TRELLEBORG INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS MtH practice Part 2 EXPERT AUDIENCE WAS PATENTLY CONVINCED IN MUNICH
The epros DrainMtH system is a method for the trenchless rehabilitation of property drainage lines by means of the cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining technology. The difference from the usual method is the lining direction: It works from the main pipe to repair lateral connection pipes [MtH: Main to House]. Benefits of the MtH system: There is no need to enter a building for renovating the sewer laterals serving the building. The main/lateral junction can have a distance of up to 150 metres from the entry manhole. The rehabilitation length from the junction in the main line down to the point of repair in the lateral is more than 30 m. The system facilitates high productivity and better efficiency: up to 3 liners a day can be installed. The MtH lining method from Trelleborg provides a solution to some of the still unsolved technical problems in the trenchless CIPP rehabilitation of branch lines. For the very first time, it is now possible to renew laterals by working from the public sewer main towards the connected building (main to house) over a distance without needing to access private property, but this is by far not the only advantage. The modern lining technique saves municipalities or public sector customers a lot of time and administrative effort under both technical and legal aspects and is in addition a resident-friendly approach in all respects. This solution meets the organisational and financial interests of owners or estate management corporations of large-size residential and commercial buildings, office complexes and industrial facilities: in most cases, the installation of the MtH system goes unnoticed by the users of the building, without any disruption of operations, avoiding expensive shut-down times. High-value physical assets like paved areas or green spaces, gardens, parks or streets remain untouched and will thus need no investments for restitution. More than 6 years of development were invested in the perfection of the MtH lining system. Thanks to its fully autonomous technical components and its sophisticated methodology, the system provides unique features outdoing all currently known systems with apparently similar functions. Since 2012, there have been numerous successful installations in the US market alone. In order to make this unique system available also to installers and customers in Europe, two pilot projects in Germany were conducted to demonstrate the capabilities and advantages of MtH and launch the product in the European market. The first pilot project was performed for the municipality of Rheinberg in North-Rhine-Westphalia in November 2012. Details are given in our MtH Practice Test Part 1 case study report. Under the critical eyes of interested experts from the sewer rehabilitation industry, the new MtH method demonstrated its practicability during a second project performed for the European Patent Office in Munich. The result: Much acclaim and the breakthrough for the launch of the product in the German market. A camera team was on the spot to film the operation in June this year. The film is available in the Internet at http://www.trelleborg.com/de/epros/services/ Video Bar, the report of the successful installation is given on the following pages. 3
THE LOCATION The European Patent Office in Munich. The main building on the Isar is an architecturally impressive structure designed by the renowned group of architects Gerkan, Marg and partners. It was erected between 1975 and 1979 in Erhardstrasse embedded in a high-quality network of green spaces and paved areas elaborately decorated with manifold art objects. 4
The contractor for this difficult relining project was Stingl, a specialist company for heating, ventilation, sanitary and sewer technologies which has been known and renowned in the south German regions for more than 100 years. At IFAT in Munich in 2012, Stingl took notice of the existence of the novel MtH system offered by Trelleborg, because sewer and pipe rehabilitation projects with no or almost no access to the host pipe are not exactly rare in the field. So the solution presented by Trelleborg left a lasting and positive impression but would it finally prove itself in practice? THE PROJECT During regular sewer inspection, leaks were detected in some of the house connection pipes surrounding the building in a star-shaped arrangement cast iron pipes dating from the 1970-ies. 7 out of 12 lateral pipe runs were in need of repair; each damaged portion was some 4 to 5 metres in length. What the pipes had in common was that they were hardly accessible or not accessible at all; neither was there sufficient room for installing any technical equipment whatsoever as would have been necessary in most rehabilitation methods. The large project for the European Patent Office in Munich was the proper occasion to try and test the system, which had already been successful for some time in America, over a longer period under real site conditions. Supported by Trelleborg s engineering team, the operations took place during the first two weeks in June 2013. With the kind permission of the project owner, the construction site was opened one day to a technical audience in order to share the performance potential of this forward-looking technology with members of the sewer rehabilitation industry. Trenching was not possible either, because the sewer laterals are partially located beneath the building and embedded in concrete. Also, digging up the ground was out of the question for the project owner because of the complex design and rich art decorations of the outdoor facilities. The challenge was to repair the sewer laterals without disturbing the cultural and natural environment while keeping social disruptions to a strict minimum. 5
