Development of carbon-neutral, multiphase composite coatings (MCC) and their robotic placement technologies for corrosion protection and rehabilitation of sewer systems

污水系统是使用混凝土下水道管道输送污水的市政基础设施。由于混凝土长期暴露在高腐蚀性、细菌多的下水道环境中，造成严重的生物腐蚀，数以千计的污水管道段被过早更换。维护和修复老化和恶化的下水道基础设施是许多城市和地区公用事业的持续挑战，包括大温哥华地区。由于老化的污水处理基础设施通常位于拥挤的城市地区，因此需要对评估、维修和更换进行仔细的规划，这使情况进一步复杂化。随着加拿大市政基础设施的迅速老化，这个问题预计只会变得更糟。申请人最近开发、测试并申请了一种低碳多相复合涂层（MCC）的专利，这种涂层可以防止下水道管道的生物腐蚀。MCC是一种由硅酸铝和磷酸镁组成的改性地聚合物基质，内含抗菌剂。MCC的二氧化碳当量排放量估计比传统的波特兰水泥砂浆少65%-85%。这种涂层已经被手工涂在温哥华的一个污水处理室内。在此，建议通过使用CO2固存的再生砂、使用天然杀菌剂和用再生纤维加固来进一步减少碳足迹，从而改善MCC。将研究流变学，以便使用基于人工智能（AI）的机器人喷涂MCC。改进后的MCC将使用传感器监测性能，喷洒在大温哥华地区的资产上。多相复合涂层（MCC）不仅可以作为修复现有管道、人孔和室的喷涂衬里，还可以用于新的预制管道和人孔。大温哥华地区的全面试验将有助于改进MCC技术，降低材料和安装成本。该项目将为这两家私营公司在新兴的国际基础设施修复市场上提供主要的竞争优势。

Sewerage is the civic infrastructure that transports sewage using concrete sewer pipes. Thousands of such sewerage pipe segments are replaced prematurely because of severe bio-corrosion caused by a prolonged exposure of concrete to highly corrosive, bacteria-laden, sewer environments. Maintaining and repairing aged and deteriorated sewerage infrastructure is an ongoing challenge for many municipalities and regional utilities, including Metro Vancouver. This is further complicated by the fact that aging sewerage infrastructure is often located under crowded urban areas, necessitating careful planning for assessment, repair, and replacement. With rapidly aging civic infrastructure in Canada, this problem is expected to only get worse. The applicants have recently developed, tested and patented a low-carbon, Multiphase Composite Coating (MCC) which when applied as a coating prevents bio-corrosion in sewer pipes. MCC is based on a modified geopolymer matrix of alumina silicate and magnesium phosphate with antibacterial agents encapsulated in it. The CO2 equivalent emissions from the MCC are estimated to be 65%-85% less than that of traditional Portland cement mortars. The coating has already been hand-applied to a sewerage chamber in Vancouver. Here, it is proposed to improve the MCC by further reducing its carbon footprint by using CO2 sequestered recycled sand, employing natural biocides and reinforcing it with recycled fiber. Rheology will be studied so MCC can be spray applied using robotics based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Modified MCC will be spray applied on Metro Vancouver's assets using sensors to monitor performance. The Multiphase Composite Coating (MCC) will not only be useful as a spray-applied liner for the rehabilitation of existing pipes, manholes and chambers, but also for new precast pipes and manholes. Full-scale trials with Metro Vancouver will help improve the MCC technology and reduce both materials and placement costs. The project will provide the two private companies a major competitive edge in the burgeoning international infrastructure rehab market.