TPi October 2012

water, drainage & underground

PE 100: a new awareness A new aqueduct brings important advantages, especially in terms of health conditions. A project by Ritmo SpA shows this concept: the Hogenakkal Mitigation Water Supply & Fluorosis Project (HWS e FMP).

to build the infrastructure. HDPE is a novelty in many areas of India, and there is an incorrect perception about plastic pipes, that they are considered fragile. The reason for this is that in the past, many weldings had been made by unskilled operators, using unsuitable equipment. The results were predictable, but they now belong to history. Lipi Polymers Pvt Ltd, an Indian company with qualified personnel with expertise in HDPE and other plastic materials, listed the many advantages and

In the south of India, in the districts of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, an area with great rural villages and a high population density, the supply of potable water is extremely difficult, especially during the summer drought. The population is bound to withdraw the water from the subsoil, where the aquifer stratums are polluted by high fluorine concentrations. The extended consumption of this polluted water involves risk of disease. In 2008, the Tamil Nadu government approved and began the Hogenakkal Mitigation Water Supply & Fluorosis project, allocating the necessary funds for the construction of a water withdrawal system from the Cauvery river, water treatment, collection basin, and a distribution pipeline to the many districts. The first major step was the establishment of a pool of three large contractors to which the projects were assigned. These were divided into five stages, so that the conclusion of this massive worksite would be reached as soon as possible.

The project will bring potable water to 3.1mn people

that checks the working temperature, and a high-precision electronic thermoregulator; an extractable milling cutter, with safety micro switch; an electro-hydraulic gearcase, supplied with a control lever to open and close the clamps, maximum pressure and discharge valves, hydraulic connection hoses and a timer; and a milling cutter/ heating plate support. The machine standard set includes adapters from OD 90 to 280mm. A tool for flange necks is available on request. Welding of electrofusion fittings from OD 20 to 125/160mm was assigned to Ritmo’s Elektra Light model. Elektra Light is a universal electrofusionmachine (from 8 to 48V), suitable for welding pipes/fittings for the transportation of gas, water and other fluids under pressure. The Elektra Light is compact and lightweight, so it is extremely easy to carry around. The machine has also an in-built memory of up to 350 welding cycles. The welding reports are downloadable to a USB key through the DB9M/ USB adaptor, and afterwards can be transferred to a PC/laptop to be managed by means of specific software. The welding machine is available in two versions – with or without optical scanner – and is arranged with a universal model of adapter (no other adapters are needed).

strengths of plastic pipes in this gigantic project: time length, lack of toxicity, resistance to corrosive materials, among others, all of these proven by tests performed in a laboratory using welding samples made by Lipi Polymers staff. The tests persuaded the technical commission to approve the use of HDPE pipes in the Hogenakkal Mitigation Water Supply & Fluorosis project. Throughout the 9,000km of the infrastructure, many types of pipes are being used: mild steel for large diameters, ductile iron from OD 355 to 500mm, and PE100 PN6 for small diameters up to OD 315mm. The overall HDPE percentage used in the entire pipeline is 84%.

One of the most important aspects of the project was the choice of materials

More than 50 welding machines are being used, all of them manufactured by Ritmo, an Italian company with over 30 years of experience in plastic welding. Butt weldings from OD 40 to 315mm were assigned to the Delta line. The Delta 315 is able to weld fittings such as elbows, tees, Y-branches and flange necks without any additional equipment, by simply fixing the clamps’ drag bar. The Delta 315 includes a machine bodywith four clamps and two hydraulic cylinders with fast non-drip couplings; a Teflon-coated heating plate, with built-in thermometer

Ritmo SpA – Italy info@ritmo.it www.ritmo.it

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Tube Products International October 2012

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