EST Group
Downstream construction and engineering firms face difficult challenges when specifying and implementing integrity testing for piping system projects and facility turnovers. To avoid costly overruns and schedule delays, downstream construction firms must identify the safest and most effective testing approach for a diverse set of pipe materials, test conditions and testing environments. EST Group has collaborated with many engineering contractors to provide safe, reliable, timely and cost-effective testing solutions to many of the challenging requirements in today's dynamic downstream environment.
Pipe conditions
Pipe sizes, materials and surface conditions vary greatly in downstream piping systems and influence the choice of hydro test solutions. EST Group's full line of test plugs, including the GripTight MAX®, are customized to provide compatible sealing and gripping materials and are appropriately sized to accommodate variations in wall thickness, weld-bead obstruction and required extension to reach the desired test location within the pipe. Using a special patented gripper design, EST Group's test plugs test hard pipe surfaces up to HRC 32 and are designed with extension arrangements to reach far within the pipe.
Test conditions
Test pressures and temperatures are becoming increasingly more extreme as engineering contractors utilize high-grade piping materials in their pipe spools and fabrications. To meet required test pressures, EST Group has developed the GripTight MAX and GripTight® Elbow test plugs, which can test straight pipe sections up to 15,000 psig and long-radius elbow connections up to 5,600 psig, depending on pipe size. The self-gripping design uses test pressure to increase holding capability. An internal port allows the test technician to monitor upstream pressure while performing the test.
In instances where the pipe testing or sealing requires an extended time for installation, EST Group has designed a unique plug configuration to compensate for plug relaxation and fluctuations in ambient conditions. Some installations of this special plug exceed 30 days of installed service without pressure drop on the pressure side.
Logistics
EPC contractors and downstream engineering firms are sometimes confronted with pipe integrity testing requirements that arise from modifications or late-inning changes to spool configurations. Accessing these testing locations may be difficult and dependent on weld sequence or include long-radius elbow joints with small test regions. To overcome the logistical challenges, EST Group has developed special plug configurations that permit remote actuation and plug maneuvering. With the addition of wheels, tether cable and hydraulic hose assembly, an isolation plug can be positioned deep within a piping system and remotely actuated to test a weld joint or to seal downstream process pressure. Once the test is completed, the plug is moved to the subsequent section and re-actuated for testing. Other piping systems include long-radius elbow pipe with no green sections required for testing. In these cases, EST Group has developed the GripTight Elbow Plug for use in long-radius elbows up to 24 inches in pipe size. This patent-pending design utilizes internal articulation to properly position the plug within the contour of the long radius. EST Group provides a safe and easy-to-use lifting arm capable of handling plugs in excess of 3,000 pounds.
Long-radius elbow pipe
Historically, the downstream contractor, when faced with hydro testing requirements that include long-radius elbow pipe components, was forced to add a "green" section to the pipe elbow for testing purposes. With the recently developed EST Group GripTight Elbow Plug, the addition of a "green" pipe section may not be necessary. The GripTight Elbow Plug can be positioned in most long-radius elbow joints to isolate and hydro test the pipe section. This provides strategic testing capabilities by reducing time and avoiding costly hot work processing.
For more information, visit www.cw-estgroup.com/bic06 or call (215) 721-1100.
