Pipe cover 4

[Cuyanausul]

We are finishing a geothermal pipe system and on top of the insulation we are covering with galvanized steel sheet, unfortunately we found out that they are stollen inmediately. Does any one have experience with a solution to stop steeling other than contracting guards over 10 kmts every 100 mts. Some times we welded the sheets when we used calcium silicate, but now we nare using rockwool, a material that would melt if over heated, any sugestions?
pictures at

http://www.geocities.com/simanmecanica

, (under construction)

 

[Goahead]

If a metal strapping band can be passed around pipe and cover, maybe a metal strapping system with bands located every meter or so will hinder thieves from removing the galvanized sheet covers.

http://www.welding-advisers.com/

 

[eastasia]

haha... no wonder the steel prices are increasing like mad.

back to the issue. Eh... melting Rockwool. What density are you using? would you consider other finishing option?

Base on the material used as mentioned by you, I assume you are insulating hot pipes.

You can either apply Foster mastic as a finishing. If indoor, you can consider Foster 30.36 & outdoor, Foster 35.00. there will be mesh involved in applying this. Or, get alum. foil with self adhesion on one side and stick it to the insulation materials as a fininshing.

There are pro & cons in whatever method or material you chose. For instance, if the pipe is vertical, then the above mentioned both option may be considered. If it's horizontal, I will suggest more of using the Mastic.

Oh yes, Fibreglass fabric may be a good option as well.

By the way, in which country do you require the material. I may be able to advise some suppliers for your consideration especially in asia.

Cheers

 

[Cuyanausul]

We can´t consider other options because the material is already here, ( maybe for future projects we could sugest it). In another project we used a metal cage but it was very expensive. I don´t know the density of the wool but I may ask our client.
We are in El Salvador, in a 40 MW power increase project. All information is very welcome.

 

[btrueblood]

Presumably the locals are taking the sheets because they are large enough to be usable as roofing/siding material? If so, can you cut down the sheets so they are in a less-usable form? Or, as one poster seemed to suggest, glue them onto the insulation using a mastic or epoxy?

 

[Cuyanausul]

And .... yes they are hot pipes, for steam and hot water.

 

[btrueblood]

Hmm. One last suggestion: stencil the biohazard and/or radioactive waste hazard symbols onto the sheets. This may or may not deter thieves, but might dampen subsequent resale of the sheets to other people. Also, it would provide you with the ability to track down the sheets (just drive thru local villages looking for the symbols...)

 

[Cuyanausul]

Cutting down, that would be expensive because they hand installed. Stenciling, we´ve done it before, but the truth is they are taken by very poor villagers, and we can´t put them to jail you know. This are good ideas.
One idea I had was to make them larger too and this idea was sumitted to the client but they did´nt like it

 

[kenre]

If you can insulate them, i would fit an electric fence controller or 12 to the sheets.

 

[Cuyanausul]

Ambiental considerations would not allow it, because there are a lot of children playing around.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Pay the villagers to wrap the insulation with leaves bound with twine, which you also pay them to make. Do it every year; make a festival of it. Award prizes for particular neat and/or artistic wrappings.






Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Cuyanausul]

The client has decided to weld the sheets with tin, does any one know a last generation technology or new equipment please....

 

[MikeHalloran]

I guess you could use a lockseam and/or solder.

That may slow down the thieves to somewhere near the replacement rate...



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Cuyanausul]

Any information of where to find lockseam designs? or procedures...
THANK YOU

 

[MikeHalloran]

There are a number of ways to make a lockseam; the choice usually depends on which tooling you have. You may be familiar with standing seam metal roofs, formed from simple and slightly asymmetrical pans. The standing flanges from adjacent pans are folded over, sometimes once, sometimes twice. Similarly, round metal tube for air distribution systems is commonly shipped with the seam open, and many pieces nested. The seam snaps together by hand. Variations for rectangular tube may use two lockseams at diagonally opposite corners, which may snap together, or may require folding at assembly. You can find examples at your local building supply house, or order from McMaster-Carr.

The point is, whatever shop is engaged to make the cover sections will probably have its own variation on a lockseam. Some but not all snap together and stay together permanently.

Some can be manipulated open again, given idle hands. So you would supplement the lockseam with solder. You will need a _very_ serious soldering iron; probably the kind you heat in a blacksmith's forge.




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Cuyanausul]

If we have Rock Wooll as insulation under the metal sheet cover, how do you close the lockseam?, there is no back support to press it...
Does any one know a modern system for soldeering, faster, more echonomical? I have 16 gauge galvanized sheet...

 

[MikeHalloran]

Wow, 16 gauge seems very thick for pipe cover.

On the other hand, it opens up the option of using a simple lap seam, closed by self-drilling screws and a few pop rivets.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Cuyanausul]

Ups, sorry you are right, it is 26 gage. And we are already using rivets. And now what we are looking for is the cheapest an fastest welding procedure for it.

 

[MikeHalloran]

The smallest portable MIG welder you can find would probably work just fine. Well, you might have to buy a slightly more expensive one to get down to the ~15A of welding current you will need.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Cuyanausul]

Thank you