DIRAX Application Instructions

 DIRAX Installation Guideline

    DIRAX is a relatively simple installation.  It does not require any significant skill.  A few of the common tips that we say over and over and over at training sessions are:  1)  You want a broad bushy yellow flame to shrink the sleeve (this requires that you have a regulator of some kind) and 2) Your torch needs to ALWAYS be moving - you can't stay in one spot for too long and you want to make sure it is the yellow flame in contact with the sleeve; not the blue flame and not the 'clear' flame right where it comes out of the torch.  

Clean exposed steel and adjacent pipe coating to be covered by DIRAX sleeve. Remove all contaminants such as oil. Use a solvent that contains no grease or oil type materials.

If not factory beveled, chamfer the adjacent pipe coating to an angle of preferably 15°, maximum 30°. Inspect the edge of the existing pipe coating. Disbonded sections have to be trimmed of and the coating edge has to be beveled again. To avoid possible contamination, it is recommended to use a scrape

Grid blast or sand blast the steel surface to remove loose and foreign materials. The surface should be cleaned to SIS 055900 - SA 21/2

Grid or sand blast the adjacent pipe coating over a distance of at least 200 mm (8"). The total width should be approximately 50 mm larger than the width of the Raychem supplied DIRAX sleeve. Note: prior to blasting, it is recommended to preheat the exposed steel to 40 - 50° C to avoid flash rust formation

Wipe the surface to remove dust and remaining blasting material. Use a clean dry cloth or air blow

Dose the two component Raychem epoxy. Use pre-dosed Raychem epoxy kits or use Raychem calibrated epoxy pumps. For pre-dosed Raychem epoxy kits, pour content of can B into can A and mix for approximately 1 minute. For easy disposal, it is recommended to pour this mixture back into can B and mix for another 30 seconds. As such, the remaining epoxy in both cans will cure and can be easily disposed off. Follow local regulations for safe disposal. 40°C 20°C 2 min Mixed epoxy primer has a pot life of approximately 30 minutes at ambient temperature. As long as the epoxy primer is still liquid, it may be used. For easy mixing and dispensing, the epoxy primer should be used at a temperature of min. 18° C. When necessary, keep the epoxy primer at a heated place or use a Raychem epoxy heater.

Preheat the bare steel surface and adjacent coating to minimum 70°C (160°F), using propane torches. Adjust flame length to approximately 20" (500 mm). In cold conditions extra heavy preheat torches can be used. Check preheat temperature with a contact pyrometer

Using the supplied applicator pad, apply the mixed epoxy primer over the entire surface to be covered. (When PE line coating is used, no primer should be applied over the polyethylene line coating.)

Immediately after application of the epoxy primer, and while the epoxy primer is still wet, loosely wrap the DIRAX sleeve centrally around the welded joint. If present, remove the protective release plastic from the adhesive side of the DIRAX sleeve.  Wrap the sleeve (adhesive side down) around the area to be coated. Make sure the sleeve overlaps the end of the inner layer by at least 50 mm (2”).

Preheat the inside adhesive layer just next to the closure for a few seconds, and press down on the sleeve end to make it stick to the other end.

Using a Raychem propane torch with a flame length of approximately 500 mm (20”), start heating one end of the closure area.

Immediately pat it down firmly with a gloved hand. Continue heating and patting every 10 cm (4”) until the whole patch area is finished.

Start heating the sleeve at the side of the leading edge, the side that first comes in contact with the ground forces. Move the torch continuously in a paint brush motion all the way around the sleeve

After you have finished heating the side at the leading edge, recover the remainder of the sleeve by heating toward the other end of the sleeve

During shrink down, check adhesive flow with finger occasionally. Wrinkles should disappear automatically

After the DIRAX sleeve has shrunk into the joint area and while it is still hot and soft, run a small hand roller over it to push out any trapped air. Pay particular attention to the weld and cutback area. Reheat areas if necessary.

The sleeve is fully recovered when all of the following have occurred: - The sleeve has fully conformed to the pipe and adjacent coating. - There are no cold spots or dimples on the sleeve surface. - Weld bead profile and other step downs can be seen through the sleeve. - Adhesive flow is evident on both edges, after sleeve is cool.

An 80 mm (3.2”) wide sacrificial sleeve is installed on the leading edge to function as a wear cone during pull thru of the pipe. Start by heating the leading edge area to 70°C (160°F).

Wrap the leading edge sleeve over the transition DIRAX - mill coating. Make sure that the closure is placed away from the main sleeve closure. Preheat the inside adhesive layer just next to the closure for a few seconds. Press down to make it stick to the other sheet end

Heat the closure area and immediately pat it down with a gloved hand.

Shrink the leading edge sleeve down by moving the torch all the way around the pipe in a paintbrush motion. Make sure the sleeve has fully shrunk and adhesive flow is evident on both edges.

Smooth down the edges of the sleeve with the Raychem silicone hand roller. Sleeve is fully recovered when all the following have occurred: - The sleeve has fully conformed to the pipe and adjacent coating. - There are no cold spots or dimples on the sleeve surface. - Weld bead profile and other step downs can be seen through the sleeve. - Adhesive flow is evident on both edges after sleeve is cool. Before the DIRAX can be exposed to the soil forces the joint should be cooled down to ambient temperature

DIRAX for Standard Field Joints

 DIRAX for Straight Line Buried Pipe?

