Category: Case Studies

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Case Study: Corroded Tank Repair at a Puerto Rico Pharmaceutical Plant

A heavily corroded tank at a pharmaceutical plant in Puerto Rico undergoes repair using Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating

Putting a lid on corrosion – the roof of a heavily corroded tank undergoes repair using Ceramic Brushable Green

When rust finally breached the roof of an industrial tank at a pharmaceutical plant in Puerto Rico, a repair method was needed to keep the corroded tank operational for several more years before a planned replacement.

Case Study Data

Site
Pharmaceutical plant
Location
Puerto Rico
Repair Type
Corrosion protection
Defect
Heavy corrosion to roof of industrial tank

Products Used

E190 Brushable Epoxy Resin
Brushable epoxy resin coated onto strips of Fibreglass Tape to make composite patch repairs to holes in the tank

Fibreglass Tape
Fibreglass Tape was soaked with E190, after which it cured to form a rock hard material covering holes in the tank

E190 Epoxy Pipe & Tank Repair Kit
E190 Resin and Fibreglass Tape can be purchased in one Kit for making complex patch repairs to pipes and tanks

Ceramic Brushable Epoxy Coating
Brushable epoxy coating repaired the roof of the tank by creating a new hard-wearing surface resistant to corrosion

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Case Study Details

The tank was suffering from heavy corrosion, especially at the top. The pharmaceutical company responsible for the plant had been determined to try and keep the system operational until the scheduled replacement of the tank.

Unfortunately, the corrosion became so bad that a repair had to be made. The primary consideration was cost; the company did not want to spend thousands of dollars refurbishing a tank, only for it to be condemned within a few years.

A badly corroded tank top at a pharmaceutical plant in Puerto Rico prior to undergoing repair using a Sylmasta brushable epoxy
The top of the tank was suffering from heavy corrosion

It was decided to use Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating as a cost-effective and convenient means of both repairing the damaged tank roof and protecting it from further corrosion.

Ceramic Brushable Green is reinforced with silicon carbide and painted onto surfaces, structures and machinery to create an ultra-smooth, hard wearing protective layer.

It can be applied to old or new parts made from all metals and most plastics. It seals surfaces and protects against chemical attack, cavitation, erosion and pitting, as well as corrosion.

Large holes appeared in the tank during the surface preparation process

Before the application of Ceramic Brushable Green, the roof of the tank had to be cleaned to remove paint, rust and grime. During this process, multiple large holes appeared in the tank as the brittle metalwork crumbled away.

The holes were bridged using Fibreglass Tape coated with Sylmasta E190 Brushable Epoxy Resin, available to purchase together as part of the E190 Epoxy Pipe & Tank Repair Kit.

Strips of Fibreglass Tape were cut off, soaked with E190 resin and then layered over each hole to build a composite patch repair. E190 has a work time of 30 minutes, after which the resin-soaked strips cured to form a rock-hard material sealing all holes.

A corroded tank top undergoing repair using a brushable epoxy
Ceramic Brushable Green used to repair a corroded tank top by creating a new hard wearing surface
E190 Epoxy Resin and Fibreglass Tape patch repaired holes. The tank was then coated with Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating

Once the holes had been patch repaired, the entire tank was painted with Ceramic Brushable Green. The long gel time meant large quantities of epoxy coating could be mixed without the threat of premature curing.

Three coatings of Ceramic Brushable Green were applied. The re-coat time between layers was around four hours. A full cure was achieved 24 hours after the last coating, with the entire application taking a little under two days to complete.

Although only set to be a temporary repair, complications down the line meant that the planned replacement of the tank had to be suspended.

Five years later and the tank was still in service, fully functional thanks to Ceramic Brushable Green with no signs of further corrosion.

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: Liquid Metal Lays Anti Slip Flooring Surfaces at PepsiCo Plant in Chile

An anti slip flooring surface created using Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating and silicone carbide grit at an industrial plant in Chile

Getting a grip in Chile – Liquid Metal combined with silicon carbide grit lay new anti slip flooring at PepsiCo Plant

The PepsiCo production plant in Chile use Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating and silicon carbide grit as a cost effective method for installing new and replacement anti slip flooring in 12 different areas across the site.

