Tube Products International March 2015

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34 Tube Products International March 2015
products & developments
Thermoplastic coated pipes
In 1994, the Municipality of Lidingö in
Stockholm County, Sweden, installed
Alvenius FlowMax pipes in its drinking
water system. The pipes were treated
with Alvenius’s TP thermoplastic
coating, and were laid as an alternative
to traditional piping material.
20 years later, in 2014, the FlowMax
pipes were taken out of the ground for
inspection, and were found to have
no corrosion, no build-up of coatings,
and no impact on the material. The
20-year-old pipes were described as
“looking like they had been installed
yesterday”.
The combination of high-quality, high-
strength steel with an effective surface
treatment ensures the pipe systems
have a very long service life. TP-coated
pipes, using a method that was first
introduced in 1990, are suitable for use
in corrosive environments. Independent
tests have shown that TP pipes meet
the requirements for the toughest
corrosivity category, C5-M, in a marine
environment, and that the service life
of undamaged TP pipes is at least 75
years. This also makes TP-coated pipes
suitable for use in water and sewage
systems.
Alvenius FlowMax pipes are made
of high-strength Swedish steel and
are spirally welded for maximum
dimensional stability. The pipes have
very thin walls and the highest possible
internal diameter. When the pipes are
coated with thermoplastic (TP), the
result is pipes with very low internal
friction and very low flow resistance.
This means that it is possible to use
smaller pumps, or pumps with lower
output, or to reduce the number of
pumps or pump stations in the system.
FlowMax TP pipes are produced in outer
dimensions up to 508mm, in lengths up
to 6,000mm, and for water pressure up
to 80 bar. The thin pipe walls make the
pipes both compact and light.
Alvenius Industries – Sweden
Oil and gas infrastructure rehabilitation
As pipeline infrastructures age, issues
caused by external corrosion can result
in integrity threats and service failures.
Regulations for developing and
maintaining oil and gas pipelines are
becoming increasingly stringent,
requiring asset owners, engineers and
contractors to provide more testing data
and documentation.
Milliken Infrastructure Solutions (MIS)
has combined its experts with the
team from Pipe Wrap, Inc and, with the
support of global engineers, scientists
and researchers, is developing not only
progressive composite wrap (fibre-
reinforced polymer) solutions detectable
by in-line inspection tools, but also
in-depth repair project documentation
and design applications.
MIS acquired Pipe Wrap’s assets in
August 2014. Utilising the experience
of Pipe Wrap in the composite repair
industry, MIS is able to deliver third-
party tested and validated solutions
to rehabilitate, strengthen or protect
assets in the oil, gas and industrial
markets.
The company offers a range of practical
innovations focused on exploring new
materials, and installation-friendly
methods to make it easier and more
efficient to rehabilitate, repair and
strengthen infrastructure. Products
include fibre-reinforced polymer
and geopolymer mortar systems,
geosynthetic composite concrete mat
and fabric innerduct.
Milliken Infrastructure Solutions, LLC
– USA
Alvenius FlowMax TP pipe
after 20 years in the ground
The pipe, after being
cleaned with high-pressure
water, shows no defects