Lining element for the rehabilitation of a pipeline

Abstract

The invention relates to a lining element (10) for the rehabilitation of a pipeline, having a carrier layer (16) consisting of an expandable, resin-absorbent material which, in the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1, L.sub.2) of the carrier layer (16), has a first expansion rigidity, and a stiffening structure (24) which, in the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1, L.sub.2) of the carrier layer (16), has a second expansion rigidity, wherein the first expansion rigidity is lower than the second expansion rigidity and wherein the stiffening structure (24) is incorporated into the carrier layer (16).

Claims

1. A lining element for the rehabilitation of a pipeline, having a carrier layer of an expandable, resin-absorbent material which, in the longitudinal direction of the carrier layer, has a first expansion rigidity, and a stiffening structure which, in the longitudinal direction of the carrier layer, has a second expansion rigidity, wherein the first expansion rigidity is lower than the second expansion rigidity and wherein the stiffening structure is incorporated into the carrier layer, wherein the stiffening structure is configured in such a manner that the expansion rigidity is unchanged in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, and wherein the stiffening structure is formed of at least one stiffening element, and the stiffening element is formed using one or more threads extending in the longitudinal direction of the carrier layer, wherein at least one of the one or more threads has a fineness of between approximately 50 dtex and approximately 2500 dtex.

2. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the stiffening structure is connected to the carrier layer in a force-fitting manner.

3. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the stiffening element further includes at least one of tape, a layer, a plate and/or a strip.

4. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a first thread of the one or more threads and a second thread of the one or more threads, adjacent to the first thread, is between approx. 2 mm and approx. 5 cm.

5. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the stiffening element is formed using at least one thread and the at least one thread is produced from polyester, glass fiber, aramid and/or Kevlar.

6. The lining element according claim 1, wherein the carrier layer is formed using at least two interconnected layers.

7. The lining element according to claim 6, wherein at least one thread is arranged in a border region of the two layers.

8. The lining element according to claim 7, wherein the carrier layer is formed using a fiber material, wherein the at least one thread is incorporated, preferably needle-punched, into the carrier layer.

9. The lining element according to claim 8, wherein the carrier layer is formed using a non-woven material of ECR glass fibers.

10. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer is formed using a non-woven material, and wherein the non-woven material has a mixture of ECR glass fibers and synthetic fibers, preferably polyester fibers.

11. The lining element according to claim 10, wherein the mixing ratio of ECR glass fibers to polyester fibers is in the range between approx. 90% by weight ECR glass fibers and approx. 10% by weight polyester fibers up to between approx. 10% by weight ECR glass fibers and approx. 90% by weight polyester fibers.

12. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer has a thickness between approx. 2 mm and approx. 6 mm and wherein the carrier layer has an area weight between approx. 300 g/m2 and approx. 1000 g/m2.

13. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the carrier layer is provided with a plastic coating and the coating has an area weight between approx. 100 g/m2 and approx. 200 g/m2.

14. A method for manufacturing a lining element according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: providing a carrier layer of an expandable, resin-absorbent material which, in the longitudinal direction of the carrier layer, has a first expansion rigidity; and incorporating a stiffening structure into the carrier layer, wherein the stiffening structure, in the longitudinal direction of the carrier layer, has a second expansion rigidity, which is greater than the first expansion rigidity.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the carrier layer is formed using a fiber material and the incorporating the stiffening structure into the carrier layer comprises force-fitting the stiffening structure into the carrier layer.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the carrier layer is formed using at least two interconnected layers.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the interconnected layers are needled together, and the stiffening structure is incorporated into one of the layers when the two layers are being connected.

18. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the plastic coating comprises at least one of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyurethane, or thermoplastic polyurethane.

19. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the one or more threads comprise a plurality of spaced-apart, substantially parallel threads extending along the longitudinal direction of the carrier layer.

20. The lining element according to claim 1, wherein the one or more threads are needle-punched into the carrier layer.

Description

(1) In the following, the lining element according to the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which, in a schematic manner:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first lining element according to the invention in the installed state in a pipeline (not illustrated);

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a second lining element according to the invention in the installed state in a pipeline (not illustrated); and

(4) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail of a cross section along the line III-III in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(5) In FIG. 1, a first lining element 10 according to the invention is shown in the installed state. The lining element 10 serves for rehabilitating a pipeline (not illustrated), in particular an opening region between a main pipeline and a lateral pipeline, and, in the installed state, bears against the inner wall of the pipeline.

(6) The lining element 10 has approximately a hat shape, and has a main-pipe portion 12 and a lateral-pipe portion 14 which are interconnected. The main-pipe portion 12 here extends in a first longitudinal direction L.sub.1, or in the longitudinal direction of the main pipeline, and the lateral-pipe portion 14 extends in a second longitudinal direction L.sub.2, or in the longitudinal direction of the lateral pipeline.

(7) In FIG. 2, a second embodiment of a lining element 40 according to the invention, which differs from the first embodiment in that the lining element 40 is configured in approximately a T-shape, and in that the main-pipe portion 12 is configured in a pipe shape, is illustrated in the installed state. The main-pipe portion 12 of the lining element 40 extends in a first longitudinal direction L.sub.1, or in the longitudinal direction of the main pipeline, and the lateral-pipe portion 14 of the lining element 40 extends in a second longitudinal direction L.sub.2, or in the longitudinal direction of the lateral pipeline.

