Tag: SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

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Case Study: Reinforcement of Weakened Pipe Elbow Joint on 100mm 22 bar Sulphuric Acid Line

A 100mm pipe elbow undergoes reinforcement after the sulphuric acid line it was part of was found to have degraded by 21mm thickness

Chemical romance – the repair and reinforcement of a sulphuric acid line pipe elbow found to have degraded in thickness by 21mm

A pipe elbow on a 100mm sulphuric acid line operating under 22 bar pressure which had degraded from 22mm thickness to just 1mm undergoes urgent repair and reinforcement in Saudi Arabia.

Case Study Data

Site
Petrochemical Refinery
Location
Saudi Arabia
Repair Type
Pipeline reinforcement
Defect
Weakened elbow joint on a 100mm sulphuric acid line

Products Used

Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste
Applied to the elbow joint to strengthen it via the creation of a shell resistant to corrosion and chemical attack

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over Industrial Metal for further reinforcement by encompassing the elbow with a rock hard protective sleeve and increased hoop strength

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The petrochemical refinery produces over 140 million barrels of petroleum products and 5 million tons of petrochemical products every year, including naphtha, kerosene, gasoline, diesel and fuel oil.

During a routine inspection, a 100mm sulphuric acid line operating under 22 bar pressure was found to have degraded to only 1mm thickness from 22mm on an elbow joint. This required urgent attention before the line failed.

The scale of production at the site meant that the petrochemical company were keen not to have to shut down the line to replace the weakened section, as this would severely impacted on output.

They therefore needed a flexible method of reinforcement for making an effective repair to the elbow on the sulphuric acid line which, for example, a pipe repair clamp would not have been capable of.

A pipe elbow in a line carrying sulphuric acid undergoes repair using Sylmasta Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste
The elbow joint was reinforced using Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste

The petrochemical refinery consulted an engineering company with whom Sylmasta work with in the region, and they decided to apply Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste to the elbow to strengthen it.

Industrial Metal is reinforced with corrosion-resistant metal platelets which provide excellent protection against corrosion and chemical attack, creating a tough outer shell around pipes and structures.

Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste is applied to a pipe elbow joint in Saudi Arabia to reinforce a weakened 100mm sulphuric acid line
Industrial Metal applied to the elbow using a putty knife

The epoxy paste was spread over the area requiring reinforcement using a putty knife. The 60 minute work time allowed for a large quantity of paste to be mixed and applied without the threat of premature curing, an especially important consideration given the hot climate.

If the remaining 1mm degraded further and the original line was breached, its contents would now be contained by a casing with high chemical and corrosion resistance surrounding the elbow provided by the cured Industrial Metal.

To further reinforce the elbow, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was applied over the Industrial Metal. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in 30 minutes.

It provided an impact resistant layer of protection over the elbow, increasing the hoop strength of the line until such time as a replacement could be conveniently carried out.

Repair completed with SylWrap HD for increased hoop strength

Whilst the reinforcement took place, the pressure was reduced to 8 bar with only a minor amount of disruption to operations at the site. 24 hours after the repair had been completed, the line was restored to its normal 22 bar pressure..

The petrochemical refinery were delighted with the ease and speed of repair made possible by Sylmasta. Regular inspections of the line showed that there had been little to no decrease in the strength of the repair over two years later.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: 650mm Ductile Iron Pipe Located in Pit Undergoes Live Leak Coupling Joint Repair

A 2 metre section of 650mm pipe buried in an inspection chamber was discovered to be leaking, excavated and then sealed using SylWrap pipe repair products

Coupling goals – the challenging repair of an iron water pipe discovered to be leaking from coupling joints in a disused pipe inspection chamber

A 2 metre section of 650mm ductile iron pipe buried in a former underground inspection pit is excavated by a UK water company to undergo repair after it was found to be leaking from two coupling joints.