Case Study Data

Site
PepsiCo production plant
Location
Chile
Repair Type
Creation of anti slip surfaces on plant flooring

Products Used

Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating
Epoxy coating brush applied across floors to bond silicon carbide grit for the creation of anti slip surfaces

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Case Study Details

PepsiCo needed to lay anti slip flooring in 12 different sections across their production plant in Chile, both to replace existing surfaces which had lost their effectiveness and create new safe areas.

The floor surfaces requiring treatment included the tiled floor of a warehouse, concrete corridors, a metal ramp, stainless steel ladders and staircases, and an open lift used to transport goods between floors.

Exisiting anti slip flooring at the PepsiCo industrial plant had become worn and in effective prior to being repaired using Liquid Metal and silicone carbide grit
Existing anti slip surfaces had become worn and needed replacing

Because of the large scale of the application, the maintenance team wanted to find the most cost-effective and convenient method for laying anti slip surfaces possible.

The way they decided to do this was by using an epoxy coating capable of bonding silicon carbide grit to each of the different surface materials requiring anti slip treatment.

A stainless steel floor prior to having a new anti slip flooring surface applied using an epoxy coating
Stainless steel floor with worn anti slip surface

Sylmasta recommended the use of Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating. Liquid Metal would adhere to all the surfaces throughout the plant, offering high bond strength between the floor and the silicon carbide grit.

A long gel time allows for more Liquid Metal to be mixed at once and carefully painted onto a substrate without worry of the coating curing off before application is completed.

Masking tape was used to mark out where the anti slip strips were required and the exposed surface painted with Liquid Metal. Whist the epoxy coating remained tacky, silicon carbide grit was sprinkled over the top. The masking tape was then removed.

Liquid Metal and silicone carbide grit are used to create anti slip flooring at the PepsiCo industrial plant in Chile
Completed refurbishment of the anti slip surface on the stainless steel floor using Liquid Metal and silicon carbide grit

Once the Liquid Metal had fully cured, it permanently bonded the grit with the floor to leave behind a new anti slip surface.

This method was used across all 12 areas of the plant and was successful no matter whether the surface was metal, concrete or tile. The application was completed within 24 hours of the final area being coated with Liquid Metal.

The ease and speed of the installation has since led PepsiCo to use Liquid Metal and silicon carbide grit for laying anti slip surfaces at other plants and even inside their delivery vans.

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: Domestic Malleable Iron Water Pipe Repair in a Restricted Space

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape used to repair a 20mm domestic malleable iron water pipe in a restricted space

No space, no problem – Wrap & Seal makes a repair to a malleable iron water pipe with severely restricted access

A 20mm domestic malleable iron water pipe undergoes a live leak repair using Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape despite space being severely restricted by the leaking section’s position in close proximity to a wall.

Case Study Data

Site
Domestic property
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Live leak pipe repair
Defect
Small hole in 20mm malleable iron water pipe

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-amalgamating waterproof repair tape which fuses to form a solid rubber band for high-pressure, live leak repairs

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The malleable iron pipe had developed a small hole facing towards a brick wall in an outside area of a domestic property in the UK. Water was escaping at around 3 bar pressure and flow through the leaking section of pipe could not be isolated.

Because the pipe was on the grounds of the property and connected to the public network after the stopcock, it was the homeowner’s responsibility to fix the leak rather than the water supplier.

As this was live leak repair, epoxy putty was ruled out as a sealing material. Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape would therefore have to be used, making the repair particularly challenging due to the restricted space on two sides of the pipe.

Between the pipe and the back wall behind, there was around only 30mm clearance. Approximately 150mm of space existed between the pipe and the ground.

Clearly, there was not going to be enough room for the user making the repair to stretch the Wrap & Seal by three times its length whilst it was wrapped, as would have normally been the case.

Repair of a 20mm domestic malleable iron water pipe in a restricted space at a domestic property
To apply the tape, it was stretched towards the user where there was most space

The tape was anchored 50mm to the right of the leak and held tightly against the pipe by the property owner carrying out the repair, using their thumb.

They then stretched the tape as far towards them as space would allow with their other hand, before pulling it under the pipe and up through the restricted space between the pipe and the back wall.

