We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

logo
  • Engineers & Specifiers
  • Contractors & Installers
  • Wholesalers & Distributors
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Subscription
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • PRODUCTS
    • Bath & Kitchen
    • Fire Protection
    • HVAC
    • Hydronics/Radiant
    • Plumbing
    • PVF
    • Tools
  • PROJECTS
    • Commercial
    • Green Building
    • MRO/Retrofit
    • Remodeling
    • Residential
  • HOW TO
    • Design
    • Fire Protection
    • Legal Matters
    • Management
  • BUSINESS
    • Buying Groups
    • Technology
    • Associations
  • CODES & STANDARDS
    • ANSI
    • ASHRAE
    • ASSE
    • Regulations
    • Green Building
    • IAPMO
    • ICC
    • NFPA
  • RESOURCES
    • Media Kit
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Classifieds
    • Digital Editions
    • Behind the Wall
    • Webinars
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • DIGITAL EDITIONS
Home » Healing Old Pipes from Within

Healing Old Pipes from Within

The days of making a mess to repair a pipe are long gone. 

September 6, 2017
Christopher García
No Comments
2017 Sept PHC Healing Old Pipes 5

 A group of workers from the Mexico City Water Department replaced a portion of sewage system piping on the Periférico Norte Ave. and Observatorio Ave. intersection a couple of months ago. The work included the replacement of a 24-inch diameter high-density corrugated polyethylene pipe.

Although this kind of work is common to see during the day, or even at night, in the city, in this particular case, the replaced portion of pipe was not located in an area that required the contractors to block traffic. Oftentimes, blocking streets during excavation activities are unavoidable in order to replace the city pipes, which are, on average, more than 50 years old.

Adrián Cordero and Jorge Perez Gavilan, founders of Tubepol, have given new life to the city’s piping systems with cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining. After noticing the disruption traditional construction methods caused the city, the company recommended healing the old pipe from within, using CIPP. It doesn’t matter if the existing pipe shows joint gaps, scaling, collapses, obstructions, leaking, cracking or infiltrations, whether on sewage piping or on clean water transportation, the method can be used for the repair. CIPP offers 50 years of durability, better hydraulic performance, and fully structural and hermetic characteristics. It also resists rusting, chemical agents, external loads, car traffic and heavy vehicles and is ASTM-certified. 

2017 Sept PHC Healing Old Pipes 22017 Sept PHC Healing Old Pipes 1

 

Success story: Sewage piping rehab in Puebla

As it happens in Mexico City and other regions in the country, Puebla’s piping system has aged and shows a variety of operational issues. Last April, the mayor of Puebla, Luis Bank Serrato, pointed out that water shortage in the town was due to the pipe longevity, which on average is more than 50 years old.

Under the San Francisco Avenue road stretch that goes from Ejido St. to Captain Carlos Camacho Espíritu Blvd., just three blocks away from the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma of Puebla, the 1,690-foot-long, 24-inch diameter sewage pipe had signs of deterioration, including cracking, collapses, wall wearing and completed service life; conditions that made it practically useless to fulfill its purpose. To restore it to optimal operational conditions, last November, Tubepol used its method of healing the pipe from within using CIPP.

Before beginning with the rehab process, they video-inspected the pipe with a robotic camera, which allowed them to locate the damaged spots. Later on, without excavation, and after cleaning and dissolving any blockage from the pipe, the prefabricated liner was transported to the area, where it was introduced by means of pressurized air and put into place with thermal setting resin. The polymer reaction was triggered afterwards with the help of vapor, which causes the polymer hardening. After that, the ends were cut and a new video inspection confirmed the new pipe had a uniform finish and was ready to go back to work.

The result is a new pipe inside the existing one, with ½-inch thickness. The rehab process in Puebla needed eight working days; however, a 492-foot pipe can be repaired in just eight hours. 

This article was originally published in our sister publication, Especificar, TMB Publications’ leading B2B Mexican magazine for plumbing, HVACR, hydronic and fire protection contractors, engineers and wholesalers. Especificar was launched in January 2017. Read more articles like this at especificarmag.com.mx. 

Contractors & Installers Engineers & Specifiers How To Infrastructure Plumbing Resilient Design Water Quality
  • Related Articles

    Digital Exclusive: HVAC from Antiquity — Five Age-Old Ways to Keep Cool

    Lawsuit blames California home builders for leaks from copper pipes​

    Protecting Plastic Pressure Pipes Against Freezing

Christopher garcia
Christopher García

From Wastewater to Biomass

More from this author
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular

  • GE Appliances Opens $70 Million High-Tech Water Heater Manufacturing Plant in Camden, South Carolina

  • ‘Three-quarters of our work is steam. We never leave Brooklyn.’

  • Women in PHCP 2022

  • May the 4th Be With You: When Plumbing Meets Star Wars

Featured Video

Ge video

GE Appliances Camden Factory

Industry Events

  • 23May

    Eastern Energy Expo

    Uncasville, CT
  • 06Jun

    NFPA Conference & Expo 2022

    Boston , MA
  • 07Jun

    2022 NCWA Convention

    Columbus, OH
More Events

Subscribe to our newsletters & stay updated

Subscribe & Learn More

  • Tw05 2022 cover
    Learn More
  • Pe05 2022 cover
    Learn More
  • Phc05 2022 cover
    Learn More
  • Es07 2020
    Learn More
Subscribe

More from PHCP Pros

  • Editorial Team
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise

Follow Us

© 2022 All Rights Reserved

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development | ePublishing