A wastewater treatment plant in Mexico embarks on a major repair programme to seal leaks and strengthen weakened areas of a critical 300mm steel pipeline running through the site in the north-eastern state of Nuevo León, close to the United States border.

Case Study Overview

Site Wastewater treatment plant
Location Nuevo León, Mexico
Pipe Type 30mmm steel wastewater pipe
Repair Type Leak repair and pipe reinforcement
Products Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape, Superfast Aqua PW Epoxy Putty, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage, Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating

Pipe Defect

A decades-long wastewater crisis and a series of high-profile pollution events has seen the upkeep and maintenance of treatment facilities in Mexico come in for heavy scrutiny.

The most notorious incidents have occurred in the north-west of the country along the border with the United States. Environmental damage caused to the Tijuana River and the Pacific Ocean in particularly has resulted in domestic and international criticism of Mexico.

With this in mind, the plant in north-eastern Nuevo León state around 125 kilometres from Texas wanted to put into place a repair and strengthening programme for a critical 300mm steel pipeline showing signs of failure.

There were multiple areas of concern, all requiring different solutions. The plant therefore selected a range of products from the Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System.

SylWrap Solution

The Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System is a four-stage process designed to repair, refurbish, strengthen and protect pipelines in any given scenario. It goes beyond leak sealing, providing complex solutions to extend the lifespan of critical infrastructure.

One area of the pipe which could not be isolated was weeping around an elbow. Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was selected for use on this section because of its live leak repair capabilities.

As Wrap & Seal was wrapped around the elbow, it was stretched by 300 percent and fused together to form a solid rubber band exerting maximum pressure over the leak to contain pipe content.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then applied over the tape. The water-activated resin in SylWrap HD cured within minutes to provide an impact resistant outer sleeve protecting bow the elbow and the Wrap & Seal.

A more challenging leak was located around a tee joint. Wrap & Seal could not be applied effectively as wrapping was impossible. The plant instead used Superfast Aqua PW Epoxy Putty.

Superfast Aqua is a fast-working putty with a specialist formulation for high underwater adhesion. The putty was kneaded by hand and forced firmly onto the pipe all around the tee.

It easily bonded despite the wet surface, curing within 20 minutes to form a hardened, steel-like material encompassing and sealing all around the joint.

Once all leaks along the pipeline had been attended to, the final stage of Mexico wastewater treatment pipe repair programme involved painting all weakened section with Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating – including the tee-joint sealed with Superfast Aqua PW.

Liquid Metal cured to create a new, metallic surface around the original substrate to shield the pipe against future external corrosion attack.

In the event of the pipe being breached from inside, the impermeable membrane formed around the pipeline by Liquid Metal would also contain content to prevent future leaks.

Outcome

By the end of the programme, the wastewater treatment plant had a fully refurbished pipeline with all existing leaks and sealed and capable of withstanding future problems.

Follow Up

Since this initial programme, the Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System has been used by other wastewater treatment plants in Mexico.

It offers a cost-effective, straightforward way to strengthen pipelines and help the country make positive strides towards improving its wastewater performance.

Products Used

Superfast Aqua PW
Epoxy putty with specialist formulation for bonding to wet surfaces, including pipe joints

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-amalgamating tape forms a solid rubber band to contain live leaks

SylWrap HD Bandage
Composite wrap sets rock-hard around pipework to provide an impact resistant sleeve

Liquid Metal
Epoxy coating strengthens pipes by creating a new metallic outer surface

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