Hydrant Leg Pipe Pigging

Piping systems that deliver potable water can also have another critical function, that being the provision of water in both sufficient pressure and volume to meet the demands of firefighting equipment. Thus making the cleaning of hydrant leg piping at the same time as cleaning the main line advantageous to restore both to their maximum flow.

When the main line is restored and cleaned to its ultimate flow capacity, typically there is significant increase in the volume capacity of the system. However, if the pipes that connect the hydrants to the main are not cleaned at the same time, then those improvements in flow may not be reflected in the flow capacity of the hydrant. This is one reason companies like Professional Piping Services urge the cleaning of the hydrant leg piping be part of the overall cleaning plan of the system.

In cities and communities, there is one thing essential to all areas, the importance of fire safety.  Don’t wait to test the system when an emergency arises. Make the cleaning of hydrant leg piping part of your overall potable water piping cleaning plan. Contact Professional Piping Services to discuss cleaning options with you today, 

Cleaning for Industrial Reverse Osmosis Systems

Industrial Reverse Osmosis systems (RO Systems) can vary in size from just a gallon per minute up to five hundred gallons per minute! (That's 720,000 gallons every day) These system can remove over 99% of salts in solution & pretty much all colloidal and suspended material out of any feed water including municipal water supplies, brackish water, and even seawater applications. RO units supply high quality water at a low cost compared to other purification options.

Industrial Reverse Osmosis systems are frequently custom designed for the specific water treatment needs of an application. The experience and knowledge of an experienced team of system, mechanical and chemical engineers is required for this design. These systems then are constructed with high quality components to will provide long-term reliable operation.

When you put that kind of time, effort and financial resources into a reverse osmois system, you'll want to ensure the feed water comes to you through clean pipes! The delicate, sensitive nature of the reverse osmosis process requires the incoming flow to be nearly free of sand and other particulates. That's why you see all of the filters, screening and such that are a key part of the system.

When might cleaning reverse osmosis systems' supply pipes be considered?

1. Before it ever turns on! Prudent and pragmatic cleaning of the system prior to going into service ensures the best possible outcome.
2. Filters & screens are frequently clogged, showing that the supply pipes are dirty.
3. You realize that, even though the system had extended post construction flushing, the incoming water still fails to meet your standards to be properly suited for the system to perform its designated purpose.

For more information about cleaning the supply piping for your Reverse Osmosis System, or other Industrial Pipe Cleaning inquiries,  please contact Professional Piping Services, Inc. 800-780-6098 Certified Underground Utility Contractor License Number CU-C055717

What is a Force Main System?

I've mentioned in my blogs that Pipeline Pigging can be used to clean Force Main systems, but I don't remember ever explaining just what a force main is.

I referenced the EPA website to get a good explanation of this topic.

Force Main Piping systems carry pressurized wastewater away from a pump or pneumatic ejector toward its discharge point.  The pressurizing equipment is located at a lift station and provide the energy to move the wastewater through the piping system.

A  Force Main System is made up of Pipes, Valves, Pressure Surge Control Devices and Force Main Cleaning Systems.

Force Main Systems can be made from a variety of materials depending on the conditions that are expected inside and around the pipes. They are also constructed of various diameters of pipes. Wastewater quality and composition is the primary determining factor of piping material and desired flow rate is the key to deciding on diameter and wall thickness. Corrosion resistance will be among the variables considered, as will operating pressure and trench conditions.

Some facilities will choose to aerate the wastewater or add chlorine at the lift station to control odors and limit corrosion. Pressure surge control devices help prevent system damage and are especially important during system startup and shut-down. These are usually automatic cone or ball valves.

As I mentioned briefly above and have written about before, Force Main System cleaning is generally accomplished using Inline Pipe Pigging. Pig insertion facilities are usually included in the lift station and a retrieval station is located at the discharge point. Longer Force Main Systems may include multiple insertion / retrieval points throughout their course to allow easier access for cleaning.

When might a Force Main System be needed?

When the discharge point is at a higher elevation than the source of the wastewater, gravity cannot be used. One might seek alternative processing locations at lower elevation, but in locations such as beachfront Florida, there simply isn't any lower ground on which to build a facility.

Use of Force Main Systems can also significantly reduce the size and depth of the trenches, thereby decreasing the overall costs of sewer system construction. Often, gravity sewers must be installed in trenches deeper than twenty feet, pushing the cost of sewer line installation significantly higher due to the complex and costly heavy excavation equipment and
trench maintenance required. The diameter of pressurized force mains is usually one to two
sizes smaller than the diameter of gravity lines, allowing significant pipeline cost reduction. Force main installation can also be simpler because of shallower pipeline trenches and
reduced earthwork. Installation of Force Main System is not dependent on site specific topographic conditions such as available terrain slope, which typically limits gravity wastewater
movement.

Force Main System reliability and useful life are comparable to
that of gravity sewer lines. Pipeline reliability may be compromised by excessive pressure surges,  corrosion, or lack of routine maintenance. Pipeline Pigging for cleaning and inspection should play a significant role in that routine maintenance schedule.

Certified Underground Utility and Excavation Contractor

I've mentioned in this blog that Professional Piping Services, Inc. is a Licensed Underground Utility Contractor, but I don't think I ever defined that term for those who are not familiar with it.

