Live Water Main Assessed for Blockages Via 3-In. Valve
When unusually low flow ratings were observed in a 12-in. high-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE) water main in the City of Jupiter, Florida, the City’s Utility Department sought out technology that could identify the cause of these unusually low flow rates.
National Water Main Cleaning Co., a subsidiary company of Carylon Corp., which offers JD7’s pipeline inspection technologies as a service at more than 30 of its locations across the United States, were contracted to carry out the investigations for the City of Jupiter.
All Hands on Deck
On Jan. 25, project engineers and technicians from New Jersey, San Diego and the United Kingdom arrived onsite to meet with the City of Jupiter’s Utility Department to explain their methodology and the equipment they would be deploying in order to determine what was causing the flow restriction.
The City of Jupiter Utility Department is capable of producing 30 million gallons of ultra-pure drinking water every day, which serves more than 86,000 people living in Jupiter, Juno Beach, and unincorporated areas of Palm Beach and Martin Counties.
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Once the system was launched inside the pipe, National Water Main Cleaning Co. technicians were able to complete the ‘real time’ inspection of 2,500 ft of
HDPE pipe and were able to determine the cause of the problem as sediment buildup throughout the pipeline causing a cumulative restriction.
Technicians from National Water Main Cleaning Co. utilized JD7’s LDS1000 technology to inspect 2,500 ft of pressurized pipe in order to identify the cause of the flow restriction. The LDS 1000 is designed for larger diameter pipelines (12 in. and above) and long distance inspections.
“The LDS 1000 system is the most advanced long distance CCTV and leak detection system available for use within pressurized trunk mains,” says JD7 founder Daniel Krywyj.
The system is suitable for all pipe diameters and utilizes a Tri-Sensor head with high-resolution CCTV camera for condition assessment screening.
The Tri-Sensor head is lightweight and incorporates the following components: a video camera with powerful LED lights, a hydrophone, and a sonde. The hydrophone is used for acoustic detection in water and the sonde is used to generate an electrical field, which is resonated at a fixed frequency (512 Hz) for locating the sensor head above ground to identify the exact location of the pipe. The head is connected via a sealed screw thread connector that is hand tightened and secured to the cable.
Ready for Take-off
The LDS 1000 system uses the flow within the pipe as a transport medium in combination with a selection of parachute (drogue) sizes based upon flow rates and can be deployed in systems with a velocity as low as 1 per foot per second and pressures as much as 180 psi.
Before inserting into the water main, a flow and pressure reading was taken to ensure that the drogue is configured to the sites specific conditions.
Due to the large variety of drogues sizes and how the drogue is designed, inspections with the LDS 1000 are possible on pipes ranging from 12- to 70-in. using the same system.
The system was inserted into the City of Jupiter’s 12-in. HDPE water main through a 3-in. valve, however, the device can access the pipe through a tap or pressure fitting with an internal diameter of 2 in. and upward.
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Real Time Inspection
Once the system was launched inside the pipe, National Water Main Cleaning Co. technicians were able to complete the ‘real time’ inspection of 2,500 ft of HDPE pipe and were able to determine the cause of the problem as sediment buildup throughout the pipeline causing a cumulative restriction.
“The LDS1000 offered the City a real time view of the system while it was still pressurized,” said Lisa Douglas, division manager, National Water Main Cleaning Co.
The results from the JD7 LDS1000 high-resolution technology and the recommendations from National Water Main Cleaning Co., the City will be able to put in place a remediation plan to address the issue of sediment build up and establish preventative measures for the future.
History Behind the Technology
JD7 was approached in 2005 to develop a camera system that could be operated under live pipeline conditions and have the capability of accessing the pipeline through an existing hydrant or pressurized pipe fitting. Consequently, JD7 technology made history through the design and execution of inserting a camera through a live fire hydrant directly into a potable water system.
In 2008, JD7 proceeded to develop a pipeline inspection system with the capability of assessing up to 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in one inspection. This groundbreaking technology is now marketed as the Investigator and Investigator+.
With the evolution of the Investigator, JD7 continued to enhance its product line and expand their pipeline inspection offering, therefore the LDS1000 was released onto the market in 2011. This tethered device enabled the investigation of larger diameter pipes and could travel over longer distances than the Investigator. Together, both technologies enabled JD7 to offer a comprehensive solution to long distance pipeline inspection on pipelines of all diameters and materials.
JD7 has continued to enhance its suite of products with some of the most innovative condition assessment products in the world such as the Pipescan+ and the Voyager. In addition, JD7 have branched out into the gas industry and have developed the Investigator Gas.
Alyscia Sutch is marketing and public relations manager for JD7.