As the first wrap around was completed, the tape was stretched half the width across the Wrap & Seal still being held down to the pipe with the thumb. This anchored the tape firmly to the pipe.

The wrapping process continued in this manner, with the tape being stretched as much as possible into the space away from the wall before the user looped it under the pipe and up through the gap at the back.

The tape was then wrapped under the pipe and up through the restricted space between the pipe and back wall

Despite the fact that it was not possible to stretch Wrap & Seal by its maximum 300 percent, the self-amalgamating tape still fused effectively to form a solid rubber band over the leak. The 3 bar pressure was easily held by the repair.

Once the end of the tape was reached, the pipe was dried off. No more water could be felt escaping, indicating that the repair had been a success.

The property owner was delighted to have been able to carry out a safe DIY pipe repair in spite of the initial challenges that seemed to come with the application, and at a fraction of the cost of hiring a plumber.

Wrap & Seal has WRAS approval, meaning it is certified as safe to British standards to use on pipes which carry drinking water.

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

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

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Case Study: ‘Impossible’ Repair of 900mm Water Main Flange Leak in Underground Chamber

A 900mm steel water main leaking in an undeground chamber undergoes repair using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty

Mission impossible – the repair of a leaking 900mm steel water main flooding an underground chamber in Malaysia

Water escaping from cracks caused by corrosion around a flange on a 900mm steel water main had flooded an underground chamber, leaving a pipe repair to be considered impossible until a determined Malaysia engineering team spent two days on the scene

Case Study Data

Site
Underground water main
Location
Malaysia
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
Cracks caused by corrosion on a 900mm steel pipe flange

Products Used

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast working epoxy putty for sealing holes and cracks in pipework, filling gaps between joints and high-strength adhesion

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Heavy corrosion had caused numerous cracks to appear on the 900mm steel pipe around a stub flange. The leak point was located in an underground chamber, which had subsequently filled with water escaping the pipe at high pressure.

Accessing the pipe was difficult even before the flooding of the chamber. A repair clamp could not be fitted because of the flange, and the main was so close to the ground that there was insufficient room for pipe repair tapes or bandages to be wrapped around the pipe.

There was no visible means of isolating the main either, meaning that pressure could not be turned off or reduced. Replacing the damaged section would have involved excavating the chamber and shutting down the main for a prolonged period, something not considered an option by the water company operating the system.

The flooded chamber prior to water being pumped out
As water was removed from the chamber, the scale of the leaks on the main became evident

As a result, repairing the main had been considered impossible. It had been allowed to leak unabated since the problem was discovered, save for a few cursory checks and the pumping out of water when flood levels became dangerously high.

That was until an engineering team and a technician from Sylmasta arrived on site, who were determined to formulate either a method for repairing the main or a means of substantially reducing the amount of water being lost.

Before any repair could be attempted, water had to be pumped out of the chamber. Once this had been done, an engineer accessed the pipe and hammered a series of plastic plugs into the larger cracks along the flange.

Water escaping a 900mm underground water main in Malaysia prior to undergoing a Sylmasta repair
An engineer hammered plastic plugs into the significant cracks, reducing the amount of water being lost so that an inspection could take place

The plugs reduced the amount of water escaping from the pipe enough for a proper inspection to take place. The engineer in the chamber then spotted a stopcock a little further along the pipe.

They were able to reach the stopcock, preventing flow into the leak area. With pressure now turned off, it meant Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty could be used to attempt to permanently seal the cracks in the main.

Numerous Superfast Steel Epoxy Sticks were used for the repair

Superfast Steel has a fast, 10 minute work time and comes in an easy-to-use 114g stick format. Many sticks had to be used in the application because of the size of the repair.

Each stick was kneaded by hand. Whilst soft, the putty was pushed into visible holes in the pipe where it hardened, filling the crack. Superfast Steel was also used to seal the flange and as a means of permanently fixing the rubber plugs in place.

An engineer applies Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick to a cracked 900mm steel water main during a repair in Malaysia
Superfast Steel plugged the visible cracks in the pipe and permanently fixed the rubber plugs in place

Because of the diameter of the pipe and the size of the damage area, it took over an hour to apply the necessary Superfast Steel. With flow isolated, it was difficult to tell whether all the leaks in the pipe had been found and sealed.

