Steve Vick News

British Nuclear Group use SVI FOAMBAG™14 Jan 2008

Steve Vick International Ltd was approached by Corus Engineering and B.N.G to design and develop a solution for a specific one-off problem; reaching a desolate, hazardous area to permanently seal off a potentially contaminated pipe against 0.3bar of water pressure.

The original specification involved sealing off a 4” steel pipe within a wet environment against an 800mb water pressure.

Early into the project Corus requested that we extend and adapt the design to be proficient in 6” and 8” diameters. Corus previous attempts to use conventional flow stopping techniques i.e. pneumatic bags had been unsuccessful in 6” and 8” pipe, failing to provide a water tight seal against the 0.3bar water pressure.

However the Steve Vick International Ltd design gives a complete water tight seal through using a specialised underwater resin, while being tested against 1bar of water pressure.

After continuous testing it became apparent that the larger 8” bag required a modified design in conjunction with the specialised resin to create an impermeable and permanent seal.

The solution came in a dumbbell shaped Foam Bag ™

Through building a temporary guide pipe, the specialised FOAMBAG™ was pushed into place by hand/machine from a remote position by the BNG operative. The dumbbell shaped bag was able to carry the expanding resin within as it was positioned in the form of a self piercing plastic sachet.

Once the foam had finished its expansion and a set cure time had passed (30 minutes) the underwater resin could then be injected into the void via the umbilical, created by the High Integrity FOAMBAGS™ “waistline” shape against the i.d of the steel pipe.

All tests were very successful and the project will be carried out within the next couple of months.