Tuberculation Removal
The type of pipe commonly found in a variety of pipeline systems is the metallic pipe. Metallic pipes such as cast iron pipes are known for their longevity and overall durability. Thus, cast iron and other metallic pipes are often found in the water lines of mixed-use properties such as office buildings or apartments.
While the benefits of metallic pipelines are clear, certain issues can appear as the pipeline ages. One challenge that is unique to metallic pipelines is tuberculation.
If left untreated, a tuberculated pipeline can severely disrupt the flow of your pipeline system. This can result in emergency pipeline replacement that is both costly and time consuming.
Thankfully, replacing your pipes is not your only solution when dealing with tuberculation. Keep reading to learn what causes tuberculation and the process American Pipeline Solutions uses for tuberculation removal and prevention.
American Pipeline Solutions’ Tuberculation Removal Process
The condition of the pipe was found to be heavily tuberculated. The original size of the pipe was 6”, but with the heavy tuberculation, the pipe's ID was reduced to ~1.
APS uses pigging, rotary head technology and Picote mechanical equipment to address pipeline tuberculation, especially in fire lines. Typically, pigging will not be the first method APS uses when addressing pipe tuberculation. The reason for this is because a foam pig is more likely to break apart due to the toughness of the pipe’s buildup. Instead, APS uses Picote mechanical equipment to apply a stronger force to the tuberculation buildup.
In the first step in the APS’ tuberculation removal process, technicians shut down the pipeline flow. With the pipeline out of operation, the APS team gains access to it to begin the tuberculation cleaning process. This typically involves the removal of a section of the pipeline, a flange or a 90-degree bend.
Next, the APS team will set up the Picote mechanical equipment. The Picote machine is plugged into a wall socket or an on-site generator provided by APS. Once the Picote machine is ready, the tuberculation removal process can begin.
During the removal process, APS places a bucket under the pipe being cleaned to catch runoff and broken up tuberculation. When the pipe has been thoroughly cleaned, APS will place the removed pipeline sections back into place. The pipes are then flushed to ensure any remaining tuberculation that wasn’t removed in cleaning is flushed out of the pipeline.
The results of the pipe after cleaning using the Picote machine. The pipe was cleaned and all tuberculation was removed.
What Causes Tuberculation?
What makes tuberculation unique to metallic pipelines is found in how it forms. Tuberculation is the result of chemical reactions in metallic pipes such as cast iron and ductile iron pipes.
Tuberculation forms when bacteria found in a pipeline’s water reacts to the iron found in the pipeline’s inner walls. As a result, tuberculation buildup begins to form on the inside of the pipeline.
Initially, a property manager may not notice any significant impact from tuberculation in their pipeline’s performance. Over time, this buildup grows thicker and eventually disrupts the flow of the pipeline.
What Types of Pipes Need Tuberculation Removal?
Tuberculation is typically found in older pipeline systems. Pipelines that were originally built and installed in the 1950s to the 1970s begin showing signs of tuberculation today.
Examples of the types of pipes that APS has experience in removing tuberculation include the following:
Cast Iron
Ductile Iron
Fire-Lines
Water Lines
Water & Force Mains
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the types of pipes that APS can clean tuberculation out of. Customers are encouraged to contact APS to discover the appropriate pipeline cleaning solution for their needs.
Are There Preventative Measures to Stop Tuberculation?
One way to ensure your pipelines are not tuberculated in the future is to simply replace them. However, this is a costly and overall inefficient solution. While your new pipes will not be tuberculated now, they will face the challenge of tuberculation in the future.
Instead of replacing your pipelines when they become tuberculated, there are preventative measures you can take.
Once your pipelines have been cleaned of tuberculation, APS can internally coat your pipelines. APS’ internal coating process involves applying a thin epoxy coating, used by the experts at NASA, to your pipeline’s interior. Without coating the interior of your pipeline, you will need to address tuberculation every five years. Conversely, a coated pipeline can operate tuberculation free for up to 50 years!
Are you looking for an efficient solution for your tuberculated pipelines?
Contact the team at American Pipeline Solutions to learn how our tuberculation removal and prevention processes can help.
