Saturday, February 8, 2025

Transforming Pressure Pipe Refurbishment

Despite the many challenges over the last 12 months SANIVAR has continued to expand its global presence and has delivered a wide portfolio of projects both in the UK and around the world.

Despite the many challenges over the last 12 months SANIVAR has continued to expand its global presence and has delivered a wide portfolio of projects both in the UK and around the world.

Sanivar’s lining technologies are designed specifically for the refurbishment of pressure pipe infrastructure and are well proven on both potable and wastewater networks though short-term regulatory constraints have so far limited their use on UK clean water pipelines. Additionally, the company’s liners have been used successfully on European gas networks and are equally suitable for district heating and chemical pipelines. SANIVAR manufacture two lining systems:

  • Saniline – this is a conventional CIPP type liner with the added benefit of being tested to withstand pressures of up to 32 bar. Available in diameters up to 800 mm, Saniline uses an ambient cure resin system of installation with the liner inverted through a pressure drum. Its high tensile strength limits the wall thickness to a maximum of 3.5 mm providing flexibility to navigate 90-degree bends and significantly reducing flow losses associate with alternative trenchless technologies (such as sliplining etc).
  • Sanitube is an innovative ‘winch through’ liner with the same structural properties of Saniline but the added benefit of not requiring any curing. The liner is winched through the host pipe and inflated using compressed air which is used to expand the liner to the internal diameter of the pipe before being retained using bespoke end couplings.

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Within the UK, Sanivar has delivered a few wastewater projects all of which presented challenges that could not be easily overcome using existing trenchless technologies. On one example, an Anglian Water Rising Main Refurbishment, in November 2019 Sanivar completed a 25 m refurbishment of a 100 mm diameter PVC rising main for Anglian Water at Stansfield. The main was adjacent to a pumping station and ran through a bridge decking over a water course adjacent to a public footpath. The main had a frequent burst history resulting in a significant pollution threat. Working with Public Sewer Services (AWS Drainage Supply Chain Partner), Sanivar used Sanitube to complete a full refurbishment within a single working day, minimising asset downtime and significantly reducing customer impact by negating the need for prolonged road closures and lengthy diversions.

In other works, for Yorkshire Water Wastewater Refurbishments, working with Peter Duffy, Sanivar has completed two wastewater projects. At Colburn STW, a 22 m section of rising main was refurbished using Sanitube. The pipeline ran beneath other critical above ground assets and in addition to navigating a 45 degree bend the liner also had to accommodate a change in diameter from 200 mm to 250 mm adjacent to the reception pit. The liner was successfully installed, and pressure tested over the course of two working days in conjunction with a wider scope of works on site.

In December 2020, Sanivar and Peter Duffy completed a further refurbishment of a 300 mm diameter rising main at Agbrigg in the Calder Valley. This complex project involved refurbishing a 125 m of cast iron main adjacent to a mainline railway including a pipe bridge over the River Aire. Access was limited due to the proximity of the railway and all work was carried out under Network Rail supervision. The pipe route included a redundant chamber, changes in diameter and gradients and a complex configuration of bends all of which were located beyond the railway boundary making them inaccessible. Additionally, the final section of pipeline flowed into an open manhole effectively making it a gravity rather than pressure pipeline. Sanitube was selected on the basis that it could accommodate the complexity of the pipeline and would minimise installation time in a potentially hazardous environment. The liner was successfully installed in 90 minutes and after inflating and making minor adjustments the main was reconnected and backfilled two days later.

Groundbreaking Project

A Lock Down Record In Wellington, New Zealand Beyond the UK, Sanivar recently completed a groundbreaking project in Wellington, New Zealand, setting a new record for installation length by completing parallel refurbishments of two 1.5 km pipelines in a single pull – all under COVID-19 restrictions! The project was supported by Sanivar from its German base and material and technicians were transported on a returning repatriation flight with special permission granted for entry by the New Zealand authorities. Working and living under controlled conditions, the team successfully completed the Sanitube installations within 24 hours, proving that where there is a will there is often a way and that the Sanivar linings offer the opportunity to complete refurbishments whilst operating safely and in conditions compatible with Covid security.

Commenting on the last year Sanivar’s Business Development Manager Tim Farley highlighted the progress made in the UK and the exciting opportunities that 2021 presents saying: “2020 provided Sanivar with the opportunity to build on its existing portfolio of UK projects and gain enhanced product awareness across the utility sector. We enter 2021 with a healthy pipeline of projects including a further AWS installation at Billericay. We are in dialogue with most of the UK Water companies and representatives from gas and district heating providers. The imminent Reg 31 approval for Sanivar liners to be used on UK potable networks is a potential gamechanger and could play a major role in delivering leakage reduction outcomes safely and more economically across the water sector”.

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Newsdesk
Newsdesk
Trenchless Works bringing you balanced journalism, accuracy, news and features for all involved in the business of trenchless and no-dig from around the world

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