Project: 1200mm Needle Valve Release & 1200mm Gate Valve Releases
Thames Water project is to re-commission two 1200mm raw water pipelines that have been out of service for over twenty years. They need to get two emergency pipes commissioned so they have emergency pipelines connecting the reservoirs to the river. Primary contractor Optimise, contacted HVL Solutions to assist them with this project right from the start.
There were several unknown valves on the lines surveyed and HVL Solutions successfully surveyed, maintained, released and cycled these valves. Some valves required decommissioning and HVL successfully stripped and locked off these in an open position. Further valves also required HVL Solutions’ expertise and technology to successfully release and cycle. Accordingly, Thames Water saved themselves unnecessary excavation costs, as well as the price of new valves and road closure notices, by using our innovated techniques.
Firstly, HVL Solutions cut and removed the old corroded packing plate bolts, allowing us to lift the packing plate out of the gland. This exposed the valve spindle meaning we could clean and maintain the spindle. We then cleaned the packing plate to allow better travel within the gland. With both the gland plate and spindle cleaned, we replaced the old gland nuts with a stainless steel threaded bar and nuts, before tightening the gland down. Now the spindle could travel freely in the gland and the valve could be released and cycled by using HVL Solutions valve release technology. We then repeated this for all the valves and left them in working sound operable condition.
Our techniques, technology and expertise saved Thames Water costs, as each valve were now in chambers. Without this, each valve would need to be excavated and lifted out for replacement. The structural changes required if the valves were deemed “not repairable” would require excavation costs and civil works, as well as road closures and extra permits required. Saving the company both time and money, this project is an example of how HVL solutions can help maintain and service any valve on your network and assets.
Rafferty Fox from Optimise states “We engaged HVL Solutions with the hope of seeking an alternative measure to the extremely expensive and difficult measure of fully replacing both valves. Through methodical planning and problem solving they saved us hundreds and thousands of pounds with this project. The bonus I found with HVL is they have a depth of expertise, experience and technology to call on when issues arise and I would recommend them to anyone. From the beginning of the project they worked side by side with myself to develop a plan in order to achieve the optimum result and were always available to attend site meetings and surveys on the drop of a hat. The work was completed professionally and credit to the lads on site who worked tirelessly on these valves. Thank you”
Developed by HVL Solutions, the HVL-VR System allows HVL personnel to release seized valves, operate difficult valves and seat passing valves where other techniques would fail.
This system is recognised by the UK Water Industry as a “Valve Friendly‟ technique, due to the way force is applied to operate the valve. Traditional methods would employ extreme force to overcome difficult or seized valves, often leading to catastrophic failure of the valve. However, the HVL, HVL-VR System intelligently applies force in such a way so as to not to exceed the force required to take the valves components beyond their working capacity. This system does not require isolation of the valve and due to the modular nature of this system, it is able to be utilised on valves located in valve boxes, confined spaces and in remote locations. This means that isolations, excavations and in depth project planning is not required allowing for un-planned, rapid pace solutions to support network operations.
