Many water treatment companies recognise the desire for their water systems to contain only the highest levels of clean water before commissioning the work on systems. At the stage of pre-commissioning, contaminants must be removed; otherwise performance will not be at its maximum.
So the potential buyer should be looking for an entirely comprehensive pre-commission cleaning service. The following services will be provides upon setting-up an appointment: tank cleaning, pipework disinfection of cooling systems, and water tank maintenance; elite, specialised cleaning of water systems, leak detection, chlorination, etc.
For pipeline pressure testing in addition to chlorination sampling, testing of hydrants, chlorinated drinking systems, and pressure testing are all part of the standard service package. For the most elite services that cover issues relating to the construction and utility industry, we are knowledgeable with regard to digital flow gauges and chemical units.
We supply quality services throughout the UK and have gradually become one of the top providers in the business. On the day of your appointment, a trained operative will arrive at the site before we commence pre-commission procedures. Flushing points and sewage draining points will be accessed, making sure there is adequate functioning. A method statement will then be manufactured for approval, and then a license will need to be created for by the closest water authority to pass.
Unfortunately, this legal requirement is a must in instances when chemical water is being dumped into the sewer. After results are received, there will be a number of processes that will be presented. Moreover, the system is to be pressure tested and vented before we arrive at the site. The cleaning process is relatively elaborate and is mentioned briefly in the following list: firstly, dynamic system flushing takes place, removing debris, etc., then a biocide wash is undertaken to remove bacteria; then, a chemical cleaning ensues, to loosen deposits in the piping; system inhibiting is begun to ensure there is little water to metal corrosion taking place.
Lastly, back flushing is initiated, which removes debris from terminal units. After all of these steps are finished, documents detailing the procedure will be forwarded to related authorities.
Heavy duty keys and Lifting keys have been around since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Mainly used to aid in the maintenance of pipes, valves, and manholes in structures such as industrial water systems and public plumbing and sewage, they are essential tools for maintenance, especially in large-scale utilities. Although there have been many technological developments that provide the functions of these simple machines, such as vacuum and hydraulic systems, their more seminal and handy forms are still very much useful and widely available in the market today.
Heavy duty keys and lifting keys are usually made of hand forged and welded iron containing a few other alloys to produce strong and reliable tools. Like other tools that are made specifically for particular coverings and water-tight locking mechanisms, heavy duty keys and lifting keys come in a range of sizes and designs.
A number of utility manufacturing companies produce these tools around the world. Vernon Morris, a UK-based supplier of utility products, has been in the business of manufacturing tools like heavy duty keys and lifting keys for over 60 years. Apart from this, Vernon Morris also produces other equipment such as flow gauges and pressure recorders, flow and pressure testing kits, and other water industry tools and maintenance technologies. Vernon Morris heavy duty keys come in five models of different dimensions as well as a six piece array of lifting keys.
The Heavy duty keys have round full handles while lifting keys have models of either T or full handles. The variance of handles is solely for the preference of the user depending on what type is easier and more comfortable to manipulate. However, the tips of lifting keys are of diverse shapes to fit any type of manhole covering so it’s best to have a set handy. The Vernon Morris product line also offers similar tools; a more common one is the valve key.
A simple T-shaped tool, the valve key is more universal compared to heavy duty and lifting keys. Vernon Morris valve keys come in a choice of economical aluminum alloy types or the guaranteed durability of plated carbon steel. Other useful tools within the same product line are listening sticks. Listening sticks are used to identify certain problems within the pipelines by listening to the flow of water and looking for any unusual indications of flow and pressure. These come in different models and materials as well such a choice of wooden or plastic earpieces.
Vernon Morris Utility Solutions, Ltd. has successfully supplied the United Kingdom and its global partners with water utility equipment ranging from hydrants and pumps to chlorinators, meters, and test kits for over 60 years. Vernon Morris products are approved by Achilles and the Utility Prequalification Scheme, which serves its 20 member countries by identifying, qualifying, evaluating and monitoring suppliers for the provision of satisfactory products to the water industry.
