Ice Pigging™ Services
Municipal water lines can be affected by a range of problems while they are still in service. As these problems increase and compound, they reduce the quality of water passing through these pipes. With time, this will leave behind noticeable changes in the taste and odor of the water and cause biofilm problems while increasing the cost of pumping it. Several types of pipeline cleaning methods are available to address these issues and to improve the system performance of water and force mains.
Amongst all the cleaning methods, Ice Pigging™ is one of the most popular methods that are now in use. This article will explain what Ice Pigging™ is and why you need professional Ice Pigging™ from American Pipeline Solutions.
Watch our video about Ice Pigging™ to learn more about this pipeline cleaning solution!
Why Clean Pipelines?
The following are some reasons why people may decide to clean pipelines.
To enhance hydraulic performance by lowering back pressures and increasing flow rates
Decommissioning cleaning, which removes residues from the pipeline before it is dismantled or abandoned
Recovery of valuable substances or products from pipelines
To provide a clean pipe suitable for a change of use or new product
To extend asset life and postpone capital expenditure on pipes and pumps
To remove accumulations causing quality issues for products or water transported through the pipe (e.g., discoloration, taste, odor), or to remove biofilms, particulate contamination, or foreign objects
Pre-commissioning cleaning, which removes fabrication deposits before putting pipework into service.
What is Ice Pigging™?
Ice Pigging™ is a pipeline cleaning process that uses a two-phase ice and liquid slurry to form a semi-solid plug known as the ice pig within the pipe.
To carry out the cleaning process, an ice slurry composed of tiny ice crystals is pushed under pressure through the section of the pipe. The slurry is pumped into a line as a liquid but moves through it as a solid plug, detaching contaminants and fouling from the pipe wall and carrying them out of the pipe entrained within the ice pig.
Benefits of Ice Pigging™ Over Conventional Pigging
Ice Pigging™ is a newer innovation that uses ice slurry instead of solid pigs to remove common pipeline issues such as sediment, deposits, and biofilms. It has 100 times the scouring power of flushing with water alone.
With Ice Pigging™, you get all the advantages of solid conventional pigging but none of the risks involved. For instance, an ice pig flows like a liquid through obstructions such as changes in diameter and valves, and it can be inserted and ejected from the pipe using small diameter fittings. If an ice pig becomes stuck, which rarely happens, it can be left to melt and flushed out after a few hours.
In addition, Ice Pigging™ comes with the following benefits:
Fast action
Ice Pigging™ can clean your pipes in just one pass, thereby reducing asset downtime. Within an hour or two, you could clean several kilometers of pipe, while smaller pipes can be cleaned in a matter of minutes.
Water consumption is minimal
Compared with traditional flushing, Ice Pigging™ is far more water-efficient. The process allows you to use less water than conventional flushing processes, as it typically requires only 1.5 pipe volumes of water. This is half the amount of water wasted with conventional flushing.
Exceptional low risk cleaning
Ice Pigging™ yields a high-quality clean comparable to more intrusive methods. However, the high-quality cleaning provided by Ice Pigging™ does not come with the risks associated with intrusive techniques.
Usability
In most cases, Ice Pigging™ can be easily applied using existing fittings and with minimal pipework changes.
Versatility
Ice Pigging™ adapts to the pipe network, adjusting to different diameters, bends, and obstructions as it goes and cleaning as it goes.
Cost-effectiveness
When cleaning effectiveness, downtime reduction, and the cost of replacement pipes are all considered, Ice Pigging™ is exceptionally cost-effective.
Where is Ice Pigging™ Used the Most?
Ice Pigging™ is highly versatile and can be used for a wide variety of applications. It is widely used by water supply and sewage companies and a variety of industries such as defense, aerospace, automotive, electronics, and district heating; and manufacturing organizations such as chemical and pharmaceutical, health and beauty, paint, and coatings.
Although the principles of Ice Pigging™ are universal, each application necessitates a unique blend of ice, additives, and quantities based on the type of lines, temperatures, and other variables. Because of this level of adaptability, the ice can be tailored to each operation or application.
More so, Ice Pigging™ is an environmentally-friendly cleaning method that uses significantly less water than other methods and, in many cases, can reduce the amount of energy required while also eliminating the need for chemicals. Waste products from the pipework can be captured and properly managed.
It can be used in the following specific areas:
Drinking-Water
Ice Pigging™ is a highly-effective and low-risk method of removing sediment, biofilm, and other objects from pressurized water pipes.
Wastewater & Effluent
Ice Pigging™ tackles under-performing pipes quickly and efficiently, removing fats, grits, and other deposits with minimal disruption and risk.
Cleaning of Industrial Pipes
The ice slurry navigates pipe diameter changes, bends, and pipe protrusions such as sensors and instrumentation to achieve a high-quality clean.
Manufacturing
Ice Pigging™ is a fast and effective line cleaner that propels ice slurry through production pipe systems to clean and recover valuable products.
Networks of District Heating
A highly-effective and significantly faster method for removing sediment and contaminants as part of routine maintenance work on the commissioning processor.
Other Business Sectors
Even if your specific industry sector isn't listed, chances are Ice Pigging™ will be beneficial to you.
Call us today for your Ice Pigging™ solutions.
