Hydrostatic pressure test for ductile iron water pipeline
During my reading for the procedure of the pipeline hydrostatic testing , I observed that it is required to flush the pipeline before testing , the contrcator insisted to flush the pipeline after the testing and during the disinfection process for the pipeline , Is it ok to test the pipeline without flushing ??
you should flush it so particulates, rocks, debris dont act as a plug in whatever potential leak the pipe may have. Chances are low that the debris will actually plug it, but it makes it impossible if it is flushed.
I suspect many project specifications address in some manner general
sequence and required operations, or at least refer to consensus
standards that have been around quite a while such as AWWA C600 for
Installation... (and also referring to many aspects of flushing,
disinfection, and hydrotesting etc. operations) of ductile iron
pipelines, as well as AWWA C651, Disinfecting Water Mains. I believe
these standards in particular "make for good reading" for those involved
with many aspects of water work.
AWWA C651 requires in an early
section 4.4.3.2 entitled "Preliminary flushing", "Before the main is
chlorinated, it shall be filled to eliminate air pockets and flushed to
remove particulates. The flushing velocity in the main shall not be less
than 2.5 ft/sec (0.76 m/sec) unless the purchaser determines that
conditions do not permit the required flow to be discharged to
waste." There are later requirements for "Final flushing", that of
course require that not long after successful disinfection is complete
the heavily chlorinated water be expeditiously removed (flushed) from
the main ..."until chlorine measurements show that the concentration in
the water leaving the main is no higher than that generally prevailing
in the distribution system or that is acceptable for domestic use."
While
I guess it may not necessarily dictating sequence of all operations nor
mean there is risk in your allowance (as I suspect there may be special
cases that may make this difficult?), AWWA C600 also states in section
4.3.9 Flushing, "Foreign material left in the pipelines during
installation often results in valve- or hydrant-seat leakage during
pressure tests. The pipelines shall be kept clean during installation.
Thorough flushing is recommended prior to a pressure test. Flushing
should be accomplished by partially opening and closing valves(ball valve) and
hydrants several times under expected line pressure, with flow
velocities adequate to flush foreign material out of the valves and
hydrants." Thus at least some flushing before test is actually known to
benefit the contractor in getting successful pressure tests!
In
any a case, it is hoped that all parties to a water project, including
the installer/contractor etc., respect the end purposes of a pipeline
(not the least of which is delivered water quality) and keep same in
mind in all operations well upfront. In this regard, AWWA C651,
"Disinfecting Water Mains" also states "In either case, it is strongly
recommended that pipe crews be aware of the need to maintain clean pipes
and avoid contamination."
1. AWWA C600 does not place a specific value on the maximum length of
pipeline to be tested, as I suspect practices have varied much from
locale to locale and even very long lengths have been tested and
performed well (and of course this is a consensus
standard). Nevertheless, some authorities and perhaps in some cases
Contractors on their own, with perhaps very good reason(s) sometimes
perform tests at rather frequent intervals of perhaps a only kilometer
or two or less. While much ductile iron pipe is very simple to install,
an example of a good reason for short length tests, at least early in
construction of some large projects. arguably might be (say e.g. at
least with a crew unfamiliar with the specific type of pipe or joints
etc.) that small problems of e.g. potentially repetitive nature such as
errors or carelessness in assembly by a particular crew etc. are caught
and corrected before they become much bigger problems. After all, a
long line [and maybe particularly one with few if any valves and a lot
of elevation change] etc. represents a lot of water to evacuate and
re-fill as opposed to a much shorter line.
2. There is likewise no
minimum value for test pressure in C600, although I will note
significant pressure can be developed in some cases/practices just
filling (and fully evacuating air from) even more or less gravity lines
for test. Similarly to "1", for whatever reasons some authorities
nevertheless require quite high pressure testing of even gravity water
or sewer lines that arguably have no significant pressure developed in
service! While ductile iron and its most common joints are of course
eminently suited for handling very high pressures, one disadvantage of
very high pressure testing where it may arguably not really be necessary
is that with some layouts/testing it might require quite formidable
thrust blocks, test bulkheads (temporary and/or permanent etc.), or
quantities of restrained joint pipes that arguably may not really
necessary for any real service loading. In such cases, I guess it could
be argued there may be unnecessary expense borne ultimately by the
Owner etc.
3. Again AWWA C600 does not require a "48 hour" (I guess
sort of "soaking"?) period before tests can be run, although I bet many
lines are exposed more or less full for at least some length of time
while the Contractor prepares the line for test (going around to air
release and other vaults to make sure air it fully out, and other final
operations etc.) While I guess there could be some value to getting a
line to sort of stabilize in many respects, including any absorption of
water into linings etc. (e.g. under working/filling pressure for at
least a little while prior to test), I'm not sure e.g. that if a full
line can hold required test pressure with no loss for the test duration
much more quickly there is anything necessarily wrong with
that!
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