Aerosol Sealants Stage 1A: Final Report

Abstract:

<p>This document is a final report for the project titled 'Aerosol Sealants Stage 1A'.</p> <p>As part of the Stage 1 Seeker Particles work, Steer Energy recognised that a sealant delivered as an aerosol could provide an alternative approach to the existing technologies used to repair leaks. It is appreciated that this is most likely to be directed towards smaller leaks when compared to the robotically applied liquid sealants, and is likely to require some form of enabling technologies to be used to assist that deployment. This work dovetails with the work carried out in Seeker Particles Stage 2 and Gas Polymerisation Stage 1 as well as a number of other intervention projects that SGN are currently running through the NIC / NIA funding mechanism. Initially this project was to focus on direct technology transfer from the HVAC industry into the Gas industry to produce aerosolised sealants for use in the gas network. Exceptional contractual circumstances prevented this however and a development project was undertaken with a wider overall target.</p> The original aim of this project was to seal the leaks from the interior of the pipe by releasing aerosolised "sticky" solid particulate sealant materials into the natural-gas distribution system. This was essentially a 'technology transfer' project; taking a technology already applied successfully to the HVAC industry and - with the addition of time responsive sealants - test its applicability in the gas industry. It is understood that various techniques can be used to produce the aerosol and when properly optimised, these flocculent materials will travel innocuously through the pressurised flow-driven system, and lodge only on the edges of the leaks, and the scope of work was therefore developed to carry out the following: <bl> <li>Build on the understanding of aerosol transport and leak deposition in ducts.</li> <li>Incorporate recent envelope-sealing research on sealant materials that do not remain permanently tacky.</li> <li>Refine and utilise CFD modelling techniques to characterise sealant transport, deposition and drying processes.</li></bl> </br> This report is divided into the following sections: <ol> <li>Project Introduction, Changes, and Outcomes</li> <li>Aerosol Sealing in the Gas Network</li> <li>WP1: Application and Sealant Specification</li> <li>WP2: Deployment Methodology</li> <li>WP3: Design of Aerosol Numerical Model</li> <li>WP4: Experimental Set up and Testing</li> <li>WP5: Enabling Technologies</li> <li>Conclusions and Further Work</li> </ol>

Author(s):

SGN, Steer Energy