A&B Irrigation aging pipeline was experiencing leaks and the couplings needed to be replaced. Turning to Hymax Versa, the organisation has found its ideal solution.
BY DENNY SETZER
A&B Irrigation is a co-op water irrigation district located near Rupert, Idaho, the US, that serves 82,000 acres of farmland, irrigating malt barley, sugar beets, potatoes, alfalfa, corn, and bean crops. The district diverts 210,000 acres-feet per year, which is pulled from the Snake River and up a 140-foot canyon wall. The water continues through a 78-inch steel pipe over 1,400-foot to an open canal trench to supply water to more than 200 farmers and ranchers.
Irrigation operations run from March or April through September or October, depending on weather conditions.
How Hymax Versa helps
The Hymax Versa wrap-around coupling offered a solution for replacing the dresser multi-bolt couplings. The coupling can open like a clamp but offers the durability, dynamic deflection, and seal of a Krausz coupling. Weighing in at 22lbs with only six bolts to tighten on each side, the Hymax Versa is lightweight and quick to install compared to a multi-bolt dresser, which can weigh 500-600lbs with 24-30 bolts to tighten.
Dresser bolts also needed to be removed and then tightened when the coupling is in place whereas the Hymax bolts only need to be loosened to open the coupling and then tightened upon installation. The federal government engineers noted that the coupling required a higher pressure value than what the Hymax Versa provided, so Krausz created a customised version to meet this requirement, and also have it fit on the pipe’s outside diameter of 78-inch.
Made from stainless steel, the Hymax Versa can withstand harsh Idaho winters, and features a weld-free construction to make it resistant to corrosion. The elimination of welds is crucial since these areas are where corrosion often starts. The Hymax Versa also has a hydraulic pressure-assisted gasket that inflates as the water pressure increases. This allows for dynamic deflection that provides a type of shock absorber to minimise damage due to shifts caused by extreme cold.
A&B Irrigation found that the section between the pipes were sealed up with sediment, and the only way to separate the pipes was to tear them apart. The pipe ends were also severely corroded, and the pipe ends needed to be removed so the coupling could latch onto undisturbed steel.
With the original connectors removed, the ends of the pipe standing at 2-inch apart were sandblasted and repainted to protect against corrosion. A crane was brought in to lift the Hymax Versa into place on the pipe. The coupling was closed around the pipe, and the 12 bolts were tightened to complete the installation.
With the success of using the Hymax Versa, A&B Irrigation has made plans to replace all the old connectors last October in a project that will be completed within 2-3 weeks.
Denny Setzer is territory sales manager of Krausz, a Mueller brand.
The full article is published on the latest edition of Water & Wastewater Asia May/Jun 2021 issue. To continue reading the article, click here.
