Trenchless Pipe Cleaning via Artificial Tornado and Mechanical Sand
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trenchless unmanned pipe cleaning methods for underground pipes and drill strings face challenges such as water wastage, incomplete wall cleaning, low efficiency, and environmental concerns due to chemical cleaners.
Innovation Solution
A trenchless multi-stage pipe cleaning device that generates an artificial tornado using a special internal flow channel structure, combined with dagger-like mechanical sand, to efficiently remove dirt from the inner walls of pipes and drill strings without water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-pressure water jet method is used for pipe cleaning, then cleaning capability is improved, but water resource waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hydraulic water jet system with a pneumatic system using compressed air to generate tornado flow. This substitution eliminates water consumption while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through the mechanical action of air-driven sand particles impacting pipe walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses compressed air (pneumatics) to generate rotational tornado flow within the cleaning device. The air flow carries sand particles along spiral trajectories to mechanically scrape and impact pipe walls, achieving cleaning without water while utilizing gas pressure dynamics.
2Productivity
If chemical cleaner method is used for pipe cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but environmental harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical cleaning agents with a purely mechanical cleaning mechanism. Compressed air drives sand particles to physically scrape and impact pipe walls, eliminating the need for toxic chemicals while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through mechanical force.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses sand particles as a disposable cleaning medium that can be continuously supplied and discharged. The sand performs the cleaning function through mechanical impact and is then ejected with the air flow, replacing expensive and harmful chemical cleaners with inexpensive, environmentally benign particulate material.
3Device complexity
If traditional pipe cleaning device is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but cleaning thoroughness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a curved spiral flow channel design within the cleaning device that generates rotational tornado flow. This curved geometry causes sand particles to follow spiral trajectories along the pipe wall, ensuring comprehensive coverage and thorough cleaning while adding only moderate structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a dynamic cleaning action where sand particles are continuously accelerated and redirected by compressed air to impact pipe walls with varying forces. The rotational motion and changing impact angles provide thorough cleaning across the entire pipe surface, transforming a static cleaning approach into a dynamic one.
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
Achieves efficient, water-free, and environmentally friendly trenchless cleaning of underground pipes and drill strings, improving cleaning efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
based on the formation principle of a tornado to generate an artificial tornado through a special internal flow channel structure of a pipe cleaning device
Implementation Method 2
The artificial tornado has strong suction power, which can remove the dirt that falls from the inner wall of the pipe (culvert)/drill string and is accumulated on the bottom of the pipe (culvert)/drill string in time
Implementation Method 3
The mechanical sand scrapes and collides with the inner wall of the cleaning target to remove dirt attached
Data Source
AI summary
A trenchless multi-stage pipe cleaning device and method combining an artificial tornado and dagger-like mechanical sand is provided. The trenchless multi-stage pipe cleaning device includes a primary pipe cleaning device and a secondary pipe cleaning device that are connected. An outer wall of the pipe cleaning device is provided with multiple air inlet joint pipes evenly distributed in a circumferential direction. The air inlet joint pipes are connected to an air compressor. Each of the air outlet joints is connected to a nozzle. The primary pipe cleaning device is connected to a vibrating screen. The trenchless multi-stage pipe cleaning device further includes a back-end sewage discharge device. In the trenchless multi-stage pipe cleaning method, the mechanical sand continuously scrape and collide with the inner wall of the cleaning target, so as to achieve a desired efficient trenchless water-free pipe cleaning effect.