THE CHALLENGE It was a splendid day with blue sky and 28 C outdoor temperature already in the morning. The Stingl crew and the Trelleborg engineering team had already installed several MtH liners in other pipe runs several days ago. All was ready and prepared on the site when the industrial guests arrived at about 10 a.m. A professional camera team and a press photographer were present when the lining operations were finally starting. The sewer rehabilitation experts were invited to witness how the new MtH system would be installed over a length of some 5.50 metres in a DN 150 lateral pipe starting from a main pipe with a diameter below DN 200, which had already been relined in the past, and how the main/ lateral junction zone would at the same time be sealed over a length of some 450 mm. Like for the other pipe runs, there was no way to access the sewer lateral from any point within the building. Neither conventional hat profiles nor classical CIPP liners could be used. This situation is exactly what the new MtH system is designed for. Engineers and pipe rehabilitation specialists were given the opportunity to gain insight into the capabilities of the MtH system and to see for themselves how the system works and how easy it can be used during practical site operations. THE TECHNICAL COMPONENTS INVERSION END CALIBRATION HOSE STEAM SWIVEL JOINT The MtH system is generally composed of three basic packers for different main pipe diameters with respective calibration hose variants. Each packer is equipped with wheelsets both at the inversion end and at the steam swivel joint end. Another major component is the camera attached to the MtH packer for exact positioning of the system within the main line or in front of the lateral junction prior to the inversion of the MtH liner. Not to forget the MtH inversion hose, which is adjusted to the length to be relined and will accommodate the MtH liner. The packer carries the control unit supply hose, which contains pneumatic and electric lines for operating the system, and is also equipped with the hose connection port for the steam-air mixture. A winch is used to bring the packer into the correct position, which is additionally monitored by the colour camera attached to the packer. 6
The wheelsets, which are adjustable to the given pipe diameter, and the optimized centre of gravity ensure optimally balanced movement and positioning of the packer within the main line. A winch at the exit manhole pulls the packer along the main line to the lateral junction. The system design includes a specific steam generator (epros SteamGen M 150) tailored to the curing needs and technical parameters of the MtH system. THE OPERATION The packer type I for small pipe diameters was thoroughly prepared as best suited for this application. The visitors watched with great interest how the final adjustments were made to the wheelsets and the calibration hose. The Munich project in front of the specialist audience used the packer system I for a main pipe size of DN 200 to DN 225 (8-9 ). RESIN SYSTEM AND LINER The MtH liner is a tube of the proven epros carrier material, which is accurately adjusted between 1 and 30 metres to the length of repair of the host lateral. To seal the main pipe in the same operation, the tube ends up in a multidimensional open liner in the form of a short (or patch) liner. The properly calculated amount of resin was gently mixed with a double stirrer without any air entrapment. The blue-coloured two-component epoxy resin system EPROPOX HC120 is used in the MtH process for two reasons: one is the rapid steam cure, the other one is the long pot time of 2 hours at 25 C, which made the operation convenient for the installers despite the hot temperatures in Munich on that day. MtH uses the EPROPOX HC120 epoxy resin system, a pure resin with outstanding mechanical properties, which has no fillers and can provide a long-term flexural modulus of 2,500 N/mm² while ensuring high resistance to chemicals. The resin system was specifically designed for steam cure. The EPROPOX HC120 as a system component was granted General Technical Approvals (DIBt Approval No. Z42.3468, Z42.3488) both for the epros DrainLiner method (DN 100 DN 600) and for lateral connection repairs (epros Drain- LCR) with nominal sizes between DN 100 and DN 250. An application for obtaining the general technical approval for the MtH system in its entirety has been filed with DIBt. There even was enough time left to answer questions of the attending experts. While the installation crew of Stingl was wetting out the MtH liner with the resin system, the technical guests were amazed at the extraordinarily easy and quick impregnability of the MtH liner material, thanks to the obviously perfect adjustment of the resin system s viscosity. The next process step is to place the LinerEndCap onto the liner tube. For this purpose, a steam outlet valve is attached to the end of the wetted MtH liner with the liner end thus being closed. 7
Optimal wetting ability: EPROPOX HC120 resin system LINERENDCAP The so-called LinerEndCap makes it possible to install an open-end liner tube in the same way as a closed-end liner tube without using an additional calibration hose. The LinerEndCap will be removed after complete cure in a specific operation at the end of the job. So the final pipe will be opened with no need of cutting. The properly prepared liner tube was then pulled into the MtH packer and the inversion hose and extended to full length. Finally, the multidimensional liner piece for the main line portion was cut to size, wrapped around the packer and properly attached. Then the packer was lowered into the manhole. 8
PERFECT HANDLING All system components are designed to pass through a standard manhole cover of 600 mm in diameter. To support this operation, the packer comprises an articulated joint, which is unlocked at the press of a button and will automatically lock back into place. This ensures smooth introduction of the packer into the main pipe even in confined space conditions. Then the winch located at the opposite end of the main pipe is used to gently pull the packer, together with the inversion hose containing the wetted MtH liner, along the main line to roughly position it in front of the lateral junction. The packer carries a camera, which delivers real-time images to the control desk operator in the CIPP truck. The fine adjustment of the MtH liner s position in relation to the main/lateral junction is performed via the packer basket. This basket is a pneumatic lift mechanism located inside the packer. It is operated by means of compressed air after the MtH liner has reached the main/lateral interface and is properly aligned. If the position of the packer is exact, the basket will engage the lateral opening when lifted. This ensures the MtH liner fits perfectly in the lateral and can be inverted at low pressure. Air pressure is built up in a controlled manner to make the MtH liner invert into the connection pipe. The operator at the control desk can monitor the progress of inversion and, where necessary, intervene by raising or lowering the air pressure. 9
