The Way Line Stopping Is Done in the Industry

Allied Pipe Freezing has been in service since 1994 and in the last several years it has stayed committed to high levels of service and delivery of efficient and cost effective solutions irrespective of the size of the project. The company owes its success to very high levels of technical expertise and professionalism that they employ to great effect in every commission.

And, following closely on its commitments is the technology that they deploy to accomplish their projects. As we have mentioned elsewhere about the applicability of the process of Line Stopping, there are very few industries in the world that uses pipes which can’t be serviced with Line Stopping. Line Stopping and the processes that are used therein is perfect for a wide range of materials, viz: Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, Cast / Ductile Iron, Pressurised Concrete Cylinder Pipe, Reinforced Concrete Pipe, Alloys, PVC & Polyethylene to name a few.

Like every tech-intensive processes we know of, Line Stopping begins with planning, proceeds to implementation of the solution and finally to review of what has been delivered.

Attention to project planning is essential in the first phase of every LineStopping project. Allied Pipe Freezing will perform a thorough review of your specific hot tapping application by an experienced and qualified technician to insure a safe and successful implementation in the field. The process starts with a valve which is mounted to the hot tap fitting outlet and the assembly is pressure tested prior to performing the operation. That done, the engineer will drill or bore an opening into the pressurized system, without shut-down, or spilling of the content inside, when everything has been done, the equipment are withdrawn and the valve is closed – thereby completing the process.

What pipe freezing is all about?

There are hundreds of industrial applications where pipelines play a crucial in keeping the processes running and active. Any downtime in the pipeline flow may result in huge monetary loss. For example, there is always a scope for maintenance work for which a specific time slot is allocated. The most typical way to carry out any kind of work on a live pipe is to stop the flow and then do the required work in that time period. But today’s competitive industrial environment demands for always up time and zero breakdown. But still accidents never come announced. So here comes the need of a technology that allows engineers to do their regular job on a live pipeline without hindering the running flow in the pipe.

One such process is Pipe Freezing which is defined as an intrusive, controlled method of separating a section of pipe, by solidifying the pipe contents to form a secure ice plug which in turn holds the liquid flow whilst a maintenance work is carried out. The best thing about pipe freezing process is that even a big job can be carried out without causing much disturbance to regular activities at the premises.

During the process, a jacket is fitted around the pipe section to be freeze. There after liquid nitrogen is introduced into the jacket to freeze the contents of the pipe. This process is found to be very effective in industries where shutting down the line even for few minutes can result in severe losses.