Repairs or modifications on pipes with liquid contents can pose a financial challenge, especially when those fluids might otherwise have to be disposed of causing unnecessary costs and perhaps commercial difficulties.
The Pipestoppers® Division at Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® provides a cost saving solution to this problem with Qwik-Freezer™, the industry standard portable CO2 Pipe Freezing System.
Qwik-Freezer™ is easy to use, requires little set-up time and is the only low cost CO2 Pipe Freezing System capable of making ice plugs in pipes up to 8” (200 mm) diameter.
Even for smaller diameter freezes, Qwik-Freezer™ produces ice plugs that are significantly more reliable and robust, capable of withstanding far more pressure than the smaller plugs that other types of systems will produce.
Georgia Gascoyne, CEO for Huntingdon Fusion Techniques said: “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.”
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 low cost liquid carbon dioxide by means of a high-pressure hose.
When the CO2 is injected into the space between the jacket and the pipe, at a temperature of -78ºC, the pipe contents freeze and a secure ‘ice plug’ is formed, which seals the pipe. The ‘ice plug’ forms only in a 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. The technique can be used safely on iron, lead, stainless steel, copper, brass and plastic pipe.
By not having to drain systems of liquids to make repairs, the savings made are able to justify the low relative cost of the Qwik-Freezer™ System.
HFT®’s US Partner, COB Industries said: “When a sprinkler head has to be repaired or replaced in a large system, there are many issues that can arise. Draining large fire systems can create problems with disposal of all the water, more so when it is treated chemically with rust inhibitors and/or anti freeze. Environmental concerns prevent disposal of this water in a normal drainage system, even if it is possible to access one.”
“Another issue with draining large systems is trapped air creating an air block in the lines. If there is no way to bleed the air from the system as it fills entire sections can remain empty and unusable. The ease of use makes the Qwik-Freezer™ System very popular for diameters up to 4” even though it is capable of freezing up to 8”).”
“Larger pipe diameters than 8” and the use of anti freeze and rust inhibitors can create the need for the liquid nitrogen (LN2) temperatures of the Accu-Freeze™ System in order to create a pressure bearing freeze plug.
Nevertheless, both Pipe Freezing Systems, namely the Qwik-Freezer™ and the Accu-Freeze™ are used for high speed and low cost fire sprinkler and valve maintenance.
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