Method and apparatus for determining proper curing of pipe liners using distributed temperature sensing

A system for curing cured-in-place pipe liner in a pipe having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends comprising:

• a single optical fiber disposed within the pipe extending longitudinally from at least the first end to the second end of the tube, the single optical fiber having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends;
• a pipe liner within the tube extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end of the tube, the liner comprising a curable material for lining the tube;
• a distributed temperature sensing unit coupled to the first end of the optical fiber adapted to measure the temperature of the optical fiber continuously along its length via distributed temperature sensing to generate temperature and time data, wherein said distributed sensing unit comprises DTS software for measuring the temperature to generate the temperature and time data, and wherein said interface comprises at least one application program interface, independent from said DTS software;
• and
• an interface for interfacing with said distributed temperature sensing unit to gather said temperature and time data, and for interfacing with an underground asset management software system to at least transmit the temperature and time data to the underground asset management software system, or obtain tube data on said tube, said tube data comprising at least one of asset identification, asset history, and location, wherein said interface comprises a plurality of application program interfaces for interfacing;
• with a plurality of different distributed temperature sensing units.

A method of curing a cured-in-place liner within a tube, the tube having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends, the method comprising:

• placing a single optical fiber within the tube extending longitudinally from at least the first end to the second end of the tube, the optical fiber having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends;
• positioning a liner within the tube extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end of the tube, the liner comprising a curable material for lining the tube;
• coupling the first longitudinal end of the optical fiber to a distributed temperature sensing unit:
• heating the liner to cure the curable material;
• measuring the temperature of the optical fiber along its length via distributed temperature sensing using the distributed temperature sensing unit with DTS software to generate temperature and time data;
• gathering the temperature and time data;
• transmitting the temperature and time data to an underground asset management software system;
• and
• wherein gathering and transmitting the temperature and time data is performed using an interface having at least one application program interface, independent from said DTS software, and wherein said interface comprises a plurality of application program interfaces for interfacing with a plurality of different underground asset management software systems.

A method of curing a cured-in-place liner within a tube, the tube having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends, the method comprising;

• placing a single optical fiber within the tube extending longitudinally from at least the first end to the second end of the tube, the optical fiber having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end, and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends;
• positioning a liner within the tube extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end of the tube, the liner comprising a curable material for lining the tube;
• coupling the first longitudinal end of the optical fiber to a distributed temperature sensing unit;
• heating the liner to cure the curable material;
• measuring the temperature of the optical fiber along its length via distributed temperature sensing using the distributed temperature sensing unit with DTS software to generate temperature and time data:
• gathering the temperature and time data;
• transmitting the temperature and time data to an underground asset management software system:
• wherein gathering and transmitting the temperature and time data is performed using an interface having at least one application program interface, independent from said DTS software;
• and
• wherein heating is performed using at least one apparatus selected from a heating apparatus, a pressurization apparatus, or a combination heating and pressurization apparatus, and wherein said interface is configured with an application program interface to interface with the at least one apparatus such that the at least one apparatus is controlled by said interface.

A system for curing cured-in-place pipe liner in a pipe having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends comprising:

• a single optical fiber disposed within the pipe extending longitudinally from at least the first end to the second end of the tube, the single optical fiber having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends;
• a pipe liner within the tube extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end of the tube, the liner comprising a curable material for lining the tube;
• a distributed temperature sensing unit coupled to the first end of the optical fiber adapted to measure the temperature of the optical fiber continuously along its length via distributed temperature sensing to generate temperature and time data, wherein said distributed sensing unit comprises DTS software for measuring the temperature to generate the temperature and time data, and wherein said interface comprises at least one application program interface, independent from said DTS software;
• and
• an interface for interfacing with said distributed temperature sensing unit to gather said temperature and time data, and for interfacing with an underground asset management software system to at least transmit the temperature and time data to the underground asset management software system, or obtain tube data on said tube, said tube data comprising at least one of asset identification, asset history, and location, wherein said interface comprises a plurality of application program interfaces for interfacing with a plurality of different underground asset management software systems.

A system for curing cured-in-place pipe liner in a pipe having a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends comprising:

• a single optical fiber disposed within the pipe extending longitudinally from at least the first end to the second end of the tube, the single optical fiber haying a first longitudinal end, a second longitudinal end and a length between the first and second longitudinal ends;
• a pipe liner within the tube extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end of the tube, the liner comprising a curable material for lining the tube;
• a distributed temperature sensing unit coupled to the first end of the optical fiber adapted to measure the temperature of the optical fiber continuously along its length via distributed temperature sensing to generate temperature and time data, wherein said distributed sensing unit comprises DTS software for measuring the temperature to generate the temperature and time data, and wherein said interface comprises at least one application program interface, independent from said DTS software;
• and
• an interface for interfacing with said distributed temperature sensing unit to gather said temperature and time data, and for interfacing with an underground asset management software system to at least transmit the temperature and time data to the underground asset management software system, or obtain tube data on said tube, said tube data comprising at least one of asset identification, asset history, and location, wherein said interface is configured with an application program interface to interface with at least one apparatus selected from a heating apparatus, a pressurization apparatus, or a combination heating and pressurization apparatus, such that the apparatus is controlled by said interface.