Thin-Wall Pressure Vessel In-Situ Inner Wall Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inspecting and repairing inaccessible thin-walled pressure vessels, such as buried pipelines, is cumbersome and costly, requiring halting fluid transportation and evacuation, which delays delivery and production.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising maneuvering actuators, an applicator with an expander and receptacle, and a controller, allowing for in-situ material application and hermetic bonding to the inner wall of the pressure vessel while maintaining fluid flow, utilizing a pressure differential to secure the material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional inspection and repair methods are used for inaccessible thin-walled pressure vessels, then the vessels can be inspected and repaired, but fluid transportation must be halted and fluid evacuated, resulting in delays and production loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional repair approach by performing inspection and repair from the inside of the pressure vessel rather than from the outside. A robotic device with sensors and material deposition capabilities navigates through the fluid flow inside the vessel, allowing repair operations to proceed without halting fluid transportation. This inversion enables simultaneous maintenance and continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a robotic device as an intermediary between the repair operation and the fluid flow. This device can maneuver through the fluid, apply materials to the inner wall, and perform repairs while the fluid continues to flow. The robotic device acts as a mediator that enables repair without requiring fluid evacuation, thus maintaining productivity.
2Ease of operation
If humans enter pipelines for inspection and repair, then direct assessment and repair can be performed, but it is dangerous and arduous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by deploying an autonomous robotic device that performs inspection and repair operations without human intervention. The robotic device navigates the pressure vessel, identifies defects using sensors, and applies repair materials automatically. This eliminates the need for humans to enter dangerous environments while maintaining the ability to perform comprehensive inspection and repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human operators with an automated robotic system. The robotic device incorporates sensors, actuators, and control systems that substitute for human senses and manual operations. This substitution eliminates safety risks associated with human entry while providing precise, controlled inspection and repair capabilities.
3Strength
If material is applied to the inner wall of the pressure vessel, then repair and reinforcement can be achieved, but the material must be hermetically bonded while fluid flows around the device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adaptation by equipping the robotic device with expandable arms or applicators that can adjust their position and shape in real-time. As the device navigates the pressure vessel, the applicator expands to conform to the inner wall geometry, ensuring precise material placement. This dynamic adjustment maintains bonding precision despite fluid flow and device movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the physical state of the repair material during application. The material may be deposited in a controllable state (e.g., viscous, molten, or particulate) and then transformed upon contact with the wall or through environmental conditions (temperature, pressure). This parameter control ensures hermetic bonding while the device operates in the fluid flow.
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 cost-effective inspection and repair of thin-walled pressure vessels without halting fluid flow, reducing downtime and production delays by allowing internal material application and hermetic sealing.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a pressure differential to secure the material
Implementation Method 2
hermetically bonding the first material and the second material to the inner wall of the thin-walled pressure vessel
Data Source
AI summary
A device for applying a layer of material within a thin-walled pressure vessel may include one or more maneuvering actuators configured to direct the device within the thin-walled pressure vessel, an applicator operatively coupled to the one or more maneuvering actuators, and a controller operatively coupled to the one or more maneuvering actuators and the applicator, the controller is configured to control the one or more maneuvering actuators and the applicator. The applicator may include an expander configured to apply pressure along a portion of an inner wall of the thin-walled pressure vessel, a receptacle configured to secure the material to the device and position the material along the inner wall of the thin-walled pressure vessel, and a bonder configured to bond the material along the inner wall of the thin-walled pressure vessel.