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In the neighbourhood Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg in Berlin a special solution was needed to replace an old steel sewer pressure pipe line which had come to the end of its’ serviceable life. It was leaking and could cause environmental problems in terms of ground water pollution.
The nuisance of the replacement work for the residents had to be limited. The Berlin Water Company therefore chose Ludwig Pfeiffer’s Swageline PE lining system – a system where a new polyethylene (PE) plastic pipe was installed in the old steel sewer pipe without digging up the street.
With a reduced diameter, the PE line is pulled into the old line.
“We work with a PE plastic pipe solution because this plastic pipe material is easy to handle and to install into other pipes without having to dig up the street. This solution meant a fast construction time, and the residents could continue using their parking lots, the noise level was low and traffic continued without disturbances,” says Thomas Meyer from Ludwig Pfeiffer, General Manager. He continues:
“Using PE plastic pipes installed in the old steel pipes guarantees a continuous and permanent tight fit! It has a big diameter allowing no annular gaps between the old steel pipe and the new plastic pipe. The PE pipe provides the same float capacity as the old steel pipe – it has a smooth surface, a good flow capacity and a long life. If we were to insert a new steel pipe in the old one, we would have to use a smaller pipe and the float capacity would not be sufficient.”
The method of swagelining means that the PE plastic pipe has an outside diameter slightly larger than the inside diameter of the pipe to be lined. After sections of the PE pipe are jointed together to form an uninterrupted length, the PE pipe is pulled through a swaging machine with a reduction die, which temporarily reduces its diameter. This allows the PE pipe to be pulled through the existing steel pipeline.
After the PE pipe has been pulled completely through the pipe, the pulling force is removed and the PE pipe returns to its original diameter until it presses tightly against the inside wall of the host pipe.
Facts:
- SwageliningTM allows a new, tight-fitting PE pipe to be placed inside new or existing pipelines
- SwageliningTM is suitable for the rehabilitation of all types of pressure pipe
- The replacement work has been carried out in two stages: One of 322 meters and one on a length of 216 meters
- The PE lining pipes were pulled through host pipes with a force of 250 tonnes. It was only necessary to make three holes in the ground: at the beginning and at the two ends of the pipe system
- This particular pipe rehabilitation project for a very long time held the world record in using the biggest diameter PE pipe ever swagelined with dimensions 1030 mm x 60,6 mm (SDR 17, PN 10).