: Lateral: T-Liner®
Key Features
LMK's T-Liner® is a one-piece homogenous main and lateral CIPP connection liner. T-Liner® has a uniform wall thickness and incorporates compressible material at the upstream and downstream ends creating a smooth tapered transition to the host pipe. Both the mainline and lateral sections are formed as a structural cylinder that renews 18-inches and 360-degrees of the mainline and extends up the lateral pipe as one continuous lining. The T-Liner® incorporates gasket-sealing technology that surrounds the main liner and the upper end of the lateral liner. These hydrophilic compression O-rings are embedded between the host pipe and the T-Liner® providing a verifiable non-leaking connection (VNLC) with all pipe types including polyethylene. A permanent Lateral Identification Indicia is placed on the mainline lining which includes the building address and other pertinent information relating to raw materials used to form this one-piece structural T-Liner®.
- Compressible Material on Mainline and Lateral Tubes
- Hydrophilic O-Rings on Mainline Tube
- Hydrophilic O-Rings on Lateral Tube
- Full Circle Design
- Continuous Lateral Tube
- Lateral Indicia
Compressible Material on Mainline and Lateral Tubes
A strip of Compressible Material which compresses to nearly a zero thickness is used to form an engineered taper by which provides a smooth transition for maximum flow rate.
Hydrophilic O-Rings on Mainline Tube
Bonding a CIPP connection liner is problematic and scientifically unsubstantiated due to Fats, Oils and Grease (F.O.G.) which are present in a sewer system; and olefin based coatings (PE or PP), materials well known to resist bonding or properties for adhesion. The solution is two hydrophilic O-rings positioned on each side of the lateral connection. These swelling gaskets are embedded between the mainline tube and the main host pipe; and expand 3 to 5 times their original size in the presence of water. The full-circle compression gaskets provide for a verifiable non-leaking connection and are compatible with all types of pipe and pipe lining materials. This is technology tried and true as compression gasket sealing has been used extensively in bell and spigot pipe joining applications for many years.
Hydrophilic O-Rings on Lateral Tube
A hydrophilic O-ring is incorporated at the upper most end of the lateral liner tube. This swelling gasket is embedded between the lateral liner tube and the lateral host pipe. This hydrophilic O-ring expands 3 to 5 times its original size in the presence of water. The full-circle compression gasket provides for a verifiable non-leaking connection and is compatible with all types of pipe and pipe lining materials. Compression gaskets have been used extensively in bell and spigot pipe joining applications for many years.
Full Circle Design
Just like direct bury pipes, CIPP linings are designed from calculations based on physical properties of the CIPP, the depth of pipe being renewed, pipe diameter and soil/hydrostatic loading. The key element in the design calculation is the CIPP being formed as a "tube or cylinder". LMK's T-Liner incorporates a structural full-circle main liner tube having proper wall thickness for each pipe diameter.
Continuous Lateral Tube
The lateral portion of a T-Liner® consists of a one- piece continuous lining from the mainline tube to the cleanout. The entire Main & Lateral lining is resin saturated all at the same time and cured all at the same time thus producing a one-piece homogenous cured-in-place pipe. However, when a short connection liner is installed and later an overlapping lateral lining is installed, a cold joint is produced. Those two linings are not resin saturated at the same time, they are not cured at the same time and therefore, they do not provide a homogeneous lining. The average length of a T-Liner is 45-feet with many successful installations that exceed 100 linear feet. However, the longest T-Liner® installed to date is 200-feet with no digging whatsoever.
Lateral Indicia
The mainline portion of a T-Liner is permanently marked with a Lateral Identification that includes the physical building address. Other valuable information such as date of manufacture, the installation contractor and the manufacturing code which details pertinent control information about the materials, resin and catalyst used to build this cured-in-place pipe. Through video inspection, owners may track valuable information from the indicia as needed such as which building is feeding a specific connection as well as quality control of the installed liner.