Water main laying training - Pipe rig build February 2022
The completed pipe rig build incorporates 90mm High Performance Polyethylene and 90mm Ductile Iron Mains.
So how did we get to the completed pipe rig?
By Incorporating pipelines of varied materials and using jointing methods such as Butt Fusion Jointing, Electrofusion Jointing and Mechanical Jointing.
Please read on to see a selection of the jointing methods that were used in the activity.
Setting up the site build area:
The activity was to create a pipe rig by Incorporating pipelines of varied materials and using jointing methods such as Butt Fusion Jointing, Electrofusion Jointing and Mechanical Jointing.
Butt Fusion equipment and jointing
Fusion Tents and ground sheets- These are used to protect and enable a clean and hygienic work environment to stop contamination of pipe jointing.
Equipment:
The heater Plate, the fusion control box, a trimmer blade, and the chassis clamps loaded with two pipe sections showing a “Dummy joint” being fused together.
“Dummy joints” are required at the start of each shift to ensure the heating plates are free from contamination, we use offcuts of pipe, and these “Dummy joints” are recommended as part of the quality assurance process to ensure the hot equipment is clean and at the correct temperature for fusion to occur correctly.
Loading the “Dummy Pipes” into the pipe Chassis:
The Chassis will do a few jobs for us, it holds the pipe sections securely in place and will re-round pipe ends that are oval or out of shape, and through the fusion controller box it will open and close to allow the trimmer and the heater plate to be installed.
Installing the Trimming plate and using the fusion controller box
The Trimming process enables the pipe ends to be cut flush by removing any damaged pipe ends and this also prepares both ends so that they are clean and ready to be aligned.
Aligning Pipe ends
We always check alignment prior to Fusion, we do this visually and even 1mm out of alignment could compromise the finished joint, if the pipe ends are not aligned correctly then we carry out the trimming process again until the alignment is correct.
Installing the Heater Plate
The heater plate is pushed down into the automatic chassis, and only when the plate is at the correct temperature.
A completed Butt Fused Joint
Both pipe Lengths fused together, and this creates a bead that we visually inspect for signs of defect.
A visual inspection of the Bead
we then remove the bead with a de-beading tool, and we then continue to visually inspect the removed bead to ensure both sides are symmetrical and for signs of stress and cracks in the bead itself.
The Jointing methods:
Butt Fusion, and Electrofusion Jointing, mechanical pupped flanges, mechanical joints, Bolt bags and EPDM gaskets and fittings.
To be continued...
Electrofusion Jointing and Mechanical Jointing
We will now test the mains by infusing water through a drilled blank flange connected via a control valve using a separate water supply, which will be connected to a water bowser and pump, and this will be flushed to a wash out hydrant and test end point to confirm the water tightness of each of the pipe lengths and the jointing methods used.