The then following cure time was 45 minutes in. The cure pressure for the DrainMtH liner was kept constant by means of compressed air via the steam mixing lance. The steam/air mixing temperature and the cure pressure were measured and recorded throughout the time of the cure. The project team used the epros DrainSteamGen type M150 steam generator, which is appropriate for curing liners with nominal sizes between DN 100 and DN 300. The steam/air mixture was discharged through the steam outlet valve at the end of the liner. CONDENSATION DRAINAGE Like in all steam-curing systems, it is important to ensure permanent drainage of condensates. This can be done by installing a specific device in the epros DrainMtH packer. This guarantees for perfect cure. Time for answering questions and talking shop with colleagues and having a couple of interviews with the attending guests. THE RESULT After expiry of the regular cure time, the CCTV inspection showed an excellent picture of the lining operation. The objective of rehabilitating the lateral drain pipe by the quick removal of sewer leakage and sealing of the annular space in the region of the main/lateral junction was achieved. 10
RESPONSE BY THE EXPERT AUDIENCE: ALL POSITIVE. For decades, there has been a search for rehabilitation systems that are able to work from the main pipe. Systems that would allow municipalities to finish their rehabilitation work at the boundary of the private property. And today, here, I ve now seen a relining technique that is very quick in preparing the liner tube, in setting up the packer, in installing the packer, and also in terms of control, said Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard Michel, engineer from PKT Rohrfrei GmbH in Paderborn, who added: We are greatly interested in this system and will certainly use it in the near future. Ralf Nölscher, Managing Director of R+M Umweltservice in Sindelfingen is also convinced: The system makes a very good impression; after many years of trying and testing you can say it is mature. You see here the installation goes rather smoothly -- and this is something very important for the operatives on site. Thomas Bittermann, Sewer Rehabilitation Manager with Stingl, and Benjamin Schwarz, his project manager, are happy with the success of the operations, so far in line with their hopes. The system was offered to us to fulfil the complex customer requirements and actually met the high expectations of all parties involved. So we were able to pioneer this technology in the South of Germany and to gain valuable experience in the application of the MTH system. In the future that can help us to use this system in the market to generate benefits in the CIPP business as an advantage over many competitors. PRODUCTIVITY & EFFICIENCY The wish and objective for using the MtH system like any other method considered under economic aspects is to achieve maximum productivity while obtaining a high-quality rehabilitation result. A well-trained and coordinated crew of properly skilled and mutually supportive installers as well as perfectly matched materials and tools are crucial to achieve the desired productivity. Good job preparations in association with ease of installation and simple steam cure of the MtH liner allow installers to complete up to 3 lateral lining jobs a working day. The length of the liner to be installed is of limited importance to achieve this performance, and the quality is invariably high. The MtH method includes a solution for the main/lateral junction. The crucial advantage is the homogeneous integration of the lateral liner with the stabilizing main liner in the main pipe. The main/lateral interface liner adheres to the main pipe without annular space and thus provides a perfect seal also for improperly connected laterals. Using standardised liners is a cost-cutting factor in projects with a dense network of laterals. The wheelsets of the packer can be quickly adjusted to different pipe diameters. And also the MtH liner as such can be custom-tailored to the actual cross-section of the main pipe directly on the construction site and can be cut to the required length of the lateral host pipe. CONCLUSION The MtH method is a state-of-the-art solution, technically convincing and especially interesting for municipalities, consultant engineers and highly professional large-size sewer rehabilitation companies with a high potential of customers in the public sector. For municipalities, it provides fewer points of contact with property owners and thus constitutes a resident-friendly and administratively convenient alternative to conventional methods. For engineers, it offers the technical solution to some rehabilitation problems left unsolved in the past, e.g. in cases of inaccessible pipe runs. For renowned sewer rehabilitation specialists, the MtH offer provides a unique selling proposition in terms of an innovative technical solution that leaves almost nothing to be desired during practical application. CREDITS: We thank the responsible contacts of the European Patent Office in Munich, Stingl, PKT and R+M, as well as the camera team of mediabox TV and all other parties involved, for their kind support and assistance in the production of the film and documentation. Duisburg, June 2013. All rights reserved. Trelleborg Pipe Seals Duisburg GmbH 11
Version 1.0 09-2013 Subject to changes and additions. Trelleborg is a world leader in engineered polymer solutions that seal, damp and protect critical applications in demanding environments. Its innovative engineered solutions accelerate performance for customers in a sustainable way. The Trelleborg Group has local presence in over 40 countries around the world. WWW.TRELLEBORG.COM/EPROS facebook.com/pages/trelleborg-pipe-seals-duisburg twitter.com/drainsystems youtube.com/user/eprosdrainsystems Vertrieb Deutschland/Europa, Trelleborg Pipe Seals Duisburg GmbH, Dr.-Alfred-Herrhausen-Allee 36, 47228 Duisburg, Germany, Phone: +49 2065 999 0, Fax: +49 2065 999 111 Pipeline Rehabilitation Products, North America, c/o Trelleborg Pipe Seals Milford Inc, 250 Elm Street Milford, New Hampshire 03055, USA, Tel: +1 603 673 8680, Fax: +1 603 673 7271