Even after pressure was restored, it was still hard to identify remaining problem areas. As a result, the maintenance team decided to return 24 hours later to check the effectiveness of the repair.

With the main continuing to leak the following day, further Superfast Steel was used to plug remaining cracks and a valve fitted

Unfortunately, this inspection revealed the main was leaking again, although nowhere near as seriously as before. There were several small leak areas which had not been suitably arrested the previous day, alongside a larger jet of water escaping from a gap between the flange and the pipe.

Further Superfast Steel was used to seal the smaller leak areas. The epoxy putty was worked into a sausage shape and pushed into the remaining cracks in the pipe.

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick used to plug holes in a cracked 900mm water main repair
With most of the leaks arrested, the valve funnelled any water still attempting to escape into one area

For the larger leak, the engineering team leader hit upon the idea of fixing a valve fitting in place using more Superfast Steel. The water trying to escape the main would be channelled towards this valve. A tap would be fitted and closed, sealing the pipe shut.

A tap was then fitted, shutting off the valve
Successful repair of a leaking 900mm water main in an underground chamber carried out by Sylmasta
The successful repair

Tapping off the main ended up being a success, much to the delight of the water company and the engineering team.

It may have taken two days, but the ‘impossible’ water main repair had been completed, reducing the levels of water being lost and preventing any further flooding of the chamber.

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: Magic Corner Kitchen Unit Repair Saves Over £200 in Replacement Costs

A magic corner kitchen unit undergoes repair using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty after a pin snapped off

Magic repair of a magic corner – Superfast Steel prevents a broken kitchen unit needing a £290 replacement

When a magic corner unit in a kitchen collapsed, a homeowner was left facing the prospect of paying £290 for a replacement – until it was decided to attempt a repair using the high-strength bonding properties of Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty.

Case Study Data

Repair Type
High-strength bonding
Defect
Collapsed magic corner kitchen unit

Products Used

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Epoxy putty used for super-strength adhesion between broken pin and unit which had previously been welded in place

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

A magic corner kitchen unit makes use of dead space in corner cupboards which are otherwise hard to access. A slide out mechanism attached to a cabinet door allows items to be easily stored and retrieved from blind corners.

There are several reasons why magic corners can break. Wear and tear is one. Frequent opening and closing of the cupboard and stress on the sliding mechanism will take its toll after many years.

Magic corners will often be overloaded in excess of the weight the manufacturer recommends they carry. Because they are attached to a cupboard door rather than being a part of the actual unit, overloading can lead to units collapsing and damage to the door itself.

In this case, the magic corner unit was very old. The client also admitted that they may have overloaded it. Eventually, this led to the magic corner collapsing, detaching it from the kitchen cupboard door.

Upon inspecting the broken corner, the problem was discovered to have been caused by a vital pin on which the mechanism pivoted breaking away from the frame and causing the detachment.

A broken magic corner kitchen unit before undergoing repair using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Photo on the left shows another pin welded to the magic corner for an idea of how it was attached. On the right, the broken section of the unit after the damaged pin snapped off

A replacement magic corner would have cost £290 and required some advanced DIY skills to fit. After the homeowner consulted Sylmasta to see if a repair was possible, it was decided to attempt to fix the magic corner kitchen unit using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty.

Superfast Steel is used for filling holes and cracks, restoring surface profile, fabricating new parts and for high-strength bonding between materials. For this particular application, it was Superfast Steel’s adhesive properties that were required.

To use Superfast Steel, the required amount is cut from the 114g stick and kneaded by hand. This causes a chemical reaction to take place between the resin and hardener which form the stick. Within 10 minutes, the soft putty will have cured into a material as hard as steel.

The damaged pin was around 100mm in length and had been welded to the magic corner prior to the collapse. The pin was to be reattached to the unit using Superfast Steel, which would provide a bond as strong as the previous welding.

A broken pin on a magic corner kitchen unit is repaired using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
The pin prior to being reattached to the magic corner using Superfast Steel

Completing the reattachment took less than 30 minutes. Within an hour, the putty had fully hardened. The magic corner could be filled with kitchen items again – although the client was careful not to overload it this time.