(8) As is evident in FIG. 3, both lining elements 10, 40 according to the invention have a carrier layer 16 consisting of an expandable, resin-absorbent material, and a coating 18, which is connected to the carrier layer 16. The carrier layer 16, in its present form, is preferably formed using a first layer 20, consisting of a fibre material, and a second layer 22, consisting of a fibre material. The two layers 20, 22 are advantageously formed using a multiplicity of interwoven ECR glass fibres and/or polyester fibres. The first layer 20, in its present form, is of a greater thickness than the second layer 22, it also being conceivable for the second layer 22 to be of a greater thickness than the first layer 20, or for both layers 20, 22 to be of the same thickness. The fibres of the carrier layer, in particular, have a fineness of between approx. 20 dtex and approx. 50 dtex. The two layers 20, 22 are fixedly interconnected, in particular adhesively connected to one another and/or needled together, on their outer sides 30, and here configure a border region 23.

(9) Furthermore, the carrier layer 16, in particular the first layer 20, is provided with a stiffening structure 24. The stiffening structure 24 is formed using a stiffening element 26 which, in its present form, is formed by a multiplicity of threads 28 arranged beside one another and arranged at uniform distances from one another within the carrier layer 16. The threads 28 here extend in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1, L.sub.2 of the portions 12, 14, in particular across the entire length of the portions 12, 14. The threads 28 are introduced, in particular needle-punched, into the region of the outer side 30 of the first layer 20. On account of this, the threads 28 are arranged in the border region of the two connected layers 20, 22. For manufacturing the carrier layer 16 using the threads 28, first the two layers 20, 22 are produced and subsequently needled together, the threads 28 being incorporated, in particular needle-punched, into one of the two layers 20, 22 at the same time.

(10) The threads 28, in their respective longitudinal directions L.sub.1, L.sub.2, have a greater expansion rigidity than the carrier layer 16. On account of this, the threads 28 introduce a prestressing into the carrier layer 16, such that an expansion in the longitudinal direction of the pipe is limited or prevented during inversing, pressing and/or curing. At the same time, the threads 28 allow expansion of the carrier layer 16 in the radial direction, i.e. in the direction of the inner wall of the pipe, during inversing, pressing and/or curing. The threads 28 thus provide for a high dimensional stability of the lining element 10 in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1, L.sub.2, or in the longitudinal direction of the pipe, of the respective portions 12, 14.

(11) The threads 28 are preferably arranged at equidistant distances from one another within the carrier layer 18, the threads preferably being at a distance from one another which is between approx. 2 mm and approx. 5 cm, preferably between approx. 10 mm and approx. 4 cm. The threads 28 furthermore have a fineness which is between approx. 50 dtex and approx. 2500 dtex, preferably between approx. 500 dtex and approx. 1500 dtex. The threads 28 are furthermore preferably produced from polyester, glass fibre, aramid and/or Kevlar.

(12) In both lining elements 10, 40 according to the invention, in the present form, the threads 28 are introduced into both the main-pipe portion 12 and also the lateral-pipe portion 14. It is furthermore also conceivable for the threads 28 to be introduced into only one of the portions 12, 14. Instead of a multiplicity of threads 28, it is furthermore also possible for only one thread 28 to be introduced into the carrier layer 16. Moreover, the stiffening element 26 may also be configured as a tape, a layer, a plate and/or a strip.

(13) As is evident in FIG. 3, the first layer 20 is provided with a coating 18 which, in the installed state, points towards the interior of the pipe. The coating 18 is advantageously formed using plastic, preferably polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyurethane, furthermore preferably using thermoplastic polyurethane. Furthermore, the coating 18 preferably has an area weight between approx. 100 g/m.sup.2 and approx. 200 g/m.sup.2, preferably approx. 150 g/m.sup.2. The coating 18 prevents a washout of the resin introduced into the carrier layer 16. In addition, the coating 18 in the installed state also serves as a protection layer against abrasion and/or damage by the materials conveyed with the waste water or rain water. It further serves as a chemical protection layer against chemical reactions of the waste water and/or the materials being conveyed. The coating 18 may furthermore also be formed using a coating system which has a plurality of interconnected layers. The coating 18 may be connected to the carrier layer 16 by means of an adhesive layer (not illustrated). The coating 18 may furthermore also be laminated onto the carrier layer 16.

(14) In the following, a method for manufacturing the lining elements 10 according to the invention is explained. First, the layers 20, 22 of the carrier layer are produced by needling together or interweaving the fibres, in particular the ECR glass fibres and/or polyester fibres, in a known manner. Subsequently thereto, the two layers 20, 22 are fixedly interconnected, in particularly needled together, on their outer sides 30, wherein the threads 28 is incorporated, preferably needle-punched, into one of the layers 20, 22, preferably into an outer side 30 of one of the layers 20, 22, at the same time.

(15) The lining elements 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are distinguished by the stiffening structure 24 introduced into the carrier layer 16, or the stiffening element 26 in the form of a multiplicity of threads 28 extending per se in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1, L.sub.2 of the portions 12, 14. The threads 28 prevent an expansion of the lining portions 12, 14 in their longitudinal directions L.sub.1, L.sub.2, or in the longitudinal direction of the pipe, during [inversing, pressing and/or curing of] the lining element 10, 40. The threads 28 furthermore enable an expansion of the carrier layer 16 in the radial direction, i.e. in the direction of the inner wall of the pipe, for the purpose of rehabilitating the pipeline. Furthermore, the threads 28 may be introduced into both portions 12, 14, or into merely one of them.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(16) 10 first lining element according to the invention 12 main-pipe portion 14 lateral-pipe portion 18 carrier layer 20 coating 22 first layer 23 second layer 23 border region 24 stiffening structure 26 stiffening element 28 thread 30 outer side 40 second lining element according to the invention L.sub.1 longitudinal direction of the main-pipe portion L.sub.2 longitudinal direction of the lateral-pipe portion