Long-Term Solution to Leaking Cooling Tower Water Supply Line
- Project completed without a shutdown
- Repair included four layers of fiberglass reinforced composites
- Solution successfully lasted 8 years until next scheduled turnaround
- Location: United States
- Contractor: STRUCTURAL
A North American refinery had 2 underperforming cooling tower supply lines due to deterioration. The pipes (36” in diameter and 300 ft. long) had thinning walls, breaches, leaking water and severe steel pipe pitting. Not scheduled for an outage for another 3-5 years, the refinery needed a repair.
STRUCTURAL developed a solution for the client that allowed the work to be performed while the cooling tower was operational. The high-strength fiberglass composite system featured a factory‑impregnated moisture-cured urethane (MCU) resin system that is moisture-activated by water and cures rapidly. Prior to installation, the pitted areas were resurfaced with an epoxy grout to ensure proper bond.
The solution performed for over eight years when the piping was replaced in a scheduled turnaround.
