Casing spacers and centraliser products from kwik-ZIP are helping contractors stay compliant with numerous wastewater, sewerage and construction standards.
Manufactured from high-grade thermoplastic, kwik-ZIP® spacers have no metal parts, have high flexural strength, high temperature resistance, low co-efficient of friction, abrasion resistance, and outstanding chemical resistance.
All kwik-ZIP spacers are designed to meet the requirements of Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) Product Specification 324 (Casing Spacers).
Available in various product series (HDXT, HDX, HD, GT and 155), each series is available with varying bow or runner heights, making these highly flexible products suitable for use across a range of different industry sectors, and providing flexibility to deal with different project requirements and alterations.
One of kwik-ZIP’s WA customers recently utilised HDXT-103 spacers with load inserts to facilitate the slip-lining of a 914mm Sintakote® mild steel cement lined (MSCL) carrier pipe into a 1399mm reinforced concrete jacking pipe casing (RCJP), as well as a 1422mm Sintakote MSCL carrier pipe into a 1708mm casing for a rail crossing in Yanchep, WA.
This installation was part of the of the larger Water Corporation Alkimos seawater desalination plant project, which will ultimately supply up to 50 billion litres of clean drinking water to millions of Western Australians each year.
The project aims to diversify the state’s water supply in response to declining rainfall levels. Since the 1970s, rainfall in southern WA has reduced by around 20 per cent, with further decline expected.
Before 1975, Perth’s dams captured roughly 420 billion litres of streamflow per year. Alarmingly, that number now sits around 70 billion litres per year. Pair this with Perth’s growing population and it’s apparent that projects like Alkimos are critical to long-term water security. Preparatory works began in late 2023, with first water production planned for 2028.
kwik-ZIP was a perfect choice to help deliver this important project. Thanks to the HDXT’s unique load-sharing design which maximises the load bearing capacity of each runner and reduces point loading, the spacers and load inserts used in this project will adequately support the pipes and water for the life of the installation.
HDXT load inserts are designed to be used with the kwik-ZIP HDXT casing spacers to provide additional load capacity for very heavy applications or where high point loadings on one runner are experienced. They also allow HDXT spacers to continue to carry heavy loads at elevated temperatures.
kwik-ZIP products were complimentary to the Sintakote pipes utilised on the project. As the fusion-bonded coating on Sintakote pipes is crucial for corrosion prevention, kwik-ZIP spacers not only provided protection but also feature integrated rubber grip pads, preventing slippage and preserving the coating’s integrity.
Pair this with the fact that kwik-ZIP products are simple to install without the requirement of any special tools, and it’s easy to see why the company is a go-to choice for major infrastructure projects like Alkimos.
kwik-ZIP’s large range of spacers caters for a wide range of carrier and casing pipe size combinations, as well as providing flexibility to deal with project alterations.
The company’s products are also approved for use within many utilities’ infrastructure, including Melbourne Retail Water Association, South-East Queensland’s Infrastructure and Materials list, Sydney Water, and the WA Water Corporation. All products are certified by the Australian Water Quality Centre for use in contact with drinking water.
As a member of the Australian Water Association, kwik-ZIP is also affiliated with Water Industries Operations Association of Australia, American Water Works Association, US National Ground Water Association, the Australasian Society for Trenchless Technology and the Australasian Corrosion Association. The company is also a QMS ISO 9001– certified organisation.
kwik-ZIP has established distributors in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Great Britain. It operates from its head office in Perth, and maintains warehouse facilities in Sydney, Texas and the United Kingdom.
For more information, visit the website.
This feature also appears in the May edition of The Australian Pipeliner.