One Superfast Steel Stick was all that was required for the application. At an outlay of under £20, the repair represented a huge saving compared to the cost of replacing the magic corner.

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: 19th Century Lantern Restoration Using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty

A 19th century lantern restoration undertaken using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick

Relighting a 19th century lantern – the restoration of a Victorian lamp made possible by Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty is used in the restoration of a lantern made by famous Birmingham lamp maker Arthur J. Poole and dated to the 1870s or 1880s, returning it to working order so that it could light up spaces as it did in its Victorian heyday.

Case Study Data

Repair Type
Restoration of a 19th century lantern
Defect
Broken candleholder and snapped door latch

Products Used

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Epoxy putty used to fabricate new parts and for high-strength adhesion of metal-to-metal and plastic-to-metal

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Arthur J. Poole manufactured a huge range of candle-lit lanterns, lanterns for police offices, lamps for use on the railways, maritime signal lamps capable of transmitting Morse code, and copper coal buckets from his factory in the heart of Birmingham during the 19th century.

The lantern in question was candle powered, dating it to the 1870s or 1880s before paraffin became more widely used. For an item the best part of 120 years old and which had clearly spent most of its life as a working lantern, it was in remarkably good condition.

There were two areas which needed attention before it could be used once again. The lantern no longer had a latch to close the door in place. Whenever there was a breeze or the lantern swung as it was being carried by its handle, the door would swing open and the candle inside end up extinguished.

The original candleholder inside the lantern was small and designed for Victorian-era candles. The owner wanted to modify it to hold larger, modern day candles

The other problem was that original fitting for candles was designed for small, thin Victoria-era candles. The owner wanted to create a new platform capable of holding tea lights or other large candles, complete with a spike allowing it to slot into the existing fitting.

This was done using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty. Superfast Steel comes in a pre-formatted 114g stick. The user cuts off the amount of putty required and mixes it by hand, instigating a chemical reaction between the resin and hardener.

Superfast Steel has a work time of around five minutes. Whilst soft, it can be shaped and formed as desired. Once cured, it offers super-strength adhesion between different substrates and forms a material as hard as steel.

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty used to fabricate a new part in the restoration of a 19th century lantern
A new candleholder and spike were fabricated from Superfast Steel. The platform had already been painted black in this photo

To create a new candleholder, Superfast Steel was moulded into the required shape to make the platform. Once the putty platform had cured, the spike was shaped and added. Whilst soft, the spike was pushed into the existing fitting to ensure it was a perfect fit.

The spike easily bonded to the newly fabricated platform, creating a holder capable of supporting a modern candle inside the lantern and completing part one of the restoration.

The new candleholder enabled the lantern to hold a modern candle in place

To create a new handle for the door, a metal wire was bent into a T-shape by folding it in half, then bending the two ends at right angles. It was attached to the door via two plastic tubes which were bonded to the lantern using further Superfast Steel.

When the door was closed, this metal wire could now drop into an existing latch attached to the opposite side of the lantern, locking it in place and preventing the candle from blowing out.

A latch was made from a metal rod and plastic tube and attached to the lantern using Superfast Steel. All materials were then painted black to blend in seamlessly with the lantern
A 19th century lantern that underwent restoration using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
The completed restoration

A coating of black paint was added to the wire, the plastic tubing and the Superfast Steel to complete the restoration at a cost of under £20.

The lantern is now lighting up a garden in East Sussex and ready for another 120 years of service. Arthur J. Poole himself would have been impressed.

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: Snapped Nozzle on a 1500mm Seawater Cooling Line Repair & Reinforcement

A 1500mm line in a seawater cooling system undergoes repair after it began leaking from a broken off nozzle

Keeping it cool – the repair and reinforcement of a leaking 1500mm seawater cooling system supply line

A petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia needed an urgent repair to the 1500mm main supply line in their seawater cooling system after a nozzle snapped off, leaving a 50mm hole discharging water 5 metres vertically at a pressure of 3 bar.

