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CASE STUDY

Half Shell Protection for Chapelcross Effluent Pipe

Exposed Surface Coatings

Project Data

LocationUK
ContractorRadius Systems Ltd
SubcontractorRH Irving Construction Ltd
ProductsDenso Steelcoat 400™ System
DateApril 2011

Project Details

When the Chaplecross Magnox nuclear power station was constructed nearly fifty years ago, a 6km effluent pipe discharged up to a million gallons of cooling water daily into the Solway Firth.

Although the 15″ diameter pipe was originally only designed to last 25 years, several years ago it was given additional protection with Denso Ultraseal Tape. Its life has now been further extended with Denso protective materials again being specified, in order to meet the decommissioning and de-fuelling needs of the Magnox North site and to minimise the risk of discharging contaminated limescale which has built up inside the effluent pipe.

This latest £2.2m life extension project, carried out by main contractor Radius systems Ltd, has involved slip lining with a polyethylene inner pipe.

This involved breaching the pipe at eight points along its length and inserting the 180mm dia. inner polyethylene pipe.

The areas where the inner sleeve was inserted were then re-installed with a bolted half-shell arrangement. To protect the new steelwork for the extended life span of the pipe, civils sub-contractor RH Irving Construction Ltd applied the Steelcoat 400 System comprising Denso Hi-Tack Primer, Densyl Mastic (creating a profile over the bolts), Denso Hi-Tack Tape, Denso Ultraseal Tape and Denso Acrylic Topcoat.