Technology From An Innovator s Prospective. Larry Cercone, Ph.D. Director of Innovation, Oil, Gas and Industrial

Transcription

1 Technology From An Innovator s Prospective Larry Cercone, Ph.D. Director of Innovation, Oil, Gas and Industrial

2 Overview What is Innovation Innovation can be defined simply as a "new idea, device or method. However, innovation is often viewed as the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs. What is an Innovator This is somewhat more difficult to define. An innovator can be anyone, but more than likely, in our industry, is someone with knowledge of and experience. True innovators get their hands dirty. An innovator has many voices in their head, chemist, mathematician, physicist, chemical engineer, mechanical engineer, testing technician, electrical controls technician, machinist, marketing, management..and the list goes on. An innovator s job is NEVER 8 to 5. An innovator is always working on projects in their mind, and sometime at very strange hours or social situations. An innovator knows failure (hit rate).

3 Overview Innovators who have influenced me Karl Stienmetz - Westinghouse Nicola Tesla - Westinghouse Fred Policelli - Hercules (ATK) Enrico Fermi - University of Chicago Where do innovative ideas come from Sales Group (The Business) Customers Vendors Trade Shows Observations Dreams What drivers control implementation of an innovation The wants, is this something we really want? The need, is the really needed? The cost. IP

4 BRAKETHROUGH INOVATIONS Management We want. Innovator You want WHAT WHEN? Management How much is to going to cost? How long is it going to take? Innovator I don t know. I don t know. Breakthrough Innovations take time.

5 BRAKETHROUGH INOVATIONS Thank you Far Side

6 BRAKETHROUGH INOVATIONS 90% of the solution to any problem is CLEARLY defining the knowns and unknowns. Is the solution to the problem a brut force or an elegant solution. Deal with the knowns first. Think about the unknowns (Hopefully a Miracle Occurs). Define the innovation needs Is this materials only or materials and installation methodology. Team members needed (a brief word). Time line From pencil on paper to product on a pipe. Develop initial cost estimates, knowing those will change. Be prepared to change directions. (Going down the rabbit hole) Be prepared for failure.

7 A Real Innovative Project THE PROBLEM AS PRESENTED Develop a product and installation method to repair in-service polyethylene gas pipe lines using composite materials. Can we do it? The short answer is yes, we got to the moon, how much time and money do I get? Do you want this to be a brute force or elegant solution?

8 The Knowns and Unknowns DEFINE THE SUBSTRAIT Natural gas is transmitted and distributed in medium density polyethylene pipe (MDPE). Through the years improvements have been made in the polymer structure until we now use the familiar (MDPE 2406 GAS YELLOW) MDPE pipe. First Generation PE Pipe Current PE Pipe

9 Physical and Mechanical Properties of MDPE 2406 GAS YELLOW PIPE Physical Properties Test Method Values (3) English (SI) Resin Properties MDPE 2406 GAS YELLOW Melt Index (I C/2.16 kg, g/10 min Flow Rate (I C/21.60 kg, g/10 min ASTM D 1238 >0.15 ASTM D Density (natural resin), g/cc ASTM D Thermal Stability, F ( C) ASTM D 3350 > 428 (> 220) Mechanical Properties (4) Tensile Strength at Yield, psi (MPa) ASTM D 638 > 2600 (> 18) Elongation at Break, % ASTM D 638 > 600 Flexural Modulus, psi (MPa) ASTM D 790, method Secant 2% strain, 0.5 > 90,000 (> 620) 1, procedure B in/min ASTM D 746, Brittleness Temperature, F ( C) < -103 (<-76) procedure A Slow Crack Growth PENT, hours ASTM F 1473 > 10,000 Pipe Properties (2) Hydrostatic 73 F ASTM D ,250 (8.6) (23 C), psi (MPa) Hydrostatic ASTM D ,000 (6.9) 140 F (60 C), psi (MPa) Fusion Qualification: Qualified to TR-33 Generic Procedure * PE 2708 is also called PE 2406 under certain ASTM and AGA specifications

10 What Will Bond to Polyethylene Literature search (yes, some of us go to libraries and search). Internet search. Procure samples of likely candidates. Test those samples. Results, negative, negative, negative.. Look for other alternatives. THEN A MIRACLE OCCURS

11 THE BONDING OR TIE LAYER After investigating possible candidates that could promote bonding to PE pipe, we made a discovery from the electronics industry, that had the possibility of bonding two dissimilar surfaces. Since, in this case, it is not a chemical bonding solution, we first had to determine how to heat-fuse the tie layer to the PE pipe.

12 THE BRUTE FORCE METHOD The first trials were made using a hand held heat gun to fuse the tie layer to the MDPE pipe. The tie layer is thick very difficult to handle. Applying an even heat around the pipe circumference was problematic at best. Level of frustration at this point.high!

13 Will It Actually Work The Brute Force Test 4 Butt Joint Non Fused Tie Layer/Reinforcement

14 THE BRUTE FORCE TEST Moral to the story is, you really don t need to spend a lot of money to see if something might actually work.

15 ACTUAL TESTING STEP (real testing)

16 PATH FORWAD RFP Working closely with The Gas Technology Institute (GTI) in Chicago we responded to a request for proposal submitted to GTI by OTD (Operations Technology Development Company) to develop a method to repair gouges on existing MDPE gas pipe lines. Responding to this particular RFP was our goal, but we could not respond until we had potential for success. The proposal was accepted and a testing program was defined. Since the majority of the PE pipes that need to be repaired are 2 in diameter, it was decided that all development and testing would be concentrated on that size.

