Hydrotesting of

pipe systems

version 1.8.2004
Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Soluforce® pipe
1.2 About this document

2 TYPICAL MATERIAL AND PRODUCT PROPERTIES

2.1 Visco-elastic properties
2.2 Polyethylene material
2.3 Aramid fibres
2.4 Soluforce® pipe-construction
2.5 Time and temperature exchangeability

3 HYDROTESTING SOLUFORCE® PIPE SYSTEMS

3.1 Hydrotesting of surface installed pipe
3.2 Hydrotesting of buried pipe
3.3 Hydrotest equipment

4 TIME AND TEMPERATURE EFFECTS DURING HYDROTESTING

4.1 Introduction
4.2 Pressurisation speed
4.3 Temperature during pressurisation
4.4 Temperature changes during leak and strength test

5 SAFETY TABLE

6 PIPELIFE SERVICE
6.1 Latest document version
6.2 More information

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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Soluforce® Pipe

In contrast to steel pipe with constant properties, Soluforce® pipe consists of thermoplastic
material having time and temperature dependent material properties. The time and
temperature dependent material propertie is known as the visco-elastic behaviour of plastics.
As a result of this visco-elastic properties hydrotesting of Soluforce® pipe includes some
extra phenomena.

1.2 About this document

This document is a guideline how to hydrotest a Soluforce® pipe system. It makes you aware
of the typical material properties of the Soluforce® products and how these properties show
up during hydrotesting. Further more it makes you aware of the safety measures.

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2 Typical material and product properties
2.1 Visco-elastic properties

Steel consists of dens fixed material. The steel molecules are crystallised in a fixed structure
giving them the linear material properties. These properties are depending on temperature,
but not time dependent as for thermoplastic materials. The temperature dependency of the
steel properties is also smaller compared to that of thermoplastic material.

Soluforce® consists of the thermoplastic material Polyethylene and synthetic fibres.

2.2 Polyethylene material (liner-pipe and cover material)

Polyethylene consists of long flexible molecule chains (spaghetti alike), which can only
crystallise for a certain part. The other part stays flexible (amorph, non-crystallised) like a
bunch of Italian spaghetti. By putting tension on the material the material elongates. The
amorph face also starts to move, trying to lower the applied tension by orientation of the
molecules, resulting in more elongation. This phenomena is called relaxation or creep.
Relaxation, the movement of the material, proceeds at a certain velocity which is a typical
material property and which is temperature dependent. So, relaxation takes time.
If tension is actuated in a short time on the material up to the maximum tension (with a high
velocity), most of the relaxation will take place after the tension is set, so all the time needed
for the relaxation takes place after the setting of the tension. At elevated temperatures the
material can move more easily and the relaxation goes quicker, resulting in a shorter time for
the relaxation.
If the tension is gradually applied on the material, the material can start relaxation during the
gradual tension increase. After the tension is set, most of the relaxation already took place.
So, only a small part of the relaxation will take place after the setting of the tension.

As a result of the very long flexible molecular chains, which is typical for Polyethylene,
relaxation never ends. However relaxation takes place logarithmic with time, so, most of the
relaxation takes place directly (80%).

2.3 Aramid fibers (reinforcement)

Aramid fibres consists of ridged molecular polymer chains (matches alike), which can easily
crystallise up to 90% or more. The other small part is well-arranged (bunch of matches, after
shacking). As a result of this molecular construction of the Aramid fibres, the properties are
much more metal alike. However, still some relaxation takes place. This relaxation is very
small compared to polyethylene.

2.4 Soluforce® pipe construction

In the Soluforce® pipe construction Aramid fibres take up the load. So, the visco-elastic
behaviour of the Soluforce® pipe is very small. However, in virgin Soluforce® pipe the
reinforcing material, Aramid cords, have not been loaded yet. At the first pressurisation of a
virgin Soluforce® pipe all the Aramid fibres must be aligned first, before they start bearing any
force. This is a well-known phenomenon for cables and is called setting of the material.

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During setting of the reinforcement the polyethylene components of the pipe take up the
load. Polyethylene has a much smaller modulus compared to Aramid fibres, so, the pipe
starts to increase in diameter rather quickly. At a certain pressure (± 30 bar for M480, 1.5%
increase of the outer diameter) the Aramid fibres will take up the load. Now the diameter
increase is much smaller because of the larger Aramid modulus. Also this setting of the
Aramid fibres can be seen as relaxation, it takes time.

2.5 Time and temperature exchangeability

In the movement of the molecular chains and in general for all chemistry the velocity off an
effect is time and temperature dependant. Both, time and temperature are exchangeable.
This means that for finishing a certain effect there are two ways: One way is just to wait until
the time needed for the effect has past, the other way is to increase the temperature and
every thing goes faster.

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3 Hydrotesting Soluforce® pipe systems
3.1 Hydrotesting of surface installed pipe

Hydrotesting for above ground installed pipe can be done in the following way:

1. Load the pig in the pipe-end on the lowest level ;

2. Connect the test equipment at the pipe-end on the lowest level ;
3. Fill the pipe with water at the pipe-end on the lowest level (see table 1) ;
4. Connect the test equipment at the end where the pig emerges after filling ;
5. Make sure the whole pipe is filled with water ;
6. Pressurise the pipe with 1 to maximum 2 bars a minute up to 1.25 times the operating
pressure but never higher than the maximal hydrotest pressure. This pressure can be
found in the Soluforce® data sheet document (see chapter c) ;
7. Close the valves and record the pressure during at least 2 up to 4 hours at most ;
8. The pipe will be leakage free, if the pressure drop decreases in time. Normally the drop is
± 4 bars in the first 15 minutes, ±2 bars for the next 15 minutes, ±1 bars next 15 minutes
and so on.

