Preinsulated Pipe
Bandmuffing
Installation of Pipework
On Site Engineering
Contract Value:
£215,640
Client:
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
Timescale:
Sept - Dec 2002
The heating mains on the Council’s Eldon Street Estate had significantly exceeded its expected working life. Due to a growing number of bursts, local residents were suffering regular disruption and inconvenience, whilst the Council itself was incurring increasing maintenance costs. After extensive design, consultation and specification work, Vital Energi subsequently won the contract to replace this ageing infrastructure in the face of fierce competition.
The specification and installation of world-class products. Following a detailed assessment of the project parameters in conjunction with the Council, Vital Energi proposed an efficient and cost effective solution. Valued at £215,640, it would entail the installation of a new heating distribution mains. This scheme undertaking, which affected 225 homes, would utilise our civil engineering, project management and pipelaying expertise. Furthermore, as the existing boiler house was located in the centre of the estate, it was decided the project would be broken down into two distinct sections to keep disruption to a minimum.
Phase 1 involved the installation of 100mm diameter pipes, connecting the on-site boiler house to several of the blocks on the estate. Further blocks of flats were then connected with 80mm pipes in Phase 2. For both phases, Alstom Power FlowSystems pre-insulated pipes were used complete with Band Muff fusion welded joints – an exclusive jointing process capable of extending the pipes’ lifespan from 30 to 50 years. All isolation and interfaces between individual properties and the pipe network were housed in purpose-built, hard wearing, anti-vandal enclosures, located on the external wall of communal areas. In addition, the process of fitting this new equipment to each property and its commissioning was effected with text book shutdowns lasting only 6 hours instead of the planned 8 - keeping disruption to the residents down to a minimum. Vital Energi also installed a computerised surveillance system to continually monitor the performance of the new underground mains system. This state-of-the-art technology enables the early detection of faults, helping to ensure optimum efficiency and minimum downtime.
The Benefits:
Reduced maintenance costs
A solution with increased life expectancy
Increased reliability and security
Reduced down time due to the state-of-the art fault monitoring system
Conclusion
Following on from this project, we are currently negotiating with the Council to provide a long-term maintenance package, and obtain grant funding for a CHP bolier to be installed into the schemes existing energy centre and conduct an internal refurbishment programme on the dwellings.
