RFID-Embedded Polymer Tube for Underground Pipe Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Polymer pipes used for underground installations are difficult to locate and identify after burial due to their inert nature, leading to accidental excavation and potential safety issues, as existing identification techniques rely on electromagnetic properties not applicable to non-metallic materials.
Innovation Solution
Integration of RFID tags with resonant circuits along the polymer tubes, designed to be insensitive to the permittivity of the humid environment, allowing for remote communication and localization, and equipped with a protective layer to withstand handling and installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polymer tubes are used for underground pipelines, then corrosion resistance and flexibility are improved, but detectability and location capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds RFID tags within the polymer tube structure itself, nesting the detection capability inside the pipe wall. The tags are integrated into the tube during manufacturing, allowing the pipe to maintain its corrosion-resistant polymer properties while containing an embedded electromagnetic identification system that can be detected from the surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure by combining polymer material with RFID tag components (antenna and chip) within the tube wall. This composite approach allows the pipe to retain the beneficial properties of polymer (corrosion resistance, flexibility) while incorporating electromagnetic characteristics that enable detection and location.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If RFID tags are integrated into polymer tubes, then location capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID identification system is divided into multiple discrete tags positioned at regular intervals along the pipeline. Each tag is an independent, standardized unit containing an antenna and chip, simplifying the overall design by breaking down the complex function of pipeline identification into multiple simple, repeatable elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the RFID tag parameters specifically for underground polymer pipe applications, including tuning the resonant frequency and impedance matching to account for the polymer material's electromagnetic properties and the burial environment. This parameter optimization simplifies the tags' design by establishing fixed, application-specific values rather than requiring complex adaptive systems.
3Loss of information
If RFID tags are placed on polymer tubes, then communication capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tags are pre-positioned and integrated into the polymer tube during the extrusion or molding process, rather than being attached afterward. This preliminary integration allows the tags to be embedded in the tube wall as it is being formed, eliminating separate attachment steps and reducing manufacturing complexity despite adding functional capability.
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 precise localization and communication with the surface, reducing accidental excavations and enhancing safety by making polymer pipes detectable and traceable post-burial, thus improving the reliability of underground infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
the RFID tags have a resonant circuit with a capacitive value sufficient to make negligible the parasitic capacitances present which are dependent on the permittivity of the medium
Implementation Method 2
the RFID tags have a resonant circuit with a capacitive value sufficient to make negligible the parasitic capacitances present which are dependent on the permittivity of the medium, especially when the medium is humid
Data Source
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AI summary
The tube (100) has radio frequency identification tags (111-113) placed along the tube at regular intervals, and a protection layer protecting the tags, where the layer is made of polymer. The tags are placed on a band (120) winding around the tube and on a polymer sheet before welding on the tube at ends. The protection layer protects the tags during bending, packing of the tube and handling of the tube before and during installation of the tube. The tags include a communication unit to communicate identity, manufacturing characteristics of the tube and location of the tube. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing a polyethylene tube used for forming a pipe buried underground.