Case Study Data

Site
Inspection Pit
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Live leak repair
Defect
650mm ductile iron pipe leaking from coupling joints

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Multiple self-fusing silicone repair tapes used for building up a repair to seal the coupling joints

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Reinforced the coupling repair and fortified the pipe from further deterioration before it was reburied

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Contains multiple Wrap & Seals and SylWrap HD to carry out up to six live leak repairs

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The pit had originally been an inspection chamber housing a valve. Many years ago, the valve had been replaced with a two metre section of straight ductile iron pipe attached to the existing pipe carrying mains water via two coupling joints.

After the straight section was fitted, the whole chamber had been filled in with earth and covered over, where it remained forgotten. That was until the water company responsible for the pipe rediscovered it during maintenance work.

Contractors discovered a 2 metre long section of 650mm ductile iron pipe buried in what used to be a valve chamber was leaking
The 2 metre section of pipe with raised couplings at either end

Soil within the pit was found to be extremely muddy, suggesting that the pipe was leaking in the chamber. After excavating the entire pit to investigate further, the water company discovered that the pipe was in poor condition with slight seepage from both couplings.

The water company decided to seal the couplings to prevent further leakage. Each coupling was 80mm wide but 100mm higher than the 650mm pipe, presenting contractors with an awkward ridge that the repair needed to wrap over.

There were also challenges with the clearance in the pit. The two couplings gave only 35mm underneath in which to work. Conditions within the chamber meant that any repair material wrapped around the pipe would be in danger of picking up mud and dirt off the floor.

Coupling joints on a 650mm ductile iron pipe were leaking before undergoing a leak repair using SylWrap Pipe Repair products
Raised couplings were 100mm higher than the pipe

To overcome this, a polythene sheet was squeezed underneath the pipe. For sealing the couplings, multiple Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape were used to build a repair over and around the couplings.

Wrap & Seal is made from self-amalgamating silicone which fuses to form a solid rubber band for live leak repairs. Separate Tapes will also fuse to each other, this being how the repair was built up and the difficult ridge shape of the coupling sealed.

Each coupling and the surrounding area was then encompassed with a SYL1266HD SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes to provide an impact resistant layer of protection.

  • A 2 metre section of pipe in a valve chamber leaking from coupling connections undergoes repair
The completed repair with both couplings encapsulated with SylWrap HD

SYL1266HD Bandages are 300mm wide, giving them more than enough coverage to be moulded around the raised coupling. With the reinforcement provided by SylWrap, the water company could rebury the pipe safe in the knowledge that the leaks were sealed and the pipe had been suitably fortified to prevent further deterioration.

Both Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD have WRAS approval, meaning that they are certified to British standards as safe to use on pipes carrying drinking water. Because the pipe carried mains water, it was a legal requirement that any repair materials used had to be WRAS approved.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Live Leak Repair of a Cracked 4 bar 250mm PCCP Pipe Stub in Saudi Arabia

A PCCP pipe stub leaking through several cracks undergoes a live leak repair in Saudi Arabia

No more stress over a cracked prestressed concrete cylinder pipe – the SylWrap live leak repair which sealed a PCCP stub

After several failed attempts to repair a badly cracked 250mm PCCP pipe stub with no isolation valve, an engineering company in Saudi Arabia turned to Sylmasta for a live leak repair method

Case Study Data

Site
Industrial Site
Location
Saudi Arabia
Repair Type
Live leak repair
Defect
Cracked 250mm PCCP stub with no isolation valve operating under 4 bar pressure

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Multiple self-fusing silicone repair tapes combined to build a high pressure seal over the leak areas

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Reinforced the initial repair with wrapping extended to protect the entire stub

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Contains multiple Wrap & Seals and SylWrap HD to carry out up to six live leak repairs

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) stub was connected to a main header operating under 4 bar pressure. Wear and tear had caused numerous cracks to appear in the stub, through which significant amounts of water was escaping and causing flooding.

Because there was no isolation valve, preventing flow to the stub from the main header was impossible. Shutting off the main pipe for carrying out either a repair or replacement was impractical and there was not enough room between the stub and the floor to fit a pipe repair clamp.

A 250mm prestressed concrete cylinder pipe leaking from several cracks
Water was gushing from several cracks on the PCCP stub

A live leak repair method was therefore needed. This proved extremely challenging and after several attempts which failed to make any reductions in the amount of water being lost, the engineers charged with fixing the stub turned to Sylmasta.