Case Study Data

Site
Petrochemical plant
Location
Saudi Arabia
Repair Type
Leak repair and reinforcement
Defect
Snapped nozzle in a 1500mm seawater cooling pipe

Products Used

Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putty with a long work time used alongside a PTFE plug to fill the 50mm hole left by the snapped nozzle

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite wrap reinforced the repair and was then applied around the diameter to strengthen the line

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Seawater cooling systems allow water taken from the sea to be used for the cooling of machinery and other processes in industrial plants and factories.

The petrochemical plant were extracting from the Red Sea. A nozzle on the 1500mm diameter main line supplying the cooling system had snapped off from the flange, causing a jet of pressurised water to shoot 5 metres into the air from a 50mm hole.

An engineer fitted a PTFE plug to the leaking line

When this seawater returned to ground, it saturated the surface of the pipe. This had caused visible external damage, discolouration and mould to form. The petrochemical plant were concerned over a potential catastrophic weakening of the line.

Losing so much water also had a serious impact on the efficiency of the cooling system. The plant therefore decided to call in a maintenance team to attempt to fix the problem as a matter of urgency.

The supply line was shut off whilst the repair took place. The application began by securing the hole left in the pipe by the snapped nozzle with a plug made from PTFE.

Sylmasta AB Epoxy Putty used to repair a seawater supply line by fixing a PTFE plug in place
AB Original Epoxy Putty was used to permanently fix the plug in place, creating a watertight seal

To create a watertight seal around the PTFE plug and fix it in place permanently, the nozzle was then encompassed using Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty.

AB Original is a smooth-setting putty capable of bonding to all materials, including wet surfaces. It has a two-hour work time, allowing for more careful application without the worry of premature curing.

This longer cure time is particularly useful in hot climates such as Saudi Arabia, where higher ambient temperatures make epoxy putties set faster.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage applied to a snapped nozzle in a seawater supply line repair
The exposed top of the plug and AB Original were encompassed with SylWrap HD

Further reinforcement of the exposed top of the plug and the surrounding AB Original was provided by SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap HD is a composite wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock in hard in minutes.

Seven layers of SYL412HD Bandage were wrapped and smoothed around the nozzle, creating an impact resistant outer layer. It completely sealed the hole, forming a repair easily capable of withstanding the pressure the cooling system operated at.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage being applied to a 1500mm seawater supply line
Further SylWrap reinforced the weakened section of pipe around the plug

When the pipe was put back into service, the engineers noticed during their inspection that the pipe around the nozzle had indeed been weakened, as the petrochemical plant suspected.

Although no major leaks were present, the surface could be seen bubbling with air and water. The engineers therefore decided to reinforce the entire area of pipe underneath the nozzle by wrapping the 1500mm diameter with four layers of SYL616HD Pipe Repair Bandage.

Repair and reinforcement of a 1500mm seawater supply line after a nozzle snapped off
The repair was completed in two hours, leaving the line sealed and strengthened

SylWrap HD cured to form a thick, rock-hard robust shell encompassing the pipe and strengthening the weakened outer wall. The line was now well protected from external damage or future breaches.

Completing the repair of the nozzle and the reinforcement of the line took less than three hours. 24 hours later and AB Original had reached maximum properties, allowing the seawater cooling system to operate at full capacity once again.

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 Pinhole Repair on 150mm Elbow at Pumping House in Malaysia

A SylWrap Live Leak repair made to a pinhole leak on a 6 bar 150mm elbow joint with a pinhole leak

Fixing an elbow – a pumping house in Malaysia stays operational thanks to a SylWrap live leak repair

When a 150mm steel pipe elbow in a Malaysia pumping house developed a pinhole leak through which water was spraying out at 6 bar pressure, the company responsible for the facility turned to Sylmasta for a rapid live leak repair.

Case Study Data

Site
Pumping house
Location
Malaysia
Repair Type
Live leak repair
Defect
Pinhole leak in 150mm steel pipe elbow joint

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-amalgamating silicone repair tape used to seal the live leak on the elbow joint

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite repair wrap applied to reinforce the initial repair via an impact resistant protective layer

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Contains enough products to make up to six live leak repairs, now approved for use on Kuala Lumpur’s vast network

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The steel pipe was an important part of the system at the pumping house, operated by a water company. A pinhole leak had appeared on an elbow joint weakened by corrosion where two sections of metalwork joined together.

