High productivity butt fusion jointing of PE pipes [PE]

Author(s) : Mike Troughton, Amir Khamsehnezhad, Changyi Yu

When butt fusion welding polyethylene (PE) pipes in the field, it is often specified that the pipes must undergo fusibility testing in all combinations of suppliers, diameters and thicknesses before being fused in production. This is a very onerous and expensive task, but must be carried out to ensure that the PE...

Author(s) : M. Eckes & Dr. B. Baudrit, Dr. M. Troughton & D. Wylie, H. van Laak & J. Fritz

Unplasticized polyamide 12 (PA-U12) is increasingly being used in pipe applications, especially in the gas sector. However, the material behavior in the usual quality tests for pipe welds has not yet been thoroughly investigated. For this reason, two research institutes, worked in cooperation with a manufacturer of...

Author(s) : Mike Troughton, Amir Khamsehnezhad

the inspection of butt fusion and electrofusion joints in polyethylene (PE) pipes. Depending on the technique and inspection procedure, various types of flaw, including discrete planar lack of fusion, particulate contamination, voids, cold fusions and pipe under-penetration can be detected. However, the usefulness of...

Author(s) : Troughton Mike

The current practice for assuring the quality of butt fusion and electrofusion welded joints during installation is by recording the welding parameters used, together with a visual inspection of the welded joint, supplemented by the destructive testing of welds on a sample basis using a short-term test. However,...

Author(s) : J.Bowman

Polyethylene (PE) resins are known to be sensitive to both sunlight and high ambient temperatures, such that excessive exposure can degrade the material. The inclusion of stabiliser packages into the polymer controls this potential for damage from outdoor aging. Reported in this paper are results on the stability and...

Author(s) : Christodoulou, Wilson, Hunter, Bowman

Polyethylene (PE) based and metallic pipe systems have been assessed for their ability to stop petrol migrating through the pipe wall, fitting or joint and into water contained within the pipe. A quantitative test was devised that is capable of distinguishing between the different pipe systems. Plain PE pipe...

Author(s) : Troughton, Brown, Hessel, Piovano

As part of the Polytec Systems European-funded project, electrofusion (EF) joints in polyethylene (PE) pipe, containing different flaws, have been subjected to various standard and non-standard, long-term and short-term, coupon and whole pipe tests. The results were compared to determine which tests could discriminate...

Author(s) : Wood, Richards, Street, Muckle, Bowman

For the movement of fuel gas and water, plastics pipes are dominant in many markets, and this success has been based on single material solid wall pipes. There are now an expanding number of multi-layered plastics pipes, and described here for the first time is the performance of the second-generation of skinned pipe...

Author(s) : Hunter, Christodoulou, Greaves, Bowman, Bott

The development of a pipe system designed to transport potable water through contaminated ‘brown-field land’ is described. The system is based around a multi-layer, aluminium reinforced PE pipe, and includes a full range of specially designed mechanical fittings to provide the end user with a total system solution. We...

Author(s) : Stokes, Potter, Metcalfe, Bowman, Graham

The response of three different forms of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe has been explored when the pipes had attached to them ferrule straps. Pipes were subjected to fluctuating internal pressure (fatigue) loading at 20°C, and the lifetimes, location of any failures and the types of failures recorded. Tests were made...

Author(s) : Troughton

This paper describes the development of an ultrasonic non-destructive examination (NDE) system that is incorporated into an automatic butt fusion welding machine and performs an examination of the joint within the cooling time of the welding cycle. The programme of work included the optimisation of the ultrasonic NDE...

Author(s) : Hinchcliff, Troughton

There are a number of different mechanical test methods available to assess the quality of butt fusion welded joints in polyethylene (PE) pipes. However, little published information exists on the correlations that may or may not exist between the results from these methods. This paper compares the results from five...

Author(s) : Reynolds, Jenkins, Burgess, Attwood

The Butt Fusion procedures used in the UK Water and Gas industries, which determine the total time taken to complete a successful joint, have remained largely unchanged since their harmonisation in 1990. The parameters evolved to suit manually operated Butt Fusion machines and reflected the fact that the...

Author(s) : Nomura, Hirabayashi, Troughton

This paper describes an assessment of the quality of butt and branch joints in polyethylene (PE) pipes, produced using the linear vibration welding technique. Results showed that butt welds in pipes of 165 mm outside diameter(0D) could be produced within a total weld/cool time of 85 seconds, which is less than 15?'0...

Author(s) : Bowman

The many technologies associated with the production, installation and uses of plastics pipes systems increase in their sophistication and diversity This paper selects and reviews changes that have and are taking place with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE) pressure pipe systems designed for canying...

Author(s) : Troughton

This paper describes an initial programme of work to examine the feasibility of joining polyethylene pipe using the linear vibration welding technique. Commercial linear vibration welding equipment was used to join small lengths (100mm) of 125mm SDR11 PE80 and 180mm SDR17.6 PElOO pipe. Welds were achieved in total...

Author(s) : Bowman,Medhurst, Portas

For two sample shapes different procedures have been examined as methods to quickly and quantitatively assess the strength of electrofusion joints. It is shown that the peel test, specified in BS7336, can be added to in order to obtain a quantitative measure of joint strength either using the % ductility on the...

Author(s) : Bowman

The influence of time and temperature on the long term strength of a multilayer pressure pipe has been investigated. The pipe consists of five layers, one of which is an aluminium foil while the other four layers are polyethylene based and form the significant ( > 8 5 % ) part of the pipe wall. In respect of strength...

Author(s) : Aboutorabi, Bowman

A rwte for the marufaoture of large diameter polyethylene pipe fittings, based on a unique combination of mtommld- ing and irradiation, is pmposed. The method requires a low investment in twling but can give rise to pressure rated, mulded fittings, capable of being fusion jointed to polyethylene pipe. This...

Author(s) : Wright, Bowman

Studies are reported on the performance of pipes produced fmm selected blends of polyethylene materials. The pipes were tested at a single temperature of 80°C and at irternal pressures designed to induce slit-mode failure. It is shown that blending the wrong polyethylene resins can substantially reduce performance of...