As this was a live leak, Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was used to seal the cracks on the stub. Wrap & Seal is made from self-amalgamating silicone and stretches by 300 percent to fuse into a solid rubber band around pipework.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage being used to reinforce Wrap & Seal as part of a live leak repair on a 250mm leaking PCCP stub pipe
SylWrap HD was applied over the top of multiple Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tapes

Multiple Wrap & Seals were applied down a 200mm area of the stub. In the same way in which a single tape amalgamates to itself, these separate tapes fused together to create a repair with enough pressure resistance to seal the cracks.

Once the engineers were satisfied that the leaks had been suitably arrested, the stub was overwrapped with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandages.

Repair reinforced with initial layer of SylWrap HD

SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes. It reinforced the repair by providing an impact resistant sleeve around the PCCP pipe stub

After this section of the stub had been sealed, it was decided to reinforce the underground section at the same time. Doing so would protect the remainder of the ageing pipe from future ruptures, which might prove difficult to identify if they were leaking below the floor.

Completed live leak repair of a 250mm PCCP pipe stub in Saudi Arabia
Entire pipe protected with SylWrap after the floor was removed to access the buried section

The floor was dug up around the stub to reach the pipe. Once accessed, a further 200mm section of previously underground pipe was wrapped with SylWrap HD.

One final covering of SylWrap HD was then applied over the bandages already covering the two phases of the repair, encompassing the entire stub and providing reinforcement before the floor was relaid.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Emergency Repair of Hospital 300mm Air Conditioning Pipe on Hottest Day of June

A water return pipe in a Lonndon hospital air conditioning unit undergoes a SylWrap repar to ensure that the system could remain in operation

Keep cool and carry on – a SylWrap repair gets a hospital air conditioning system back in operation on the hottest day of June

On a day when temperatures in London reached 27ºC, a burst 300mm water return pipe forced the shutdown of a hospital air conditioning system until a SylWrap emergency leak repair was made

Case Study Data

Site
Hospital
Location
London, United Kingdom
Repair Type
No pressure leak repair
Defect
Two deep cavities in a 300mm air conditioning water return pipe operating under 12 bar pressure

Products Used

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast setting epoxy putty used to fill in the deep cavities in the water return pipe

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Multiple self-fusing silicone repair tapes provided additional leak sealing security

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Two layer application completed the repair with an impact resistant protective sleeve

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The 300mm water return pipe was located in a cabinet alongside other service pipes. It burst through a previous repair attempt, requiring an immediate shutdown of the air conditioning system as water escaping the pipe at 12 bar pressure would have caused internal flooding.

This shutdown left the hospital building without any temperature control on the hottest day of the year. The burst was initially discovered in the middle of Sunday night, at which point the hospital immediately contacted their maintenance team.

The maintenance team arrived at Sylmasta HQ first thing on Monday morning to collect the products needed to carry out a repair. Sylmasta technicians were also able to offer technical assistance based on photos of the burst air conditioning pipe.

Coarse fibreglass strands remained on the pipe from the previous repair. It was decided to cut these away to enable the maintenance team to locate the actual leak site and have a better chance of sealing it.

  • Deep cavity in a 300mm air conditioning water return pipe requiring repair
Cavities in the pipe and the remains of the previous failed repair through which water was escaping

Two distinct leak areas were stripped back, revealing two deep cavities in the pipe. These were filled with Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty, a fast curing putty supplied in stick format.

Superfast Steel is kneaded by hand and pushed into areas of damage whilst soft. Within 5 to 10 minutes, the putty had hardened to seal the cavities in the pipe.

  • Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty used to fill in deep cavities during the repair of a 300mm pipe in a London hospital's air conditioning system
Superfast Steel used to fill in the cavities

Because of the inconsistent substrates in this case, it was decided to take a ‘belt and braces’ approach to the repair and use Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape to provide additional leak sealing security.

The entire leak area was wrapped with multiple layers of Wrap & Seal, a self-amalgamating silicone repair tape which fuses to form a solid rubber band for high-pressure resistant repairs.

