A method of plugging at least one undesired opening in a fluid conduit can include introducing one or more plugging devices into the conduit, conveying the plugging devices by flow to the opening, and blocking the flow through the opening with the plugging devices. A system for plugging at least one undesired opening in a fluid conduit can include a deployment apparatus configured to introduce one or more plugging devices into the conduit, a sensor that measures a physical parameter indicative of leakage from the conduit, and a controller that activates an actuator of the deployment apparatus in response to receipt from the sensor of an indication of leakage from the conduit.

A device for repairing pipe leakage takes the form of a short section of PVC pipe with fittings. The pipe is ideally a 1′-2′ section fashioned into a U-bend with a substantially semi-circular bend and two arms, and the fittings take the form of an elbow joint glued onto each arm. The arms are ideally offset up to 5° from parallel. A method of repairing cracked PVC piping using the device involves cutting out a 4″-6″ section of piping, gluing the exposed ends of the broken piping as well as the elbow joints, squeezing the U-bend, positioning the squeezed device into the gap in broken piping, and releasing the U-bend to fit the elbow joints over the exposed ends of broken piping. The device has no vulnerable moving parts or O-rings, and it obviates the need to remove entire pipes.

A material for use in lining pipes is disclosed. A warp-knitted tubular fabric (24, 64) in which the stitch used (for example a tricot stitch) is of a type that reconfigures as the tube is expanded radially to contract longitudinally is sufficiently flexible and compressible to enable it to conform to pipe structures. The fabric of this invention is infused with resin, which is cured once the liner is in place within the pipe. Potentially, this fabric may be thinner than known prior art materials, but exhibits comparable strength and conformability, which are necessary characteristics in the repair or rehabilitation of pipes. The use of a thinner fabric material reduces constriction of the pipe bore by repair and also offers the potential for cheaper lining material, as less resin is required. The fabric may be knitted from glass fibre yarn, which is non-toxic and a stronger material than generally used in the prior art.

A temporary trap door cap device for sealing around a pressure-leaking trap door at an end of a pipeline terminating in a trap includes a canister formed from a longitudinally extending pipe having an open end and a closed end; and an annular rim connected to the open end, with an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the canister. The annular rim is configured such that the inner diameter of the annular rim fits over the trap door of the trap terminating the pipeline. After the annular rim has passed over the trap door, the inner diameter of the annular rim is compressible against a body of the trap terminating the pipeline so as to seal an inner volume of the canister pressure-tight thereby containing the trap door within the pressure-tight volume.

An inflatable stent for use in the repair and maintenance of pipes such as water or gas supply pipes, or for use as a medical device comprises an inflatable portion having an inner and outer membrane. When inflated, the inner and outer membranes are radially spaced apart to define an annular space there between. The inner membrane defines a passage between a first and second end and the outer membrane defines a first diameter (D1) of the stent. The inner and outer membranes are connected by a plurality of connecting members in the annular space. End caps are disposed on the first and second ends of the stent which connect the inner and outer membranes. The inflatable portion further comprises an inflatable pipe or lumen engaging portion that defines a second, larger diameter (D2) of the stent, when inflated.

A cured in place liner system and associated connections and methods are disclosed. The cured in place pipe system forms a completely rehabilitated, stand-alone, fluid-tight flow path between upstream and downstream portions of an existing pipe system. The rehabilitated flow path is stand-alone in that the liner system does not rely on structure of the portion of the pipe system through which the liner system is installed to define the fluid-tight flow path. The flow path between upstream and downstream portions of the liner system is defined by and made fluid-tight solely by components of the rehabilitation system such as cured in place liners and couplers. The portion of the pipe system through which the rehabilitation system is installed merely provides a path (e.g., through the ground) through which the cured in place liner system can be inserted. After the cured in place liner system is installed, the liner system forms a fluid-tight flow path between an upstream portion of the pipe system and a downstream portion of the pipe system. Various types of connections may be used. In addition, various types of methods may be used in forming the connections, such as using a mold to cure connecting sections of the cured in place liners in desired configurations (e.g., having a generally circular outer profile) for forming connections with the liners.

A pipe fitting system, including a first pipe section with at least one male end, a second pipe section with at least one female end, and a connecting means for releasably connecting the pipe sections together such that the male end is at least partially received within the female end. The connecting means comprising releasably engageable first and second connectors associated with the first and second pipe sections respectively, wherein the first connector comprises at least one outwardly extending protrusion and wherein the second connector comprises corresponding recesses adapted to releasable receive the or each protrusion of the first connector. The pipe fitting system is suitable for applications such as end of line connections, repair/replacement of fixed existing pipes, and in enabling temporary removal of pipes for maintenance or access purposes.

A patch is provided and described that can be used with the installation of a cured-in-place structural liner in a conduit when the conduit has protrusions into the conduit. The patch is made with similar material to the liner, or felt, and is impregnated with epoxy. The patch may be shaped to more closely match the anticipated curve of the outer surface of the liner. Tools for the installation of the patches, a method of use, and tools for measuring the quality of the installation of the patch before the installation of the structural liner, are also described.

A coupling can include a coupling body having an axis, an axial length, an axial center, axial ends and an inner surface comprising an inner diameter that is substantially constant over an entirety of the axial length. A single shoulder can protrude radially inward relative to the axis from the inner surface, such that the inner surface has no other shoulders. In a version, the single shoulder is not axially aligned with the axial center of the coupling body.

The invention relates to a tubular liner for the rehabilitation of an, in particular, underground sewer pipe, comprising at least an inner tubular film, a resin-carrier layer surrounding the inner tubular film, and comprising a mechanically protective outer film system. The outer film system comprises at least one outer film in the form of a UV-radiation- and short-wavelength, visible light-absorbing and/or -reflecting, single-layer or multi-layer film which contains, in one or more polymer layers, at least one short-wavelength, visible light-absorbing and/or -reflecting, organic or inorganic color pigment or a corresponding dye, and at least one organic or inorganic compound which absorbs and/or reflects the UV radiation. Moreover, the outer film system comprises at least one mechanically stable reinforcing web which rests on the aforementioned outer film. The outer film system has a transmittance for visible light at at least one wavelength in the range of 550 nm to 800 nm of at least 1%. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such an outer film system and to such an outer film system itself.