Lokring Mechanical Weld Equivalent Connectors improved and maintained safety and productivity during a dangerous upgrade of a hydrogen pipeline. The installation of the connectors, which are available locally through PipeServ, was completed without incident and in less than a third of the projected time of the alternative solution.
Lokring Mechanical Weld Equivalent Connectors fittings were used to save over two days of work at an active pharmaceuticals plant. Site insurers at the plant required all at-risk hydrogen line joints – those with the potential to be hit by workers or machinery – be welded.
The twin ferrule fittings in use were deemed unsafe, and so welded connections, or equivalent, were needed to ensure the ongoing safety of employees and the plant.
Making things more challenging was that operation of the two, 25 m hydrogen lines to be upgraded were required for the ongoing sampling and testing of emissions at the site, meaning flow could only be ceased for short periods of time. As a result, the team undertaking the job could not cease flow through the pipes for the three days that the alternative of on-site orbital welding would have taken.
Saving money and time
The innovative Lokring fixtures facilitated savings of up to 20 per cent cheaper due to a shortened completion time and a reduction in the workforce.
As a cold-worked solution, the necessary hot-work permits for typical weld jobs were not required by the team. Additionally, the lack of any spark potential with the Lokring connectors meant that no time was wasted erecting shielding around the worksite.
Due to the simplicity of the product design, there was no need to establish scaffolding and the work area was reached via a mobile elevated work platform. Installation of the Lokring connectors was unimpeded by weather conditions, where traditional welding would be required to cease in the case of heavy winds or rain.
When the job was completed, there was no need for non-destructive testing to be undertaken. Workers were able to complete a pressure test in around an hour. The whole job, including pressure test, took less than five hours and didn’t interrupt the operation of the plant.
Not only does PipeServ supply a range of Lokring products direct to Australia, PNG, New Zealand and South East Asia, but the company can also provide training for staff or contractors, as well as install the fittings using certified installers qualified in Lokring specifications.
About PipeServ
PipeServ has a reputation for supplying high-quality, effective tools and machinery for jobs where safety is paramount. The company serves clients all over Australia and abroad in PNG, New Zealand and South East Asia.
Working with leading manufacturers, Pipeserv continues to ensure great repair and maintenance solutions for commercial pipelines across the oil, gas and petrochemical industries.
For more information visit www.pipeserv.com.
This article is featured in the September edition of The Australian Pipeliner.
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