Combining Superfast Steel and multiple Wrap & Seals created a repair with resistance to the required 12 bar and ensured that there was no chance of seepage of water around the epoxy putty.

  • Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape applied in a Sylmasta repair of a burst 300mm pipe in a hospital air conditioning unit
Wrapping the entire leak area with Wrap & Seal reinforced the repair made with Superfast Steel

Once it had been established that the leak had been completely sealed, the application was finished with the wrapping of two SYL866HD SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandages over the repair.

SylWrap HD is a water activated composite wrap which sets rock hard in minutes. It provided a protective sleeve around the pipe, reinforcing the repair even further.

As the temperature began to heat up during Monday morning when the pipe remained out of operation, numerous alarms in the hospital building were triggered as equipment and machinery began to overheat without any air conditioning.

A 300mm water return pipe in a London hospital's air conditioning system is repaired using a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Repair completed with SylWrap HD

The ease and speed with which the products in the SylWrap Pipe Repair range can be applied meant that by Monday afternoon, the pipe was fixed and the air conditioning system back in operation.

Without the air con pipe repair method and the technical assistance provided by Sylmasta, the hospital could have gone days without any air conditioning – a clearly unsustainable situation when temperatures in London were peaking at 27ºC.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Repair of an 80mm Split to a Plastic Hose Supplying Water to a Pond

A longitudinal split in a plastic hose supplying water to a bond undergoes repair with a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

Not sleeping with the fishes – a lengthy split in a plastic hose supplying water to a pond undergoes repair

During landscaping work, a pruning saw caused serious damage across a 300mm area of an unnoticed plastic hose supplying water to a pond, including a 80mm longitudinal split requiring repair.

Case Study Data

Site
Domestic Property
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
80mm longitudinal split and 300mm of damage to a plastic supply hose

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing silicone repair tape used to seal the split and other leaks

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite repair wrap provided an impact resistant layer to protect the repair and the hose

SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
The property owner was supplied with a Universal Pipe Repair Kit containing both products

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The pond was on a property cut into the side of a hill with a retaining wall behind it. The roots of shrubs, ivy, and other plants and weeds above the wall were beginning to cause damage to the structure and so the property owner decided to cut some of them away with a pruning saw.

Unfortunately, the owner did not realise that buried just beneath the soil was a hose made from industrial grade plastic supplying water to the pond. As they attempted to remove the shrubs using the saw, they inadvertently cut into the hose.

A plastic hose inadvertently cut into with a pruning saw prior to undergoing a SylWrap repair
Water spraying from the 80mm split in the plastic hose

The damage to the hose was severe with a 80mm longitudinal split from which pressurised water was spraying out. There were several smaller leaks either side of the main split, leaving a 300mm area of hose requiring repair.

Gaining access to make a hose repair was extremely difficult because of the roots, the shrubs and the proximity of the retaining wall. To repair the split in the plastic hose, a versatile solution was therefore needed.

The split in the hose once water pressure had been turned off

Sylmasta supplied the property owner with a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit for sealing live leaks, containing SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage and Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape. An additional roll of Wrap & Seal was included due to the 300mm coverage of the repair area.

Water supply was turned off and the hose was cleaned to remove all traces of soil. A plastic sheet was then placed underneath the hose to prevent any further soil or grit being picked up during the application of the Wrap & Seal, which was wrapped across the entire damaged section.

Despite the space constraints around the hose, the Wrap & Seal was successfully stretched by the maximum 300 percent. It fused to form a solid rubber band which sealed the 80mm split and the other smaller leaks present.

The repair was finished by wrapping SylWrap HD over the Tape. The water-activated composite repair wrap provided a rock hard, impact resistant layer in minutes to protect the hose prior to it being reburied in the ground.

Completed repair of a leaking plastic hose suffering from a 30mm longitudinal split
Completed repair of the split plastic hose

Completing the repair took less than 30 minutes and cost under £40. Afterwards, the property owner contacted Sylmasta to say: “There are no longer any leaks in the hose, so I am very happy with the repair.”

“SylWrap is an excellent piece of kit which I wish I had come across years ago and the technical assistance I received from Sylmasta was very much appreciated.”

