Thermoplastic composite products and method of lining pipework
AssigneesSevern Trent Water Limited, Anglian Water Services Limited, Yorkshire Water Services Limited, Euro-Projects (LTTC) Limited
InventorGerard Stephen Boyce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipe (4) is rehabilitated by means of a tubular liner (5) which is introduced into the pipe in a contracted form, expanded into contact with the pipe wall, and hardened to retain its form. The liner (5) comprises composite material formed by knitting, braiding or weaving tows of intermingled filaments of thermoplastic and reinforcing fiber, the liner being heated during application to the pipe in order to melt the thermoplastic. The composite material may be created as a sleeve. Alternatively, a sheet of the material may be calendered and rolled up into a tubular form, overlapping edge margins of the sheet being bonded together after expansion of the tube into contact with the pipe wall.
Claims28
A method of lining a duct comprising:
- inserting into the duct a liner comprising a layer of composite material comprising filaments of thermoplastic and filaments of reinforcing fibre and an outer layer of thermoplastic material;
- heating the liner to melt the thermoplastic filaments;
- applying pressure to the heated liner to press the outer layer into contact with the duct and the layer of composite material into contact with the outer layer;
- and
- enabling or permitting the liner to cool whilst in contact with the duct in order to harden the thermoplastic/reinforcing fibre composite.
A method of lining a duct comprising:
- inserting into the duct a liner comprising a layer of composite material comprising filaments of thermoplastic and filaments of reinforcing fibre;
- introducing pressurised gas into the liner and heating the gas to melt the thermoplastic filaments with the pressurised gas pressing the liner into contact with the duct;
- and
- enabling or permitting the liner to cool whilst in contact with the duct in order to harden the thermoplastic/reinforcing fibre composite, and applying pressure to consolidate the composite material as the liner is cooling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.