Remediation of lead sheathed installed telecommunications cables
Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing remediation of lead sheathed installed telecommunications cables. In various embodiments, a remediation tool, which is configured to move within an inner portion of lead sheathing for installed telecommunications cables, includes a microcontroller device, a connector configured to connect with a compressed air hose configured to direct compressed air from an external compressed air source to an interior portion of the remediation tool, a transducer configured to convert motion from compressed air that is input via the connector into electrical power. The remediation tool further includes a material removal tool configured to remove material from at least one of the inner portion of the lead sheathing or the lead sheathing itself, one or more sensors, and a propulsion system configured to propel the remediation tool in a forwards and/or backwards direction within the inner portion of the lead sheathing for installed telecommunications cables.
1 . A system, comprising:
a compressed air hose that is configured to direct compressed air from an external compressed air source to a remediation tool; and
the remediation tool that is configured to move within an inner portion of lead sheathing for installed telecommunications cables and to remove material from at least one of the installed telecommunications cables or the lead sheathing, the remediation tool including:
a first body portion;
a microcontroller device disposed within the first body portion;
a connector that extends from a rear portion of the first body portion and that is configured to connect with the compressed air hose;
a transducer that is configured to convert motion from compressed air that is input via the connector into electrical power;
a power regulation circuit that is configured to convert the electrical power that is output from the transducer into regulated electrical power;
a second body portion;
one or more sensors disposed on or in at least one of the first body portion or the second body portion; and
a material removal tool disposed within the second body portion, the material removal tool being configured to remove material from at least one of the inner portion of the lead sheathing or the lead sheathing itself.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller device comprises one of:
a processor and controller circuitry;
a microprocessor circuit;
a single-board computer;
a single-board microcontroller; or
a central processing unit (“CPU”) and controller circuitry.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer includes one of:
a fan or micro-turbine and an alternator-based electrical generator that converts motion of blades of the fan or micro-turbine due to the input compressed air into electrical power; or
a piezo-electric-based electrical generator that converts force from the input compressed air impinging on a piezo-electric interface component into electrical power.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the compressed air hose includes embedded contact lines for power and ground connections that are configured to provide external power to components of the remediation tool via electrical interface devices disposed at the connector and within at least one of the first body portion or the second body portion.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the compressed air hose includes a plurality of compressed air hoses connected one to the next in series between the external compressed air source and the connector of the remediation tool.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first body portion and the second body portion are one of:
integrated as a single body; or
modular components that are configured to removably affix to one another or to a third body portion.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the material removal tool includes:
a shredding device including one of a drill bit, a grinder, one or more rotary blades, or one or more auger-based blades, the shredding device being configured to cut and remove cable material and other material within and from the inner portion of the lead sheathing for the installed telecommunications cables.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the remediation tool further includes:
an impeller that is configured to direct material, which has been removed from the installed telecommunications cables and which has been cut into pieces by the shredding device, toward the rear portion of the first body portion; and
an outlet that is disposed in the rear portion of the first body portion, the outlet allowing the material that is directed by the impeller to exit the remediation tool.
9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising at least one of:
a sleeve that is affixed to the outlet and that is configured to direct the material and rebounded compressed air that has passed through the outlet back within the lead sheathing toward the external compressed air source; or
a filter system that is configured to collect the material that is directed through the outlet by the impeller.
10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the remediation tool further includes:
at least one protective enclosure that is configured to cover and protect one or more of the microcontroller device, the connector, the transducer, the power regulation circuit, or the one or more sensors from material moving within an interior of each of the first body portion and the second body portion, while allowing the compressed air to pass through the interior of each of the first body portion and the second body portion.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the material removal tool includes:
a lead removal device including a series of blades that is configured to extend and contract radially to make contact with lead material in the lead sheathing and to remove the lead material from the lead sheathing for the installed telecommunications cables.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the remediation tool further includes:
a propulsion system that is configured to provide motive force to propel the remediation tool in at least one of a forwards or a backwards direction within the inner portion of the lead sheathing for the installed telecommunications cables, wherein the propulsion system includes a plurality of motorized cogs or wheels that is disposed on an external portion of at least one of the first body portion or the second body portion.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more of a humidity sensor, a moisture sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a wind speed sensor, an air flow sensor, a sound sensor, a pH sensor, a soil sensor, a location sensor, a depth sensor, a speed sensor, a power sensor, or an image sensor.
