Steel producer ArcelorMittal Gent discovered a crack in one of their high-pressure pipes of the blast furnaces. Since welding was not an option an alternative had to be found. An AVK stainless steel repair clamp was mounted at a height of 60 meters and solved the problem.
A crack at a height of 60 meters
In the blast furnaces in ArcelorMittal in Gent, iron ore is converted into liquid pig iron. This forms the ideal basis for the production of steel. In a blast furnace, a crack was discovered in one of the high-pressure pipes and this could have had major consequences.Arcelor's technical service explains: "The high-pressure pipes play a crucial role in production. These pipes take care of the discharge of gas, which means that the pressure on the chambers stays the same. If the crack in the high-pressure pipe becomes too large, the blast furnace will not receive sufficient pressure. This has major consequences because the blast furnace then must be shut down. Since welding the pipe is not an option, we started looking for an alternative. We contacted AVK Belgium."
AVK analyzed the problem, and the solution was a double band stainless steel repair clamp, type FS20. After passing on the pipe dimensions, a custom-made stainless steel repair clamp was designed by AVK Rewag in the Netherlands with a tolerance of 905-925 mm. The AVK technical team informed ArcelorMittal about tightening the bolts and the repair clamp was mounted. Since the crack was located at a height of 60 meters, a large crane was used to mount the repair clamp.
"Until the replacement is ready, we can bridge it with the AVK repair clamp."The technical service is satisfied with the outcome: "The intended result has been achieved because the crack in the high-pressure pipe remains closed. In September the high-pressure pipe will be replaced. Until the replacement is ready, we can bridge it with AVK's repair clamp."
How does the repair clamp work?
The AVK stainless steel repair clamp is a fast, reliable, professional and maintenance-free solution. The clamps repair almost any type of pipe. A pipe with a crack or hole can be repaired temporarily or permanently. The stainless-steel repair clamps are passivated to ensure optimum corrosion resistance.
A repair clamp consists of a stainless-steel plate with threaded ends, nuts, and washers. This plate is mounted around the pipe. The inside of the repair clamp is fitted with a waffle structured rubber lining with rounded tops and a vulcanized spanner plate to ensure proper sealing.
