WORLD LEADER IN LARGE DIAMETER PIPE MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGY

3-LAYER
POLYETHYLENE
COATING SYSTEMS

PRD CO., INC. .1321 W.WINTON AVE. HAYWARD CA . 94545 USA PH (510) 782 7242 . FAX (510) 887 5639
http://www.prdcompany.com e-mail:prdsales@prdcompany.com
 3-LAYER POLYETHYLENE COATING SYSTEMS

CONTENTS

A- COATING LAYERS
B- TECHNICAL DATA OF THE PIPES
C- COATING CAPACITY
D- SYSTEM COMPONENTS
E- COATING PROCESS
F- PROCESS PARAMETERS
G- PROCESS
H- TYPES OF WRAPPING
I- CAPACITIES OF THE MACHINES AND EQUIPMENTS
J- INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
K- REPAIR

PE COATING PROCESS

1 PRD
Pipe Manufacturing
Systems
INTRODUCTION :

Pacific Roller Die Co. Inc. supplies complete plants for polyethylene coating of pipes.
PRD’s technology provides pipe manufactures the best solution for their specific needs.
PRD gives service to their customers from layout design to operation.
3-LAYER PE COATING :

3-Layer PE Coating provides high quality protection of steel line-pipes to be used for
transportation of natural gas, oil and water.
3-Layer PE Coating has great influence on the service life of pipeline.

A-COATING LAYERS

1- Fusion Bonded Epoxy ( Primer ) used for corrosion protection.

2- Copolymer Film ( intermediate layer – adhesive ) used for bonding between fusion bonded epoxy
layer and polyethylene layer.
3- Polyethylene Film ( top layer ) used for mechanical resistance to damages may arise in the
handling, transportation and laying of the pipe.

There are two main advantages of the coating by combination of multi-layers :

1- Excellent adhesion and chemical resistance properties obtained by fusion bonded

epoxy ( first layer - corrosion protection ).
2- Strong physical and mechanical performance obtained by extruded adhesive copolymer
( intermediate layer ) and polyethylene ( top layer ).

B-TECHNICAL DATA OF THE PIPES

Pipe Diameter : 200 mm – 2500 mm

Wall Thickness : 3 mm – 25 mm
Pipe Length : 6 – 16 m.

C-COATING CAPACITY
250 m2 / hour ( optionally 400 m2 / hour )

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Optional Units
1- Gas-Fired Flame Heating Furnace for pipe heating to the temperature of 220 degree C
2- Chromate Application for surface treatment prior to coating process after blast cleaning
3- Phosphate Treatment Unit
4- Vacuum Cleaning and Magnetic Plate Unit
5- Primary Inspection Station
6- Solvent Cleaning Unit
7- Inspection Station after blast cleaning process
8- Final Inspection Station

D-SYSTEM COMPONENTS

1- Pipe Entry Racks - Let-Down Arms

2- Pipe Conveyors for Cleaning ( Blast ) Line
3- Flame Heating Furnace ( Preheating ) – Natural Gas or LPG
4- Grit/Shot Blast Cleaning Machine ( Roto-jet double disc turbines )
5- Pipe Kick-Out Arms, Pipe Racks and Let-Down Arms
6- Process Conveyors
7- Induction Heating System ( High Voltage Generator and Induction Coil )
8- Electrostatic Epoxy Powder Spraying Unit – CO2 Fire Extinguishing System
9- Adhesive Extruder and Side Wrapping Head
10- Adhesive Film Pressure Silicon Roller
11- Polyethylene Extruder and Side Wrapping Head
12- Polyethylene Film Pressure Roller
13- Water Cooling Circuit and Cooling Tunnel
14- On-Line Holiday Detector
15- Pipe Kick-Out Arms and Racks
16- Pipe End Cleaning Machines
17- Pipe Exit Racks

TYPICAL LAYOUT AND

SYSTEM COMPONENTS

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PRD
Pipe Manufacturing
Systems
E-COATING PROCESS

