TPT September 2016

T E CHNOLOG Y

Purging large diameter pipes for welding WAITING for pipes to be purged ready for welding can take hours, depending on the diameter of the pipe being welded and the method chosen for purging. can be introduced for applications such as this, achieving a faster purge down to the lowest oxygen levels, which is suitable for larger diameter pipes where quality welds are required.

it possible to safely inflate the dams with argon gas, for purging the space between the dams where the weld joint is located. With PurgeGate, burst dams are prevented in the event of undue pressure increase or accidental flow increase of the purging gas. All systems are manufactured as standard with a hose for connecting a Weld Purge Monitor ® , which can read oxygen levels down to as low as 10 ppm, depending on the model. Materials used in the manufacture of QuickPurge are resistant to the higher weld temperatures present, and they do not outgas, preventing weld contamination. For pre-heated chrome steel and high strength stainless steel pipe joints, HFT designs and manufactures the HotPurge™ range for a higher and longer temperature exposure. Huntingdon Fusion Techniques – UK Email: hft@huntingdonfusion.com Website: www.huntingdonfusion.com

Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT) designs and manufactures a range of QuickPurge ® inflatable pipe purging systems that reduce waiting times. The company was recently tasked with a special project in the USA, where pipes with 90° elbows, up to 54" Ø, were required to be purged. Georgia Gascoyne, CEO at HFT, said, “We manufactured QuickPurge systems with longer sleeves so that they could easily be pulled around the sharp bends in the pipework. The welders were previously spending half a day purging the pipe, which was costing a considerable amount in time and gas costs. With the help of QuickPurge the pipe was purged down to 100 ppm ready for welding in just 55 minutes. The dramatic savings in time and argon paid for the system in just one weld.” QuickPurge has an additional gas input line, which means extra purge gas

The design of the QuickPurge system means that zero-colour welds can be achieved, and there will be no loss of corrosion resistance caused by oxidation. Using IntaCal ® combined with the integrated PurgeGate ® device makes

HFT’s QuickPurge systems

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S eptember 2016