17 THE CRITICAL STEPS Installation Methodology In our Brute Force phase we knew we would need to develop a device to install the product with repeatable results, was easy to transport and easy to use. Testing and Validation Working with GTI, we developed a test matrix that, in accordance with the gas industry s requirements, would determine initial strength, durability and longevity of the repair system.

18 INSTALLATION METHODOLOGY (The elegant solution) First, we investigated the equipment currently used in the industry to repair PE pipe. Next, we investigated commercially available heating methods. Keeping the installation a primary focus, we designed and built the prototype machine based on our investigation. Using the prototype device, we began the testing phase.

19 THE PROTOTYPE UNIT

20 THE PROTOTYPE UNIT OSSILATOR HEATER CLAMP NOZZLE

21 THE TEST MATRIX SAMPLE NO. DATE SAND (80 GRIT) CLEAN FILL TIME TEMP SANDING CLEAN ADHESIVE A+ WRAP DEFECT (MIN) SETTING /2/2015 X X X X X X 4 10 X /2/2015 X X X X X X 4 10 X /2/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /2/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /2/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /2/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /2/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /3/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /3/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /3/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /3/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /3/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /3/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /3/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X /6/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X CW-1 4/27/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X CW-2 4/27/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X CW-4 4/27/2015 X X X X X X 6 9 X TENSILE SAMPLES (BUTT JOINT) WITH ADHESIVE AND A+ 3 4/22/2015 X X N/A N/A X X 6 9 X 4 4/22/2015 X X N/A N/A X X 6 9 X 6 4/22/2015 X X N/A N/A X X 6 9 X 8 4/23/2015 X X N/A N/A X X 6 9 X 9 4/23/2015 X X N/A N/A X X 6 9 X 13 4/23/2015 X X N/A N/A X X 6 9 X 14 4/24/2015 X X N/A N/A X X 6 9 X 16 4/24/2015 X X N/A N/A X X 6 9 X TENSILE SAMPLES (BUTT JOINT) WITH NO ADHESIVE AND A+ BASELINE 1 4/27/2015 X X N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A X 2 4/27/2015 X X N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A X 7 4/27/2015 X X N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A X 11 4/27/2015 X X N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A X 12 4/27/2015 X X N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A X 17 4/27/2015 X X N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A X

22 Pressure Cycling Sample Preparation

23 Pressure Cycling Sample Preparation

24 TEST CHAMBER

25 TEST RESULTS (Bond Strength) PolyBrute Tensile Peak Load (lb) Butt Joint Made with Adhesive (PolyBrute System) 4151 Butt Joint Made without Adhesive (PolyBurte, No Adhesive) 1268 Peak Load (lb) Butt-fused Pipe (Using Current Butt Fusion Technology) 3302 Control Pipe ( PE Pipe only)

26 Test Method Rate Process Method (RPM) To validate the long-term performance of the repaired pipe samples an RPM test program was devised and carried out. RPM is a technique for forecasting the longterm performance of polyethylene (PE) piping materials. The method requires hydrostatic pressure testing of pipe specimens at various pressures and temperatures. The hydrostatic pressure testing was carried in general accordance with PPI TN-16(2008) Rate Process Method for Projecting Performance of Polyethylene Piping Components using the hydrostatic pressure test method described in ASTM D1598. The pipe specimens were capped with free-end type end closures, filled with deionized water, conditioned and tested in a water bath at various pressures (hoop stress levels). The failure data obtained at all temperatures are used to predict the performance of a pipe material at end-use temperature and pressure conditions.

27 Results RPM Data at 140 F (Actual & Shifted Data Points)

28 Results RPM Data at 176 F (Actual & Shifted Data Points)

29 Results RPM Data at 194 F (Actual & Shifted Data Points)

30 Results Combined RPM Actual and Shifted Data Points

31 After four and one half years of development and testing, MILLIKEN INFRASTRUCTURE is proud to announce PolyBrute PolyBrute is a new system developed by Milliken Infrastructure to repair gouges in MDPE gas pipe lines. The patented materials, process and equipment will add another tool to the gas distribution industry that will allow the repair of gas pipelines while in service without the need of traditional squeeze off and butt fusion.

32 WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE OTE Phase II test program. Design and build Version 2 of the PolyBrute fusion machine. Testing for active leak repair (permeation validation). Testing of older PE pipe currently in service. Testing squeeze off damage areas in existing pipes. Larger diameter pipe methodology. Extension of technology to HDPE pipe systems.

33 THE REWARDS FOR AN INOVATOR Seeing Your Innovation Commercialized.

34 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Genevieve Withers, Pipe Wrap, for perusing the opportunity with OTD and GTI and believing in her development team. Jim Souza, Milliken Infrastructure, for his input in developing the technology. Dan Bomar Sr., Milliken Infrastructure, for his insight in the development of the fusion machinery and field application techniques (and the use of his truck for brute force testing). OTD for accepting our proposal for the repair of MDPE Pipes. GTI for their guidance during the testing program.

35 SUMMARY Our industry, the rehabilitation of the nations infrastructure, has an infinite number of innovations that are needed. The permutations and combinations of materials running through the world s piping systems is almost infinite. There is more work to be done by all of us.

36 Questions?