When a utility purchases products from Vernon Morris Utility Solutions, it knows it will receive reliable, durable equipment from a company that stands behind what it sells. Vernon Morris offers three digital flow gauges that use differential pressure sensors to provide a digital readout of water flow. Each flow gauge is made of high-density durable plastic, and allows for field calibration as necessary or as scheduled. The first flow gauge is sized at 2-1/2″, and measures water flows between 24 and 2000 litres per minute (lpm) at static pressures of between 0 and 140 mhd. A second flow gauge is sized at 3″, and measures water flows between 150 and 4600 lpm at static pressures of between 0 and 140 mhd.
These two flow gauges are sufficient to meet nearly any utility’s requirements. The third flow gauge is sized at 1-1/2″, and measures water flows between 10 and 200 lpm–perfect for most line flushing operations. The utility avoids charging customers for the water used to clean the pipe, leading to better customer relations, and can yet record the amount of water used for a successful flushing operation. Fire fighting is a primary reason for water supply systems to exist, and the importance of maintaining working fire hydrants is immeasurable in terms of human safety and property protection.
Hydrant testing and valve exercising operations should be performed at least annually on all hydrants within a water system’s pervue. Vernon Morris understands this, and offers hydrant flow gauges and mains testing outfits to help keep customers safe. The hydrant digital flow gauges are made of high-density durable plastic, and measure flows between 2.6 and 60 lps. The hydrant digital flow gauges may also be calibrated in the field. Finally, Vernon Morris offers a hydrant standpipe with a digital flow gauge attached. The digital flow gauge measures flows from 100 to 2000 lpm.
The standpipe is made from gunmetal, or for a slight additional charge, chrome, and does not interfere with the proper and safe operation of the hydrant. This configuration enables the utility workers (or the fire fighters) to see at a glance that the flow to the hydrant is sufficient for their needs, without attaching equipment to the hydrant and opening it up.
Should the standard digital flow gauges and equipment described above not meet a utility’s specific needs, Vernon Morris partners with Severn Trent Water to provide customized design services in the arena of digital flow gauges and equipment. No matter what equipment a water utility requires to supply safe, clean water to its customers, Vernon Morris Utility Solutions, Ltd. can assist.
Fire hydrants, also known as a standpipes, are located along various points on a water mains network. A hydrant standpipe allows the flow of water from the main to feed an attached firefighter’s hose to put out a fire. Above-ground fire hydrants got their start in the 1800s, but underground hydrants were in operation in Asia and Europe as far back as the 1700s. Fire hydrants may be referred to by other common names, such as “fire plug” or “Johnny pump” depending on the locality.
In the old days, before fire hydrants were invented, firefighters had no choice but to use bucket brigades or hand pumps to deliver water for putting out fires.
Nowadays, firefighters connect their fire hose to the hydrant and opens a valve to release water from the water main to the hose. Hydrants can be fitted with various kinds of valves so that they can be connected to a desired to water source, either pressurized or not. Most fire hydrants are designed to accommodate a rate of flow of no less that 250 gallons (about 950 liters) per minute. There are generally two kinds of hydrants: the dry barrel and the wet barrel. The wet barrel hydrant contains a constant supply of water, while a valve needs to be released to let water flow.
The principal advantage of a dry barrel hydrant is that it avoids the situation where the water supply can get frozen in cold weather. Some wet barrel hydrants are made of bronze in place of iron, or they may be given a rust-resistive coating on the inside. The barrel of a fire hydrant is what gives its “standpipe” name. Some hydrants may be rounded, while others be more angular. The outlets are usually made of bronze to ward off corrosion in this vital part that connects to firefighter hoses, but the caps may be of other metal.
Hydrant standpipes are generally manufactured to work with both key and bar or ball valves. They may be available in fixed or swivel heads, and equipped with single or dual-head discharge couplings. The double or dual-headed standpipes are attached to a common base section, but can be installed as a single head by inserting a blank plug into one of the outlets.
In cases where the standpipe will be tapping a drinking water main, then the practice is to insert a one-way or no-return check valve to prevent contamination of the main water from unsafe water that can flow back from the hose into water system. While the primary purpose of hydrant standpipes is to supply water for fire or other emergency situations, the local water utility may allow licensed uses. To obtain a licence, users must go through a risk assessment and application process that will require meeting environmental quality and regulatory conditions.
Despite the fact that it is somewhat outdated technology, steam is still used for many industrial purposes. The era of the steam engine is long gone, but in industrial settings, everything from autoclaves to heated storage vessels to in-floor heating is done using steam.
