PipeDiver Sets New Distance Record for the Inspection of a Live Water Main.
The Pressure Pipe Inspection Co. Ltd. (PPIC) recently announced that its PipeDiver technology set a new distance record of more than 22 miles during the inspection of a 99-in. diameter water transmission main in central Mexico. This milestone inspection represented the longest distance travelled by an electromagnetic based system while the water main remained in service, according to the press release.
The project demonstrated the versatility of the PipeDiver tool as it was inserted and retrieved from the water main via standard access chambers. Minimal site preparation was required and once the tool entered the pipeline, it travelled at virtually the same flow rate of the water main. The flexible design of PipeDiver allowed it to navigate through a variety of bends and elevation changes.
“PipeDiver represents a new generation of condition assessment technology for water transmission mains and is a huge step forward to help utilities deal with a growing infrastructure problem,” said PPIC president and CEO Dr. Brian Mergelas. “This technology provides critical data about the condition of a pipeline and allows municipalities to pinpoint individual pipes that are at risk of failure.”
Electromagnetic technologies offer a proven solution to help manage the ever-widening water infrastructure-funding gap faced by municipalities. On average, identifying and repairing individual lengths of pipe can be accomplished for a fraction of cost of a full line replacement, allowing pipeline operators to maximize their budget investments.
PipeDiver is a free-swimming tool that provides information about the integrity of Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP). Compared to alternative methods of large diameter pipeline inspection, PipeDiver offers a significant cost-savings as the pipeline remains in service, eliminating the need for dewatering and service shutdown.
A world leader in large diameter water and wastewater pipeline condition assessment, PPIC offers forward looking solutions to help customers address aging infrastructure challenges in a reliable and cost-effective manner.
