Boost to jointing

One of the major pipe coating solutions developed by Bredero Shaw is the IMPP TF system, a three layer, anti-corrosion system consisting of a high performance fusion bonded epoxy, followed by a co-polymer adhesive and an outer layer of solid, injection moulded polypropylene. The coating provides high temperature corrosion protection, excellent mechanical protection and flexible installation.

Heating of the chamfer and exposed pipe is an important part of the process and Bredero Shaw decided to investigate infra-red heating using Heraeus infra-red emitters.

As a result, the field joint coating system now incorporates an 86.4kW, fast response medium wave infra-red heating system. (Medium wave infra-red is readily and quickly absorbed by thermoplastic materials, so that heating is fast and uniform through the material thickness.) The system consists of 24, 4kW modules, which can be equally spaced around the pipe and chamfer circumference. Each module contains four emitters, two to heat the coated chamfer and two to heat the coated pipe.

PID control of the surface temperature of the chamfer and pipe surfaces is provided over 12 zones and the data from these zones is logged to allow both process control and traceability.