In a chemical plant, the reliability of all pipes is important. But when a single pipeline is responsible for distribution to your customers, its condition becomes crucial. Leak repairs on such a pipe must be made quickly but safely, with leak-sealing enclosures that are light enough for easy installation. Team has developed such enclosures, including PVC enclosures that meet stopgap rating requirements but weigh almost 75% less than comparable carbon steel enclosures.

Team, Inc. recently faced a situation in a HCI unit that relied on a single pipeline for distribution of 32% HCI to its plant customers. The department had a leak in the line and faced at least three problems: (1) Clearing the line with water could aggravate an already undesirable environmental situation. (2) Available carbon steel line enclosures were too heavy for one person to handle in the cramped location of the leak. (3) The customer plant faced the possibility of a shutdown if the distribution line was down more than 4 hours; so, quick repairs were essential.

The solution was to find a lightweight enclosure that could stopgap leaks until the line could be cleared with water and the spools changed out. The standard 3" carbon steel, 150 lb. rated 90^o enclosure weighed approximately 220 pounds--at best, hard to handle in a cramped plant condition. Team developed an easily portable 3" 90^o PVC enclosure that weighed only 60 pounds. Easy to install, the PVC enclosure would stopgap a line leak up to 80 psig. The PVC enclosure was applied, allowing Team and the HCI department to clear the line with water and change out the spool without incident.

Team's PVC enclosure, together with similar pipe enclosures and flange clamps, allows emergency responders to quickly transport and easily install leak-sealing hardware that prevents downtime while safeguarding against environmental risk. Other HCI production facilities with similar needs are invited to evaluate the new lightweight PVC enclosures for their own situations.

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