VISUAL INSPECTION

PIPE ENDS PROTECTION

PREHEATING

ABRASIVE BLAST

VISUAL INPECTION

SURFACE TREATMENT

HEATING

PRIMER LAYER - FUSION BONDED EPOXY

ADHESIVE INTERMEDIATE LAYER – EXTRUDED COPOLYMER FILM – SIDE

TOP LAYER - EXTRUDED POLYETHYLENE FILM – SIDE

COOLING

HOLIDAY DETECTION

PIPE END CLEANING

FINAL INSPECTION REPAIR

STORAGE

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F-PROCESS PARAMETERS

1- Precleaning of the pipes prior to blast cleaning for :

- removal of surface contaminations ( salts, soil, grease, oils, organic matter and contaminants )
- loosening mill scale
- removal of moisture
Methods :
- High Pressure Fresh Water for removal of salts and soil
- Hydrocarbon solvent ( xylol or mineral spirits ) for removal of organic contaminations
- Preheating of pipe surface by flame burners to 75 degree C for loosening mill scale, removing
moisture, burning of organic matter and conditioning pipe surface for blast cleaning.

2- Shot/Grit Abrasive Blast Cleaning :

The purpose of cleaning is to obtain

clean steel surface with the cleanliness
degree of Sa 2 ½ and an anchor pattern
with the average profile depth of
25 – 80 microns.

Blast cleaning may also remove

pipe defects ( slivers, burrs, laminations,
scabs, gouges ). If not, grinding can be
also used for removal of such defects
on pipe surface.
EXTERNAL SHOT BLAST MACHINE

3- Heating of the Pipes

The pipe surface shall reach

the temperature of 200 – 220
degree C prior to powder epoxy
application.

The pipe surface temperature

shall not exceed 270 degree C.
Metallurgical or surface defects
can occur at over 270 degree C.
Bluing or darkening of the pipe
surface is an indication for over
heating of pipes.
INDUCTION HEATING

4- Surface Treatment

Chromate pretreatment ( 1% - 5% of concentrated solution )

5- Coating Thickness :

- Epoxy powder 80 – 100 microns

- Adhesive film 350 microns
- PE film 1.5 – 3 mm
PRD
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Pipe Manufacturing
Systems
6- Cleaning / Process Line Conveyors

The pipes move helically over the conveyors through :

- preheating unit
- blast cleaning cabinet
- chromate application
- heating coil or flame heating furnace
- epoxy spray booth
- water cooling tunnel

Adhesive and Polyethylene films are wrapped

around the pipe in a helical motion GENERAL VIEW FROM PE. COATING PLANT
to form overlap.

7- Water Cooling

The pipes are cooled by water at least to

70 degree C after extruded adhesive
and polyethylene film application.

8- Pipe End Preparation

All pipes are cleaned for field joint welding.

The coatings at pipe ends are removed
by rotary brushes for the length ( max. 150 mm ) COOLING TUNNEL
specified by related specification.

9- On-line Quality Control

- The pipes are tested on-line after cooling for

holiday at 25 kV.
- Temperature check of pipe surface prior to
epoxy powder spraying is done by infrared
temperature measurement device

10- On-line Spot Check HOLIDAY DETECTION

- Non destructive coating thickness measurement

- Temperature check of the bare pipe surface after heating unit and coated pipe surface after
adhesive and polyethylene film application is done by manual – roller type temperature
measurement device.

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G-PROCESS

Initially, pipe ends are covered by protectors to prevent the damage of pipe bevels from blasting and then
the pipe is taken to cleaning line conveyors. The pipe is transferred to gas-heated burners in a spiral
movement on conveyors in order to remove the surface moisture. Then the pipe is fed to blasting unit. Steel
grit and/or shot is used in blasting unit. The surface of pipe is cleaned. After blasting, the pipe surface is
visually inspected. The pipe having acceptable surface condition is transferred to process line conveyors by
rolling on pipe racks between cleaning line conveyors and process line conveyors.

