Artificial 鈥減latelets鈥� could fix leaking pipes just as natural ones help blood clot in a cut.
Squishy blobs introduced upstream of a leak are carried along to the leak and clog it up as a temporary fix. The 鈥渟cab鈥� also shows where the leak is. Made by Brinker Technology of Aberdeen, UK, they have been tested in oil pipes owned by Shell and BP. The tests used polymer cubes between 0.3 and 50 millimetres across.
The type of fluid in the pipe and its pressure determine the size, shape and material used for the blobs: they must be neutrally buoyant in the fluid and squashable enough to clog the leak without being so soft that fluid pressure can push them through the hole.
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The company is now seeking approval to use the platelets in water pipes.
