Electrofusion of pipe liners
AssigneeAcergy France SAS
InventorGregory Alexandre Toguyeni
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of joining together liner sections within a polymer-lined pipe energises an induction coil inside the pipe to spot-heat part of a circumferential interface between the liner sections. This melts and fuses the polymer material locally. The induction coil is then moved along the interface to heat other parts of the interface successively above the melting temperature. An apparatus for performing the method has a power supply for energising the induction coil and a drive system for moving the energised induction coil relative to a body of the apparatus. The apparatus may be configured as a carriage that is movable along the pipe.
Claims20
A method of joining together liner sections of polymer material within a lined pipe comprises:
- energising an induction coil disposed within the pipe to heat a portion of an elongate interface between the liner sections by generating heat locally in at least one heating element positioned at the interface;
- heating said portion of the interface above a melting temperature of the polymer material, at which the polymer material of the liner sections melts and fuses locally;
- and
- moving the induction coil circumferentially along the interface within the pipe to heat successive portions of the interface above the melting temperature by generating heat locally in at least one heating element positioned at each of said successive portions of the interface.
An apparatus for joining together liner sections of polymer material within a lined pipe comprises:
- a body;
- an induction coil supported by the body;
- a power supply for energising the induction coil to heat a portion of an elongate interface between the liner sections by generating heat locally in at least one heating element positioned at the interface;
- and
- a drive system for moving the energised induction coil relative to the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.