt component, a 2,4-pentanedione component, and an inhibitor component.
Data Source
AI summary
A process to use an unsaturated polyester resin system comprising preparing a curable cumene-quat curing system. The cumene-quat curing system can comprise an unsaturated polyester resin, a peroxide initiator, a quaternary ammonium salt component, a 2,4-pentanedione component, and an inhibitor component. The peroxide initiator can comprise a cumene hydroperoxide component. The process can further comprise applying the curable cumene-quat curing system in a cured-in-place pipe rehabilitation process.