In any industry, a critical pipe burst can have severe results including the shutdown of the entire operation. It is therefore imperative that asset managers have an effective emergency pipe repair plan in place, should the worst happen. Ultimately, the earlier the integrity of the asset can be securely restored, the better.

An emergency leak at a waste to energy power station in Florida, US prompted a swift response from Belzona Florida’s Technical Consultant, Alan Belanger. Within 24 hours of the original phone call, the power station was back in operation thanks to some quick thinking, fast acting and Belzona’s high-quality materials.

The system put into place comprised: Belzona 1212, a steel plate and Belzona Superwrap II, which was specified by Alan to fully repair the damaged fiberglass pipe and prevent future leakage. All with minimal downtime and disruption to the power station.

This request came to Alan at 9.30am when he received a call from the asset owner explaining the live leak emergency. After they decided on the Belzona SuperWrap II system, a team from Belzona Florida and local contractors, Grizzly GCC, began preparations for the repair. Belzona Florida calculated the materials that would be necessary whilst Alan was in charge of getting a steel plate rolled.

As the power station had been shut down as a result of the live leak, by 6pm the pipe was dry and the application of the system could begin. Firstly, the pipe was sandblasted in preparation for the Belzona 1212, which was then applied before having the steel plate bonded on top. When this was suitably cured, the Belzona SuperWrap II was applied to the 36” pipe to complete the repair. Following the full day of work, by 11pm the repair was complete.

The next morning at 6am, the power station was switched back on line without a leak in sight. This emergency pipe repair had proven itself to be a great success with the materials performing perfectly within only twelve hours. The asset owner was very happy with efficiency of the whole application and the minimal disruption it caused.

To seal the through-wall defect, Belzona 1212 was chosen to bond a steel plate onto the pipe thanks to its excellent adhesive properties. Even onto steel surfaces contaminated by water or oil, the material will bond tenaciously. This makes it ideal for emergency repairs where the surface may not be in an ideal condition.

Additionally, Belzona 1212 cures extremely quickly – at 20°C/68°F it can experience light loading in only 90 minutes. “Light loading” is the necessary cure time for overwrapping the plate. Even at lower temperatures, this material still cures in less than 24 hours. For example, at 5°C/41°F, it will be completely cured in only 16 hours to experience full loading.

An application of Belzona SuperWrap II then completed the emergency pipe repair. This material was designed to be quick and simple to apply, allowing for equipment to be back on line within 24 hours. It is also highly effective, providing years of maintenance-free protection.

Depending on the chosen resin, SuperWrap II is high-performing in multiple climates and service temperatures:

In this instance Belzona 1982 was specified as the most suited resin for the application.

To date, the power station is very happy with the performance of the Belzona 1212 and Superwrap II.  Because of the success of the system, Belzona Florida have been asked to return in April to carry out two more applications during a planned outage. Whether in emergency pipe repair situations or for scheduled maintenance, all around the world Belzona SuperWrap II systems have been used to repair thin-and-through wall defects on pipework, tanks and vessels.

More information on Belzona SuperWrap II:

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• READ: Asset Integrity Management with Belzona SuperWrap II