HybridShieldÆ PolyPatch Kit for Repair of Shipboard High Pressure Pipes

NanoSonic will develop and demonstrate a durable polymer composite resin system capable of quickly repairing leaks in the DDG 1000 High Pressure Water Mist firefighting system. Currently employed repairs are completed through time-consuming pipe section construction and/or welding or patching with sealants that require long cure times with limited success or confidence under operating pressure. These types of repairs result in lengthy downtimes, disrupted operations and, in some cases, delays in ship departures. During the Phase I effort, NanoSonic will moleculary engineer a polyurea resin system with a cure time of 30-60 minutes to repair leaks. HybridShieldÆ PolyPatch resin technology will include fillers such as ceramic nanoparticles and overwraps to impart dimensional stability and toughness under high operating pressures. NanoSonic will develop a composite overwrap to reinforce repairs made with the resin system to fortify possible poor pipe wall integrity in leaking areas. Downselected systems will undergo extensive mechanical and pressurization testing and computational modeling to ensure the fast curing patch technology can withstand the high pressures (up to 1500 psi) present in DDG 1000 fire supression systems and are durable enough to stand up to multiple hydrostatic pressurizations. While the primary focus of the Phase I effort will be the metal (schedule 10 stainless steel) and operating conditions used in the firefighting system, NanoSonicís HybridShield PolyPatch will also be evaluted for use with other common shipboard pipe materials (carbon steel, copper-nickel, titanium, etc), and in the presence of various fluids (hydraulic, lubricating, etc.) and pressures. Mechanical and exposure testing in high humidity and at temperatures up to 200 ∞F will be performed to evaluate the resin systemís strength and resilience. At the end of this Phase I effort, NanoSonic will have an easy to use pipe repairing kit with a composite overwrap that sailors can apply while a ship is docked or underway without the need for extensive surface preparation or long cure times.