Saudi Arabian Oil Company

University of Michigan

Overpipe Sas

Thibault Villette

Guillaume Robert Jean-Francois Raynel

Iqbal Hussain

Waheed Alrafaei

Abderrazak Traidia

Fadl Abdellatif

Ayman Amer

Victor C Li

Waleed Al Nasser

Abdullatif Jazzar

Mohammed Al Mehthel

Oscar Salazar Vidal

Yannick Joubeaux

Waleed Nasser

He Zhu

An engineered cementitious composite (ECC) has a tensile strain capacity ranging from 8.6 to 12.5% and includes a cement precursor, unprocessed desert sand, and polymer fibers. The polymer fibers may be ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers, or a combination thereof. A method of preparing an ECC structure includes providing a cementitious precursor mixture including a cement precursor and unprocessed desert sand, introducing water into the cementitious precursor mixture to form a cement slurry, and adding polymer fibers to the cement slurry. The polymer fibers may be ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, polypropylene fibers, or a combination thereof. Then, the method includes forming a structure with the cement slurry and curing the cement slurry.

High durability engineered cementitious composites with polymer fibers

An apparatus includes a Polymer Thermal Expansion Based Passive Thermal Diode (PTE-PTD) that includes layers and is configured to provide passive heating and cooling of a pipeline. A polyurethane (PU) layer is provided that is configured to contact at least an upper portion along a length of a pipe. A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer is provided that is configured to surround the PU layer and the length of the pipe. A graphene layer is provided that is configured to surround an epoxy layer. An epoxy shell is provided that is configured to surround the graphene layer. An air gap on a first side of the PTE-PTD is provided. The air gap is formed by a void in the PET layer and is configured to provide additional air space between the PET layer and the PU layer. The air gap provides an upward movement of the PET layer using opposite forces of alternate sides of the PET layer. The PTE-PTD is installed on the pipeline.

Passive thermal diode for transportation pipelines using contact switch based on polymer thermal expansion (PTE-PTD)

There is disclosed a mechanical coupling for two rebars. The coupling includes a first extremity disposed on a first of the two rebars, and a second extremity disposed on a second of the two rebars. Each of the first and second extremities are machined to effect an interlocking, form-fit connection between the two rebars, wherein the form-fit connection prevents separation of the extremities and inhibits axial displacement of the two rebars with respect to each other. The coupling further includes a covering disposed about the two extremities when the extremities are interconnected via the interlocking, form-fit connection. Also disclosed and described is a related method.

Mechanical couplings for reinforcing bars

A system and method for inspecting a surface of a structure for defects includes an inspection apparatus having a heating device for heating a section of the surface of the structure, an infrared camera for receiving infrared radiation from the surface in response to heating, a controller configured to generate thermographs from the received infrared radiation, and a communication device. A training system includes an expert system module configured to determine correlations between a set of thermographs generated by a thermal simulation of modeled structural elements with defects, and parameters of the modeled structural elements. A computer system communicatively coupled to the training system and the inspection apparatus, is adapted to receive thermographs received from the inspection apparatus and to detect quantitative parameters of defects in the structure using the correlations obtained from the training system.

Method for inspecting composite structures using quantitative infra-red thermography

A system and method for optimizing an additive manufacturing process in which a reinforcement material is randomly introduced to a fabrication bed. An image of the fabrication bed is captured. The image is analyzed by code in a computer to identify the actual arrangement of the randomly deposited reinforcement material relative to the object being manufactured. Based on the image data showing the reinforcement material, a toolpath is dynamically determined that incorporates the random reinforcement material. Accordingly, the toolpath incorporates the reinforcement material into the structure of the object, which can result in a reduction of the total amount of raw material is fused to create the object being manufactured.

Fabrication of composite parts by additive manufacturing and microstructure topology customization

Systems and methods include a system for installing insulation sleeves on pipelines. A portable welding robot is configured to weld a plug base longitudinally along a top edge of a pipeline. The plug base supports plugs configured to engage with holes in both overlapping sides of an insulation sleeve configured to insulate the pipeline. A portable pipeline insulation installation fixture is configured to lift the insulation sleeve and install the insulation sleeve around the pipeline including using electric hoists to lift ends of strands beneath and on either side of the pipeline. Each strand is enclosed in an external tube configured to contact and roll along the insulation sleeve and to rotate relative to the strand. The external tubes are configured to wrap the insulation sleeve around the pipeline.