Hydrotest serface installed pipe

(Dessert of Oman, temp. ± 50°C

70

60

50
Pressure [bars]

Temp. effect
40

30

20

10

0
13:55 15:07 16:19 17:31 18:43

Time

Figure 1: typical hydrotest for surface installed Soluforce® pipe

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3.2 Hydrotesting of buried pipe

Hydrotesting of buried pipe can be done in the following way:

1. Load the pig in the pipe-end on the lowest pipe level ;

2. Connect the test equipment at the pipe-end on the lowest pipe level ;
3. Fill the pipe with water at the pipe-end on the lowest level (see table 1) ;
4. Connect the test equipment at the end where the pig emerges after filling ;
5. Wait at least 12 to 24 hours for conditioning the pipe temperature ;
9. Pressurise the pipe with 1 to maximum 2 bars a minute up to 1.25 times the operating
pressure but never higher than the maximal hydrotest pressure. This pressure can be
found in the Soluforce® data sheet document (see chapter c) ;
6. Close the valves and record the pressure during at least 2 hours up to 4 hours at most ;
7. Record the pressure drop. If possible measure the amount of water needed to increase
the pressure again to the above mentioned pressure ;
8. Now, gently decrease the pressure down to the operating pressure. If possible, measure
the amount of water which is released ;
9. Close the valve and record the pressure for 24 hours ;
10. The pipe will be leakage free, if the pressure drop decreases in time.

Hydrotest of burried pipe

(The Netherlands, temp. ± 8°C)

140 95

120 90

100 85
Pressure [bars]

80 80
Pressurising and
strength test

60 75 Leakage test

40 70

20 65

0 60
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600

Time [minutes]

Figure 2: typical hydrotest for buried Soluforce® pipe

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3.3 Hydrotest equipment

For hydrotesting a Soluforce® pipe the hydrotest crew needs the following tools:

¾ 2 connection flanges and gaskets. Standard this is 6" 600 or 300 pounds ;
¾ Pressure pump ;
¾ Water tank (for water consumption see Soluforce® data sheet document Table C1) ;
¾ Pressure gouge with recorder
¾ PUR foam pig

4 Time and Temperature effects during Hydrotesting

4.1 Introduction

As shown in paragraph 2, the Soluforce® material properties are time and temperature
dependent. Next it will be shown what can be expected during hydrotesting as a result of
these typical properties.

4.2 Pressurisation speed

It is advised to pressurise the Soluforce® pipe system with 1 to maximal 2 bars a minute. At a
low pressurisation speed the pipe system gets the opportunity to start the relaxation and
setting process during the pressurisation. This results is a minimal pressure decrease after
closing the valve. At a high pressurisation speed relaxation and setting will start after the
setting of the pressure resulting in a larger pressure drop.

4.3 Temperature during pressurisation

The pressure decrease after closing the valve is also dependent on the temperature. If a pipe
is pressurised at the same pressurisation speed in the wintertime and in the summer time, or
in the morning time and in the afternoon, the pressure decrease after closing the valve is
different. In summer time or in the afternoon relaxation and setting proceeds more quickly
and the pressure decrease is smaller, than in the cooler periods.

4.4 Temperature changes during leak and strength test

Comparable to steel pipe and water, Soluforce® pipe expands and shrinks as a result of
changing temperature. During hydrotesting over several hours or even during a hole day the
ambient temperature changes. As an effect off the expansion coefficients of the water and
the Soluforce® pipe the internal pressure will follow the temperature, so increasing
temperature will increase the internal pressure. During hydrotesting this appears as a step in
the pressure time curve.

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5 SAFETY TABLE
Handling / situation
General
All lifting activities
Pressurisation
Danger Pre-cautions
®
Get hurt Only permit trained personal to hydrotest a Soluforce
pipe system.
Work conform the installation guide ;
Get stuck between material and/ or Always use certified lifting equipment, like chains,
equipment ; slings etc. ;
Get struck by falling equipment ; Always maintain enough distance from lifted objects ;
Always wear safety shoes ;
Get struck by exploding parts. Always make sure people are not close to the
pressurised pipe during the test ;
Always put warning signs near the pipe-ends, telling
people to stay at least 20 meters away ;

6 PIPELIFE SERVICE
6.1 Latest document version

To be sure you have the latest version of this document, please check on the Soluforce®
internet site: http\www.Soluforce.com.

6.2 More Information

For more information or advice contact:

Pipelife Nederland b.v.

Flevolaan 7
1601 MA Enkhuizen
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 228 355555
Fax: +31 228 355666
Email: info@pipelife.nl
Internet: http://www.pipelife.nl

Date: August 1st, 2004

Copyright: Pipelife Nederland bv

Disclaimer: All products purchased from or supplied by Pipelife are subjected to terms and conditions set out in the
contract, order acknowledgement and/or bill of lading.

Pipelife warrants only that its product will meet those specifications designated in such contracts, order
acknowledgements, and/or bills of loading. All other information including that herein, supplied by Pipelife, is
considered accurate but is furnished upon the express conditions that the customer shall make his own
assessment to determine the product’s suitability for a particular purpose.
Pipelife makes no other warranty either express or implied, regarding such other information, the data upon
which the same is based, or the results to be obtained from the use thereof; that any products shall be
merchantable or fit for any particular purpose; or that the use of such other information or product will not
infringe any patent.

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