Because the leak was on an elbow, a repair clamp could not be fitted. The pipe could not be taken out of operation for repair or replacement due to its importance to operations at the pumping house.

A pinhole leak on an elbow joint in a Malaysia pumping station prior to undergoing a live leak repair
The pinhole was located on an elbow
A pressurised jet of water escaping from a 150mm pipe elbow in a Malaysia pumping station
Pressurised jet of water spraying from the pinhole leak

The water company’s maintenance team therefore used a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit to carry out a live leak repair which would be effective on the 150mm elbow operating under 6 bar pressure.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was used to seal the pinhole leak in the pipe. Wrap & Seal is made from self-amalgamating silicone. It stretches by 300 percent and fuses to form a solid rubber band over holes and cracks in pipework.

Wrap & Seal Pioe Burst Tape used to repair a pinhole leak on a 150mm pipe elbow in Malaysia
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was stretched by its maximum 300 percent
Wrap & Seal successfully sealed the pinhole leak

Once the Tape had successfully sealed the hole in the pipe, it was overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap HD is a composite wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes.

The Bandage was wrapped around the elbow and smoothed down whilst water from a bucket was poured over it at sporadic intervals. Once cured, SylWrap HD provided an impact resistant shell around the elbow, preventing it from any future leaks or bursts.

Within 30 minutes of the start of the application, the maintenance team had successfully repaired the elbow with no interruption to operations at the pumping house.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage used to reinforce a repair on a 150mm elbow joint in a Malaysia pumping station
SylWrap HD Bandage was used to reinforce the repair
The repair was completed in less than 30 minutes

Both Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD are WRAS approved, meaning that they are certified as safe to use on pipes and fittings carrying drinking water according to British Standards.

Numerous other successful pipe repair applications have since been made in Malaysia using Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD supplied in a SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case.

This has led the Case to be approved by the national supplier in Malaysia for carrying out leak repairs across Kuala Lumpur’s vast pipe network.

Each Contractor Case contains enough products to make up to six live leak repairs on pipes of all diameters and types without the need for any training.

The Case can be easily stored on-the-van, providing a lightweight and more versatile alternative to carrying around heavy, bulky pipe repair clamps.

When leaks and bursts on the water network are identified, a contractor simply has to reach for the Case on their van to repair the problem in under 30 minutes.

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 a Leaking 200mm Fuel Oil Line Pressure Resistant to 44 bar in Libya

Sylmasta repair a 200mm underground oil fuel line in Brega, Libya suffering from a crack caused by heavy corrosion

Fuel for thought – a high pressure, high temperature pipe repair keeps an oil line in Libya operating

Heavy corrosion caused a small crack to appear in a 200mm fuel oil line buried underground in Libya, leaving the pipe requiring a repair that could withstand pressure fluctuations up to 44 bar and temperatures up to 70°C

Case Study Data

Site
Underground fuel oil line
Location
Brega, Libya
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
Small crack in 200mm pipe

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Multiple tapes were used for creating a thick, tough rubber band over the leak capable of withstanding extreme pressure

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite repair wrap formed an impact resistant protective shell over the initial repair, reinforcing the line

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

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The town of Brega serves as a major export hub for Libyan oil, being home to one of the five oil terminals operating in the eastern half of Libya. It is also the starting point of the 670 km Brega-Khoms Intisar gas pipeline.

A 200mm fuel oil line required repair after it was found to be leaking underground
Excavation revealed that the pipe was in poor condition

Heavy corrosion had caused a small crack to appear in a 200mm fuel oil line buried underground. Once the pipe had been excavated for inspection, it became clear that it was in terrible condition, badly pitted and covered in escaped oil.

To add to the complexity of the application, the line experienced pressure fluctuations up to 44 bar and at operated at temperatures of up to 70°C. Any repair had to be able to withstand these extremes.

Oil leaking from a damaged 200mm fuel pipe line in Brega, Libya
The leak area was a small crack caused by corrosion

Prior to the application, the pipe was cleaned as best as it could be. Oil and dirt was removed and the surface smoothed off to enable a good connection between the line and Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape, which made up the first stage of the repair.

Wrap & Seal is a self-amalgamating repair tape which stretches by 300 percent. As it is wrapped around a pipe, it fuses to form a solid rubber band over holes and cracks.