Most older buildings and almost all large campuses and storage facilities use steam heating, since it is the best way to bring a lot of heat from a central location to a large number of places. The thing is, steam is surprisingly dangerous, especially considering how much of it is found in many industrial settings. A worn or weakened steam pipe may burst without warning, filling a room with boiling steam. This can damage expensive equipment in the room and may injure or kill any workers who happen to be near the pipe when it bursts.
Additionally, pipes can burst when their safety valves fail or have not been properly installed, permitting steam pressure to build up to many times greater than would be safe for the design and construction of the pipe. For this reason, it is essential for any business to install inspectors test kits, so that pipes can routinely be examined for potential steam-related problems. There are a large number of components to any inspector’s test kit. It is not possible, of course, to dismantle every inch of pipe and examine it carefully. Fortunately, modern test kits are designed to simply tap into the pipe at regular intervals and examine the pressure and contents of the steam traveling through the line.
Advanced steam kits can determine the presence of rust particles or other impurities which would indicate that the steam line has begun to degrade, enabling the inspector to quickly narrow down which portions of the pipe need to be replaced or repaired. Some kits are even able to sample data from a specialized spigot or by sensing the temperature and vibration in the metal, enabling the inspector to get more invaluable data. In order to get the most out of these test kits, it is essential for the company employing them to install pressure valves and sample valves at regular intervals. These enable anyone inspecting the line to sample the steam and see what the absolute pressure is, and many double as places where an inspector’s test kit can plug in and gather sample data. These sampling ports and valves also enable those who are working on the line to examine the area for potential hazards, and alert relevant authorities or safety inspectors. In recent years, advances in inspection kits are credited with almost completely eliminating steam-related workplace injuries in the modern world.
It is highly recommended that emergency crews such as firefighters carry some basic steam sampling equipment when in industrial areas, especially since steam is increasingly being used to heat and sterilize equipment in modern bio-manufacturing processes. Properly monitored, steam lines can last almost indefinitely, but all it takes is a single weak joint to result in massive and painful destruction.
For decades, many people have taken tap water for granted. It is cheap, widely available, and reliable. Most people in the first world don’t think about what’s behind the tap when they turn it on, and they never think about waterborne diseases such as cholera or dysentery. Those are third-world problems, and they can always be traced back to inadequate water supply solutions. But increasingly, mismanagement by local authorities, cruel edicts from privatized water companies and natural disasters have shown that it simply isn’t possible to rely on tap water in all cases.
Again and again, water companies have shown disdain for public health by refusing to implement even standard measures of quality, often not upgrading pipes or neglecting to include enough chlorine. Private authorities are even worse, permitting tap water utilities to decay into dust while ratcheting up the fees year after year. Bottled water is sometimes a solution, but increasingly it has become so expensive and produces so much waste in empty bottles that it is a worse option than all but the nastiest tap. While the first world is working hard to force their governments to consider water a right instead of a privilege, companies, missions and persons who live in the third world are increasingly relying on methods of chlorinating their own water. Because the mixture needs to be strong enough to kill microbes but weak enough to not harm the user, often a dosing unit is used.
These machines will automatically add chlorine to water as it is pumped through them, killing any microbes that may survive the filtering process. Dosing units are increasingly being used by persons who live in extremely remote locations and must use well water, or by persons who are working in the third world. Portable dosing units were developed for military applications as far back as the 1940s, but modern dosing units are designed to be simple and easy enough for civilian use. While they cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, they can convert any filtered water source into potable water at a steady rate, requiring only electrical power. Advanced portable dosing units can even supplement or make up for a lack of proper water delivery systems, being able to tap into existing pipes and provide chlorine.
This makes them a must-have for any disaster relief group or public safety agency, since if a water treatment plant is taken offline then water can still be dosed and delivered while it is being repaired. The most rugged of portable dosing units may in fact include battery power and filtering units, making them the ideal solution for scientists or humanitarians who are working in rough field conditions and thus need to turn local water into drinkable water. Such units are also an essential item for persons living in earthquake prone areas, since earthquakes are notorious for ripping up water pipes and forcing residents to live off of reserves or locally available springs.
