Product category:
Welding, cutting and adhesive bonding
News Release from: Huntingdon Fusion Techniques | Subject: Argweld Quick Purge
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 March 2007
Milford Haven LNG plant argon welding
systems
Major argon gas cost savings have been achieved at Milford Haven with the HFT Argweld Quick Purge system, developed and tested on site by HFT engineers from nearby Burry Port
Huntingdon Fusion Techniques help with major cost savings at LNG terminal The strategically significant multi-million pound LNG receiving facilities currently under construction near Milford Haven underpin the major project to receive gas in liquid form from Qatar and distribute it throughout the United Kingdom, via a 128 km long pipeline link between the port and a terminal near Gloucester A receiving station will transport liquefied gas from the ships to massive storage tanks each holding 160,000 cu m
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 6 Jun 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Handling this liquid and transporting the gas puts the total project amongst the biggest in the current global engineering tasks.
An integral part of the project involves welding the large diameter stainless steel pipework, used between the unloading jetties and the storage tanks.
Two leading engineering construction companies are currently undertaking the fabrication work.
Further reading
Clean, tidy welds result from revised backing tape
A new weld backing tape used in the welding of seams or runs, which helps to prevent weld failures and produce flat, slag-free welds requiring no grinding or back-gouging, has been introduced
Water-soluble film for a weld internal barrier
Creating a controlled environment around a weld inside a pipe or tube can be difficult but using water-soluble plastic film as a purge barrier contributes to efficiency and overall cost effectiveness
It became clear during the early stages of the welding operations that consumption of argon, used as a protective gas to purge air from the weld zone and prevent contamination of the stainless steel joints, was extremely high.
To reduce gas consumption, gas supplier BOC worked with Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT) in nearby Burry Port.
An innovative and more eco-friendly solution was developed and the HFT Argweld Quick Purge system was selected to reduce gas wastage.
The benefits were noted immediately.
Gas consumption dropped by 90%, saving over GBP2500 per month for the contractors.
To date, since the initial contact, Huntingdon Fusion Techniques have supplied 15 complete Quick Purge Systems to the fabricators.
Project Technical Data.
The liquid methane transit and storage pipework is all fabricated from stainless steel (grade 316) and to pipe standards between schedule 10 and schedule 100.
With pipe diameters ranging from 200 to 750 mm and typical lengths of 10 m the demands on handling and welding to meet the stringent joint acceptance levels impose particularly high quality control standards for which specific procedures have been developed.
The original welding procedure called for gas purging of the pipe diameter prior to and during welding to be undertaken using proprietary foam dams.
The engineers noted that the dams were taking a long time to locate in position and to remove after welding but of even more concern was the very high consumption of argon gas during the purge process caused by leakage.
Specialist weld purging company Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT), conveniently located in Burry Port in South Wales, were contacted and Technical staff examined the problem.
Within a matter of hours HFT staff had identified a potential solution and drove across to Pembroke with a selection of purge systems which would allow the fabricators to carry out controlled tests. Request a free brochure from Huntingdon Fusion Techniques ...
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