Plug and method for establishing such plug inside a pipe

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for establishing a plug inside a main pipe, in particular a vertically or slantingly arranged pipe, where said pipe has firs and second ends, and where the plug is arranged inside the pipe at a distance from said first and second ends, where a liquid surface is provided at least inside the pipe, below the level at which it is desirable to establish the plug, where a buoyant layer is established on top of said liquid surface, and where a plug material is placed on top of ‘said buoyant layer as well as a plug established according to the method. The buoyant layer can be granular, liquid or solid material. The plug is made of foam material, expandable material or cement-based material such as concrete.

1 . A method for establishing a plug inside a pipe, comprising: providing a vertically or slantingly arranged pipe, where said pipe has first and second ends, providing a plug, arranging the plug inside the pipe such that a liquid surface present inside the pipe is below the position of the plug, and a buoyant layer is established on top of said liquid surface, and placing a plug material on top of said buoyant layer. 
     
     
         2 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method for establishing a plug inside a pipe, in particular a vertically or slantingly arranged pipe, where said pipe has first and second ends, and where the plug is arranged inside the pipe, where a liquid surface is present at least inside the pipe, below the level at which it is desirable to establish the plug, and where a buoyant layer is established on top of said liquid surface, and where a plug material is placed on top of said buoyant layer. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a material chosen from granular materials. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a buoyant material, which material is a two-component liquid foam material, and where a double hose tool is having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the liquid surface, and where said two components are mixed in the mixing chamber, and deposited onto the liquid surface and allowed to foam, and where optionally further depositing of buoyant material is continued while the nozzle is withdrawn such that the buoyant material also is used for the plug material. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the plug material is deposited on the buoyant layer, and where said plug material is selected among foam materials or other expandable materials, cement-based materials including in particular concrete and especially high-strength concrete, or one-component or two-component epoxy-based materials, where said plug material is placed by means of conduits removably placed inside the pipe for conveying the plug material onto said liquid surface. 
     
     
         23 . A method for establishing a plug inside a pipe, where first a buoyant layer is provided on top of the liquid surface by means of the method according to  claim 1 , and subsequently a layer is provided capable of adhesively attaching itself to the interior side of the pipe, and finally the plug material is provided on top of the subsequently provided layer by means of the method according to  claim 20 . 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a granular material, where said material is chosen among or in combinations of: polystyrene granules, wood pellets, chips or granules, polymers, air-filled balls, buoyant sponges, expanded clay granules, or other buoyant non-absorbing granular materials, where said materials are placed on the liquid surface by allowing the material to fall by gravity through the pipe onto the liquid surface either freely or guided by conduits, and where the buoyant material is provided in an amount capable of supporting the plug material, which is placed on top of the buoyant layer. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the plug material is deposited on the buoyant layer, and where said plug material is selected among foam materials or other expandable materials, cement-based materials including in particular concrete and especially high-strength concrete, or one-component or two-component epoxy-based materials, where said plug material is placed by means of conduits removably placed inside the pipe for conveying the plug material onto said liquid surface. 
     
     
         27 . A method for establishing a plug inside a pipe, where first a buoyant layer is provided on top of the liquid surface by means of the method according to  claim 18 , and subsequently a layer is provided capable of adhesively attaching itself to the interior side of the pipe, and finally the plug material is provided on top of the subsequently provided layer by means of the method according to  claim 23 . 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a material chosen from liquid materials. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a buoyant material, which material is a two-component liquid foam material, and where a double hose tool is having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the liquid surface, and where said two components are mixed in the mixing chamber, and deposited onto the liquid surface and allowed to foam, and where optionally further depositing of buoyant material is continued while the nozzle is withdrawn such that the buoyant material also is used for the plug material. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the plug material is deposited on the buoyant layer, and where said plug material is selected among foam materials or other expandable materials, cement-based materials including in particular concrete and especially high-strength concrete, or one-component or two-component epoxy-based materials, where said plug material is placed by means of conduits removably placed inside the pipe for conveying the plug material onto said liquid surface. 
     
     
         33 . A method for establishing a plug inside a pipe, where first a buoyant layer is provided on top of the liquid surface by means of the method according to  claim 1 , and subsequently a layer is provided capable of adhesively attaching itself to the interior side of the pipe, and finally the plug material is provided on top of the subsequently provided layer by means of the method according to  claim 30 . 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a granular material, where said material is chosen among or in combinations of: polystyrene granules, wood pellets, chips or granules, polymers, air-filled balls, buoyant sponges, expanded clay granules, or other buoyant non-absorbing granular materials, where said materials are placed on the liquid surface by allowing the material to fall by gravity through the pipe onto the liquid surface either freely or guided by conduits, and where the buoyant material is provided in an amount capable of supporting the plug material, which is placed on top of the buoyant layer. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the plug material is deposited on the buoyant layer, and where said plug material is selected among foam materials or other expandable materials, cement-based materials including in particular concrete and especially high-strength concrete, or one-component or two-component epoxy-based materials, where said plug material is placed by means of conduits removably placed inside the pipe for conveying the plug material onto said liquid surface. 
     
