When a 250mm PCCP stub with no isolation valve connected to a main header operating under 4 bar pressure began leaking out of several cracks, an engineering company in Saudi Arabia needed to find a suitable live leak pipe repair method.

Case Study Overview

Site Industrial site
Location Saudi Arabia
Pipe Type 250mm PCCP stub
Pressure 4 bar
Repair Type Live leak pipe repair
Products Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Pipe Defect

Wear and tear caused several cracks to appear in the 250mm PPCP (prestressed concrete cylinder pipe) stub. With no isolation valve, preventing flow to the stub from the main header was impossible.

As a result, a significant amount of water was able to escape the stub and cause flooding. Shutting off the main pipe for either a repair of a replacement was impractical, and there was insufficient room between the PCCP stub and the floor to fit a pipe repair clamp.

The only solution was to carry out a live leak repair. After numerous failed attempts using other products, the engineering company turned to Sylmasta for a solution.

SylWrap Solution

Because pressure could not be turned off, Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was used to seal the cracks in the stub. Wrap & Seal is made from self-amalgamating silicone and stretches by 300 percent.

When wrapped, it fuses to form a solid rubber band over leak areas. Multiple tapes were applied down a 200mm section of the stub between the valve at the top and the floor.

These Wrap & Seals fused to each other to create a repair with enough pressure resistance to the required 4 bar, satisfying the engineering company that the leak had been suitably arrested.

The repair was then reinforced using SylWrap HD Pipe Bandage. SylWrap HD is a composite wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes.

Once the leak on the stub had been sealed, the engineering company decided to go further and reinforce the section of the stub below the floor at the same time.

Doing so would help to protect the remainder of the ageing pipe from future ruptures, which might prove difficult to identify if the stub was leaking underground.

The floor around the stub was excavated to access the pipe. A further 200mm section of stub previously located under the floor was then wrapped with SylWrap HD, encompassing the entire PCCP pipe in a protective sleeve before the floor was relaid.

Outcome

The stub was successfully sealed and reinforced. The engineering company were delighted that they had finally found a working live leak repair method for such a complex application.

Follow Up

Sylmasta and the engineering company have maintained their relationship with Sylmasta supplying SylWrap Pipe Repair products and technical advice when required.

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing silicone repair tape for high pressure resistant sealing of live leaks

SylWrap HD Bandage
Water-activated wrap sets rock hard to reinforce repairs and protect pipelines

Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Easy-to-store case with enough products to make up to six emergency pipe repairs

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