Compliment Small-Hole Repair with the Air-Spade

Air-Spade Lance

Although cast iron gas mains have been in use for over 100 years, they are still very viable. When iron ages it forms a protective skin that prevents any further deterioration. Cut out a piece of cast iron pipe and look at the pipe wall cross section. You will see that it is usually as good as new under this top surface. Studies have shown that the cast iron pipes presently in use will last at least a further two hundred years. Engineers wish they could confidently say the same about any other type of pipe. The cost of replacing the many thousands of miles of all sizes of cast iron pipes throughout the country would be absolutely prohibitive and in most cases completely unnecessary.
 

The problem with cast iron pipes is that there is a potential leakage point at every joint. Over the years many methods of joint sealing such as leak clamps, shrink sleeves, epoxy wraps and internal patches have all been tried but proved to be temporary solutions at best. The only practical and economical solutions that have evolved are encapsulation and anaerobic sealants. These methods are also used in small-hole excavations by many gas companies in order to achieve dramatic excavation cost savings. PLCS Flex-Kit Encapsulation and Anabond Anaerobic Sealants allow the gas operators to seal bell joint leaks from the top of the hole using a set of long handled tools operated from the road surface.  
 

However, uncovering the bell joint for repair isn't always the easiest task to accomplish when working in a small-hole. Many times other utilities such as electric, water, cable, or data lines are in the way. Negotiating these obstacles in difficult earth makes it an even more daunting task since digging bars or piercing tools are needed to loosen the soil so vacuum excavation can be possible. However, manually loosening the soil with these methods greatly increases the potential for damage to third party utilities as well as compromising worker safety and potentially losing any cost savings from the smaller excavation.

The Air-Spade offered by PLCS is a non-invasive, soil moving tool to aid in small-hole excavation. The tool uses a special supersonic nozzle that turns compressed air into a high speed air laser moving at around 1200 mph.  Soil is an aggregate of solid particles and voids of air. The supersonic air expands these voids dramatically, fracturing the soil into its components parts; while non-porous materials like metal, plastic pipes or cables are unaffected. The durable, lightweight, ergonomic fiberglass lance can be equipped with extensions for deeper excavations and only requires 90 psi of compressed air at the nozzle for efficient operation. The brute manual force to break soil is no longer required so pipes can be uncovered for repairs a lot easier, faster, safer and without damage. The Air-Spade is a perfect complement to any Flex-Kit Encapsulation or Anabond Anaerobic repair. 

>Click to watch the Air-Spade video or learn more about PLCS Flex-Kit Keyhole Encapsulation and Anabond Anaerobic Sealants.

'Tee Off' and Make a Hole in One with Worker's Safety Using the Safe-T-Stopper

This issue can relate to renewing or abandoning service tees, which, traditionally, have been renewed under live blowing gas conditions. Even though advances in PPE over the years have greatly improved workers safety in live conditions, plunging a wooden dowel or steel pin through a tee into the main while under pressure still puts workers unnecessarily in harm's way.  Alternative Gas-Free* methods, such as isolating services by installing two stop-offs on either side of the service tee, can dramatically increase the cost of the renewal or abandonment project. On the other hand, performing repairs to existing fittings may only delay a potential leak. Furthermore, the extensive variety of old open-gut tee styles operating at higher pressures than they did years ago adds to the challenge to perform safe Gas-Free* renewals or abandonments.
 

As a solution, PLCS recommends the Safe-T-Stopper. The tool is specifically designed for Gas-Free* service tee renewal or abandonment of open gut pipe tees, street tees, threaded tees, saddle tees, and Mueller tees. The tool assembly and ball valve simply mounts on top of the tee. The cap or plug is removed and an expandable plug or a threaded weld plug is inserted into the throat of the tee or directly into the pipe to stop the flow of gas. Once stopped, renewal connections or service cutoffs can now be performed Gas-Free*.  The whole process can be completed in a mere 15-20 minutes. The tool package can handle a wide variety of tees given the correct adapter. By introducing the Safe-T-Stopper into their tool arsenal, gas companies have the potential to not only increase worker safety, but also cut significant cost by decreasing their use of air bottles.

> Click to learn more about how the Safe-T-Stopper can save money.

*In a controlled gas environment.