TPi October 2010

Italian water technology Water is fundamental to life. The first urban settlements were established near natural water resources, before the building of aqueducts rendered life possible where water was non-existent or scarce. This primary asset is still given the utmost attention, dedicating its safeguard to the best of technologies. A noteworthy modern aqueduct is being completed in the Sultanate of Oman, in As Seeb. The gigantic development consists of eight projects that together will create a new infrastructure of potable water, sewerage and irrigation for the new district of Oman’s capital, Muscat, a city that embraces close to one million inhabitants. 450km of HDPE pipes are being laid, requiring accurate and comprehensive study and planning. HDPE was chosen for its stability, duration and hygienic qualities. The main stern is constituted by OD 900mm pipes, SDR 11; secondary branchings start with OD 560mm pipes. The diameter of the ducts reduces progressively as the peripheral waterworks systems are reached. Arab Contractors and NUEV Sultanate of Oman joint venture opted for the Italian welding technology of Ritmo SpA to butt fuse the pipes. Ritmo’s Delta machines have passed all the tests and proven themselves to be reliable, precise and practical under such demanding circumstances and prescheduled deadlines.

The most critical job was given to three Delta 1000 machines, which were assigned the welding of the entire OD 900mm main

stern. The welding of these pipes had to be perfect in order to allow the entire system to keep operating without failure for generations to come.

Pipe laying in Oman

One of the Delta 1000 machines featured a crane to assist and accelerate the operations. The welding of the secondary branchings was done with other machines from the Delta family: Delta 630, Delta Dragon 315B, Delta Dragon 250B, and Basic 160. The fabrication of the fittings (bends, Ys, tees and crosses), used to complete the infrastructure and take the water to every house, was also entrusted to Ritmo’s systems: the Sigma 400 Pro band saw machine was used to cut the pipes into segments that were successively welded together with the Alfa 400 CTB, one of Ritmo’s workshop fittings welding machines. Once the weldings were completed, the ducts were buried at a depth of 2 to 3m.

Ritmo SpA – Italy info@ritmo.it • www.ritmo.it

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October 2010 Tube Products International