14 . A system, comprising:
a remediation tool that is configured to move within an inner portion of lead sheathing for installed telecommunications cables and to remove material from at least one of the installed telecommunications cables or the lead sheathing, the remediation tool including:
a first modular section, including:
a first body portion;
a microcontroller device disposed within the first body portion;
a connector that extends from a rear portion of the first body portion and that is configured to connect with a compressed air hose that is configured to direct compressed air from an external compressed air source to an interior portion of the remediation tool via the connector;
a transducer that is configured to convert motion from compressed air that is input via the connector into electrical power;
a power regulation circuit that is configured to convert the electrical power that is output from the transducer into regulated electrical power; and
an outlet that is disposed in the rear portion of the first body portion;
a second modular section, including:
a second body portion; and
a material removal tool disposed within the second body portion, the material removal tool being configured to remove material from at least one of the inner portion of the lead sheathing or the lead sheathing itself;
one or more sensors disposed on or in at least one of the first body portion or the second body portion;
a propulsion system that is disposed on or in at least one of the first body portion or the second body portion and that is configured to provide motive force to propel the remediation tool in at least one of a forwards or a backwards direction within the inner portion of the lead sheathing for the installed telecommunications cables; and
an interface for removably connecting the first modular section and the second modular section together.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the second modular section is configured to cut and remove cable material and other material within the inner portion of the lead sheathing for the installed telecommunications cables, wherein the material removal tool includes a shredding device including one of a drill bit, a grinder, one or more rotary blades, or one or more auger-based blades, wherein the remediation tool further includes:
an impeller that is configured to direct material, which has been removed from the installed telecommunications cables and which has been cut into pieces by the shredding device, toward the rear portion of the first body portion;
wherein the outlet allows the material that is directed by the impeller to exit the remediation tool.
16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the second modular section is configured to remove lead material from the lead sheathing for the installed telecommunications cables, wherein the material removal tool includes:
a lead removal device including a series of blades that is configured to extend and contract radially to make contact with lead material in the lead sheathing while cutting and removing the lead material; and
a deployable sheath that extends on an end of the remediation tool that is opposite from the connector and that is configured to expand radially to create a collapsible wall and at least a partial seal against the lead sheathing or soil beyond the lead sheathing and to allow compressed air that is directed from the connector to rebound against the collapsible wall back toward the outlet.
17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the remediation tool further includes at least one of:
a sleeve that is affixed to the outlet and that is configured to direct the material and rebounded compressed air that has passed through the outlet back within the lead sheathing toward the external compressed air source;
a filter system that is configured to collect the material that is directed through the outlet by the impeller; or
at least one protective enclosure that is configured to cover and protect one or more of the microcontroller device, the connector, the transducer, the power regulation circuit, or the one or more sensors from material moving within the interior portion of the remediation tool, while allowing the compressed air to pass through the interior portion of the remediation tool.
18 . A method, comprising:
engaging, by a microcontroller device of a remediation tool, a propulsion system that is disposed on or in the remediation tool that has been positioned within an inner portion of lead sheathing for installed telecommunications cables, to cause the remediation tool to be propelled in at least one of a forwards or a backwards direction within the inner portion of the lead sheathing, the propulsion system and the microcontroller device being powered by compressed air that is converted into electrical power by a transducer and a power regulation circuit that are disposed within the remediation tool, the compressed air being directed toward the transducer from an external compressed air source via a compressed air hose and a connecter that extends from a rear portion of the remediation tool;
engaging, by the microcontroller device, a material removal tool of the remediation tool, to remove material from at least one of the inner portion of the lead sheathing or the lead sheathing itself; and
engaging, by the microcontroller device, an impeller of the remediation tool, to direct material that has been removed from the at least one of the inner portion of the lead sheathing or the lead sheathing itself toward and through an outlet that is disposed in a rear portion of the remediation tool to exit the remediation tool.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the material removal tool includes at least one of:
a shredding device including one of a drill bit, a grinder, one or more rotary blades, or one or more auger-based blades, the shredding device being configured to cut and remove cable material and other material within and from the inner portion of the lead sheathing for the installed telecommunications cables; or
a lead removal device including a series of blades that is configured to extend and contract radially to make contact with lead material in the lead sheathing and to remove the lead material from the lead sheathing for the installed telecommunications cables;
wherein the remediation tool further includes at least one of:
a sleeve that is affixed to the outlet and that is configured to direct the material and rebounded compressed air that has passed through the outlet back within the lead sheathing toward the external compressed air source; or
a filter system that is configured to collect the material that is directed through the outlet by the impeller.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
when engaging the lead removal device, deploying, by the microcontroller device, a deployable sheath that extends on an end of the remediation tool that is opposite from the connector, to expand radially to create a collapsible wall and at least a partial seal against the lead sheathing or soil beyond the lead sheathing and to allow compressed air that is directed from the connector to rebound against the collapsible wall back toward the outlet.