System for installing insulation sleeves on pipelines

An apparatus includes a method for providing a Shape Memory Polymer Based Passive Thermal Diode (SMP-PTD) that includes layers and is configured to provide passive heating and cooling of a pipeline. The SMP-PTD includes a polyurethane (PU) layer configured to contact at least an upper portion along a length of a pipe. The SMP-PTD further includes a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer configured to surround the PU layer and the length of the pipe. The SMP-PTD further includes a graphene layer configured to surround an upper side of the SMP-PTD and cross layers of the SMP-PTD toward a bottom side of the SMP-PTD to establish contact with the pipe. The SMP-PTD further includes an epoxy shell configured to surround the graphene layer. The SMP-PTD further includes a shape memory polymer (SMP) ring configured to provide vertical displacement and push upward upon lateral displacement from pushing by left and right PET blocks. The SMP-PTD is installed on the pipeline.

Passive thermal diode for transportation pipelines using contact switch based on shape memory polymer (SMP-PTD)

A polymer geo-injection apparatus for protecting an underground structure is provided. The apparatus includes: a mechanized vehicle for moving on the ground in order to transport the apparatus while the apparatus forms a subsurface polymer layer that protects the underground structure; a polymer supply tank coupled to the mechanized vehicle and configured to supply solid polymer during the forming of the polymer layer; a polymer melting unit coupled to the mechanized vehicle and configured to receive and melt the supplied solid polymer and to supply the molten polymer during the forming of the polymer layer; and a subsurface ripper coupled to the mechanized vehicle and configured to move through the ground in response to the movement of the mechanized vehicle while receiving and injecting the supplied molten polymer into the ground above the underground structure in order to form the polymer layer and protect the underground structure.

Polymer geo-injection for underground pipeline protection

A system and method for a passive thermal diode (PTD) to be disposed on a pipeline that inhibits heat transfer from the pipeline to the environment below a threshold temperature and promotes heat transfer from the environment to the pipeline above a threshold temperature.

Passive thermal diode for pipelines

Systems and methods for trenchless placement of an underground protective network of intertwined cables for protecting buried assets from accidental damage are disclosed. The system includes an apparatus for towing behind a vehicle and laying a plurality of continuous cables directly underground and interweaving the cables to form a cable network. The apparatus includes a plurality of soil rippers mounted at respective radial positions to a rotating carrier. The rotating carrier rotates about an axis that is at least partially normal to the ground surface. The rippers plow through the ground in the direction of vehicle travel and include a cable-feeding guide for directly and continuously feeding cable out underground during operation. In operation, the combined movement of the soil rippers from rotating the carrier and movement in the direction of travel serves to intertwine the cables deposited by respective rippers forming the protective network of intertwined cables.

System and method for subsurface cable insertion for the protection of underground assets

Fabrication of composite parts by additive manufacturing and microstructure topology optimization

A polymer geo-injection apparatus for protecting an underground structure is provided. The apparatus includes: a drill bit configured to drill a path through the ground to a desired depth that is above the underground structure; an injection nozzle coupled to the drill bit and configured to insert into and withdraw from the ground along the drilled path, and to create a corresponding cavity in the ground at the desired depth by injecting compressed air into the ground at the desired depth; and a polymer melting and injection unit configured to fuse or melt one or more components of a solid polymer into a liquid form of the solid polymer, and supply the liquid polymer to the injection nozzle. The injection nozzle is further configured to fabricate a corresponding protection slab of the solid polymer at the desired depth by injecting the supplied liquid polymer into the corresponding cavity.

Polymer geo-injection for protecting underground structures

Embodiments of methods and associate system for removing acid gas from a sour gas stream are provided. The method includes (1) passing the sour gas stream in a counter-flow arrangement with an encapsulated phase change material and a lean amine based sorbent liquid configured to absorb the acid gas from the sour gas stream in an absorber; (2) separating the rich amine based sorbent liquid and the encapsulated phase change material; (3) passing the rich amine based sorbent liquid to an amine regenerator wherein the rich amine based sorbent liquid is heated to release the absorbed sour gas and regenerate the lean amine based sorbent liquid; and (4) passing the encapsulated phase change material and the regenerated lean amine based sorbent liquid through a cooler to reduce the temperature of the encapsulated phase change material such that the phase change material in the encapsulated phase change material solidifies.

Growing community of inventors

Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Thibault Villette