R4D, Pipe subjected to compressive stress – South America
High-performance composite repair solution for pipe reinforcement
Overview
The objective of the job, carried out by 3X local distributor was to reinforce and protect a 30″ pipe subjected to compressive stress in order to verify if the pipe integrity remains preserved once loads are applied.
Results
The pipe reinforced with REINFORCEKiT® 4D was subjected to 3.5 tons of external loads without presenting any type of damage or deformation. The lifetime of this composite reinforcement is 20 years.
 Defect type |
Pipe subjected to compressive stress |
Details |
30” pipe – Operating temperature 45°C - Pressure 600 psi |
Location |
SOUTH AMERICA |
3X Product type |
REINFORCEKiT® 4D (R4D) |
SCOPE OF WORK
Each reinforcement is designed specifically according to the characteristics of the pipe, the operating conditions and the size of the defect. In accordance with ASME PCC-2 standard and 3X repair calculations, 4 layers of REINFORCEKiT® 4D were determined to reinforce the pipe.
- Before the repair, qualified staff or 3X local distributor inspected and delimited the area to be reinforced.
- Surface preparation was carried out by an external contractor using manual-mechanical tools to obtain a good surface roughness (between 60 and 100 µm) and thus guarantee the bonding between the steel pipe and the composite.
- The surface was cleaned with ethanol and the hygrometric conditions were checked before wrapping process.
- Wrapping composite reinforcement covering the delimited area was completed using Kevlar® tape impregnated with 3X resin (4 layers with a specific repair length according to the characteristics of the loads to which the 30″ pipe would be subjected).
- Once wrapping completed, the inner diameter was measured in order to detect any final deformation.
- Finally, two external loads (1.75 tons each one) were applied to check the resistance of the pipe.