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Reinforcement of Weakened 22 Degree Cast Iron Pipe Elbows

Reinforcement of 22 degree elbows on cast iron water mains carried out by Sylmasta

Ending a potentially explosive situation – Sylmasta provide reinforcement for pipe elbows following a blowout in a valve chamber

A blowout in a valve chamber in Grimsby, United Kingdom, alerted a water company to the fact that numerous 22 degree 450mm cast iron pipe elbows were below specification and required urgent reinforcement to prevent further incidents occurring.

Case Study Data

Site
Valve Chamber
Location
Grimsby, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Elbow joint reinforcement
Defect
Below specification 22 degree elbow joints on 450mm cast iron water mains

Products Used

Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating
Offered protection to the pipework from factors such as corrosion and created a PCC-2 compliant load transfer layer with SylWrap HD.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
10 layer application reinforced each elbow joint by providing an impact-resistant protective sleeve.

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Numerous large diameter water mains made from cast iron were operated by the water company with most of these approximately 50 years old.

After an incident in a valve chamber in Grimsby where a 22 degree bend on a 450mm main blew apart, analysis of the cast iron showed that the original castings were below specification.

The incident was believed to have occurred when the water main pump from the reservoir to the treatment works stopped and the non-return valve closed, causing a pressure surge which peaked at 10 bar from zero.

Analysis of the cast iron pieces showed no corrosion along the crack lines. The blowout was therefore most likely caused by the low strength of the original casting which had a hardness of only 107.

To prevent similar incidents occurring again, the water company needed to carry out reinforcement of all remaining pipe elbows of the same specification.

  • Pipework in a valve chamber where Sylmasta carried out the reinforcement of 22 degree cast iron pipe elbows
Pipework in the Grimsby valve chamber

The length of the repair area was 350mm between flanges and the application needed to withstand 8 bar operating pressure with fluctuations up to the 10 bar which had caused the original blowout.

Sylmasta advised using Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating and SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage to strengthen the elbow joints against future pressure surges and other factors including corrosion.

Each pipe was cleaned prior to being coated with Liquid Metal, a metal-filled brushable epoxy which sets to a smooth, metallic, hard-wearing surface over pipework.

Coating the elbow joints with Liquid Metal provided corrosion protection and improved adhesion between the pipework and the SylWrap HD Bandage, creating a PCC-2 compliant load-transfer layer.

10 layers of SylWrap HD were then applied over the Liquid Metal. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water-activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes, providing reinforcement to pipework pressure resistant to 30bar.

  • Reinforcement of elbow joints in a valve chamber made using Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating and SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Each elbow joint could be reinforced in two to three hours and there was no need to turn off the water supply to complete an application. Sylmasta’s repair saved the water company considerable money compared to replacing the below specification pipework and the necessary shutdown of equipment.

After the repair, the strategic water operations manager told Sylmasta: “The wrapping materials have proved central to our project in securing the structural condition of some 22 degree bends found to be in weak condition.”

“The early success of the project in Grimsby has seen it already adopted by other sites in our network, with Hartlepool also happy with it as a preventative measure and more to follow.”

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Extending the Life of 20m Pipe Bridges Through Leak Repair & Reinforcement

Pipe bridges leaking from rusting riveted joints undergo a leak repair and reinforcement using SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Bridging the gap until replacement – the lifespan of two leaking pipe bridges is extended with a SylWrap leak and reinforcement repair

The complex repair of numerous corroded leaking joints on two 20m gravity-fed pipe bridges is followed by the entire reinforcement of both bridges to extend lifespan and offer maximum gain on investment.

Case Study Data

Site
Pipe Bridges
Location
Lancashire, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak repair & pipeline reinforcement
Defect
1.5m x 20m pipe bridge and 1.8m x 20m pipe bridge leaking from corroded riveted joints

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing silicone repair tape used to seal the numerous leaks on the two pipe bridges.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Four-layer application over the entire length of the bridges for protection, strengthening and life-extension.

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The two gravity-fed pipe bridges in Lancashire which were constructed of steel riveted plates had become corroded over time. They were now leaking in several places, allowing foul wastewater to fall into a stream below.

