IN DEVELOPMENT · PIPEMEDIC® R&D
InfinitPipe®: Joint-Free FRP Pipe Made on Site
A continuous FRP pipe manufactured at the job site, in virtually any length and diameter, with no joints along straight runs. For new pipelines placed in a trench and for slip-lining existing pipes and culverts.
- No joints to leak on straight runs
- Made on site, no pipe trucking
- Designed for the project's pressure
In development InfinitPipe® is a research and development system and is not currently available for purchase. For pipe repair today, see PipeMedic®.
THE PROBLEM
Pipelines Leak Where the Segments Meet
Conventional pipe is made in 20 to 40 ft segments at a plant that may be hundreds of miles from the site, shipped in multiple truckloads and joined in the field. The result is a joint every 20 ft or so, and every joint is a potential leak.
Trucking heavy, bulky segments can account for 40 to 50% of total project cost, depending on the diameter and the distance from the plant. It also makes pipelines hard to build in mountains, rural regions and other places without good roads.
InfinitPipe® was conceived by Prof. Mo Ehsani in 2012 to remove both problems: make the pipe at the site, and make it without joints.
HOW IT IS MADE
Wrapped, Cured and Pulled Off the Mandrel Without Stopping
InfinitPipe® is made on a mandrel with the same shape and size as the pipe. Layers of carbon and glass FRP and a lightweight spacer are wrapped around it. The number of FRP layers is set by the required internal pressure, and the spacer gives the pipe its stiffness. An outer skin of glass or carbon FRP protects it from the environment.
The resin cures quickly on the heated mandrel: QuakeWrap's 2022 white paper says each segment is ready to be pulled off 15 minutes after the FRP layers are wrapped. The cured section is pulled off in a continuous manner while the next section is made, so there are no joints. Hence the name.
The raw materials are light and compact and ship in ordinary containers. The mobile manufacturing unit combines a truck, or a tractor and trailer, with a collapsible heated mandrel. The first unit, completed in 2014 with NSF SBIR funding, made 8-in. pipe rated over 500 psi. QuakeWrap's 2022 white paper reports the current mandrel is manually operated and automation of the unit is in progress.
- Outer skinGlass or carbon FRP, for environmental protection
- Spacer coreLightweight 3D fabric, gives stiffness
- Structural layersGlass FRP, with carbon added for high pressure
InfinitPipe® vs. Conventional Segmental Pipe
| Conventional pipe | InfinitPipe® | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is made | In a plant, often hundreds of miles away | At the job site |
| Segment length | 20 to 40 ft | Continuous, any length |
| Joints | Every 20 ft or so | None along straight runs |
| Transport | Multiple truckloads of heavy pipe | Compact raw materials in ordinary containers |
| Weight | Heavy, needs lifting equipment | About 10 to 15% of conventional pipe |
| Corrosion | Steel and concrete corrode with age | FRP does not corrode, no cathodic protection |
| Head loss | Minor losses at every joint | No minor losses along straight runs |
Planning a new pipeline or a slip-lining job?
Send us the diameter, length, pressure and route. Our team will recommend the right QuakeWrap® system and provide specifications for your engineer.
InfinitPipe® Technical Properties
- DESIGN PRESSURE
- Any internal pressure used in water transmission; carbon layers added above about 250 psi
- INTERIOR
- Smooth finish, Hazen-Williams C about 145
- BENDING RADIUS
- 167 ft for 6-in. pipe, by ASTM D7264 four-point bending
- FITTINGS
- Direct socket FRP fittings bonded with epoxy, or flanged connections
- TRANSITIONS
- Mechanical coupling to other pipe with a matched outside diameter
- FITTING TEST
- No leaks up to the 300 psi maximum test pressure
- DIAMETERS MADE
- 6 to 72 in. on the current mandrel
- INSTALLATION
- Placed directly in a trench, or used to slip-line existing pipe
- DESIGN BASIS
- Custom for each project's loads and site, checked by FEA and lab tests
Why Build the Pipe on Site
-
Any length
Built on site to the length the line needs.
-
No joints to leak
Removes the main source of leakage and maintenance.
-
Designed for any pressure
Layers are sized to the project's internal pressure.
-
No pipe trucking
Raw materials ship compact, not as bulky segments.
-
No corrosion
FRP needs no cathodic protection.
-
Trench or slip-line
Place it in a trench or slide it into an existing pipe.
-
Lighter and safer
Light pipe is easier and safer to handle.
-
Starts right away
No waiting for custom pipe to be made and shipped.
RESEARCH & TESTING
Tested by TTC. Funded by NSF and USDA.
InfinitPipe® was developed with Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and tested by Louisiana Tech's Trenchless Technology Center.
-
TTC short-term tests, 2014
ASTM D2412, D2444, D1598, D638, D790 and D2240. The pipe performed well under mechanical and impact loads.
-
Direct burial test
Satisfactory response under 25 ft of simulated overburden, as a stand-alone pipe.
-
NSF SBIR Phase I
Grant #1315561, $150,000, July 2013.
-
USDA NIFA SBIR
Phase I, $100,000, September 2017. Phase II, $625,000, August 2019.
Want the test data for your pipeline design?
Our team will share the test reports and provide specifications for your engineer.
MADE ON SITE
Watch InfinitPipe® Being Made
In 2014, QuakeWrap® completed its first InfinitPipe® mobile manufacturing unit with NSF SBIR funding. It was built to make 8-in. pipe, and the pipe in the video resists over 500 psi.
Plays from YouTube
InfinitPipe® FAQs
Can I buy InfinitPipe® today?
Not yet. InfinitPipe® is a research and development system and is not currently available for purchase. For pipe repair today, our engineers can recommend a PipeMedic® system.
What is InfinitPipe®?
InfinitPipe® is a patented FRP pipe made on site in a continuous process. Layers of carbon and glass FRP and a lightweight core are wrapped on a mandrel, cured and pulled off without stopping, so the pipe has no joints along straight runs.
How long and how large can InfinitPipe® be?
It can be made in virtually any length. Pipes from 6 to 72 in. in diameter have been made on the current mandrel.
What pressure can InfinitPipe® carry?
Each pipe is designed for the project's internal pressure. Glass FRP is the base, and carbon layers are added for high pressures, for example above about 250 psi.
How does InfinitPipe® connect to fittings and other pipe?
Through direct socket FRP fittings bonded with epoxy, flanged connections, or a mechanical coupling to pipe with a matched outside diameter. A test setup with these connections showed no leaks up to its 300 psi maximum test pressure.
Can InfinitPipe® be used to rehabilitate an existing pipe?
Yes. It can be slid into an existing pipe or culvert as a slip-liner, as well as placed directly in a trench for new construction.
Is InfinitPipe® patented?
Yes. Patents include U.S. Patent No. 10,436,350, Trenchless Pipe-Laying (2019), and U.S. Patent No. 10,571,052, Method and Apparatus for Mining Copper (2020).
Related Pipe Systems and Applications
Interested in InfinitPipe®?
InfinitPipe® is still in development. Tell us about your pipeline and our engineers will talk through research partnerships or the PipeMedic® systems available today.