Source: QUAKEWRAP, INC. submitted to NRP
INFINITPIPE®: ON-SITE MANUFACTURED JOINT-LESS PIPE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SMALL BUSINESS GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1020522
Grant No.
2019-33610-30182
Cumulative Award Amt.
$625,000.00
Proposal No.
2019-02310
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2019
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2022
Grant Year
2019
Program Code
[8.4]- Air, Water and Soils
Recipient Organization
QUAKEWRAP, INC.
6840 S. TUCSON BLVD
TUCSON,AZ 85756
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Pipelines are commonly built in 10-40 foot long segments in factories. The segments are then shipped on a convoy of trucks (each holding as few as just 1-3 sections of the larger diameter pipes) to the jobsite where they are hoisted by specialized equipment off the trucks into the trench; this requires existing roadway infrastructure for the delivery of pipes. Final assembly of the pipes is made in the trench where the segments are connected or welded together. The joints require extensive labor and equipment and represent the weakest section of the pipe; 95% of the leaks and loss of product occur at joints. The transportation, loading and unloading of heavy, large pipes is one of the most dangerous tasks in the construction industry.The proposed InfinitPipe® is a revolutionary concept that allows construction of a continuous seamless pipe on site that is a culmination of the PI's 30+ years of pioneering work in this field. The pipe is made from Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials. These materials are very strong, lightweight. Unlike steel, FRP does not corrode, making it an ideal material for pipeline manufacturing.The technique calls for a Mobile Manufacturing Unit (MMU) that can be 10-20 feet long. An older version of the MMU can be watched in this video: https://tinyurl.com/y5cax8ca As part of this project, a significantly smaller and simpler MMU will be developed. Various layers of resin-saturated fabrics of carbon or glass will be spirally wrapped around the mandrel. The number of layers and types of fabric (carbon or glass) will be designed by our engineers based on the diameter and pressure rating requirements of the pipe. The mandrel is heated and within a few minutes the resin will cure, resulting in a very strong and lightweight pipe. This process will be carried out in a continuous manner, that will allow us to build a pipe of virtually any length on site.The small MMU and the raw materials can be shipped in one or two containers to the job site and upon construction of the pipeline, the MMU can be shipped back to the manufacturer for maintenance and deployment to another site. InfinitPipe® is a green and sustainable technology that allows construction of pipelines in remote sites, where the lack of existing roadway infrastructure may add significantly to the cost of conventional pipeline construction. These advantages offer the possibility of a new business model, where the technology can be expanded globally in a short time.The low-cost, non-corroding InfinitPipe® is ideal for conveyance of water over long distances. It can also be used in desalination projects. Another application is for lining of irrigation canals where significant water is lost due to seepage through cracks and evaporation.
Animal Health Component
60%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
60%
Developmental
30%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
11102102020100%
Knowledge Area
111 - Conservation and Efficient Use of Water;