An Installed DIRAX Sleeve

     In this world that we live in; there is a phrase that is probably not used enough in my opinion because of the lazy, negative connotations associated with it.  That phrase is "good enough."  Maybe I'm talking about exercise.  For some folks; running two miles, 4 days a week is "good enough."  For other folks who are training for an ultra marathon, eight miles a week is nowhere near good enough!  They are running 35-40 miles per week!  That is their 'good enough.'

     Likewise, we could look at auto insurance.  For many people; having standard car insurance with $100,000 worth of coverage is good enough.  If you were someone like Bill Gates or Elon Musk, you'd likely want something like $1,000,000 to feel like your coverage is good enough (imagine the attorneys lining up if one of those two caused a bad car accident.

     Final example:  I would expect for most people, scoring a 95% on a test is 'good enough'.  Most people are going to feel like a 95% is definitely good enough.  Those folks in the world (and there are some) who are feel like only a perfect 100% is good enough are probably having a very difficult time operating in a world where perfection is very often unattainable.

     Those same sort of principles can apply to just about every single aspect of life.  Pipeline coatings are no different.  Without getting into the details; let's look at factory applied coatings.  Common options are FBE, Dual layer FBE, FBE with an ARO, three layer PE, three layer PP, coal tar enamel, etc.  Each has various strengths which can be tied to technical performance, cost, availability, etc.  Pipeline engineers are regularly answering the question (for themselves) - What is good enough for my application? 

     Field joint coatings are no different.  Decision makers are deciding between cold applied tapes (yes - still plenty of cold applied tape coatings going on field joints in the US) to FBE to various two part epoxies, to shrink sleeves to wax tapes to geotextile tapes (essentially straight mastic with a porous backing).  Those decision makers, whether they know it or not are asking and answering the question:  what is good enough for these specific pipeline conditions?

     As you would likely imagine, with this 'good enough' criteria, if you ask 100 different people what (in their opinion) is good enough; you will likely get 95 different answers.  

     For some, few people, they aren't interested in good enough.  They are acutely aware of what their company is spending on pipe, construction, factory applied coatings, labor, etc.  They are also acutely aware of what can happen if a bad decision is made or a poor corrosion coating solution is chosen.  Bad, bad things.  For those people, they analyze their options and they choose to install DIRAX on all of their field joints (not just the directional drilling portions).  Why not put on the best to protect our assets?  It looks like DIRAX is the best.  I want DIRAX on every joint.  It happens more than you'd think!  Not everyone is out there looking for the cheapest options.

Covalence Shrink Sleeve Rolls - in stock

 Raychem / Covalence Shrink Sleeve Rolls

IN STOCK

     One of JSI's greatest strength is our inventory.  We know that the products we sell are very often last minute needs that were forgotten earlier in the construction planning process.  We work to keep our 20,000 square foot warehouse full of material so that we are ready to meet your demands....exactly when you need your demands met.  Need product in Florida in two days?  We can do that.  Need a box of material overnighted to New York?  No problem.  Need to swing by two hours from now to pick up a pallet of material?  Done, see you in a couple of hours.

       But in this article, I'm only talking about rolls of material in stock ready to go.  That could mean you're buying rolls for your project -- or it could mean we are converting those rolls into sleeves for specific pipe sizes (which is absolutely what we recommend).

WPCT:  The Covalence wrap around, mastic coated sleeve designed for pipelines operating at or below 140F.  We stock WPCT in 11", 17", 24" and 34" widths and we are capable of making any custom width less than 34".

WPC100M:  The mastic sleeve for elevated temperatures.  Rated at 176F (or 212F offshore or under insulation).  We stock WPC100M in 11", 17", 24" and 34" widths.

WPC120:  The high temp sleeve; rated for use at 251F.  We stock WPC120 in 11", 17", 24" and 34" widths.

DIRAX / ROCS / SZAR:  The high performance sleeve most often used on road bores and directional drilling applications.  We stock DIRAX i 12", 17", 24" and 34" widths.

TWDB:  Thermofit wrap around duct bands; sold in rolls that are 165 feet long.  We stock TWDB in 3" and 4" widths.

Flexclad:  Heat shrinkable tape; sold in rolls that are 50 feet long.  We stock Flexclad in 2", 3" and 4" wide tape.

HTLP60:  Three layer coating system for lines operating at or below 60C.  We stock HTLP60 in 11", 17", 24" and 34" widths.

HTLP80:  Three layer coating system for lines operating at or below 80C.  We stock HTLP80 in 11", 17", 24" and 34" widths.

DIRAX as ARO (Abrasion Resistant Overcoat)

Can DIRAX Be Used as an Abrasion Resistant Overcoat?

     That was the question this week.  The answer:  ABSOLUTELY.  The DIRAX coating system is designed to bond to many different substrates including epoxies and bare steel.  As a result, the DIRAX coating system can be installed on top of a previously installed FBE, Powercrete or Denso as an added physical protaction - and as a pure abrasion resistant overcoat.