To be more precise, CIMBORA, ROGER MICHAEL, the owner of  Professional Piping Services, Inc. holds Florida License CU-C055717 as a Certified Underground Utility and Excavation Contractor.

It seems mostly self explanatory, but let me dig a little deeper. I promise you, that was an accidental pun.

I'll focus on Florida, considering that's where Professional Piping Services, Inc. operates.

In order to share this information with you, I had to learn a bit more myself, so I found myself on the site of Contractor Campus where a person can enroll to learn and become a contractor.

They wrote that a Florida Underground Utility and Excavation Contractor is a contractor limiting their services to constructing, installing, and repairing piping systems. This can be on public or private property. The service can be performed by excavating the area or other means such as directional drilling, auger boring, trenchless tech and others. The systems they service can include sanitary sewers, water distribution systems, storm sewers and the continuation of utility lines from the main system all the way to a customer's meter or individual sewer access. The Contractor Campus goes into more detail than this web developer understands. (Did I tell you before? My client is the piping system professional, not me!)

If the piping system is an integral part of a fire suppression system, another license is required.

In order to obtain a Certified Underground Utility Contractor’s license, certain experience and education must be obtained. The document I referenced gave 5 possibilities:

1. Four-year degree from an accredited college, studying a construction-related field. Plus one year of proven experience in the proper category.
2. One year of foreman experience and at least 3 years accredited college-level courses.
3. One year as a worker, one year as a foreman, and two years in accredited college-level courses
4. Two years as a worker, one year as a foreman, and one year of accredited college-level courses.
5. Four years as a worker or foreman of which at least a year was as a foreman.

Mr. Cimbora has over 6 decades of piping industry experience and has written many scholarly papers on the topic and been involved in educating new generations of contractors.

If your project requires a Certified Underground Utility and Excavation Contractor, Roger Cimbora of Professional Piping Services, Inc. is your go-to guy!





.

Who is Professional Piping Services, Inc.

Just who is my client, Professional Piping Services, Inc., anyway?

Professional Piping Services, Inc. is a licensed Underground Utility Contractor located in Wesley Chapel, Florida.. (License Number CU-C055717)

PPSI, Inc. specializes in piping system cleaning and pipeline rehabilitation and have cleaned well over 20 million (20,000,000) feet of dirty, and therefore malfunctioning, piping, here in the U.S.A as well as Canada. PPSI, Inc. has been in business in Florida since 1985 servicing private industry, amusement parks, counties, cities, the military and large and small municipalities.

PPSI, Inc. specializes in the use of Poly Pigs. (Look at the whimsical images on their site!) They are not, however, limited to these. They'll work with engineers and utility personnel to diagnose the problems a pipeline is experiencing and suggest the best solutions.

Their founder, Roger M. Cimbora, Sr., has been in the business for decades! With this experience, he has led PPSI, Inc. to become the innovation leader in pipeline rehabilitation!

Here are some advantages offered by PPSI's service:

• Most systems can remain in service while being cleaned.
• Miles of pipe, including diameter changes, can be done in one session.
• In many application, inline valves can be navigated by the cleaning pig, even some butterfly valves.
• The site is always inspected and evaluated prior to service.
• Tracking and GPS re-mapping is possible.
• Clean pipes generally save energy!
• System prep generally causes very little disruption and system contents can be contained.
• Saves HUGE amounts of time and money that would have been spent excavating and replacing "bad" pipe that was only "bad" because it was dirty.

Professional Piping Services, Inc., to whom I've reffered as "PPSI, Inc" for brevity, is ready to help you keep your pipeline flowing at maximum capacity. Give them a call at  800-780-6098

What's the deal with Restricted Flow?

Probably the most obvious reason to have your pipes cleaned is when restricted flow has been noticed.

If the product carried by your pipes leaves any sludge or gunk behind, it builds up on the interior of the pipe and, before you know it, you’re trying to push a 36" pipe’s load through a 12" or less opening.

This is a severe problem for both Gravity flow systems and force flow systems. With a gravity system, you'll find a buildup and possibly a nasty overflow of your holding system. On a pumped system, the equipment will have to work harder, burn more fuel or electricity and possibly wear out faster.

To cut down on the strain on your equipment, and relieve some of the stress on your budget, have your industrial pipes professionally cleaned by an experienced Pipe Pigging Service like Professional Piping Service, Inc.

My client, Mr. Cimbora, has been in this industry for over 60 years! Gained the experience to recognize piping problems and implement the correct solution.

Let PPSI send a pig through your pipes!
(Learn what a pipe pig is, in my earlier posts.)

Pipe System Cleaning in Riverview Florida

Riverview Florida is growing fast! This influx of homes and businesses, off course, includes people and people need water, and lots of it.

Of course, a considerable portion of that water has to be carried away for treatment and re-use.

In other posts and other blogs, I've written about the importance of pre-commission cleaning of a new piping system. The new developments in the Riverview and Southshore area would be well advised to have their freshly lain pipes cleaned to ensure the a clean start for all their customers.

Storm water and wastewater pipes need to be prepared and maintained as well.

Parts of Riverview are aging and therefore have some aging pipes as well. Having some of that old piped pigged at this point could restore maximum flow and ensure the quality of the product in question. (Tap water).

Professional Piping Services, Incwww.professionalpiping.com/. has the knowledge, experience and equipment to ensure your project in RiverviewFlorida or Southshore is handled properly.