Method for monitoring the state of a tube for a coating in a system of pipes or ducts

1. A method for monitoring a status of a sleeve lining in a pipe or conduit, wherein the sleeve comprises a curable resin, the method comprising the steps of:

disposing a fiber optic sensor arrangement in thermally conductive contact with the sleeve, wherein the fiber optic sensor arrangement is configured to sense the temperature of the sleeve along multiple positions along the length and circumference thereof;

curing the curable resin over a period of time;

during the curing act, generating, using the fiber optic sensor arrangement, positional and time-related measured data of the temperature of the sleeve; and

using the positional and time-related measured data to control the act of curing the resin.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the the curing act is initiated by exposure to heat or light energy.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the disposing is performed so as to dispose the fiber optic sensor arrangement in contact with the sleeve in a planar and meander-shaped fashion.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic sensor arrangement is configured so as to dispose at least a portion of the one fiber optic sensor arrangement in a linear fashion.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the positional and time related measured data comprises a positionally resolved thermographic image that is representative of the temperature of the sleeve as a function of position along the length and circumference of the sleeve during the curing process.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of correlating the positional and time-related data with a thermal model of the curable resin as a function of the degree of curing.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of correlating the positional and time-related measured data with a predefinable temperature tolerance band.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the disposing act includes positioning the fiber optic sensor arrangement within the sleeve.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic sensor arrangement includes a Raman temperature sensor.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the disposing act comprises positioning the fiber optic sensor arrangement between a preliner/slip film and the sleeve.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the disposing act includes positioning the fiber optic sensor arrangement within a preliner/slip film.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising installing the sleeve into the pipe or conduit and wherein the positional and time-related measured data is also generated during the installing and act.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the disposing act comprises positioning the fiber optic sensor arrangement between the pipe or conduit and the sleeve.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying thermal deviations between measured and predicted curing temperatures based on the positional and time-related measured data.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the identifying is performed using a robot configured to be displaceable in the system.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein a heat source is installed on the robot.

17. A system configured to monitor a status of a sleeve lining in a system of pipes or conduits, the sleeve lining comprising a curable resin, the system comprising:

a fiber optic sensor arrangement disposed in thermally conductive contact with the sleeve, wherein the fiber optic sensor arrangement is configured to sense the temperature of the sleeve along multiple positions along the length and circumference thereof;

a thermal energy source or a light source coupled to the pipe or conduit for curing the curable resin over a period of time; and

an evaluation apparatus coupled to the fiber optic sensor arrangement and configured to generate, using the fiber optic sensor arrangement, positional and time-related measured data representative of a temperature of the sleeve as a function of position along the length and circumference of the sleeve and over a period of time during a curing process;

whereby the positional and time-related measured data can be used to control the energy for the curing process.

18. The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein the fiber optic sensor arrangement is disposed within the sleeve or within a preliner.

19. The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein the fiber optic sensor arrangement is disposed between the pipe or conduit and the sleeve or between a preliner/slip film and the sleeve.

20. The system as recited in claim 17 wherein the evaluation apparatus is further configured to calculate the thermal resistance of the liner and compare it to a thermal model;

whereby the light source or the thermal energy source can be controlled to match the thermal model.

21. A method for monitoring a status of the sleeve lining in a pipe or conduit, wherein the method comprising the steps of:

disposing a fiber optic sensor arrangement in thermally conductive contact with the sleeve, wherein the fiber optic sensor arrangement is configured to sense the temperature of the sleeve along multiple positions along the length and circumference thereof; and

generating, using the fiber optic sensor arrangement, positional and time-related measured data representative of a temperature of the sleeve as a function of position along the length and circumference of the sleeve and time; and

flowing waste water through the pipe or conduit and measuring, with the use of the positional and time-related measured data the waste water temperature in the pipe or conduit.