A pinhole leak in a 150mm steel elbow joint repaired using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

Malaysia Pumping House 150mm Steel Elbow Live Pinhole Leak Repair

When a pinhole leak developed in a 150mm steel pipe elbow weakened by corrosion at a pumping house in Malaysia, the water company responsible for the facility needed to make a rapid live leak repair as a jet of water at 6 bar pressure was spraying from the pipe.

Site Pumping house
Location Malaysia
Pipe Type 150mm steel elbow
Pressure 6 bar
Repair Type Live leak repair
Products Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Live leak pipe elbow repair made in a Malaysia pumping house using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

Pipe Defect

Corrosion had weakened the elbow where two sections of metalwork met, leading to a pinhole leak to appear. Water was jetting out of the hole at 6 bar pressure.

Because of the pipe’s importance to systems at the pumping house, it could not be taken out operation for repair or replacement. The leak being on an elbow joint meant a pipe repair clamp could not be used.

The water company’s maintenance team therefore needed a repair method capable of sealing around the elbow and of being effective whilst the pipe remained live.

A pinhole leak in a 150mm steel elbow joint prior to undergoing repair using a SylWrap Pipe Repair Kit
Pinhole leak in the elbow through an area of pipe weakened by corrosion

Water was jetting out of the pinhole under 6 bar pressure

SylWrap Solution

A SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit was used to make a live leak repair to the elbow. All the products in the Universal Kit are WRAS approved, meaning that they are certified to British standards as safe to use with drinking water.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was applied to seal the pinhole leak. The Tape was stretched by the maximum 300 percent of its length, fusing to form a solid silicone band which was able to withstand the 6 bar pressure of the pipe.

Once the Tape had sealed the hole, it was overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. The Bandage was wrapped and smoothed around the pipe whilst water was poured over it.

It cured to provide an impact resistant protective sleeve around the elbow, strengthening it against any future leaks or busts through the weakened joint caused by further corrosion.

Wrap & Seal stretched to 300 percent to seal the live leak
The pinhole was successfully sealed using Wrap & Seal
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage being applied to fix a pinhole leak in 150mm steel elbow joint
SylWrap HD applied to provide a protective sleeve to the repair
Completed repair of a 150mm steel elbow pipe at a pumping house in Malaysia
Repair was complete in less than 30 minutes

Outcome

Completing the repair took less than 30 minutes. The system remained live throughout, meaning that there was no interruption to operations at the pumping station.


Follow Up

Sylmasta have since worked with utility suppliers in Malaysia on numerous other live leak repairs. As a result, the national supplier approved the SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case for use on Kuala Lumpur’s vast pipe network.

Each Contractor Case contains enough products to make up to six live leak repairs on pipes of all diameters and types, without the need for any formal training.

Maintenance teams are equipped with a Case on their van, enabling them to fix leaks and bursts as soon as they are identified. The Case offers a lightweight, more versatile alternative to carrying around heavy, bulky repair clamps.


Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Silicone tape which fuses into a solid rubber band to seal pressurised live leaks

SylWrap HD Bandage
Water-activated wrap sets rock hard to create a protective sleeve over repairs

Universal Pipe Repair Kit
Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD were supplied together in a Universal Pipe Repair Kit

Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Contains products to make up to six live leak repairs, now approved by Malaysia national water supplier


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Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com