Messers.

Larsen & Toubro Limited (Oman Branch)

PO Box No. 598, Postal Code 112,
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

Kind attn. Mr. K. Parasuraman – Project Director

Ref:C2021011/04
Date: 20.10.2021
Project Name: Reinforcement of Ad Dakhiliya Water Transmission
System – Phase II, (Tender No.PAW/HO/PD/028/2019)
Client (End User): Public Authority for Water (PAW), Sultanate of Oman
Consultant of the project Energoprojekt ENTEL LLC, Sultanate of Oman
Manufacturer: E. Hawle Armaturenwerke GmbH, Austria
Oman Partner: Al Rouba Ent & Trad LLC

Subject: Response to the ITP for Gate valve (Manual) comments.

Letter Ref: EPE-L&T-28/2019-21-1489 dated 28-09-2021

Dear Sir’s,

This is reference to the above cited consultant / Engineer’s Comment, we would like to furnish
our reply as below:

1) Impact resistance test is not included in the ITP.

Hawle response: Impact & Adhesion test are destructive tests, hence these tests on production
sample are not feasible. Each Gate valves are undergoing Quality and Test Specifications
HEAVY-DUTY CORROSION PROTECTION OF VALVES and FITTINGS BY POWDER
COATING and carries Quality assurance RAL-GZ 662 marking as below:

To ensure compliance with the General and the Special Quality and Test Specifications, Hawle
conduct continuous internal monitoring to make sure that the Hawle‘s products and services
bearing the RAL Quality Mark meet the requirements of quality assurance and records are
maintained.
During inspection, the reports of the representative sample shall be furnished for inspector
review. The coating internal monitoring documents can be corelated to the Hawle products
produced manufactured for this project.

Additionally, we would like to explain the HAWLE - Corrosion protection process in detail for
your reference.

Epoxy Powder Application Process -Fluidized Bed Epoxy Coating Process (EWS)

In this process a container is filled with epoxy powder. Evenly distributed compressed air (0.3 to
0.4 bar pressure) is then applied via a filter plate rendering the powder turbulent. The heated part
(180 - 200 °C) is then fully immersed into the turbulent powder which is at room temperature (about
20 °C). Depending on the geometry of the part concerned it is then rotated about several axes. As
it is withdrawn the excess powder is shaken off. To achieve a coating thickness of 300 µm the
immersion time is between 1 and 2 seconds.

When the hot part is immersed into the powder the epoxy powder liquefies on the surface and
because of the high reaction time it is already dry when it is taken from the bath.

The EWS Process

We have decided on the EWS process since it has the following advantages over the
electrostatic method:
- Even when the part being coated is a complicated shape with undercut edges and surfaces, the
immersion process guarantees overall even coating.
- The coating procedure is extremely short.
- Powder recovery not necessary since the excess powder falls naturally back into the basin.
- Robotics ensure that results stay constant.
Along with several other manufacturers of fittings and epoxy powder we have founded the
international Association for High Quality Corrosion Protection (GSK). The members of the
GSK all use epoxy powder for coating their molds and fittings and have committed themselves
to the test and quality requirements (GPB) of the Association.

In accordance with the GSK’s test and quality requirements all members have to pass the
approval test. Member companies of the GSK are spot-checked to GPB requirements by a
material testing institute several times a year.

The technical EWS coating processes described in the following pages are therefore based on
specifications by the quality and test requirements of the GSK.

Testing the coating

Certain batch sizes from a day’s production are tested to the quality and test requirements of
the GSK. The properties tested are as follows:
- Layer thickness (at least 300 µm)
- Freedom from pores using a 3 kV dc high-voltage tester
- Impact resistance followed by a test to see if the impact point is pore-free
- Linking (after 24 hours curing time)
- Adhesion to DIN ISO 4624
- Cathodic disbonding test

Layer thickness, freedom from pores, impact resistance and linking are checked daily on the
specific batch size on the finished product. During the tests the spots which are checked are
specified in accordance with an approved test schedule.

The adhesion test is checked four times each year on curved internal or external areas of
the fitting using the pull-off test according to the test schedule.

In addition to this the pull-off test is carried out more than twice a month on flat test
plates. Prior to the adhesion test using the pull-off method the parts under test are artificially
aged for 7 days in deionized water at 90 °C. They must reach an adhesion value of at least 12
N/mm².

