A trenchless alternative for gas main replacement
- Cinergy Corp., Cincinnati, OH (United States)
Pipe-bursting is a trenchless pipeline replacement method that has primarily been used in the wastewater industry to replace deteriorating sewers. Originally, however, this technology was brought to the US in the mid-1980s as a method for the replacement of gas mains. The process is now being rediscovered by gas utilities for use in specific situations as a means of distribution system renewal. Cinergy Corp. has a program of examining and testing new gas main installation and rehabilitation methods under actual field conditions. As part of these efforts, Union Light Heat and Power Co., a division of Cinergy serving the Covington, KY area, recently used pipe-bursting technology to replace a 400-foot section of 8-inch diameter cast iron main. The new line was then put into service as an additional feeder to customers in the Covington service area. Cinergy engineers have determined that to be considered for pipe-bursting, a main should be the end of a one-way feed or in a two-way feed where there is a sufficient amount of gas to supply customers on other parts of the line. In most cases, the company does not shut off customer service for more than one day`s work, otherwise a bypass system may be required. Another prime consideration is the number of customer service connections on a line. This is a factor because of the need to excavate and access service connections along the newly installed line. A third requirement for pipe-bursting is the need to have at least three feet of ground cover over the main. The installation procedure is described.
- OSTI ID:
- 514774
- Journal Information:
- Pipeline and Gas Journal, Vol. 224, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Trenchless rehabilitation of buried pipelines via cured-in-place pipe -- an environmentally friendly solution
Evaluation of Trenchless Installation Technology for Radioactive Wastewater Piping Applications