How to avoid “chasing leaks” in your chemical feed system & drastically reduce its cost of ownership
THE PRO-FLARE™ SOLUTION
Three years ago Pro-Line was consulted by Utilities Kingston to assist with the replacement of their chlorination system. The water treatment plant uses 12-14% NaOCl, Sodium Hypochlorite in pre-chlorination, primary disinfection, and Zebra mussel control. Schedule 80 PVC piping was used in the original design, and it had been slowly changed over to CPVC in attempt to mitigate the numerous leaks at the solvent welded connections. Stuart Meiklejohn, the utilities resident journeyperson, water system millwright, and chief problem solver, was cutting out piping sections and repairing leaks weekly, to help prevent the volatile Chlorine off-gassing chemical from entering the atmosphere as a pseudo-stalactite formation. The original tanks were delaminating and clogging the system, and the team wanted to improve efficiency in keeping this critical infrastructure operational.
HOW IT WORKS
Pro-Line Fittings provided our Pro-Flare™ Fluoropolymer Tubing System complete with the tools, training, and materials to complete the installation in-house, and three years later zero leaks have occurred. Stuart and his team carefully retrofit a continuous length of 500’ of Pro-Flare™ tubing to pre-chlorination, and two 300’ coils to other injection points with zero joins and potential leak paths, all while keeping the hypo-system operational. A custom manifold was provided with room for future expansion, welded from ridged PFA pipe and fused Pro-Flare™ outlets. Swiss made +GF+, Georg Fischer valves with locking handles and Pro-Flare™ outlets connect directly to the custom manifold eliminating wetted threads and solvent welding. The world’s best thread sealant, LOX-8 Paste, was used at all necessary NPT thread connections. LOX-8 prevents leaks from chemicals such as Hypo, and Ferric Chloride, and is approved for cryogenic applications, used by NASA, and recommended by the Chlorine Institute. The back pressure/relief valves were upgraded to +GF+ pressure sustaining valves, which feature a large sealing area, threaded bonnet, and Pro-Flare™ ends to ensure a long life and ease of maintenance.
Pro-Line Fittings was able to supply all of the necessary components from calibration columns to gauge guards, tubing, valves and fittings to drastically reduce the overall cost of ownership and improve the level of safety in this fundamental resource.
Justin Giroux
Eastern Canada Sales Manager
Pro-Line Fittings East
Contact Pro-Line Fittings to learn more about the Pro-Flare™ system, and how we can help you complete a long lasting re-pipe from start to finish.