TPT May 2011

T echnology U pdate

Resurrecting aging water pipes in innovative trial for water pipe company

SWAGELINING Limited, a pipeline rehabilitation and life extending specialist, has used its cutting edge technology to transform aging water pipes during a trial for a UK utility giant. United Utilities commissioned the project to allow it to compare various technologies available on the market before refurbishing an 80km long aqueduct, which transports drinking water from Oswestry in Shropshire to Liverpool. The pipeline is a key water source supplying over 900,000 people in Cheshire and Merseyside. Using its patented Swagelining™ technology, developed from an old concept originally created by United Utilities and British Gas, Swagelining Ltd installed a thin polymer lining into a 1.35km stretch of the 100 year old 39" diameter cast iron pipeline. Stephen Barnes, managing director of Swagelining Limited, commented, “The scope of the trial was to specify, design

and insert a semi-structural liner into the large diameter pipeline. This trial allowed us to prove the effectiveness of our unique technology and highlight the benefits which it offers, as well as our extensive expertise. “We use a bespoke designed software prediction package as a foundation that supports lining system designs to be tailored for clients. The software enables the optimum liner size to be selected to achieve maximum pull length whilst not compromising on the pipeline volume capacity. For this trial we were able to design a thin liner which meant the overall flow capacity was maintained. “One of the main advantages of our unique technology is that it provides the ability to achieve long pulls of polymer liner with minimum excavation, which can lead to considerable cost savings. This trial saw

us Swageline the section of the pipeline in two pulls – one being 750m and the other 600m, although pulls of over 1km can be achieved.” The Swagelining technique was developed in the 1980s as a trenchless technology rehabilitation solution providing a method of overcoming the problem of failing pipes in inaccessible or inconvenient areas, such as beneath busy main streets. The technology was further developed in the 1990s for the protection of new pipelines in the subsea industry complemented by a new connection system, WeldLink™, for use in high pressure, carbon steel and water injection applications. Swagelining Limited – UK Email: enquiries@swagelining.com Website: www.swagelining.com

        



    

 

      







  



           

                 



Swagelining a semi- structural liner into a 39" diameter cast iron potable water main

82

M ay 2011

www.read-tpt.com

›