Re-route and Addition of New Pipeline to Existing Pipeline System
INTRODUCTION
Our client is one of the tallest, premier integrated building complex comprising of retail, commercial, and hotels in the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District. Client intended to upgrade its piping facility to better serve its tenants and visitors to the building complex. The proposed upgrade was to seal off portions of existing pipelines, add in additional valves, and re-route existing pipeline.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
The client’s existing pipeline system contained 17 Air Handling Units (AHU), with two valves to each unit. To determine if each valve could be shut off properly, a valve integrity test needed to be conducted on each valve. Each test took about 20 mins, which totaled to over 11 hours for all the valves in the existing pipeline system. This was before any work could be done on the system.
To avoid this lengthy timeline and a complete shutdown, we recommended our latest ATS Valve Insertion and Pipe Freezing technologies to most efficiently stop the content flow of pipes. Not only did this allow our client to avoid a major shutdown of the entire system, but we managed to reduce the total project time from what would have been an entire day to only about 6 hours. This enabled our client to avoid major inconveniences to both their building tenants and visitors.
EXECUTION
The pipeline system was located on the 27th floor of the building. Before any work was done, our service team needed to carefully plan a route for our valve insertion machine and equipment. Once the equipment was ready, our service team removed the jacketing and PU chemical from the pipe and installed our valve insertion machine onto the 8” pipe.
On both sides of our machine, a clamp adaptor was installed to fix the milling angle of the pipe to 120 degrees. With rotating valve assembly, the correct opening was milled for the insertion of the valve. Upon completion, our valve insertion technology effectively stopped the flow of pipe contents and allowed our team to apply our pipe freezing technology as a double measure. Once our pipe freezing technology took effect, we removed the obsolete pipeline portion, installed additional valves, and re-routed the pipeline to the chill water system.
 |
 |
 |
| Fig 1. Preparing the clamps for our valve insertion machine | Fig 2. Fixing valve insertion machine onto pipe | Fig 3. Installing milling machine onto valve insertion machine |
PROJECT COMPLETION
We were able to use our valve insertion and pipe freezing technologies to stop the flow of pipe contents, without having to shut off any valves of the existing pipe system. Our client was able to drastically cut down on the time it took to complete the project and avoid inconveniences to their tenants and visitors.
 |
 |
| Fig 4. Adjust valve insertion machine for milling angle |
Fig 5. Milling 120 degrees opening in pipe |
 |
 |
| Fig 5B. Milling 120 degrees opening in pipe | Fig 6. Install completion bonnet onto valve insertion machine |
TECHNOLOGY FEATURED
ATS Valve Insertion System
Our ATS Valve Insertion System is the first of its kind in Singapore. It utilizes advanced technology to insert valves directly into pipelines at minimum manpower, turnaround time, confined spaces, and without any system shutdown.
Advantages
- Time required reduced by 200%
- Compact size for tight spaces
- Suitable for underground or delicate pipes
- Suitable for all pipe contents
- Suitable for any pipe material
- Suitable for pipe diameter up to 24”
- Operating pressure: 150 psi
- Operating temperature: 300 °C
- No generators required
- Existing valve detection not required
