2010. Inflatable Plug for Underwater Tunnel Protection
Project developed for West Virginia University. This project consisted in the numerical simulation of an inflatable structure designed to stop a high pressure fluid flow within a pipe. To achieve this purpose, the plug must seal the pipe and be axially locked in a given section. To seal the pipe section, the inflatable must conform perfectly to the pipe internal geometry and must be inflated at a pressure larger than the pressure found in the pipe. To axially lock the plug inside the pipe, the inflatable designed relies in the friction developed between the inflatable and the pipe walls. The numerical simulation conducted was capable of validating the correct inflation of the plug, and its capacity to hold the applied pressure thanks to the friction between the tunnel and the inflatable.





Thursday, November 21, 2024
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