Although it was planned to replace these pipe bridges at some point in the future, an immediate solution was required to stop the leaks. At the same time, the lifespan of the bridges also needed extending so that maximum benefit could be gained from the investment required for such a complex repair.

Pipe Bridge in Lancashire, UK prior to undergoing a SylWrap repair and reinforcement application
One of the pipe bridges prior to undergoing repair

These complexities included building scaffolding on the riverbed and sourcing materials for the repair and reinforcement of such substantial pipe bridges: one being 1.5m x 20m and the other 1.8m x 20m.

A previous attempt had been made to seal some of the leaking joints using ratchet straps with a rubber pad. These however had proven unsuccessful and further leaks had appeared since.

A pipe bridge leaking from rusting joints before undergoing a SylWrap repair and and reinforcement
A previous repair attempt had been made the the leaking riveted joint

Sylmasta were consulted on the repair, and it was decided that Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape would be used over the leak areas. Wrap & Seal is a heavy duty repair tape made from self-amalgamating silicone which, when stretched by 300 percent across a leak, forms a tight rubber seal. Multiple layers increase the pressure applied until the leak stops.

Once all leaks had been addressed, the entire structure was wrapped with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water-activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes, providing protection and reinforcement to pipework.

Pipe bridge leak repair and reinforcement carried out using SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Completed repair of the first pipe bridge
Repair of first pipe bridge as seen from underneath

Four layers of SYL1266HD (300mm x 20m) were applied to each of the pipe bridges along their 20m length, providing a substantial protective sleeve, completing the repair and guarding against future leakage and corrosion.

Although the utilities company responsible for the pipe bridges were only seeking a temporary solution, using SylWrap HD in the repair provided reinforcement and additional strength which will last for 20 years.

Repair of the second pipe bridge with scaffolding erected

Once the repair was completed, it was estimated that a saving of approximately £250,000 had been made compared to the cost of replacing both pipe bridges, so Sylmasta’s solution was very much welcomed by all involved.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Leak Repair & Encapsulation of a Steel & Iron Welded Pipe Joint

Pipe repair of a central heating system in a church which had begun to leak around a welded joint suffering from corrosion

Good deed done – Sylmasta answer a church’s prayers with a welded pipe leak repair and encapsulation

A church central heating system had suffered heavy damage caused by corrosion and begun leaking at the point where a 100mm cast iron pipe met a 50mm steel pipe via a welded steel plate, leading to a challenging leak repair and encapsulation application.

Case Study Data

Site
Church
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak Repair
Defect
Leaking welded joint between a 100mm cast iron pipe, a 50mm steel pipe, and a 6mm steel plate

Products Used

Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putty with two-hour work time allowing for careful application and watertight encapsulation of the leaking joint

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing silicone repair tape used initially to seal leaks on the 100mm cast iron pipe

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over Wrap & Seal to provide a rock hard, impact-resistant layer to the initial repair.

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Several years previously, the central heating system in the church had undergone renovations when a 100mm cast iron pipe had been stepped down to a 50mm steel pipe.

To facilitate this, a 6mm thick steel plate had been attached to the end of the larger cast iron pipe with a hole cut into the middle, through which the smaller steel pipe was attached and welded.

Since the work had been carried out, the system had become badly corroded and was now leaking from numerous areas around the welded joint.

When a similar problem had developed on another heating pipe, the church had fitted a pipe repair clamp at considerable expense. Such a repair method was not possible on this occasion as the new leak was in a restricted space with no room for a clamp to be applied.

Initially, the church called in welders to try and fix the problem, but this just caused further leakage and left an even more uneven pipe surface needing to be sealed.

Diagram showing the repair in question

The main leak was between the steel plate and the 100mm cast iron pipe with particularly heavy corrosion at the point where they met. Once the corrosion was filed back, this was relatively straightforward to repair using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was applied around the pipe, fusing to form a solid rubber band over the problem area to seal the leak. This was then overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage, providing a rock hard, impact resistant shell to reinforce the initial repair.

