There comes a time in the life cycle of every refinery and chemical plant when operators are faced with the following question: “How do I best I repair or replace high risk and problematic process sewers?”
Those who have already experienced some form of pipeline rehabilitation or sewer replacement might have less-than-fond recollections of the process, to say the least! For many, it went something like this: First, they had to take assets offline for longer than they anticipated due to scheduling issues and tech availability. They probably hired a company to perform an initial remote video sewer inspection, and those results were likely mediocre due to cleanliness issues, blockages, and damaged pipes.
Another common problem they might have encountered with the inspection was lack of drainage – the ability to move water and remove the debris from the line are big factors in achieving a complete inspection. Finally, there was the dig and replacement itself – messy, complicated and costly.It’s therefore understandable why many engineers and maintenance staff roll their eyes or have resigned themselves to sewer problems being “unsolvable.”Well, we are here to tell you they are very solvable, and much less painlessly than you might think. It just requires the proper know-how and application of the correct technology for each scenario.
It all starts with proper cleaning
The video inspection is the first issue for many firms, because you cannot really properly inspect dirty pipes. Plant sewers are all too often deemed “clean” after running a high-pressure nozzle through a line and pumping water through it until the water:
- runs “clear,” or
- there is noticeably increased flow on the outlet side of the line that wasn’t present before the cleaning (but the pipe is still far from reaching full flow capacity).
However, simply using high pressure nozzles to clean pipes isn’t the most reliable method of clearing them for inspection. It not only fails to catch everything, but also introduces a high probability of damage to the actual pipe.In order to truly clean, advanced techniques should be used. These involve varying water pressure and water flow by using applicable nozzles and flow rates and using step cleaning methods. Once this is accomplished, only then can the pipes be properly diagnosed using remote video equipment.
Avoid digging up pipe
Finally, advances in trenchless process sewer repair have made excavating pipe or pipe bursting a thing of the past – good news for rapid turnarounds and for repairing undiggable pipe with the least fuss possible.At Motivo Group, we have developed the expertise to coordinate your cleaning and inspection to first get a good diagnosis. Motivo then assembles the diagnosis in an easy to understand deliverable that includes recommendations on trenchless techniques to restore integrity to underground assets with minimal above ground impact.
These technologies include internal spot repair, ultraviolet cured internal pipe re-lining (CIPP), and spray on coatings.Which method is best? Every case is different, so everything starts with a conversation to determine the exact best method for your sewer. Please reach out if you would like to get more information for your refinery or chemical plant.
Please contact Blake Derango at blake.derango@motivo-group.com 208.270.1122 with questions or for more information.
