TPi March 2018

products & developments

Double freezing technique for large diameter valve replacement

Georgia Gascoyne, CEO for Huntingdon Fusion Techniques, commented, “Qwik-Freezer has become the preferred solution for a wide range of water- carrying pipework, where valves need to be changed, in industry sectors such as petrochemical, building and maintenance services, food and beverage, hospitals, water treatment, shipping and aerospace.”

Replacing valves in a pipeline can be a challenge, especially when the pipelines have liquids running through them. One option is to completely drain the system to make the repairs, which can prove costly with respect to loss of expensive fluid, heating or cooling costs, security matters, time that the system is down, and labour costs. Pipe freezing expert Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT) has added Qwik- Freezer™ systems to its Pipestoppers ® division. These systems create ice plugs or freeze seals in the pipes, avoiding the need to drain systems. The Qwik-Freezer portable CO 2 pipe freezing system covers pipe diameters from 9 to 200mm ( 3 / 8 " to 8"). The quick and easy-to-use system requires little set-up time, and is capable of freezing larger pipe diameters.

Qwik-Freezer jacket installation

double freeze, blocking flow on both sides of the valve. When the CO 2 is injected into the space between the jacket and the pipe, at a temperature of -78°C, the pipe contents freeze and a secure ‘ice plug’ is formed, which seals the pipe. The ice plug forms only in the section of the pipe covered by the jacket, so the resulting rise in pressure is very small and there is no damage to the pipe itself. The technique can be used safely on iron, steel, lead, stainless steel, copper, brass and plastic pipe. Huntingdon Fusion Techniques, together with US partner COB Industries, distributes pipe freezing equipment throughout the UK and Europe. Huntingdon Fusion Techniques – UK pipefreezing@huntingdonfusion.com www.huntingdonfusion.com

Once liquids have been brought to a standstill, a specially designed flexible jacket is wrapped around the pipe at the point where the freeze is required. A nozzle in the jacket is then coupled to a cylinder of liquid carbon dioxide by means of a high-pressure hose. For valve replacement, a second jacket is installed on the other side, creating a

Axium Process Ltd Stainless Steel Specialists

HIGH END MACHINED AND FABRICATED COMPONENTS TO CUSTOMER SPECIFICATION · Hygienic engineering design and bespoke solutions · Validation, testing, certification & traceability · Orbital & manual welding, fabrication, pickling, passivation · CNC equipped machine shop · Bead blasting, mirror polish & electropolishing

Qwik-Freezer pipe jacket kit

Tube end forming Winton Machine Company states that its DH25H offers manufacturing versatility in three ways. The operator can form the end of the tube before or after bending the tube; it offers top or side loading, so it works with bent as well as straight tubes; and, being PLC controlled, the DH25H can be programmed to make a single hit or a double hit end form.

The double hit ram end former is specifically engineered to form any typical end forms, including 37° flare, double flare, swaging, bead forming and bump O-ring groove type end form. The end former is an engineered solution for single or double hit end forming, with efficient quick-change tooling to minimise changeover times. Winton Machine Company – USA

The Winton DH25H is used for tube end forming in major industries such as refrigeration, HVAC, automotive, furniture, construction and aerospace.

Axium Process Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1792 883 882 Email: info@axiumprocess.com www.axiumprocess.com

sales@wintonmachine.com www.wintonmachine.com

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TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL March 2018

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