BrainDrip scales up composite technology to meet current, future energy infrastructure needs

 On June 30, BrainDrip LLC’s (Jacksonville, Fla., U.S.) BD Composites division kicked off a Series A funding drive to scale up production of its patent-pending composite pipe system and on-site mobile factory. The financing will enable BD Composites to produce new mobile factories, finalize development and regulatory testing, and expand operations, both nationally and internationally.

The BD Composites pipeline (top) consists of multiple reinforcement and protection layers, including embedded continuous sensor fibers to monitor pipeline health. It is manufactured on-site in the Mobile Factory, a containerized production platform. Source | BrainDrip LLC

Aging steel pipeline infrastructure, increased demand and evolving service requirements underscore the limitations of traditional networks. More than 50% of U.S. natural gas pipelines are at least 30 years old, and a majority of these need to be renewed or replaced. Energy providers around the world are increasing gas production or transition to hydrogen, but currently steel and other composite pipelines cannot meet the design requirements of hydrogen transport and offer no real-time insight into operational data or structural health.

Conventional reinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTPs) resist corrosion, but they are typically constrained to diameters under 12 inches, pressure ratings under 150 bar and off-site fabrication. They must also be transported to the site in segments or spools, which notably increases transportation costs and emissions, creating a much larger environmental footprint. These are just some of the challenges driving energy suppliers to seek a new and better option.

BD Composites’ novel system addresses supplier needs by offering diameters from 6 inches up to 36 inches and pressure ratings exceeding 350 bar with continuous field-manufactured lengths of up to 10 miles. Each composite pipeline also contains an integrated fiber optic network for health and risk monitoring that leverages AI to assess and report pressure, flow, temperature, strain, seismic disturbance and other integrity metrics to the control room every few seconds.

Complementing this innovation is the mobile factory that creates the composite pipelines. It is contained inside a customized 53-foot ISO container that can be transported to the site by trailer via road, rail, sea or air and is operational in less than 8 hours after offloading. This compact, self-contained and fully automated manufacturing plant enables real-time quality assurance and quality control. It also features installation rates nine times faster and 70% less costly compared with steel pipes.

An independent study by Gemserv confirms that BD Composites pipeline solution produces over three times larger diameters and roughly two-and-a-half times higher pressure capacities than other composite pipes. The study also determined that its composite pipe reduces carbon emissions from material production alone by 75%. Its on-site based manufacturing minimizes right of way disturbance, site footprint and logistical complexity, enabling operators to expedite project schedules and comply with environmental regulations.

“By combining our novel and highly advanced composite materials with embedded AI enhanced monitoring networks, our team is redefining pipeline safety, risk and design life in pipeline renewal, conversion and greenfield installations,” explains Kent Weisenberg, founder/CEO of BrainDrip. “BD Composites offers a true disruptor with a composite system future-proofed for energies such as H2 and CO2 and intrinsically validated for natural gas and other media. Our compact, mobile factory lets us manufacture this innovation directly in the field, allowing for ‘no dig’ installations, notably reduced emissions and on-site customization. By eliminating welded or coupled joints, our customers will receive miles of uninterrupted pipeline installation and unspoiled environment.”

Field validation underscores the promise of this approach. BD Composites completed a 1.3-mile demonstration on a buried pipeline asset in late 2023 for its anchor investor and customer, a Fortune 200 energy company. The company transitioned this directly into a future 30-plus mile pipeline renewal project. Continued interest in BD Composites’ systems from government agencies as well as other major players in the oil, gas and low-carbon fuel industries demonstrates market confidence in this future-proofed solution.