HDPE Clean outs

[brnt]

I am an inspector on the construction of a large recreational facility. I work for an engineering firm who have been hired by a Town who owns the facility to oversee the Towns interest. We didnt design or engineer any part of the facility. Part of the design includes running a 200mm high pressure HDPE sanitary force main about a mile up an entrance road to tie into the Towns sanitary system. Included in the design are 4 cleanouts spaced along the forcemain. I have worked on a few construction projects involving sanitary force mains but none of these projects had cleanouts. The engineering firm who designed the force main is the mechanical engineer for the building and I don't think their forte is designing force mains. I was wondering if its the usual practise to have cleanouts on a HDPE forcemain?

 

[RRichardson]

I'm not sure. But in my City, I have seen pressurized manholes. Force mains should be self cleaning. However, if a hydro truck needs to clean the main, the typical reach is limited to 400 feet. You should have some type of access every 400 feet for cleaning.

 

[stanier]

It is relatively easy to hot tap into a PE pipeline and thus emergency clean outs are not considered necessary.

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”
---B.B. King

http://waterhammer.hopout.com.au/

 

[bimr]

No cleanouts are required for forcemains.

On pump startup, the forcemain should be designed to have a velocity of approximately 3.5 feet/sec. A fluid velocity with that speed is adequate to resuspend solids that will settle out when the forcemain stops.

If cleaning was necessary, a Contractor will insert a pig and run it through the entire forcemain.

http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/upload/2002_06_28_mtb_force_main_sewers.pdf

 

[dicksewerrat]

If the cleanouts do go in, make sure they are well protected from traffic and vandaliism. If one is broken the sewage will be a fountain.

Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.

http://WWW.amlinereast.com