Subject Of Investigation
0210 - Water resources;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;
Goals / Objectives
The goals of the InfinitPipe® project are:Improve design and manufacturing of the InfinitPipe® technologyThe objectives pertinent to this goal are as follows:Build a test set-up for fast and reliable manufacture of InfinitPipe®Run in-house tests to set a procedure for manufacture of InfinitPipe® with high quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC)Provide a design (in terms on thickness and number of FRP layers) procedureProvide pressure class and bending radius schedules based on analysis/design and test data (in-house and third party)Automate the manufacturing process with the robotics partnerIntroduce this revolutionary, on-site manufactured pipe technology to the global irrigation marketAttend conferences (minimum three per year) and other educational and trade events first in the USA, then internationally. Present on the InfinitPipe® technology and exhibit at these eventsUse the website (www.infinitpipe.com), social media and other internet platforms to create more awareness on InfinitPipe®Develop a successful business model for InfinitPipe®Identify a minimum of two sales and marketing professionals to build a marketing and sales team solely for InfinitPipe®Implement marketing and sales activitiesElaborate the design-build model with QuakeWrap's construction arm, FRP ConstructionReach out to contractors and vendors for the leasing model
Project Methods
As described earlier, the main objective of this project is to build a continuous pipe onsite that meets the standards for some if not all pipes that are currently used. There are numerous challenges ahead. The issue of continuous winding of a pre-preg fabric around a heated mandrel, that allows the curing of the pipe in minutes, and yet does not let the pipe to stick to the mandrel is one that requires a lot of trials. We are, for example, planning to use a fluted tube as the mandrel that has depressed regions; this will minimize the point of contact between the fabric and the mandrel (or tube) and will hopefully allow an easier sliding of the completed pipe off the mandrel. Other methods that will be explored are mechanical "grips" perhaps in the form of friction wheels that will grab the outside of the pipe and push it away from the mandrel.The method of saturation of fabric is another variable. The fabric can be saturated with resin in the field prior to being wrapped around the mandrel. But this offers additional tasks to be performed in the field. An alternative is to work with a manufacturer that can pre impregnate the fabric with a resin; this will significantly simplify the operation in the field and improve the quality of the product as the impregnation process can be performed accurately in the plant so the right amount of resin is uniformly added to the fabric. However, this technique requires special handling and storage of the pre-preg fabrics before they are used in the field.Once the above tasks have been completed, then we can begin manufacturing of samples of the pipe for different pressure rating. These samples will be constructed with different number of layers of glass or carbon fabric, yielding different strength (i.e. pressure rating) for the pipe. These samples will be tested for ring stiffness, internal pressure, bend radius, etc. and the results will be used to calibrate our analytical models that are required for engineers to design these pipes.Another aspect of the project is connection between the pipes. Even though InfinitPipe® is made in very long segments, ultimately these segments must be connected to a fitting or to another piece of pipe. Pieces of InfinitPipe® will be connected with wet-layup technique and these connections will be subjected to internal water pressure to determine if and at what pressure the connection starts to leak. Our objective is to design these connections, so they meet or exceed the pressure rating of other existing pipes.A major hurdle in pipeline construction is its safety regarding health and toxicity. In the U.S., ANSI/NSF-61 Standards are used to certify whether a product is safe for potable water or not. QuakeWrap's current epoxy resin does meet the NSF 61 Standards. However, that resin has a long curing time and cannot be used in the construction of InfinitPipe® that requires a much faster production rate. As part of this project, the resin system that is used to pre-impregnate the fabric will be tested for compliance with NSF-61 Standards. This test is highly specialized and only three laboratories can perform the test; so, the test will be outsourced to one of those laboratories.

Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Our target audience include irrigation districts, universities, engineers, consultants, investors, and governmental institutions (such as Bureau of Reclamation). The InfinitPipe project was selected for Valley Ventures 5 Program by BlueTech Valley, an incubator within Fresno State University. As a program finalist QuakeWrap's key staff (Drs. Ehsani, Sever, and Yan) involved in the program receivedinteractive training from industry leaders on topics such as intellectual property protection, attracting venture capital, marketing and sales, and financial management. QuakeWrap has continued on conversations with Mr. David Wegner, who is a board member of National Academy of Sciences and was a former advisor to the White House on water policies. Mr. Wegner believes developing economical coneyance systems for irrigation is important, and therefore, supports InfinitPipe. QuakeWrap was also contacted by Suez, a global conglomerate in water technologies, to indicate their interest in InfinitPipe. As we near completion of our business plan, we will be contacting more irrigation districts as well as energy companies to introduce InfinitPipe to them for their future pipeline projects. We also hired a business consultant in preparation of the business model and a pitch deck for potential investors with respect to large scale projects. Changes/Problems:There is no significant change to the scope of work or goals set for the project. As stated previously, the project objective and goals were accomplished. Building a mobile manufacturing unit (MMU) turned out to be a bigger challenge than anticipated mainly due to complications associated with a heated collapsible mandrel and automated wrapping mechanism. While it is operational and able to make a pipe in the lab, there are still a couple of minor issues to be addressed with the MMU before taking it to the field for an actual (pilot) project in Phase III. Those issues are mainly associated with applying a controlled level of tension on the FRP fabrics wrapped on the collapsible mandrel. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Prof Mo Ehsani (PI) and Dr. Firat Sever (Co-PI) have attended conferences and gave several presentations about the technology in the past couple of years including a Zoom presentation to a target audience on Nov 24, 2020, exhibited at the Yuma ag conference in 2019, presented at United States Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (USCID) conference in 2018, attended theWater and Stormwater Infrastructure Symposium in Washington, D.C., attended the Tribal Water Summit in Phoenix, Arizona, attended and Stormwater Infrastructure Symposium in Washington, D.C., and presented at the Arizona Hydrological Soceity Conference, in Phoenix, Arizona. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Over the past four years we also held meetings to promote the technology to relevant organizations including United States Bureau of Reclamation (Headquarters in Washington, DC), National Institute for Water Resources (NIWR), andInternational Commission on Irrigation andDrainage (ICID) at their Headquarters in New Delhi, India. In addition to conference appearances and individual presentations to target audiences, InfinitPipe® was also featured as an emerging technology by the Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT), a multi-faceted initiative undertaken by The Water Research Foundation and the Water Environment Federation to guide water innovation to implementation. PI, Prof. Ehsani held an online presentation through LIFT along with only two other technologies included in the forum. InfinitPipe® was included in the LIFT website as a recent technology on the spotlight. Drs Ehsani and Sever have recently published a white paper on theInfinitPipe®technology and the advantages it can provide in building a pipeline for long-distance water conveyance. The white paper also includes a case study on coneying desalinated water from the Sea of Cortez to Arizona and concludes thatInfinitPipe®can potentially save more than 60% on the pipeline to be constructed for such a project, which is currently debated and supported by many in Arizona as the state is running out of options for assuring water security particularly for metro Phoenix and Yuma for agriculture. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The main goal of Phase II -- Improve design and manufacturing of the InfinitPipe®technology -- was accomplished. Objectives 1-5 were also accomplished. 1. A test setup for manual manufacturing of InfinitPipe was built. 2. In house tests were conducted for efficient and reliable manufacture of InfinitPipe with respect to wrapping method, heat cure, and collapsible mandrel. 3. A design method was developed based on test results and computational modeling. 4.In house tests were conducted to determine pressure capacity for different designs, fittings, and bending radius of InfinitPipe. 5. A mobile manufacturing unit with a capacity of making up to 30-in. diameter pipes was built in collaboration with a partner (Vroom Engineering).Currently addressing a couple of issues with the mobile manufacturing unit before deploying it for a pilot project.

Publications


    Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Our target audience include irrigation districts, universities, engineers, consultants, investors, and governmental institutions (such as Bureau of Reclamation). The InfinitPipe project was selected for Valley Ventures 5 Program by BlueTech Valley, an incubator within Fresno State University. As a program finalist QuakeWrap's key staff (Drs. Ehsani, Sever, and Yan) involved in the program receivedinteractive training from industry leaders on topics such as intellectual property protection, attracting venture capital, marketing and sales, and financial management. QuakeWrap has continued on conversations with Mr. David Wegner, who is a board member of National Academy of Sciences and was a former advisor to the White House on water policies. Mr. Wegner believes developing economical coneyance systems for irrigation is important, and therefore, supports InfinitPipe. QuakeWrap was also contacted by Suez, a global conglomerate in water technologies, to indicate their interest in InfinitPipe. As we near completion of our business plan, we will be contacting more irrigation districts as well as energy companies to introduce InfinitPipe to them for their future pipeline projects. We also hired a business consultant in preparation of the business model and a pitch deck for potential investors with respect to large scale projects. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Prof Mo Ehsani (PI) and Dr. Firat Sever (Co-PI) have attended conferences and gave several presentations about the technology in the past couple of years including a Zoom presentation to a target audience on Nov 24, 2020, exhibited at the Yuma ag conference in 2019, presented at United States Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (USCID) conference in 2018, attended theWater and Stormwater Infrastructure Symposium in Washington, D.C., attended the Tribal Water Summit in Phoenix, Arizona, attended and Stormwater Infrastructure Symposium in Washington, D.C., and presented at the Arizona Hydrological Soceity Conference, in Phoenix, Arizona. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?was also featured as an emerging technology by the Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT), a multi-faceted initiative undertaken by The Water Research Foundation and the Water Environment Federation to guide water innovation to implementation. PI, Prof. Ehsani held an online presentation through LIFT along with only two other technologies included in the forum. InfinitPipe®was included in the LIFT website as a recent technology on the spotlight. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Complete building the mobile manufacturing unit (MMU) 2. Complete design method based on test results and computational modeling.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? 1. A test setup for manual manufacturing of InfinitPipe was built. 2. In house tests were conducted for efficient and reliable manufacture of InfinitPipe with respect to heat cure, and collapsible mandrel. 3. A design method was intiatedbased on test results and computational modeling. 4.In house tests were conducted to determine pressure capacity for different designs, fittings, and bending radius of InfinitPipe.

