The New Annular Sealant For Gas Services

A natural product, FULLSEAL™ contains no harmful chemicals and requires neither mixing nor other preparation before use, making it safe and extremely easy to use.

Over one hundred field trials were carried out on the product by National Grid Gas with the result that FULLSEAL™ is now being routinely used by NG’s direct labour teams and has been adopted in all four Alliances.

FULLSEAL™ is supplied pre-loaded in a plastic cartridge and is injected using a standard Steve Vick International applicator gun. An injection nozzle is attached to the cartridge and the material is pumped into the pipe via the filling port on the service head adaptor within the building. Subsequent cartridges can be injected if required. As injection of the sealant usually takes place within the gas consumer’s premises, it is a major benefit that FULLSEAL™ is odourless and can be wiped or cleaned off with water in the event of an accidental spillage. The product’s thixotropic consistency makes it easy to pump in; once injected, it thickens but does not cure. The product can be disposed of with normal waste.

The filled service can subsequently be removed should it be necessary to do so, due, for example to third part damage.

Steve Delaforce, Construction Support Engineer for National Grid Gas, said, “From the moment the field trial started there was a definite pull from the front line operatives to get the product adopted. The product offers environmental benefits over traditional materials and where a cartridge is not fully discharged on a job, it can be re-used on the next one. And finally the cartridges can be used with all existing injection guns except those used for grout so there is no additional tooling costs.”

FULLSEAL™ is designed for use on steel services up to 2” diameter inserted with either PE or Serviflex™ and is available in kit form. The product meets the requirements of GIS/LC14 for Dead Service Insertion. A patent application has been filed.