Repairs to essential infrastructure must be effectively conducted regardless of the configuration or location of the affected area. When defects such as corrosion or through-wall features occur on pipe locations such as spigot joints, flanges, elbows, tees, or diameter changes, the inherent flexibility and strong adherence of composite wraps provides immediate advantages over other repair methods. These advantages include not only their structural versatility, but also the substantial time and cost savings realized from their quick installation, minimal lead time, and deployment while a system is online and operational. Composite repairs are not only adaptable and economical—they are long-term repairs that significantly extend the service life of critical infrastructure.
Case Study: Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Halts Through-Wall Leak in Elbow Section of Coke Oven Gas Bypass Line
Challenge
A 90-degree elbow on a coke oven gas (COG) bypass line developed a through-wall leak that threatened to release dangerous gases into the surrounding air. Operations continued despite the leak, leading to aggressive salt deposits on the line that accelerated corrosion and damaged it even further.
Action
The contractor sealed the leak with wooden wedges and then applied an epoxy filler putty to ensure surface uniformity. The entirety of the elbow section was then wrapped with Advanced FRP’s high-strength carbon fiber wrap that was tolerant of the elevated temperatures within the plant. The strength of the wrap created a structurally independent composite pipe that surrounded the badly damaged section.
Result
The versatility of the composite system allowed the facility to execute a long-term repair without entirely replacing the damaged section or halting operations. The exceptional strength of the composite repair delivered all the benefits of a total replacement without the inconvenience of service disruption.
Case Study: Corroded Flange Connection in a Wastewater Treatment Plant Receives Composite Reinforcement
Challenge
A flanged connection on a pipe transporting raw sewage experienced severe corrosion threatening its continued performance. The configuration of the flanged section limited viable repair solutions due to its shape and obvious protrusion from the pipe. Additionally, the pipe was cast into a concrete wall beside it, limiting available space to implement a solution.
Action
The facility operator conferred with Advanced FRP and selected a high-strength carbon fiber composite wrap that would provide strong reinforcement, halt further corrosion, and conform to the unique configuration of the pipe.
Result
The installed composite wrap fully encapsulated the flanged connection and provided long-lasting reinforcement to all exposed pipe sections. The adaptability of the carbon fiber wrap ensured maximum coverage despite variations in the pipe’s geometry.
Case Study: Carbon Fiber Wrap Halts Major Process Water Pipe Leak in Steel Manufacturing Facility
Challenge
A steel manufacturing facility experienced a major leak in a process water line that mandated a partial shutdown to enact an immediate repair. The pipe was in a tight space that included irregular bends and unique connections. Despite attempts by repair crews to implement a leak-stopping solution, the leak could only be slowed, not halted.
Action
Advanced FRP worked with the facility to install a moisture-cured urethane wrap to halt the flow of the leak. This was followed by a 6-layer carbon fiber wrap that seamlessly adhered to the surface of the pipe’s unique geometry.
Result
The installation was quickly executed, enabling the facility to resume regular operations within 48 hours of starting the repair.
Case Study: Composite Wrap Reinforces Damaged Pipe with Multiple Inlets and Existing Support Structures
Challenge
A large-diameter pipe in a wastewater facility had extreme corrosion that had spread to much of its surface area. A total pipe replacement would be costly for the operator due to its unique configuration, which included multiple support structures as well as a series of inlets branching off the pipe.
Action
The contractor began by carefully grit blasting the entire pipe surface to clear debris and allow for proper adhesion of the repair. Following grit blasting, a carbon fiber composite wrap was applied to the entire pipe surface, contouring to the pipe, its support structures, and the multiple inlets present.
Result
The composite repair fully adhered to all bends, crevices, branches, and protrusions from the pipe, curing to its specific configuration. The repair provided long-lasting reinforcement that enabled the operator to continue operations without the need for full replacement of the system.
Flexibility Advantages of Composite Repairs
In each repair scenario listed above, the ability of the composite wrap to effectively adhere to a nontypical configuration provided exceptional reinforcement of the repair zone. Where other repair methods offer limited applicability for complex geometries due to their rigidity, wet-applied composite repairs easily adapt to unique repair scenarios. Furthermore, in each instance, installing a composite repair allowed the operator to circumvent the expense of a complete replacement and avoid the inevitable lead time required to design, fabricate, and install a customized replacement.
In the above examples, the reinforcement provided by the wraps in both the hoop and axial directions enabled the composite systems to effectively transfer load from the surface of the repaired structure onto the composite itself.
To learn more about how Advanced FRP’s composite repair systems can reinforce complex geometries, contact us for a free consultation.
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