More challenging was the repair of the joint between the smaller 50mm steel pipe and the steel plate. Here, leaking was caused by uneven welding, whilst a threaded section of pipe close by was also suffering from a leak.

It became clear that a softer repair material was needed to smear into the threaded section and to penetrate into the weld. Because of the complexity of the repair, Sylmasta recommended Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty.

  • Leaking 100mm cast iron pipe prior to repair
  • Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty used to encasuplate a leaking welded joint as part of a pipe repair application
    Completed repair with AB Original encapsulating the welded joint

AB Original is a smooth-setting epoxy with a two hour cure time. This longer working time allowed for the putty to be more carefully applied, encapsulating the whole section where the 100mm pipe, the 50mm pipe, and the steel plate all met.

The church were supplied with 1kg of Sylmasta AB, more than enough for their application. Unused AB Original stays fresh when left in its original packaging, ensuring the church has a supply of epoxy putty for any future applications.

Sylmasta AB Original putty was smoothed over the welded joint, filling in all imperfections and sealing all leak areas. It has excellent corrosion resistance, further protecting the pipe from future attack, and provided a smooth, ceramic-like finish to the application.

When the church first contacted Sylmasta, they had been looking for a repair method that would temporarily fix the leaking central heating system until funds allowed for either a longer lasting solution or for a new pipe to be installed.

Instead, the repair provided by Sylmasta will be permanent and was made at a fraction of the cost of other options, saving the church a considerable amount of money.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Stainless Steel Pipe Repair Inside a Biomass Plant Heating Tank

A stainless steel pipe in a biomass power plant at a UK farm required a different live leak repair using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

SylWrap and biomass – the repair of an inaccessible stainless steel pipe in a biomass plant heating tank

Small pieces of farmyard debris had inadvertently entered a Norfolk farm’s biomass plant as part of feedstock, breaching a stainless steel pipe at the top of a 20 feet tall heating tank which now required a flexible and lightweight repair carried out from a ladder.

Case Study Data

Site
Biomass plant on an agricultural site
Location
Norfolk, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak Repair
Defect
Damaged stainless steel pipe

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Repair tape with high pressure and temperature resistance to seal the leak

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Provided an impact-resistant layer to protect the pipe from further damage

SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
The products were supplied to the farm in a Universal Pipe Repair Kit

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Anaerobic digester biomass plants are becoming more common on farms in the United Kingdom. They turn waste organic material – known as feedstock – into gas used for fuel and nutrients for crops. Feedstock can include specially grown plant matter, other waste plant material and animal manure.

At the core of a biomass plant system is its digester. Here, the feedstock is fed into an airless container where it ferments. A gas called biogas is captured from the process and used for fuel. The farm uses this fuel to power itself and can even sell surplus energy to the national grid.

The remaining material is known as digestate and is separated into liquid and solid form. The liquid digestate is sprayed back onto the farm as fertiliser. The dried-out solids have multiple uses, including in animal bedding and creating fibre plant pots.

Before adding the initial feedstock to the digester, the biomass plant on the farm in Norfolk had a pre-heating tank. Here, the farm mixed feedstock with some liquid digestate and heated it to the same temperature as the main digester. This enabled them to avoid adding cold feedstock straight to the digester, which can impact on the fermentation process.

A leaking stainless steel pipe in a biomass power plant boiler is repaired with a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
The damaged pipe was located high up the inside of the heating tank

Multiple stainless steel pipes were located around the inside of the heating tank. It was one of these towards the very top which had become damaged when small pieces of farmyard debris had inadvertently been mixed in with the feedstock and dropped into the tank from the inlet above.

The farm’s preferred method of dealing with pipe repair applications was to weld. This though was not feasible; the leaking stainless steel pipe was located in a confined space at a height of 20 feet with access only available via a ladder.

To repair the leaking pipe in the biomass boiler power plant, the farm therefore needed a flexible repair method involving lightweight materials which could be easily applied from the top of a ladder.

The damaged section of steel pipe was only accessible from the top of a ladder

Sylmasta recommended a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit for the application. Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was wrapped around the pipe, fusing into a solid rubber band over the leak area for a high-pressure repair.

