Translucent Reinforced Sewer Liner for UV Cure Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tubular liners for sewer rehabilitation lack improved functionality, practicality, and durability, particularly in handling and detection of inlets and outlets, and are prone to damage during installation.
Innovation Solution
A tubular liner with a mechanically stable outer film system that is translucent to visible light in the range of 550 nm to 800 nm, preventing premature resin curing and allowing for better detection of inlets and outlets, while providing mechanical stability and resistance to tears and punctures through a reinforcing web with high tensile strength and low elongation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an opaque outer film is used to prevent UV radiation and premature resin curing, then resin protection is improved, but detection of inlets and outlets becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The outer film is designed with spatially varying optical properties: it is opaque in regions where resin protection is needed, and translucent in regions where detection of inlets/outlets is required. This allows different parts of the same film to have different transparency characteristics tailored to their specific functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer film utilizes changes in optical transmission properties (from opaque to translucent) to serve different functions. The translucent regions allow light to pass through for detection purposes while the opaque regions block UV radiation to prevent premature curing, creating a functional differentiation through optical property variation.
2Ease of operation
If a sliding film is used to facilitate drawing in the liner, then ease of installation is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding film function is extracted and integrated directly into the outer film structure itself, rather than being a separate component. The outer film incorporates the low-friction sliding surface needed for easy liner installation, eliminating the need for a distinct sliding film layer and simplifying the overall system.
3Strength
If a mechanically protective outer film is used to prevent damage during installation, then durability is improved, but light transmission for detection is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The outer film is designed with spatially varying properties: mechanically robust and opaque in regions requiring protection, while translucent in regions where light transmission for detection is needed. This allows the film to provide mechanical strength where necessary without completely blocking light where detection is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer film employs a composite structure combining materials or layers with different properties: one layer provides mechanical strength and protection, while another layer allows light transmission for detection. This composite approach enables simultaneous achievement of mechanical protection and optical transparency in different regions.
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
Enhances handling and detection of inlets and outlets, prevents premature resin curing, and provides mechanical stability and durability during installation, allowing for precise localization and milling of branches or outlets within the sewer pipe.
Implementation Method 1
a UV-radiation- and short-wavelength, visible light-absorbing and/or -reflecting, single-layer or multi-layer film
Implementation Method 2
the outer film system overall has a transmittance for visible light at at least one wavelength in the range of 550 nm to 800 nm of at least 1%
Implementation Method 3
In the case of UP or VE resins, the curing of the resins takes place, for example, with the aid of photo-initiators
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a tubular liner for the rehabilitation of an, in particular, underground sewer pipe, comprising at least an inner tubular film, a resin-carrier layer surrounding the inner tubular film, and comprising a mechanically protective outer film system. The outer film system comprises at least one outer film in the form of a UV-radiation- and short-wavelength, visible light-absorbing and/or -reflecting, single-layer or multi-layer film which contains, in one or more polymer layers, at least one short-wavelength, visible light-absorbing and/or -reflecting, organic or inorganic color pigment or a corresponding dye, and at least one organic or inorganic compound which absorbs and/or reflects the UV radiation. Moreover, the outer film system comprises at least one mechanically stable reinforcing web which rests on the aforementioned outer film. The outer film system has a transmittance for visible light at at least one wavelength in the range of 550 nm to 800 nm of at least 1%. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such an outer film system and to such an outer film system itself.