The Big thaw and lateral thinking.

[Grizzly]

Hi Guys!

So I am on call and Sunday morning I go online to look at one of our larger sites we look after.

No Alarms etc.,just thought it would be a good!
To notice one of the 2 large evaporative condensers on the Chill store was showing a low sump level Alarm. (Low water level ) to you or I.
Below is what I walked into.

15124 15125

This pipework is 1 1/4" ABS. Its now Sunday afternoon and what am I going to get hold of to repair it? As by now 1 Condenser was off and the second was rapidly running out of water.
Both Mains water fill lines had shattered.


With a huge help from the site VMU. Guys.
I was allowed to call out their oncall Hydraulic Pipeline fitter.
Who Made up the bellow pipe.
Subsequently I have found out most wholesalers carry little or no stock of ABS pipe and fittings.
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I ended up quite pleased with a good result which could of resulted in a complete Plant shutdown.
And the plant can cope at present with the temp. repair.

Happy Days!

[RANGER1]

Grizzly,
We are lucky, as just go to Bunnings in our part of the world.
UK has Australian Bunnings Hardware, but apparently it has not taken off in UK due to existing opposition established UK company.
They have agricultural pipe & fittings as well.
Sadly I am to late to recommend, as probably will shut down all it’s stores in UK.

[Quality]

little bit of of engineering and its sorted ;)

[Wadman]

Grizzly,
We are lucky, as just go to Bunnings in our part of the world.
UK has Australian Bunnings Hardware, but apparently it has not taken off in UK due to existing opposition established UK company.
They have agricultural pipe & fittings as well.
Sadly I am to late to recommend, as probably will shut down all it’s stores in UK.

It's that grim of a situation eh? I had no idea it was that bad. I guess they're suffering serious losses in UK if they're shutting down stores.

[hookster]

Hi Grizzly
Looks like a freeze up after the cold temperatures, did you check the sump heaters?
That temporary repair looks good for a good few years!

[Grizzly]

A good point Hookster and one that normally I would concider.
But in this instance the freeze up I believe was down to a series of weather related issues.

Firstly the weather through that later half of the week was extreme as we all know.
But more importantly on the Wednesday /Thursday I was joking with the site management.
That the ambient temperature was so low (Below System set point) that the Plant was shutdown on Stat satisfied.

Stat satisfied as you know means the condensers are off and their pumps are also off!
Result - standing water in the Incoming Mains pipework.
Yes the Plant has shutdown before with no issues, (6.5 yrs. from new.) however!
Add the thermal properties of snow covered pipes everywhere and the number of days it was exposed.
The sump heaters would protect the sump, but not the water pipes to the ball**** fill valves.

The pipework used was thinner walled than I would expect, so its all being replaced with thick walled ABS from a reputable source.

The temp repair is as you say more than good enough and one which may prompt other should they have a similar issue in the future?

I will be keeping the hose, once replaced in my.
"That may come in handy one day!" Stock.
Other Engineers I have spoken to have related similar stories since.

I appreciate your comment Quality, from an engineer of your calibre that's a compliment.
Hi Ranger.

We do have agricultural stockists etc. down here and I just might of struck lucky with the local one.
I am thinking of Mole Valley Farmers Guys, but would they stock what I needed?
Being a Sunday was also big issue.
Cheers guys.
Grizzly

[RANGER1]

Grizzly,
Never have been exposed to conditions like you had, but what would colder climates have to do to prevent it I wonder?
Do they have a bypass around float to keep a bit of flow or something.
Maybe drain sump & just use fan?
If someone could elaborate.

[Grizzly]

Hi Ranger.
Trace heating (Spiral wound around pipes )and Lagged ( insulated) pipes springs to mind.
Maybe some of our colleagues from colder climates could elaborate?
Grizzly

[cadwaladr]

I guess that would help,coupled to ambient sensors for the trace heating one of my friends who does work (not fridge work)had so many bursts and frozen equipment and they drain down every night the weather we had was a rare event and caught out many so prevention is better than cure I guess,roll on summer!