Multiple tapes can be applied over each other, where they will amalgamate together in the same way. The more Wrap & Seal used, the tougher the rubber mass becomes and the higher the pressure resistance of the repair.

One of the first Wrap & Seal applied to the pipe. Multiple tapes were used to form a repair with high pressure resistance

A total of six 50mm x 4m Wrap & Seal tapes were used to build a repair with the required pressure resistance. The tape was then overwrapped with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage.

SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes. It provides an impact resistant protective shell to pipes and structures, increasing life span and hoop strength.

200mm fuel oil line in Brega, Libya undergoes leak repair using a Sylmasta Pipe Repair Kit
The line was reinforced using SylWrap HD

Four SylWrap HD Bandages were used to cover the repair area, reinforcing the fuel oil line before it was reburied. Each bandage cured within five minutes of application.

Wrap & Seal has a maximum service temperature of 200°C and SylWrap HD withstands up to 250°C, leaving the repair capable of withstanding both the temperature and pressure extremes of the pipeline.

Completed repair prior to the line being reburied

It took under two hours to complete the application, notwithstanding the time to excavate and inspect the pipe. The repair was a cost-effective and less time-consuming alternative to replacing the damaged section, which would have left the line out of operation for a prolonged period.

The maintenance team who carried out the job in Brega have since gone onto use Sylmasta products to make numerous repairs to other oil lines in the region, taking advantage of the ease and convenience offered by the SylWrap range.

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 a Cracked Copper Pipe in a Camper Van Boiler System

A copper pipe in a camper van boiler system undergoes repair using Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty and a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Carry on camping – a difficult-to-access copper pipe in a camper van boiler system undergoes repair

A camper van owner manages to repair a crack in a copper pipe located within the van’s boiler system, despite the leak area being extremely difficult to access

Case Study Data

Site
Camper van boiler
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
Crack in a copper pipe

Products Used

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast-working epoxy putty pushed into the crack in the copper pipe to seal it

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite repair wrap applied over Superfast Copper to reinforce the initial repair

SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit
Superfast Epoxy and SylWrap HD are supplied together in the Standard Pipe Repair Kit

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

The boiler system provided heat and hot water to the camper van. A deep crack appeared in a copper pipe located underneath the cover of the boiler, causing a pressurised jet of water to spray out whenever the boiler was turned on.

Problematically, the crack was located at a point where the pipe angled towards the back casing of the boiler. It faced towards the side of the casing with access extremely limited.

  • A crack in a copper pipe which was part of a camper van boiler system before undergoing repair using a Sylmasta Pipe Repair Kit
A jet of water escaped the copper pipe whenever the boiler was put into operation

The confined space meant that there was no room to fit a pipe repair clamp, nor apply Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape with enough stretch for it to self-amalgamate effectively.

Because the boiler could be turned off, Sylmasta recommended to the camper van owner that they use Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick to plug the crack in the pipe.

Superfast Copper comes in a 114 gram stick format and has a work time of 5 to 10 minutes, enabling rapid repairs to be made to copper and other non-ferrous metals.

  • Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty being applied to repair a crack in a pipe which formed part of a camper van boiler system
Superfast Copper applied to the crack in the pipe

Before the application began, the pipe was cleaned and dried to aid the adhesion of the putty to the metalwork. The required amount of putty was cut from the stick and kneaded by hand.

Whilst soft, the putty was pushed into the crack in the copper pipe where it hardened, sealing the hole. Enough putty was used to cover the section of pipe both above and below the crack to improve the chances of success.

To reinforce the putty, the entire section of pipe was then covered with a SylWrap HD 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.

  • Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty used to seal a hole on a copper pipe in a camper van boiler system
Superfast Copper and SylWrap HD successfully sealed the crack

Typically, SylWrap HD would be wrapped around the pipe. The space constraints meant that this could not be done effectively in this particular application, and so the bandage was cable tied to the pipe whilst it cured.

Once the copper pipe repair was completed, the boiler was turned back on. Water was no longer escaping from the crack, denoting a successful boiler pipe repair and saving a considerable amount of money for the camper van owner compared to the cost of fitting a replacement pipe.

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