How the Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System works
The Sylmasta Pipe Refurbishment System consists of a range of products designed to be used in conjunction with each other in order to produce the optimum repair for a given scenario.
The four key building stages of the Sylmasta Pipe Repair System are the following:
Stage 1: Leak Sealant (Plug Hole)
When a pipe is leaking fluid and needs to be sealed, the primary leak sealant plugs leaks to provide the first layer of repair. If water flow can be turned off, an epoxy putty such as Superfast Steel can be used to seal the hole.
When water flow cannot be turned off, then pressure has to be applied to stop the leak, using a Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape.
If the pipe is not leaking then a primary sealant is not necessary.
Sylmasta Leak Sealants:
- Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape – black tape, self-fusing, seals live leaks when flow cannot be stopped, temperature resistance up to 200°C, WRAS approved
- Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty – grey putty, fast setting, pre-mixed for industrial pipe work, WRAS approved
- Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty – copper-coloured putty, fast setting, pre-mixed for domestic and smaller pipe work, WRAS approved
- Superfast Titanium Epoxy Putty – brown putty, fast setting, pre-mixed for high temperature applications up to 280°C
- Sylmasta AB Epoxy Putty – white putty, slow setting, bonds well to wet surfaces, used to seal larger holes, high chemical resistance
- Sylmasta ABF Epoxy Putty – white putty, fast setting, used to seal larger holes, good chemical resistance.
Stage 2: Damage Repair
When a pipe has suffered external corrosion and damage, the surface profile of the pipe must be restored using an epoxy filler such as Industrial Metal or Sylmasta AB.
This is to restore the integrity of the pipe, and to provide full contact and load spreading between the pipe surface and the composite layer of the repair (see Stage 4).
Sylmasta Damage Repair Products:
- Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste – grey paste, used to fill large areas of damage, long working time, applied with a filling knife
- Titanium Supergrade HT Epoxy Paste – grey paste, used to fill large areas of damage, high temperature applications up to 250°C, long working time, applied with a filling knife
- Sylmasta AB Epoxy Putty – white, long working time, used to repair larger damage, bonds well to wet surfaces, high chemical resistance, hand applied
- Sylmasta ABF Epoxy Putty – white, fast setting, used to seal larger damage, good chemical resistance, hand applied
- Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty – grey, for small areas of damage, fast setting, pre-mixed for industrial pipe work, WRAS approved.
- Superfast Titanium Epoxy Putty – brown, fast setting, pre-mixed for high temperature applications up to 280°C
Stage 3: Surface Coating (Protect Surface)
Before applying the final composite wrap, it is recommended to coat the surface of the repair area with a liquid epoxy coating such as Liquid Metal.
This is to provide an extra layer of corrosion protection, maximise surface contact area with the composite wrap, increase adhesion to the composite wrap, and provide an additional impermeable membrane in the event of a future breach of the original pipe due to internal corrosion.
The interface layer is always recommended but sometimes is not used due to reasons of cost, such as where the user is satisfied that leaks caused by internal corrosion will not occur and the exterior pipe surface is in sufficiently good condition to be wrapped directly over with the composite layer.
Sylmasta Surface Coating Products:
- Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating – grey, 100% solids, solvent-free brush or roller applied coating; the composite shell should be applied once the interface layer has gelled but remains tacky.
- Titanium Supergrade HT Epoxy Paste – grey paste, high temperature applications up to 250°C, long working time; spread thinly over pipe surface using a tool and apply composite shell immediately.
Stage 4: Composite Wrap (Provide Strength)
The repair is finished by protecting and reinforcing the previous stages and increasing the hoop strength of the pipe, and therefore the pressure resistance.
The most common and easiest product to apply will typically be SylWrap HD Heavy Duty water activated wrap, which consists of a fibreglass woven tape pre-impregnated with water activated resin which sets in around 10 minutes for a hard, permanent repair.
SylWrap is available in other variants such as SylWrap CR (Corrosion Resistant), which contains additional corrosion inhibitors and is especially useful in marine environments or where the Interface Layer can’t be applied first, such as underwater.
An alternative method of forming the composite wrap is to use an epoxy composite, which involves coating dry fibreglass or carbon fibre tape on site with an epoxy resin such as Sylmasta E190 and wrapping the pipe. Because the epoxy resin is applied directly to the pipe, it also acts as the interface layer described in stage 3.
An epoxy composite would be used when making more complex repairs, such as around fittings or for making patch repairs to tanks.
It is also possible to specify a composite resin to suit a particular application, such as where very high chemical or temperature resistance is required.
The downside to an epoxy composite repair is that it requires a higher level of skill, is a messier and slower process and cannot be applied underwater.
Sylmasta Composite Shell Products:
- SylWrap HD – White, heavy duty, fast setting, water-activated, easy to use, sets underwater, WRAS approved, temperature resistant to 250°C
- SylWrap CR – black, contains corrosion inhibitors, heavy duty, fast setting, water-activated, easy to use, sets underwater, temperature resistant to 250°C
- SylWrap FR – grey, contains fire retardant additive, heavy duty, fast setting, water-activated, easy to use, sets underwater, temperature resistant to 250°C
- E190 Epoxy – translucent gel, used with fibreglass or carbon fibre woven tape, long working time, patch repairs, complex shapes, higher skill level.
Pipe Repair Case Studies
Case Study: Alcohol Line Live Leak Pipe Repair at Sugar Mill in Costa Rica
Case Study: Live Leak Repair of 150mm Cement Coated Steel Pipe on Water Network in Mexico
Case Study: Repair of Leaking Stainless Steel Pipe Inside Farm Biodigester Tank
Case Study: Live Leak Pipe Repair of Above and Below Ground Water Supply Pipelines
Case Study: Repair of a Leaking 150mm Steel 90 Degree Elbow Bend at a Quarry Wash Plant
Case Study: Steel District Heating System Pipe Suspended in Ceiling Live Pinhole Leak Repair
Case Study: Live Leak Pinhole Repair on 150mm Elbow at Pumping House in Malaysia
Case Study: Repair of a Leaking 200mm Fuel Oil Line Pressure Resistant to 44 bar in Libya
If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch
Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email:sales@sylmasta.com