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Case Study: Desalination Plant Partially Buried 3000mm FRP Discharge Return Pipe Repair

A 3 metre diamete FRP desalination plant discharge pipe underoges repair in Saudi Arabia

Pipeline in the sand – how a composite patch repair helped seal a partially buried three metre diameter FRP pipe in Saudi Arabia

Problems during the installation of a three metre diameter FRP discharge pipe at a desalination plant in Saudi Arabia had caused gaps to appear between connecting rings on the line, which had to be sealed in a repair carried out whilst the pipe remained partially buried.

Case Study Data


Site
Desalination plant
Location
Saudi Arabia
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
Gaps between rings in a 3000mm FRP discharge return pipe

Products Used


Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putty used to seal gaps between the ring and the pipe through which water was escaping from a join in the FRP pipe

E190 Brushable Epoxy
Brushable epoxy resin coated onto strips of Fibreglass Tape to create a composite patch repair to reinforce the putty

Fibreglass Tape
Fibreglass Tape soaked with E190, after which it cured to form a rock hard material reinforcing the initial repair

Epoxy Composite Repair Kit
E190 Resin and Fibreglass Tape can be purchased in an Epoxy Composite Repair Kit for making complex patch repairs to pipes and tanks

Case Study PDF


Case Study Details


The three metre diameter FRP (fibreglass reinforced plastic) pipe was to play a crucial role at the plant, returning discharge water not turned into fresh water during the desalination process to the Red Sea.

Problems during the installation of the line meant that one section of the pipe was not connected properly. It was only when the system was fully pressurised and water began escaping that the issue was noticed.

The three metre diameter FRP pipe prior to undergoing repair

Even though flow was immediately shut off, the amount of water passing through the pipe meant that the chamber housing the problem section became flooded and had to be drained.

Once drained, a scaffold was erected around the pipe and pressure turned back on with minimal flow rate to properly identify what was causing the leak.

It was discovered that gaps had appeared at both ends of a 310mm wide ring connecting sections of the line together. These gaps had to be sealed before the line could be put into service.

The system was again shut off to enable the repair of the gaps using Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty. After being kneaded by hand, AB Original was pushed into the gaps between the connecting ring and the rest of the pipe and left to harden.

AB Original was chosen as its two hour working time allowed larger quantities of putty to be mixed in one go without the worry of premature curing.

This was a particularly important consideration because of the size of the pipe being repaired and the temperature on-site in Saudi Arabia. Sylmasta recommend AB Original to most clients working in hotter climates.

The second stage of repair would normally involve reinforcing the AB Original with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage to create a rock hard, impact resistant layer of protection.

However, with the bottom of the FRP pipe remaining buried, it was not possible to wrap SylWrap HD around the line in this application. Even if the line had been completely accessible, its size would have made effective wrapping extremely difficult.

Instead, Sylmasta E190 Brushable Epoxy Resin and Fibreglass Tape were used to build a composite patch repair over the ends of the connecting ring which had been earlier sealed with AB Original.

E190 was painted onto the pipe and strips of Fibreglass Tape of the required length cut off and placed over the epoxy. The E190 soaked through the Tape, attaching it to the pipe.

Another coating of E190 was painted over the top of the Fibreglass Tape, with the open weave of the Tape allowing significant amounts of epoxy to saturate the fabric.

The resin-soaked Fibreglass Tape now constituted a composite wrap similar to a SylWrap Bandage, the crucial difference being that it could be layered over areas requiring repair rather than wrapped.

Multiple layers of Fibreglass Tape were applied over each other and soaked with E190. The repair continued in this manner until the last layer of Fibreglass Tape was covered with a final coating of E190 and left to cure.

E190 has a work time of 30 minutes and a full cure of 24 hours. The reinforcement of the pipe was completed within 36 hours, after which the line could be returned to service.

Once it had been established that the FRP pipe was no longer leaking and the repair had therefore been a success, the line was buried. It was now ready to serve the desalination plant after construction of the facility was finished.

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: 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 top 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 the top of an industrial sized tank

Products Used


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

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

Epoxy Composite Repair Kit
E190 Resin and Fibreglass Tape can be purchased in an Epoxy Composite Repair Kit for making complex patch repairs to pipes and tanks

Ceramic Brushable Green
Brushable epoxy coating repaired the top of the tank by creating a hard-wearing surface resistant to corrosion

Case Study PDF


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 silicone 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, several holes appeared in the tank owing to how brittle the metalwork had become.

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

Once the holes had been path repaired, the entire tank was painted with Ceramic Brushable Green. The 90 minute gel time meant that 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 functional 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