In the disbanding test an artificial failure point (6 mm in diameter) is subjected to 1.5

V dc in saltwater at high temperature (65 °C) and the resulting disbanding then assessed
(max. 15 mm).
Impact resistance

The impact resistance is tested on an even surface of the fitting using a drop weight with a spherical
surface (diameter 25 mm) from a height of 1 m and an impact energy of 5 Nm. The test body should
be supported in such a new way that when the weight strikes there is no likelihood of spring action.

Following each impact, the impact point is tested for electrical breakdown using the
aforementioned high-voltage test device with 3 kV. Breakdown should not occur.

Adhesion test to DIN ISO 4624

The adhesion test is carried out on specimen plates of the same material which accompany
the production process and on finished fittings (valves). Before the adhesion test takes place
the fitting parts and the specimen plates are conditioned for seven days in deionized water at
90 °C. Then, on the cooled and dried out parts a sand-blasted form approximately 50 - 70 mm

long and 20 mm in diameter is stuck in the center of the cleaned coating area using the two-
component adhesive Araldite (by Ciba-Geigy).

The form and test specimen are then dried for about 3 hours at 50 °C. Finally, around the periphery
 of the form a strip of the adhesive approximately 1 - 2 mm wide is removed using an arbour-type
cutter. This avoids the possibility of a faulty assessment due to an accumulation of the adhesive.

The specimen, prepared in the manner described above, is then clamped without distortion into
a tensile testing machine.

The following equipment is needed for these tests:

- instrument for testing layer thickness
- high-voltage tester (dc 0 – 15 kV)
- impacting equipment with drop weight, minimum fall height 1 m (0,5 kg impact
weight).
- methylisobutylcetone for testing linking
- tensile machine for testing adhesion
- test plates measuring 40 x 60 x 10 mm, made of the same casting material as the pro-
ducts, plus cylindrical punches 20 mm in diameter
- oval test punches for the external and internal surfaces of a cylindrical fitting part
- water basin for the 7-day hot water test at 90 °C
- subsurface test (voltmeter with temperature monitoring)

We would like to inform you that the Hawle epoxy coating process is a mass production
process and every five seconds, (approximate) valves are coated in the epoxy
coating bath. In context to this ITP plan, the coating of these project valves is coated in
different batches according to the valve sizes and pressure rating,

During the third-party inspection of the project, we will furnish the latest coating internal
monitoring documents for third party inspector review. The coating internal monitoring
documents can be corelated to the Hawle products produced for this project and ensure the
Quality assurance RAL-GZ 662

we would like to invite PAW representatives to check the previous tested test pieces in our
showroom. We can demonstrate the impact resistance test in our showroom in the available
test pieces during the Factory acceptance test (Factory visit).

2) ITP is related to manual operated Gate valve only & not for Motorized Gate valves.

Hawle response – As per Bill of Quantities, we have proposed the Manual Gate valves for this
project.
3) As per the approved CRS, 15% of the total quantity of each size to be inspected by TPI,
whereas in the ITP 62 Nos of DN300 PN25 valves only considered. This has to be
clarified.

Hawle response: Please note that the Gate valve’s Casting parts are produced in mass
productions. Each ordered Gate valves for this project carries Casting 3.1 certificates with
chemical composition and Mechanical properties, it complies to EN 1563. These certificates
ensure the castings quality requirements.

Accordingly, we are proposing the Gate valve’s witness TPI quantities 15 % as per attached
annexure#1. The inspection quantities will be 72 Nos out of 467 Nos total quantities.

The EGM foundry is the only foundry approved for Hawle- Austria products approved by
PAW. We would like to provide you detailed information about our foundry – EGM, (Hawle
Owned foundry).

Introduction:

Capacity:
- 6,600-ton Castings, Turnover: appr. 21 Mio in 2019.
- Approximate - 120 employees & 5 apprentices
Production process:
- Sand preparation
- Melting Shop
- Core making
- Moulding line HWS
- Moulding line DISA
- Pouring Facility
- Sandblasting Facility
Please note that Gate valve’s castings are produced in larger batches, especially for smaller
sizes in the two-above machines HWS and DISA. These machines produce casting of 80 boxes
and 350 boxes every hour respectively.

For example, the Gate valve’s body DN100 are casted minimum 600 nos in a machine and then
the setting of the machine has to be changed for the next sizes.

The production in EGM foundry is mass production and the procurement process between
Hawle- headquarters and EGM is fully automated procurement process.

After consulting with our factory and foundry, we are proposing the Gate valve’s witness TPI
quantities 15 % as per attached annexure#1.

Anticipating your kind understanding in this regard.

Please feel free to contact us for more information.

With best regards.