Hdpe pipes linking methods

6.1. BUTT WELD METHOD Polyethylene pipes can be produced so that they will be linked by butt weld method depending on the project. Butt welding process is a hot-weld type of welding. However, there are technical limitations for both diameter and wall thickness in this kind of linking. Linking by this kind of welding is done from minimum 5 mm wall thickness to 100 mm wall thickness for 50 mm radius to 1600 mm radius. During the butt weld process, the pipe butt surfaces are heated by a hot plate until they reach the welding temperature. After the heater plate is removed, the pipe butt surfaces are linked under pressure.

6.1.1. Equipment Used for Butt Weld 6.1.2. Processes before Butt

Clamps

Trimming unit processes

Heating unit are carried out

Hydraulic unit before butt

WeldThe

following

welding:

The temperature of heating unit plates must be checked. 10 minutes stand-by time is The hot plate surface must be cleaned before The

required for the heat to be dispersed homogeneously. every process.

The pipes must be fixed vertically and horizontally in the welding machine.

surfaces of the trimmed pipes to be welded must not be contaminated. 6.1.3. Carrying out the Butt Weld Process The environment where the welding will be done must be protected against unfavorable weather conditions (moisture, dust, low temperature, etc). Precautions can be taken such as heating the welding area beforehand or blocking the wind. Wind, sun and moisture may cause an inhomogeneous heating in the welding area. This situation affects the welding quality in a negative way. So, precautions must be taken before welding. Most importantly, the welder must be well-trained. The pipes to be welded must have the same properties (same type of material, same pressure, same wall thickness).Hot plate temperature must be between 200-220oC. Temperature must be checked periodically. The pipe butt surfaces must be leaned against the hot plate under low pressure. Heating pressure is kept at P<0,02 N/mm level. Heating time is pipe wall thickness x 10 seconds. The thickness that is formed as a result of leaning between hot plate and pipe butt surface under P=0,15 N/mm2 pressure is called lip height. Changing time is the time elapsed while the pipe butt surfaces are removed away from hot plate after heating process is over. Without changing time, the hot pipe surfaces get cold and welding quality decreases. Linking time, pipe surfaces must be linked in a very

short time after changing time is over. The pressure required is P=0,15 0,01 N/mm 2. Cooling time under pressure must be kept at the same level under linking pressure cooling time.

PIPE WALL THICKNES S (mm) 4,5 4,57 7..12 12.19 1926 2637 3750 5070

LIP HEIGHT(m m) 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0

HEATING CHANGIN LINKING TIME(se G TIME(se c) TIME(sec c) ) 45 5 5 4570 5.6 5.6 70.120 12019 0 19026 0 26037 0 37050 0 50070 0 6.8 8.10 10..12 12..16 16..20 20..25 6.8 8.11 11..14 1419 1925 2535

LINKING TIME(se c) 6 61 0 10..16 16..24 2432 3245 4560 6080

Table 6.1: Base values under 20o ambient temperature 6.1.4. Points to be Considered about Linking Polyethylene Pipes by Butt Weld Method temperature of the welding environment must not be lower than 5 C.
o

The

The wall thicknesses of the

pipes that will be linked must be equal; if they are different, wall thickness difference must not be more than 10%. well-trained. Butt welding machine to be used for welding must be certificated and the welder must be Welding surfaces must be trimmed so that oxidation will be removed and the surfaces The surfaces that will be welded must be prevented from being The surfaces that will be welded must be cleaned with Welding iron temperature must be between 200-

must touch each other completely.

contaminated after trimming process.

o

absolute alcohol before being heated by iron.

220 C. Higher temperatures for thinner-walled pipes, and lower temperatures for thicker-walled pipes must be chosen. After welding process has started, linking pressure of the pipes must be kept at As the air circulation in the pipes accelerates the cooling process in Temperature of the machine must be

equal levels during cooling time.

an unbalanced way, one tip of the pipes must be closed.

checked before starting the welding process and welding process must be started 5 minutes after the desirable temperature value is reached. Field Measurement Formula:

Compression Force Calculation:

6.2. ELECTROFUSION WELDING METHOD

Electrofusion welding method is welding the pipes with the linking materials whose internal surfaces are covered with special resistance wires. The resistances that are heated by the stretching force applied on the sockets on the linking materials by the electrofusion machine melt the plastic material, thus the welding process is achieved. Applying electrofusion welding on small diameter pipes (Q20-160 mm) is economical.

6.2.1. Equipments used in Electrofusion Welding Process

Electrofusion Welding Unit Pipe Scrapers Pipe Cutting Devices Clamp Kit

6.2.2. Operations Before Electrofusion Welding

The materials that will be welded must have the same properties. Welding area must be kept clean. Favorable weather conditions (moisture, dust, grease, etc) are required.

6.2.3. Applying the Electrofusion Welding Process

The mouth of the pipe must be cut while it is vertical against its axis before starting the welding process. The welding surface of the pipe that EF muff will be installed is determined and marked. Welding length is half the muff length. The surface of the marked part is scraped so that there is no oxide layer left. Scraping depth must be between 0,1-0,7 mm.

The scraped pipe must be affected by dirt or unfavorable weather conditions. EF muff is fixed into the pipe and it must be on the same axis with the pipe. The cables on the EF welding machine are inserted into the sockets on the muff. The barcode on the muff is read and the welding values are entered in the EF welding machine. Tension is applied on the muff socket tips and the welding process takes place. The welded pipe must not be moved until it cools down, and it must not contact with water.

6.3. FLANGED JOINING METHOD This joining method helps joining PE pipes and other pipe materials or linking materials such as steel pipe valve, pump, cupping glass, etc. with pipe line. After a steel circle called flange is put on the PE pipe line, a PE piece that is called Flange Adapter and that has an edging to hold the steel circle, is welded by butt weld. Two pipe lines that will be joined by flange are put against each other and the flanges are joined by bolts and nuts after a gasket is placed between two edgings. The bolds need to be screwed against each other.

6.4. MAKING THE SUBSCRIBERS PE PIPE LINE CONNECTION

This process is carried out as follows:

EF welding method must be followed. PE pipe line that connects the subscriber is laid. The surface that branch separator saddle will be fixed is trimmed. Alcohol is applied into the saddle, at the tip of the valve and on the surface of the pipe. The valve is fixed on the saddle, and the saddle is fixed on the pipe and they are arranged according to the line. Electrodes are fastened to the electrical ports on the saddle. The operations in the electrofusion process are carried out. EF muff is used for the joining of the subscriber pipe to the valve. The surface where the muff will be fixed is trimmed and cleaned with alcohol. The operations in EF welding are repeated and subscribers pipe connection is achieved. EF inner or outer cone nipple is used for the counter of the pipe.

The following equipments are required for subscribers connection:

Branch separator Adequate number of pipes

EF muff Nipple adapter EF welding machine Generator Alcohol for cleaning the pipe surface

6.5.

COUPLING

METHOD

This method is carried out using a coupling. The coupling is fixed at the pipe ends with the help of other components. While doing this, it is important that the gaskets in the gaskets in the coupling should be fixed carefully without being moved, as the fluid that flows through may leak in case of any gasket abrasion. After the pipes that will be joint to each other by a coupling adapter are cut vertically against their axis, their ends are coned to make a 15 angle and the pipe is turned and pushed towards the bump at the inner part of the coupling. After both pipes are fit well, the nuts are screwed by hand and joining process is completed. If the pipe diameter is 40 mm or more, it is better to screw the nut with a special wrench, not by hand. Coupling adapters are resistant to 20 atmosphere pressure.