cold spray additive manufacturing for new …

COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSPI: Dr. Farah Singer, ULC Technologies, LLCCO-PI: Dr. Baiyang Ren, ULC Technologies, LLC Subcontractor: Mr. Anthony J. Naccarelli, PSU ARLSubcontractor: Dr. Alessandra Colli, BNL

We are developing a novel, cost-effective Cold Spray additivemanufacturing process for rehabilitating aging gas distribution pipelines,using methane as the carrier gas of the process.

Total Project Cost: $1.25MLength 12 mo.

Project Vision

ARPA-E REPAIR Kickoff Meeting – January 6 & 7

INNOVATION

Next-generation Process For Rehabilitating Aging Gas Distribution Pipelines

Operates in live natural

gas pipes

COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

Does not require

pipe pre-cleaning

Remote robotics

operation

Faster than SOA

3D printers

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INNOVATION

ARPA-E REPAIR

Cold Spray Structural Stainless Steel Coatings

Minimal reliance on aging host

pipe substrate

Anticipated >50 years

life expectancy

Standard for H2

transport and

storage

COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

Simplified Robotic Concept for Material Deposition

Nozzle

Aging pipe

SS deposit

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ADVANTAGES and IMPACT

COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

State-of-the-art Technologies‣ Excessive Excavation for replacing pipe‣ Gas service disruptions‣ $1-10 million per mile cost‣ Environmental implications

Economics‣ Cost-effective process: < $1 million per mile‣ Drastically-reduced excavation costs‣ Positive impact on U.S. economy‣ New U.S. manufacturing jobs

Environment & Safety‣ Eliminate need for pipes cleaning/eliminate

need for hazardous waste disposal‣ Significant reduction in number of

leaks/reduced methane (greenhouse gas)emissions into atmosphere

Energy‣ Enhanced reliability of energy delivery

Social‣ No disruption of gas service to customers‣ Minimal Excavation sites

ULC’s REPAIR Technology

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THE TEAM

4COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

Team member

Location Competencies Role in project

ULC Technologies, LLC (Prime Recipient)

NY ‣ Robotics R&D and RaaS.

‣ ME, EE and SE.‣ Systems design,

fabrication and testing.

‣ Cold spray processdevelopment.

‣ Testbench development.‣ Experimental testing and

validation.PSU Applied Research Lab (Sub)

PA ‣ Cold spray R&D.‣ Microstructural

characterization.‣ Material development.

‣ Cold spray parametersdevelopment.

‣ SS material selectionand characterization.

Brookhaven National Lab (Sub)

NY ‣ Material science and characterization.

‣ Data analytics approaches to advance metal AM.

‣ Deposited materialcharacterization.

‣ Physical/mechanicalproperties testing.

OBJECTIVES and TIMELINE‣ Objectives: Demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating a new high-quality SS pipes inside a

live aging gas pipes, using a cost-effective custom cold spray process.‣ Final Deliverables: A custom cold-spray system using methane as a carrier gas, and

capable of depositing uniform SS coatings inside 16”-20” pipes.

5COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

TECHNOLOGY-TO-MARKET STRATEGY‣ Techno-economical (TEA) analysis‣ Cost target: < $1million/mile.‣ Early/continuous communications with industry/utility stakeholders and TTSP

– Define 1st, 2nd and 3rd markets– Develop road maps for the technology’s early commercialization– Facilitate technology adoption by regulators and operators

‣ Deployment of the technology as a service, licensing, leasing equipment, and sales ofequipment and associated training.

6COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

2021 2026

- Develop CSAM process for rehabilitating gas

distribution steel pipelines- Explore market requirements/

commercialization potential

2022 2023

- Adapt the process equipment for compact robotic applications

- Develop a complementary structural health monitoring system

- Demonstrate early robotics prototype- Facilitate technology adoption by regulators and

operators

- Develop commercial cold spray robotic system- Launch service for natural gas pipelines- Conduct field tests and demonstrations

- Target other markets: crude oil and petroleum product pipes, and steam distribution pipes

CONVENTIONAL COLD SPRAY

‣ Cold spray process: particles of metal powder are propelled through a nozzle using heated, pressurized gas to accelerate them to supersonic speeds

– Relatively a bulky system‣ He or N2 gas: typical carrier gases‣ Applications: repairs, deposit metals on sensitive or difficult-to-weld surfaces, etc.

7COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

Restored B737 nose wheel steering actuator barrel via Cold Spray Remanufacturing (Ref:

Cold Spray Coatings, Pasquale Cavaliere)Comparison between damaged and cold sprayed components: (a) AH-64

helicopter mast support, (b) F18-AMAD gearbox, and (c) front frame of T-700 engine (Ref: Cold Spray Coatings, Pasquale Cavaliere)

CHALLENGES and RISKS

Challenges ‣ Use Methane as carrier gas‣ Successfully scale down the system dimensions‣ Achieve targeted process costs: impact of SS powder price and process

speedRisks

‣ Undeposited SS powder: carryover in live pipes

Approach to overcome risks/challenges‣ ULC+PSU+BNL collective 20+ years of experience‣ Custom engineered systems‣ Initial concept validation using Nitrogen‣ Early industry communications‣ Cooperation with TTSP

8COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS

‣ We are open to collaborate with REPAIR teams, by providing our robotics and engineering expertise.

‣ We are open to collaborate with entities interested in future deployment of our CSAM technology.

9COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

SUMMARY

‣ ULC and its partners PSU and BNL will develop a custom Cold Spray AdditiveManufacturing (CSAM) process for rehabilitating aging gas distribution pipelines

‣ The CSAM process will:– Create structural SS coatings that do not rely on the aging host pipe substrate– Use Methane as the carrier gas: run inside live natural gas pipelines– Require minimal excavation– Cost <$1million/mile– Have multiple social and environmental advantages over SOA technologies

‣ ULC will cooperate with TTSP for technology regulation

‣ ULC will identify technology commercialization paths and markets through earlycommunication with industry and utility stakeholders

‣ ULC’s envisioned timeline of milestones:– 2021: A developed custom CSAM system using methane as a carrier gas and capable

of depositing uniform SS coatings inside 16”-20” pipes– 2023: Complete demonstrations of early robotics CSAM prototype– 2026: Commercial robotic CSAM system launched service for natural gas pipelines;

other markets are targeted (crude oil and petroleum product pipes, and steamdistribution pipes)

10COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJanuary 12, 2021

Thank you!

Farah Singer, PhDAssociate Project Manager

ULC Technologies, LLCOffice: 631-667-9200

Cell: 443-905-0295Email: fsinger@ulcrobotics.com

LinkedIn: FarahSinger/LinkedInProfileWebsite: https://ulcrobotics.com

COLD SPRAY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR NEW PIPELINE FABRICATION IN LIVE, NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINSJ anuary 12, 2021