Featured Image Caption: A Man Fixes the Pipeline Joint
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There were cases where cities like Salem, Oregon needed to repair their water supplies. The lines were at risk because the pipelines are aging, and some of the sections require replacements. In these kinds of projects, an assessment is done, and temporary isolation in one of the pipes is necessary.
Important concerns were raised regarding the potential risks and overall integrity of the pipes. The entire water pipeline can be at risk if there are issues that will pop out during the replacement process.
One of the project managers in Salem was called Brett. He said that the city had only two water lines connected to it. The project is risky as people in Oregon can stop receiving water if there are problems. There should be no chance of backflows occurring during the replacement of at least 48 inches pipes.
In the days that followed, engineers were able to specify the work needed to replace the pipes. It involved controlled line stopping methods, and the city’s side of the line was required to remain pressurized while some parts were isolated from the main transmission.
Project managers have to choose the right team to do the work. With legitimate line stopping services out there, many are confident that this project can become a success. The crew should be able to prevent chances of backflow and isolate a specific area. Many companies offer engineering expertise as well as excellent customer services that many businesses are looking for. It would be best if you had a crew that can deliver the equipment and works in record time, and there should be no delays in the process.
Installation of the Line Stoppers
Municipalities and contractors usually have two means of doing repairs and maintenance into pipelines. The first one is to perform live repairs or shut down the entire system. When they try to attempt live repairs while everything is working, it could lead to unsafe operations and other potential liabilities.
The companies can’t also afford the risk of inherent shutdowns. There are issues such as boil orders, fouled backflow devices, plugged water meters, additional lab costs, contamination, and customer complaints that should be prevented as much as possible. Possible water hammer, turbidity, and loss of fire protection are also factors that should be considered.
For many water or gas companies, one of the ways that they can prevent shutdowns during maintenance and repairs is through line stopping. This method only isolates a section of the pipe that needs repair, and the rest is kept hot. The result is that the workers can do maintenance with lesser risks, and the owners can do more controlled operations within the network of pipes. For cities like Salem, the technique significantly reduced the risks that are often traced to aging water systems.
Costs of Shut Down
Owners should consider the costs of shutting down a specific system. From a financial point of view, a municipality should consider the economic factors involved in shutting down an entire water pipeline system.
There should be meetings conducted with the construction crew, utilities, and concessionaires. Sometimes, the preparation for a repair may include installing above-ground water services, fire trucks that are put on standby, and a lot more.
Many people in town are asked to prepare extra buckets, and they know that there will be the maintenance with the help of shutdown advertisements. The financial costs include locating and turning control valves, dechlorinating water, back-up valves, losing water revenues, flushing, purging, refilling the pipes with treated water, and gaining into plugged water meters that are clean, consumer confidence fallouts, turbidity, ruined laundry, and many more.
What are the Processes Involved?
Line Stopping Operations
The line stopping operations may include the following methods:
- The temporary and stop-fitting valves are attached to the area where the line stop will be installed.
- Do the tapping and remove the machine afterwards.
- Proper positioning of the equipment that controls the flow. In this step, a solid and not an inflatable plug is used while the fluid is still under control. This way, the worker can do the needed expansions, replacements, or repairs.
- Removal of the line-stopping machines while attaching a completion plug while everything is still undergoing high pressure. This is when no system shutdowns take place.
The process of line stopping doesn’t stop the entire operation completely. The flow is controlled while a small part of the pipeline undergoes repair. Many may ask how this process is achieved because, in many cases, lots of parts may need repairs at the same time. If you are interested in marine pipeline repairs, you can go to this site and read more.
When there’s a need to perform double line stopping methods, different kinds of isolations may be performed. There are the looped distribution and other systems where two stops and other maintenance works are done. The result is that the repairs are hastily done without needing to disrupt anything. There’s also the method of bypass stopping when the force or transmission main needs maintenance.
Benefits to Gain from the Process
There are various types of pipes that are often used in line stopping methods. Some of them are cast iron, plastic, AC, reinforced concrete, steel, cylinders, and other nonferrous materials.
The applications of line stopping methods are usually seen in rerouting gas or water lines, replacing fire hydrants, repairs of valves, control valve strategic installation, isolation of pipe sections, sectioning of tunnels, bypassing trenchless technologies, and cure-in pipe relining processes.
As many operators, designers, and planners are becoming aware of these helpful techniques; the communities will always be supplied with clean water from new pipelines. No one will conduct live repair options and shutdowns any longer, and the risk of stopping the whole operation significantly decreases.
Overall, the method will offer many benefits such as repairs of aging infrastructure, providing a safer environment at work, and abiding by the guidelines and rules. With the implementations involved during the line stopping method, various utilities can easily take control of the flow of materials and the entire system. This method has great potential in the maintenance of water or gas lines and the repair of other infrastructure assets.
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