The company, which has bases in Perth and Melbourne, said this week that the Refuse-to-Fuse system was developed as HDPE was the fastest-growing piping material in mining, commercial and industrial applications, with adoption set to rise by 5% a year. 

 

Victaulic says Refuse-to-Fuse overcomes the harsh weather and strict certification barriers that typically slow down fusing installations across sites in Australia. 

 

A Victaulic spokesperson told Energy News that the critical component of the system in regards to the medium flowing through the pipeline is the Victaulic proprietary gasket. 

 

"By vertically integrating the entire manufacturing process, Victaulic has full oversight and control over the gasket production process," the spokesperson said. 

 

"In fact, Victaulic has formulated our own range of proprietary gasket compound blends that meet the requirements of the most demanding mediums, including oil and gas pipelines. 

 

"Since the gasket is the only component that comes into contact with the medium flowing through the pipeline, our engineering department can help the engineer select the most suitable gasket compound for their application."

 

Victaulic's vice president-general manager of South Asia Pacific David Sharkey said that butt fusion and electrofusion, previously accepted as the standard in joining techniques, were frequently delayed or compromised due to the challenging conditions on many Australian sites.

 

The new system from Victaulic, headquartered in the shale gas mecca of Pennsylvania, meets or exceeds the performance of fused joints, and can be installed up to 10 times faster with common hand tools in any weather condition, he said. 

 

The company said the system is the first purpose-designed mechanical alternative to fusion, and can be used to create a continuous, leak-free pipeline. 

 

Specially designed with strength and durability in mind, mechanical couplings with HDPE commonly exceed the pipe's pressure ratings, allowable tensile load, minimum bend radius and drag-ability.

 

The solution is also simple to install.

 

Sharkey said mechanical joining eliminated the challenges faced when fusing. 

 

"Installed simply by tightening two bolts and nuts, no expensive specialty equipment is required and pipe-end preparation is minimal," he said.

 

"The lack of specialty equipment and pipe end preparation means that special training or fusion-certified installers aren't necessary either, allowing skilled tradespeople to work on more demanding areas of the project."

 

Sharkey said the system can be supplied with a fusion-bonded epoxy coated housing and Xylan-coated bolts and nuts are to ensure protection against corrosion in buried lines and or outdoor lines exposed to the elements, as flowlines in the Cooper Basin often are. 

 

For added durability, the gasket is comprised of EPDM grade rubber formulated specifically for water systems. 

 

Vicatulic's mechanical joining products for HDPE include couplings for both plain-end HDPE pipe (63- 225mm) and grooved-end HDPE pipe (250-1200mm).