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then applied over the top of the Wrap & Seal. SylWrap HD features a water-activated resin. It cures within five minutes to provide a rock-hard, impact resistant layer to the pipe.

The materials in the SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit are temperature resistant to 200ºC, enabling the repair to withstand conditions within the heating tank. To further protect the pipe, a steel deflector plate was tied to the top of the SylWrap HD Bandage.

A steel deflector plate was tied to the top of the SylWrap HD Bandage after completion of the repair

Completing the repair took less than 30 minutes, cutting downtime of the biomass plant to a minimum. It was carried out by the farm’s own engineers, negating the need to hire contractors, and cost a fraction of fitting a replacement pipe.

The engineer in charge of the repair told Sylmasta afterwards he was pleased with how straightforward the application had been. With pipes a huge part of biomass systems and agriculture in general, Sylmasta are now advising on other ways in which their pipe repair solutions could benefit the sector.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Argentina Oil Well 900mm Steel Pipe Surface Restoration & Repair

A 900mm steel pipe in an oil well in Argentina was badly corroded and leaking before Sylmasta carried out a repair

Well, well, well – A SylWrap pipe repair keeps the oil pumping at a well in Argentina

An oil well in Argentina needed to repair a badly corroded, ruptured 900mm steel pipe if they were to keep the oil pumping. When a pipe repair clamp failed because of the leak being positioned on a tee, they turned to a more versatile Sylmasta repair

Case Study Data

Site
Oil well
Location
Argentina
Repair Type
Leak repair and corrosion protection
Defect
Pitting and cracking on a 900mm steel pipe

Products Used

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast-working epoxy putty sealed cracks in the pipe and smoothed off pitting caused by corrosion

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Repair tape with high chemical resistance used to reinforce the epoxy putty

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over the repair to provide a layer of protection to a vast section of pipe

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Review

The 900mm steel pipe pumped water into the well, filling it and in turn pushing oil towards the top for extraction. If the pipe was unable to supply the well with sufficient levels of water, then removing oil became extremely difficult.

Corrosion to the pipe had caused heavy pitting and a number of ruptures to appear. The oil well initially attempted to seal the pipe using two repair clamps.

A 900mm steel pipe in an oil well at Argentina with a pipe repair clamp applied
The initial repair using a pipe repair clamp failed

Problematically, the leak area was located close to a tee and a welded joint, preventing the repair clamp from working effectively.

A more flexible repair method was required and so the oil well turned to Sylmasta for a solution. Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty was used to plug the holes in the pipe and to smooth off the damage caused by corrosion, restoring the surface profile of the pipe.

A 900mm steel pipe showing signs of serious surface damage caused by corrosion
Surface damage caused to the steel pipe through corrosion
Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty applied to a leaking steel pipe in an oil well
Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty applied to seal cracks and restore surface profile

Because the exterior of the steel pipe was extremely oily, the oil well decided to reinforce the Superfast Copper with Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape.

Combining a self-fusing silicone repair tape like Wrap & Seal with Superfast Copper increased pressure resistance and chemical protection.

The entire repair was then overwrapped with SylWrap HD Pipe Bandage. The flexibility of SylWrap HD meant that it could be easily applied to the pipe around both the tee and the welded joint.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape applied to a 900mm steel pipe
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape provided further pressure and chemical resistance
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage applied to a badly corroded, leaking 900mm steel pipe at an Argentinian oil well
The repair of the 900mm steel pipe was completed with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandages

SylWrap HD provided an impact-resistant, rock-hard layer to the repaired damage area, protecting a vast section of pipe from future corrosion, breaches, and general wear and tear.

Despite the size of the pipe and the challenges posed by the tee and welded joint, the repair was a complete success.

Within two hours, water was again filling the well. Oil extraction could resume at a fraction of what a replacement pipe would have cost in new fittings, installation and downtime whilst the oil well was out of operation.

Although this particular repair was made with Superfast Copper, Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick would have been equally effective had it been available at the time.

Superfast Steel, Wrap & Seal Pipe and SylWrap HD can all be purchased as part of the SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit for fixing live leaks.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com