These units have proven themselves invaluable in Haiti and Chile in recent months, and any humanitarian organization seeking to visit those locations should purchase dosing units before departure.
Fire hydrants, also known as a standpipes, are located along various points on a water mains network. A hydrant standpipe allows the flow of water from the main to feed an attached firefighter’s hose to put out a fire.
Above-ground fire hydrants got their start in the 1800s, but underground hydrants were in operation in Asia and Europe as far back as the 1700s.
Fire hydrants may be referred to by other common names, such as “fire plug” or “Johnny pump” depending on the locality.
In the old days, before fire hydrants were invented, firefighters had no choice but to use bucket brigades or hand pumps to deliver water for putting out fires.
Nowadays, firefighters connect their fire hose to the hydrant and opens a valve to release water from the water main to the hose. Hydrants can be fitted with various kinds of valves so that they can be connected to a desired to water source, either pressurized or not.
Most fire hydrants are designed to accommodate a rate of flow of no less that 250 gallons (about 950 liters) per minute.
There are generally two kinds of hydrants: the dry barrel and the wet barrel.
The wet barrel hydrant contains a constant supply of water, while a valve needs to be released to let water flow.
The principal advantage of a dry barrel hydrant is that it avoids the situation where the water supply can get frozen in cold weather.
Some wet barrel hydrants are made of bronze in place of iron, or they may be given a rust-resistive coating on the inside.
The barrel of a fire hydrant is what gives its “standpipe” name. Some hydrants may be rounded, while others be more angular.
The outlets are usually made of bronze to ward off corrosion in this vital part that connects to firefighter hoses, but the caps may be of other metal.
Hydrant standpipes are generally manufactured to work with both key and bar or ball valves. They may be available in fixed or swivel heads, and equipped with single or dual-head discharge couplings.
The double or dual-headed standpipes are attached to a common base section, but can be installed as a single head by inserting a blank plug into one of the outlets.
In cases where the standpipe will be tapping a drinking water main, then the practice is to insert a one-way or no-return check valve to prevent contamination of the main water from unsafe water that can flow back from the hose into water system.
While the primary purpose of hydrant standpipes is to supply water for fire or other emergency situations, the local water utility may allow licensed uses.
To obtain a licence, users must go through a risk assessment and application process that will require meeting environmental quality and regulatory conditions.
Vernon Morris Utility Solutions, Ltd. has successfully supplied the United Kingdom and its global partners with water utility equipment ranging from hydrants and pumps to chlorinators, meters, and test kits for over 60 years. Vernon Morris products are approved by Achilles and the Utility Prequalification Scheme, which serves its 20 member countries by identifying, qualifying, evaluating and monitoring suppliers for the provision of satisfactory products to the water industry. When a utility purchases products from Vernon Morris Utility Solutions, it knows it will receive reliable, durable equipment from a company that stands behind what it sells.
Vernon Morris offers three digital flow gauges that use differential pressure sensors to provide a digital readout of water flow. Each flow gauge is made of high-density durable plastic, and allows for field calibration as necessary or as scheduled. The first flow gauge is sized at 2-1/2″, and measures water flows between 24 and 2000 litres per minute (lpm) at static pressures of between 0 and 140 mhd. A second flow gauge is sized at 3″, and measures water flows between 150 and 4600 lpm at static pressures of between 0 and 140 mhd. These two flow gauges are sufficient to meet nearly any utility’s requirements. The third flow gauge is sized at 1-1/2″, and measures water flows between 10 and 200 lpm–perfect for most line flushing operations. The utility avoids charging customers for the water used to clean the pipe, leading to better customer relations, and can yet record the amount of water used for a successful flushing operation.
Fire fighting is a primary reason for water supply systems to exist, and the importance of maintaining working fire hydrants is immeasurable in terms of human safety and property protection. Hydrant testing and valve exercising operations should be performed at least annually on all hydrants within a water system’s pervue. Vernon Morris understands this, and offers hydrant flow gauges and mains testing outfits to help keep customers safe. The hydrant digital flow gauges are made of high-density durable plastic, and measure flows between 2.6 and 60 lps. The hydrant digital flow gauges may also be calibrated in the field.
