Pipes and tubular conduits – Flexible – Braided – interlaced – knitted or woven
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-10-23
Hook, James (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
Flexible
Braided, interlaced, knitted or woven
C138S104000, C138S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305427
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for handling liquids or gases. In particular, the present invention relates to a double walled apparatus employing sensors and methods related thereto.
2. Related Art
Double walled tanks and pipes are commonly used in industry. The pipes typically comprise an inner wall and an outer wall separated by some annular space. The outer wall is generally designed to maintain the integrity of the pipe in the event of failure of the inner wall. The separation of the outer wall and inner wall is typically maintained by rings or spacers disposed between the two walls at various intervals along the length of the pipe or tank. By using such spacers or rings, there are areas along the pipe between spacers that are more susceptible to damage than those areas where the spacers are located. Since there is nothing between the inner and outer walls to prevent the collapse of the outer wall in these areas, it is possible that if the outer wall were subject to extreme external pressures it could easily collapse.
Pipes have been developed with wires maintained within the space between the walls of the pipe to detect the presence of liquid. This is done to overcome the need to visually inspect pipes and tanks on a regular basis. However, such systems report nothing more to an inspector than when liquid is present outside the inner wall of the pipe. There is presently no system that reports the constant conditions of the pipe or tank prior to failure of the inner wall. Typically, pipes and tanks having a double walled construction are buried in the ground, encased in concrete, or are in remote areas. When they are situated in such a manner, the pipe is virtually inaccessible for inspection or repair. It is possible to dig around the pipes to inspect them, but such undertakings are often very costly and do not reveal if there is a leak in the inner pipe. Additionally, digging around a pipe or tank could easily damage the pipe or tank. As a result, today the inner wall of a double walled pipe must be drained and some sort of robotic camera deployed to evaluate its structural integrity or locate any leaks.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a double walled apparatus that has a more secure and continuous construction for separating the inner and outer walls of the apparatus. There is further a need for a double walled apparatus employing sensors for providing data about the material conditions of the apparatus on a regular basis. There is further a need for a double walled apparatus that may be inspected or continuously monitored without visual inspection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS
The present invention solves the problems with, and overcomes the disadvantages of conventional double walled apparatuses.
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for handling liquids or gases. In particular, the present invention relates to a double walled apparatus employing sensors and methods related thereto. The apparatus comprises a first wall designed to contain a liquid or a gas, a second wall designed to contain any liquid or gas that penetrates the first wall, and fibers coupled between the first and second wall. The fibers are preferably resin laminated fibers that are interwoven in a matrix configuration. The apparatus further comprises a sensor and a wire or cable embedded in the apparatus either in the first wall, the interwoven fibers, or the second wall. The first wall is preferably comprised of three layers that are cohesively bonded together. The wire could be embedded in a different layer than the sensors as well.
The double walled apparatus could also be used in a network of pipes and tanks. In a network, at least one of the pipes or tanks comprises a double walled apparatus as discussed above. The apparatuses in the network are interconnected such that the wires and sensors are in electrical or optical communication with one another.
A related invention is a method of manufacturing the double walled apparatus discussed above. The method comprises first applying a release agent to a mandrel. The method further comprises forming a first wall on the mandrel. After the first wall is formed, the method includes wrapping an interwoven fiber material around the first wall, and forming a second wall around the interwoven fiber material. The method further includes installing a wire in either the first wall, the second wall, or the interwoven fiber and coupling a sensor to the wire.
In another embodiment of the invention, a system for monitoring conditions within an apparatus is provided. The system comprises a processor for receiving data values from a sensor within a double walled apparatus, wherein the sensor monitors conditions within the apparatus. The processor processes the received data into a desired format. The processor may also initiate an alarm when the data value falls outside a predetermined range. The processor may further initiate an alarm when the data value equals a predetermined value.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for monitoring conditions within an apparatus is provided. The method comprises receiving data from a sensor within a double walled apparatus having interwoven fiber material between the two walls of the apparatus; processing the data to identify whether the data is outside predetermined tolerances; formatting the data; storing the data in memory; and generating reports from the data.
The present invention further provides a computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to display data for visualization and interpretation by a user, wherein the data represents attributes of conditions within the apparatus. The computer program product comprises receiving means for enabling the processor to receive data from a sensor within a double walled apparatus having interwoven fiber material between the two walls of the apparatus. There is a processing means for processing the data to identify whether the data is outside predetermined tolerances. Further, there is a formatting means for formatting the data; a storing means for storing the data in memory; and a generating means for generating reports from the data.
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Bell Michael J.
Hook James
Howrey Simon Arnold & White
Kenway Corporation
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