    Publications


      Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20

      Outputs
      Target Audience:Our target audience include irrigation districts, universities, engineers, consultants, investors, and governmental institutions (such as Bureau of Reclamation).The InfinitPipe project was selected for Valley Ventures 5 Program by BlueTech Valley, an incubator within Fresno State University. As a program finalist QuakeWrap's key staff involved in the program have been receiving interactive training from industry leaders on topics such as intellectual property protection, attracting venture capital, marketing and sales, and financial managment. To date, 60 percent of the program has been completed by Prof. Mo Ehsani, Dr. Firat Sever, and Dr. Owen Yan. QuakeWrap has continued on conversations with Mr. David Wegner, who is a board member of National Academy of Sciences and was a former advisor to the White House on water policies. Mr. Wegner believes developing economical coneyance systems for irrigation is important, and therefore, supports InfinitPipe. In this period, QuakeWrap was also contacted by Suez, a global conglomerate in water technologies, to indicate their interest in InfinitPipe. The conversation with Suez on collaboration is currently underway. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Prof. Mo Ehsani (PI) and Dr. Firat Sever (co-PI) will provide an online training on flexible pipe design and InfinitPipe on 11/24/2020. The training will cover the basics of pipeline design for water conveyance in addition to the specifics of the InfinitPipe technology. As such, it will be an educational opportunity for engineering students as well as for academia and practicing engineers. The training can be accessed via the Zoom meeting link indicated below: Topic: QuakeWrap: Designing with an Endless Pipe Time: Nov 24, 2020 11:00 AM Arizona Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81505101317?pwd=NWp3d1JJWCtmRDFENWVDc0JSQmJ5QT09 Meeting ID: 815 0510 1317 Passcode: 163135 QuakeWrap team will continue on delivering educational seminars on InfinitPipe during the course of the project and beyond. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Test and start production with the automated mobile manufacturing unit 2. Advance the InfinitPipe design procedure via testing and modeling. 3. Complete fitting tests, and provide guidelines for connecting to existing pipes of other materials. 4.Attend and present at two conferences (national, regional,orlocal). 5. Disseminate results to entities of interest, particularly to irrigation districts in western United States.

      Impacts
      What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Built a new inflated mandrel for InfinitPipe production. 2. Purchased an eletric steamer and connected it to mandrel for heated cure to accelerate InfinitPipe production 3. Designed a new mobile manufacturing unit (MMU) 4. Started construction of the MMU (75% complete). 5. Manufactured a 15-ft long InfinitPipe (manually) sample for testing. 6. Designed and built a test setup for four-point bending test and calculated bending radius per test results. 7. Conducted finite element analysis to analyze stress distribution in bending and under pressure. 8. Identified an AWWA standard (C950) for further testing and design as a reference.

      Publications