In July 2022, Hydro-Cos got two urgent orders for large-size, customised Hydro Stop encapsulation collars. Both orders came from contracting companies involved in maintenance of the aqueduct “Acquedotto Pugliese” in Italy.
The northern part of the Acquedotto Pugliese is in Tavoliere delle Puglie, which is one of the most important plains in the Apulia region of Italy. This area is very famous for its tomato cultivation, but due to lack of freshwater reservoirs, the area is also highly dependent on the large-size pipelines that transport water from the border regions.
Therefore, it is vital that any pipe leakage is fixed as quickly as possible. Many contractors are involved in the maintenance of the network, consisting of pipes ranging from DN2500 and downwards.
From inspection to installation completed in only 10 days
The first order was a request to fix a DN2000 concrete pipe with a remarkable leak in one of the sockets. Due to the importance of the area served by this pipeline, it was mandatory to not interrupt the service while installing, meaning that an encapsulation collar was the only option. After several inspections, the contractor’s and Acquedotto Pugliese's technicians decided to use our Hydro Stop socket encapsulation collar.
The size of the leaking socket was larger than usual and therefore required a collar with a bigger cavity with a length of 1400 mm and an internal diameter of 2630 mm, meaning that it would need a customised collar design. Despite the size and special specifications, it only took 10 working days from the inspection until the collar was on-site and ready for installation. The installation was done by five workmen and a crane operator, supervised by our technicians and technical staff from Acquedotto Pugliese, and it was completed within six hours.
Speedy customisation and easy installation
The second order was for a collar that could encapsulate the remnants of a previous ineffective repair that was still on the pipe, and that could not be removed until a new collar had been installed. The solution was based on a Hydro Stop socket encapsulation collar type HS240S with a cavity well above the usual standard. The contracting company specified the exact size of the cavity needed - 2000 mm in length and 1700 mm in diameter - and we delivered a customised encapsulation collar in only seven working days.
Even though it was the first time this company installed a Hydro Stop encapsulation collar, our supervision was not required on-site. This shows how easy these collars are to work with, as well as how versatile they are in terms of performing in any kind of repair.
Hydro Stop encapsulation collars
The Hydro Stop socket encapsulation collar is a universal repair collar designed to encapsulate and seal leakage on the sleeve of a pipe as well as leaking or displaced spigot/socket joints while the pipeline is under pressure. The shaped carter can accommodate any kind of pipe socket including joints connecting two pipes of different materials, flange connections on steel pipes as well as remnants of previous repairs.
The collar features up to 40 mm pipe OD tolerance, and is a safe solution even when the pipe OD has not been correctly detected, and in case of oval and damaged pipes. It is available in DN250-3000.
Other socket encapsulation collars in our range
For smaller pipe dimensions DN80-250, our dedicated Hydro Smart collar is suitable for connecting pipes of the same material. In addition to the substantial standard range of up to DN2000, the collars can be delivered with stainless steel body and/or stainless steel fasteners, for higher pressure ratings, up to DN3000, and even in a customised design.
Our Hydro Fast socket encapsulation collar is a dedicated repair collar designed to encapsulate and seal a leaking or displaced spigot/socket joint connecting two pipes of the same material. The lightweight compact design is ideal for fragile pipes and limited space on site, and they allow for angular deflection of up to ±6° before or after installation offering great flexibility.
