New and Innovative 3D Mapping Technology to Enable Rehabilitation of Natural Gas Pipe Infrastructure

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Program:
REPAIR
Award:
$2,274,030
Location:
Newton, Massachusetts
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
12/15/2020 - 09/30/2024
Website:

Technology Description:

The team led by White River Technologies will deliver an improved capability to reliably detect, locate, and position natural gas distribution mains and associated utilities in pipe corridors. The proposed solution connects elements of positioning and information management and (1) advances core electromagnetic (EM) and data management technologies, (2) establishes a physics-based process for large standoff EM for pipe detection and robot location, and (3) employs mixed-reality visualization. Additionally, the project includes a comprehensive, inclusive, and robust REPAIR data management and visualization system to provide an integrated and interactive data delivery system.

Potential Impact:

REPAIR seeks to eliminate the highest pipe rehabilitation cost components, excavation and restoration, by repairing pipes without their removal.

Security:

REPAIR projects should improve the sustainability of domestic natural gas distribution by economically rehabilitating legacy pipes.

Environment:

REPAIR will produce 3D maps and data management/visualization tools that integrate geospatial data for leak testing, integrity/inspection data, coating deposition data, and locations of pipes and adjacent underground infrastructure.

Economy:

REPAIR program innovations will accelerate legacy pipeline replacement while reducing cost to utilities and gas customers.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Jack Lewnard
Project Contact:
Dr. Gregory Schultz
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
schultz@whiterivertech.com

Partners

Dartmouth College
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

Related Projects

• Autonomic Materials - Autonomous Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Natural Gas Pipes
• Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) - Confined Space Mapping Module for In-Pipe Repair Robots
• General Electric (GE) Global Research - PipeLine Underground Trenchless Overhaul (PLUTO)
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) - Structural Materials-aided Advanced Renewal Technology for REPAIR (SMART REPAIR)
• ULC Technologies - Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing for New Pipeline Fabrication in Live, Natural Gas Distribution Mains
• University of Colorado, Boulder (CU-Boulder) - Testing and Analysis of Pipeline Encapsulation Technologies
• University of Delaware (UD) - TuFF Internal Wrap for Rapid Pipeline Repair (TuFF iWRAP)
• University of Maryland (UMD) - Pipe-in-Pipe by Rapid, Continuous, Smart Alloy Coating
• University of Pittsburgh - Innervated Pipelines: A New Technology Platform for In-Situ Repair and Embedded Intelligence
• White River Technologies - New and Innovative 3D Mapping Technology to Enable Rehabilitation of Natural Gas Pipe Infrastructure

Release Date:
02/18/2020