     
         37 . A method for establishing a plug inside a pipe, where first a buoyant layer is provided on top of the liquid surface by means of the method according to  claim 1 , and subsequently a layer is provided capable of adhesively attaching itself to the interior side of the pipe, and finally the plug material is provided on top of the subsequently provided layer by means of the method according to  claim 35 . 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a material chosen from solid materials. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a buoyant material, which material is a two-component liquid foam material, and where a double hose tool is having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the liquid surface, and where said two components are mixed in the mixing chamber, and deposited onto the liquid surface and allowed to foam, and where optionally further depositing of buoyant material is continued while the nozzle is withdrawn such that the buoyant material also is used for the plug material. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein the plug material is deposited on the buoyant layer, and where said plug material is selected among foam materials or other expandable materials, cement-based materials including in particular concrete and especially high-strength concrete, or one-component or two-component epoxy-based materials, where said plug material is placed by means of conduits removably placed inside the pipe for conveying the plug material onto said liquid surface. 
     
     
         43 . A method for establishing a plug inside a pipe, where first a buoyant layer is provided on top of the liquid surface by means of the method according to  claim 1 , and subsequently a layer is provided capable of adhesively attaching itself to the interior side of the pipe, and finally the plug material is provided on top of the subsequently provided layer by means of the method according to  claim 40 . 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a granular material, where said material is chosen among or in combinations of: polystyrene granules, wood pellets, chips or granules, polymers, air-filled balls, buoyant sponges, expanded clay granules, or other buoyant non-absorbing granular materials, where said materials are placed on the liquid surface by allowing the material to fall by gravity through the pipe onto the liquid surface either freely or guided by conduits, and where the buoyant material is provided in an amount capable of supporting the plug material, which is placed on top of the buoyant layer. 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the plug material is deposited on the buoyant layer, and where said plug material is selected among foam materials or other expandable materials, cement-based materials including in particular concrete and especially high-strength concrete, or one-component or two-component epoxy-based materials, where said plug material is placed by means of conduits removably placed inside the pipe for conveying the plug material onto said liquid surface. 
     
     
         47 . A method for establishing a plug inside a pipe, where first a buoyant layer is provided on top of the liquid surface by means of the method according to  claim 1 , and subsequently a layer is provided capable of adhesively attaching itself to the interior side of the pipe, and finally the plug material is provided on top of the subsequently provided layer by means of the method according to  claim 45 . 
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein the layer adhesively attaching itself to the inner side of the pipe may be selected from among PUR, PIR or other one-component or two-component foam or expandable materials or polymer materials, which material is placed by utilising a single, double or more hose tool having a mixing chamber and a discharge nozzle in one end, and connection means for being connected to material containers and dosing equipment in the opposite ends, and where said end with the mixing chamber is lowered into the pipe till slightly above the buoyant layer, and where said material components are mixed in the mixing chamber and deposited onto the buoyant layer and allowed to foam and/or expand and thereby adhere to the inner side of the pipe. 
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein one or more secondary pipes are arranged inside the main pipe, and where the plug is established between the inner side of the main pipe and the outer side of the one or more secondary pipes. 
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the main pipe is placed in a volume of water, and where the plug is established in a horizontal level corresponding to the water's splash zone on the pipe, and where the water level inside the pipe is lowered by means of a pump. 
     
     
         51 . A pipe provided inside with a plug, in particular a vertically or slantingly arranged pipe, where said pipe has first and second ends, where the plug comprises a buoyant layer established on top of a liquid surface being present inside the pipe, and where the plug further comprises a plug material placed on top of said buoyant layer. 
     
     
         52 . The pipe according to  claim 51 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a material chosen from granular materials. 
     
     
         53 . The pipe according to  claim 51 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from material chosen among or in combinations of: polystyrene granules, wood pellets, chips or granules, polymers, air-filled balls, buoyant sponges, expanded clay granules, or other buoyant non-liquid-absorbing granular materials. 
     
     
         54 . The pipe according to  claim 51 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a material chosen from liquid materials. 
     
     
         55 . The pipe according to  claim 54 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a two-component liquid foam material. 
     
     
         56 . The pipe according to  claim 51 , wherein the buoyant layer is made from a material chosen from solid materials.