Finally, Vernon Morris offers a hydrant standpipe with a digital flow gauge attached. The digital flow gauge measures flows from 100 to 2000 lpm. The standpipe is made from gunmetal, or for a slight additional charge, chrome, and does not interfere with the proper and safe operation of the hydrant. This configuration enables the utility workers (or the fire fighters) to see at a glance that the flow to the hydrant is sufficient for their needs, without attaching equipment to the hydrant and opening it up.
Should the standard digital flow gauges and equipment described above not meet a utility’s specific needs, Vernon Morris partners with Severn Trent Water to provide customized design services in the arena of digital flow gauges and equipment. No matter what equipment a water utility requires to supply safe, clean water to its customers, Vernon Morris Utility Solutions, Ltd. can assist.
Pressure testing, disinfecting and commissioning is required for private supply pipes and mains pipes before they are allowed to be connected to the public water supply. This is done for two main reasons: to ensure a safe standard of water quality for all, and to maintain an acceptable level of public health standard.
Testing and disinfecting should always be performed on pipes that are over 100 metres in length, as well as any pipes that have been compromised in any way. This is especially so if the pipes in question have suffered an ingress due to damage. This could be from flood water, for example, or of considerably more concern, from sewage perhaps. Any pipe that has been damaged and repaired, or even replaced, should be tested thoroughly to ensure the complete integrity and safety of the whole system.
Private supply pipes, or private water mains pipes, are normally classed as those pipes attached directly to a property. They usually remain within the boundary of the property and connect to the local authority infrastructure water mains pipe system through a boundary stop tap. These pipes are normally the responsibility of the individual customer of the local authority who receives water from the public mains supply.
Because private mains and supply pipes are not under the direct control of the local authority, it is essential that they thoroughly and properly undergo pressure testing, as well as disinfecting before being commissioned by the local authority and deemed as being suitable for inclusion in the overall water mains system.
Before any testing through pressure can commence, the pipes have to be properly cleaned of all debris and dirt that may be present. This is done by flushing at a high enough rate of flow to remove whatever sediment there may be. If the pipe is badly contaminated, it may require a mechanical means of cleaning to remove any stubborn sediment deposits.
Following the flushing procedure, the pipe should be dosed with a solution of chlorine at a strength of at least 50 milligrams per litre. The solution should be contained within the pipe for a minimum period of one hour for maximum effect. Further flushing should then take place to thoroughly clean out the pipe.
Pressure testing can then commence. The pipes should be tested at one and a half times the pipes’ pressure rating. Naturally, all safety procedures should be properly observed, and the entire operation should only be performed by operators who are fully trained and experienced.
Flow technology is concerned with the measurement of the flow of either a liquid or a gas. Knowing how slowly or how quickly a medium is flowing through a given channel, usually a closed pipe, can tell the person measuring the flow many things. The flow rate can be used to decide how much to charge a consumer, as in council water charges, for example, where a household or a business may be charged according to the amount of water they use within a given time period.
Flow technology depends on gauges to determine the rate of flow. The gauges can be straightforward pressure sensitive gauges, or they can be digital flow gauges. Digital flow gauges still operate through pressure, but this type of flow technology produces a digital read out instead of the more traditional clock-style mechanical gauge.
The measuring devices used in flow technology usually measure liquids in litres per second, or litres per minute, and a working range of up to perhaps 80 litres per second is not uncommon. However, every flow gauge is only as accurate as it state of calibration. If it is a very old gauge that has not been serviced or even looked at for years, it may not be giving an accurate picture of how fast things are flowing through.
The state of flow technology used to mean that precision gauges had to be removed and taken to an external calibration laboratory to be calibrated. Of course, this usually also meant that the system where the gauge was an essential component had to be shut down for the duration, however long that happened to be. Today’s flow technology has changed all that in most cases. Now flow gauges can be calibrated accurately in the field.
The end users of flow technology have, for some time now, been pushing the makers of flow meters and gauges to produce a unit that can last a reasonable length of time before calibration becomes an issue and a necessity. In addition to this, they have been seeking a flow gauge that can be calibrated in the field, thereby significantly limiting the time that the system has to be shut down.
Today’s flow technology has achieved both objectives to the satisfaction of end users everywhere. Portable flow transfer standard systems can now be employed in the field, either for calibration purposes, or even as a tool for constantly monitoring how a line or an entire application is functioning.