Gel Pigging Of Water Pipelines

Kiskorpád, Gyál, Pilis: strangely sounding settlement names from Hungary. What is common in the little village and the two cities? The  water pipe network of these locations had been successfully and economically cleaned by a food-grade, biodegradable pigging gel.

Pipelines transporting potable water should be cleaned time to time to prevent biofouling, debris depositing, infections. The experts recommend yearly maintenance cleansing of the water pipes, while in several countries there are pipeline systems that never saw a worker or an equipment to clean though these important “waterways” carry the most precious material needed for human existence. Among the traditional pipe cleaning methods the Hungarian gel pigging system is considered today the most advanced, sustainable and environmental friendly and at the same time affordable technology to keep the interior of water pipes tidy.

The gel material developed by the Hungarian company OKFT Ltd, in close association with the University of Szeged is made of food grade ingredients, but primarily it consists of water. Therefore when degrading after deployment the gel disappears, evaporates. OKFT has developed a well-equipped and target built truck to produce the gels on the site where they are deployed, and undertook the hard introductory work in the water management sector. However, in the beginning only smaller, sporadic works were completed, like the removal of soot deposits from the potable water system of the TEVA Pharmaceutical company in Debrecen, or the dewatering of a 2200 m long under-river 700 mm diameter drinking water pipe near to the city of Vác. Following smaller municipal and corporate water pipe jobs in Hungary and in neighboring Slovakia and Serbia, the 2021 PLANET WATER WORLD Budapest exhibition brought success for the company.

A vivid and highly interested audience visited the booth of OKFT and the blending truck that was also on the show, and the most different entities and organisations have shown great interest to use the”Hydrogel”, as OKFT named the food grade and biodegradable substance.

Since the exhibition OKFT has carried out several cleaning projects with success, with major satisfaction from the clients. The cleaning and disinfection of internal water pipes in the Kecskemét Canning Factory did not cause difficulty for the gel pigging team, in spite of the varying pipe diameters of 100 – 150 – 250 mms. Another  exciting undertaking was in the city of Mezőkövesd where significant volumes of plastic shavings, mud and other contaminants had been removed and transmitted during a pre-commissioning gel-pigging action in the 315 mm diameter pipe.

The popularity of gel pigging is growing day by day. OKFT has won a public tender recently to clean 115000 meters of the water distribution system in the city of Gyál, where iron oxide and manganese deposits are to be cleaned from the inner surface of the pipes. The gel can be used in municipal and corporate water pipelines, district heating pipes, water pipes on ships and drilling platforms, and even in gas pipelines. OKFT participated with success to dewater a subsea section of the Baltic Pipe (900 mm diameter) in Denmark. The gel serves also as a rescue vehicle: OKFT is often called to sites where traditional pigs were stuck and only the flexibility and consistency of the gels get back the lost mechanical pigs from the pipelines.

More information: http://www.hydro-gel.hu/home/