Sustainable multi-material polymers for new generation of low carbon footprint pipelines

传统上，钢管用于在高温和极端压力下输送流体。然而，腐蚀问题和相关的管道故障促使人们开始使用增强聚合物管道。与钢管相比，增强热塑性塑料管材(RTP)具有许多优点，包括柔韧性和可回收性，因此碳足迹低，比质量和缠绕性低，运输方便，耐用性高，安装和运行成本低。在此背景下，主要目标是开发一种新的多材料结构或混合衬垫，该衬垫能够达到目标温度和压力额定值所需的性能，同时与作为单层工程热塑性塑料建造的衬垫相比，其成本更低。为此，多材料结构或混合衬垫将致力于利用商品热塑性聚合物的可回收性、低成本，以及更多添加高性能热塑性塑料的优势，以确保其结构完整性和改善流体渗透性能。技术成果将是开发下一代管线管产品将保留在加拿大，这代表了增值知识，使其能够在未来就潜在的新型低碳足迹管道技术在世界各地的商业化或许可方面做出战略决策。加拿大的经济利益将是知识增值、技术保留和制造业的市场领先地位，特别是关键的能源部门。预计此次合作完成的研发工作将带来新的低碳足迹管线管技术，该技术也可用于未来的各种管道系统开发。此外，随着这种技术在全球管道建设项目中的实施，加拿大公司在制造和运输领域的新收入来源可能成为可能。项目成果的社会影响也可能对加拿大该行业的整体福祉产生重大影响。新型低碳排放管道解决方案的制造将为该行业提供增长机会。很可能会雇用更多的劳动力，以协助该项目的实施和进一步发展。此外，管道运营商对技术和成本领先的产品作出积极回应，将增加对产品供应的需求，从而进一步创造就业机会，以满足日益增长的生产需求。更重要的是，设想的管道组合设计将有助于保护环境。这将通过限制管道中金属部件的使用来实现，从而减少制造这些产品对环境的影响，并消除管道的长期腐蚀。拟议的多材料衬里设计将用于限制并可能防止流体的渗透，这将减少整体温室气体排放，延长管道的使用寿命，并通过保护产品的结构完整性来降低管道的故障率。

Steel pipes have traditionally been used for the transportation of fluids at high-temperatures and extreme pressures. However, corrosion problems and associated pipe failures have motivated a drive to reinforced polymeric pipe. Compared to steel pipes, reinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTPs) offer several advantages including flexibility and recyclability hence low carbon footprint, ease of transportation due to lower specific mass and spoolability, increased durability, lower installation and operational cost. In this context the primary objective is to develop a new class of multi-material structured or blended liners which achieve the required performance for the targeted temperature and pressure ratings while being lower in cost compared to liners constructed as a single layer engineering thermoplastic. To this end, the multi-material structured or blended liners will aim to take advantage of the recyclability, low cost of commodity thermoplastic polymers in combination with more addition of high-performance thermoplastics for their structural integrity and improved fluid permeation resistance. The technical outcome will be developing this next generation linepipe product would be retained in Canada, which represents the value-added knowledge that would allow to make future strategic decisions in terms of the commercialization or licensing of potential novel low carbon footprint piping technologies for the industry around the world. The economic benefits to Canada will be the value-added knowledge, technology retention and market leadership in manufacturing with a special focus on the key energy sector. It is anticipated that the contributions from the R&D completed by this collaboration will result in the introduction of novel low carbon footprint Linepipe technology that can also be utilized for a variety of future piping system developments. Moreover, new revenue streams for Canadian-based companies in the manufacturing and transportation field may become possible with the implementation of such technology with piping construction projects around the globe. The social impact from the project outcome can also be substantial to the overall well-being of the industry in Canada. The manufacturing of novel low carbon footprint pipeline solutions will provide growth opportunities for the sector. The employment of additional workforce is likely to occur to assist with the implementation and further development following this project. Moreover, a positive response from piping operators to a product at the cutting edge of technology and cost would increase the demand for product offerings which would further induce job creation in order to satisfy the growing production needs. More importantly, the envisioned composite design of the pipeline would contribute to protecting the environment. This will be achieved by limiting the use of metallic components in the pipeline, thereby reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing of these products and eliminating long term corrosion of the pipeline. The proposed multi-material design of the liner will serve to limit and possibly prevent the permeation of fluids which will reduce the overall greenhouse emission and extend the service life and lower the failure rate of the pipeline by protecting the structural integrity of the product.