The pipes are transferred end to end in

a spiral motion continuously on process conveyors.
Initially the pipes are moved through induction
heating coils or gas-heated furnace. The pipes
are heated to the temperature of 200 degree C.
Then, epoxy powder ( primer ) is sprayed to pipe
surface by electrostatic guns located inside the booth.
The pipe surface temperature is monitored continuously
by optical temperature measuring device.
The adhesive film is applied by extruder on pipe in an
overlapping form. Just after adhesive film, polyethylene
film is applied by other extruder to pipe surface in
several overlapping forms.
PREHATING BEFORE SHOT BLAST
BLAST

Adhesive and polyethylene films are pressed by

silicon pressure rollers onto pipe surface to obtain
uniform coating.

The pipe is transferred to water cooling section

located just after extruders. The endless polyethylene
coating is separated at the pipe ends to have single
pipe at the beginning of cooling section.
Pipes are cooled to temperature below 70 degree C.

The pipes are inspected by on-line holiday detector

EPOXY POWDER continuously at the end of cooling section. The pipe is
CABINET marked by spray gun if a pinhole is detected in the
AND EXTRUDER coating.

The coated pipes are moved to pipe end cleaning

machine by rolling on the racks located at the
end of process conveyor just after cooling section
and holiday detector. The polyethylene coating on
the pipe ends are removed by rotating steel brush.

Polyethylene coated pipes are lifted with belts or

rubber-coated forklift for moving to storage area
or loading to trucks.
PIPE END CLEANING MACHINE

PRD
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Pipe Manufacturing
Systems
H-TYPES OF WRAPPING
1- Adhesive and PE films to be applied on the bottom of the pipe.
Adhesive and PE extruders are located on floor and on the same side of the pipe.
2- Adhesive and PE films to be applied on the top of the pipe
Adhesive and PE extruders are located on the same side of the pipe on a platform.
The level of platform is adjustable according to the diameter of the pipe to be coated.
3- Adhesive film to be applied on the top of pipe and PE film to be applied on the bottom of the pipe.
PE extruder is located on the floor and adhesive extruder is located at a lifting platform
on the other side of the pipe.
The level of lifting platform is adjustable according to the diameter of pipe to be coated

I-CAPACITIES OF THE MACHINES AND EQUIPMENTS*

1- Blast cleaning machine ( roto – jet double disc turbine type )

Grit / Shot rate ( toward the pipe surface ) : 200 -500 Kg / min at a velocity of 80 m / sec.
Machine rate : 35 -75 kW / turbine

2- Gas Fired – Flame Heating

Furnace for process line

Heat Input: 6 million BTU / hour

SHOT BLAST MACHINE

AND FLAME HEATING

FLAME HEATING FURNACE

3- Induction Heating Unit

Power Supply : 500 kVA - 1800 kVA

M.F. power rating : 400 kW - 1400 kW
Working frequency : 1000 Hz – 4000 Hz
M.F. nominal rated voltage : 1000 V – 1250 V INDUCTION HEATING COIL

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4- Extruders

Adhesive extruder output : 150 - 250 Kg / h

Polyethylene extruder output : 1000 - 1500 Kg / h

ADHESIVE EXTRUDER POLYETHYLENE EXTRUDER

5- Electrostatic epoxy powder unit

Powder spray gun : 15 units

Electrical field : 95 kV

EPOXY POWDER AND

SYSTEM CONTROL PANEL EPOXY POWDER CABINET

* Above parameters are defined according to required coating capacity.

PRD
9 Pipe Manufacturing
Systems
J-INSPECTIONS AND TESTS

The tests and inspections written below are carried out for assuring the quality of the
coating.

On-line continuous inspections and tests :

1- Surface Inspection
2- Thickness Test
3- Temperature Check
4- Holiday Inspection

Off-line periodical inspections and tests :

1- Impact Resistance Test

2- Adhesion ( Peeling ) Resistance Test
3- Hardness ( Indentation ) Test
4- Tensile ( Elongation ) Test
5- Cathodic Disbonding Test
6- Coating Resistivity Test
TENSILE TESTER

K-REPAIR

There are two main repair methods in case the coating is damaged during the transportation
and storage of the coated pipe and also during the pipe line construction.

1- Stick embedding method for small size repair

2- Patch and tape method for large size repair

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SHOT BLAST LINE

COATING PLANT
GENERAL VIEW

PRD
11 Pipe Manufacturing
Systems
COATING LINE

COATING PLANT
GENERAL VIEW

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