Right pipe-joining method in HVAC

By admin March 14, 2013 9:07 am IST

Right pipe-joining method in HVAC
With different methods of pipe joining, comes different challenges, and employing wrong method may impact future site safety, productivity and profitability for the whole plant
Numerous problems are faced by HVAC system designers, engineers, operators, and owners in the maintenance and refurbishment of pipe joints. Pankaj Soni, Country Manager, Victaulic, One of the world’s leading producer of grooved mechanical couplings and pipe-joining systems, discusses the types of joining solutions commonly offered in the market, their advantages and disadvantages, and explains how the correct selection of pipe joining method can significantly cut operating costs.
Cost implicationsMost plant room structures will require some degree of piping system maintenance. For example: strainers are regularly changed out; turbulence and clogs in strainers, which can lead to floating debris in the system, may cause heavy wear on pumps and reduce the efficiency and life of the equipment. Bearings and impellers also suffer from erosion over time and may need to be replaced. In addition, lines of pipe may become corrupt and require maintenance or replacement.
Unscheduled repair is the most pressing, time-sensitive type of maintenance because of its unplanned nature and, in most cases, immediate necessity. It can include the repair of erosion and corrosion, cracks, leaks, and weld failure, such as pinholes or incomplete fusion, material failure.Initial piping system assembly costs are therefore only a part of total system costs. How much the system might cost to run and maintain throughout its lifetime is frequently overlooked at an early stage of an installation and little consideration given to joint performance over a long period. Long-term factors, including erosion, creep and fatigue, may be significant in the maintenance of a plant, but there are other factors to consider too.
Access issuesSystems will inevitably require access over their lifetime, whether it is for routine work, expansion or unscheduled repair, designers and those maintaining systems should at the earliest possible stage plan for easy access for future maintenance and change outs at joints.
Where a system needs to be completely drained or a plant needs to be shut down to allow access for maintenance, the cost in lost productivity may be especially significant. The most important objective is to eliminate the need for shutdown or reduce it so that the plant can return to full operating capacity as quickly as possible.
Older plants may present structural constraints with limited access, and designs that do not incorporate adequate spaces for modern system expansion. Physical changes or expansions to the piping system, made to adjust existing installations, replace old piping or alter the existing system by adding to it, can be extremely difficult under these circumstances. A piping method that keeps pipe-runs and fittings to a minimum and optimizes available space for plant and pipe fitters to operate will increase efficiency.
Pipe-joining choicesA full range of pipe- joining solutions—including welding, flanging and mechanical grooved systems—can be found in plants across India.

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