     The installation only changes minimally from a normal field joint coating install.  DIRAX has been used for many, many years as a stand alone field joint coating.  With a long and unblemished record of successful installations, DIRAX is the best product on the market for protecting pipelines that will be involved in road bores or directional drilling applications. 

     Installed on everything from 2" pipe to 48" pipe; DIRAX offers a quick and repeatable installation that will protect your pipeline throughout its life.  There is no other product like it out in the marketplace.

SZAR Shrink Sleeves

SZAR Splash Zone Shrink Sleeves

     Szar (Splash Zone and Subsea Corrosion Protection for Conductor Connectors) is designed to completely seal offshore conductor connectors exposed to splash zone and subsea environments.  The installed sleeve encapsulates the connector and bonds to the conductor on either side.  The product prevents seawater from entering the connector joint and causing internal corrosion. 

     Cathodic protection is ineffective in the splash zone and on recessed areas such as the inside connectors on the subsea portions of conductors.  Effective corrosion protection for all connectors above the seabed can be achieved by using SZAR connector protection sleeves. 

     SZAR wrap around heat shrinkable sleeves are constructed of fibre reinforced, modified polyolefin.  They are precoated with a high shear strength, hot melt adhesive that chemically bonds to a two part epoxy primer.  The system provides mechanical strength and exceptional long term adhesion to steel. 

     The unique construction of the SZAR sleeve provides a tough, split resistant, low profile coating capable of withstanding the rigours of offshore installation and long term exposure to constant wave action, abrasion and impact.

     SZAR sleeves are heat shrinkable and they easily accommodate diameter differences between the conductor and connector.  Special filler strips can be provided to accommodate grooves and diameter transitions on connectors.  The filler strips soften during installation to conform to the surface of the connector and fill possible voids. 

     High performance coatings require grit blasting for effective surface preparation.  Although this can be done offshore during conductor stringing, it is much simpler to grit blast the connectors onshore and apply a coating of SZAR Epoxy Primer (S1301M).  This process will maintain the surface profile and greatly simplify offshore operations.

     To install offshore, simply preheat the connector with a propane torch to remove moisture, hand apply a second epoxy primer coating and wrap and shrink the sleeve.

DIRAX Road Bore Sleeves

DIRAX Bore Sleeves 

     When selecting a coating for a section of pipeline that will be involved in a road bore or directional drill, it is important that the right coating is selected.  When looking at factory applied coatings, you are most likely going to be looking at dual layer FBE coatings or Powercrete coatings.  Those are both special coatings designed to withstand the rigorous conditions of a road bore.  Someone is spending millions of dollars on this pipeline, we need to make sure that the steel you're buying is well protected!  Those same requirements exist for the field joint coatings as well.  Many companies allow either a two part stand alone epoxy to be used...or a DIRAX heat shrinkable coating system. 

Small sample of DIRAX material - note the fiber mesh woven into the backing.

     DIRAX is a multi layer field joint coating system that incorporates all of the best aspects of two part epoxy coatings and combines them with the best parts of a top of the line, unmatched heat shrinkable sleeve technology.  DIRAX incorporates S1301M Epoxy Primer, a high performance hot melt adhesive a fiber mesh and two radiation crosslinked polyolefin backing layers.  On the front end of a field joint, we are talking about a 9 layer coating that is fast and simple to install.  That just doesn't exist anywhere else.

     Boasting extraordinary peel resistance, sheer resistance, penetration resistance and abrasion resistance, DIRAX has it all.  Include the incredibly fast cure time (normally 30 minutes or less after installation) and the fact that coating integrity does not require any special skills from installers - and using DIRAX really is a simple decision.  Contact us today for pricing and technical expertise!  936 321 3333

Shark Tooth Shrink Sleeve

Shrink Sleeve with no Leak Path

Sharktooth cut heat shrinkable sleeve (DIRAX)

     Over the years, there have occasionally been engineers and technical people in the pipeline coatings industry who expressed some concern about a potential leak path at the overlap area of the heat shrinkable sleeve.  Truthfully, our experience with heat shrinkable sleeves (at least the Covalence, formerly Raychem product) makes a very strong case that those concerns are unfounded (WPCT Use History / DIRAX Use History).

     Though we don't really believe there is any need for concern there, the "customer is always right" as they say.  That is, anytime a customer has concerns...or even potential concerns, it is simply put: sound practice to address those concerns as well as possible.  Though our business cards would indicate we are in the pipeline coatings business, it is much more accurate to say that we are in the people business.  We are also in the "engineered solutions" business.  We are grateful every time we get the chance to address and alleviate concerns and that is what we did here.  That 'engineered solution' is named SharkTooth. 

     As you can see in the photo above, rather than a straight line step down area which geometrically and theoretically creates a single direct line from one side of the shrink sleeve to the other, we have created a zig zagged step down area where the shrink sleeve adhesive will be foiling waters attempt to reach that bare steel at every twist and at every turn. 

     Quick side note: if your installers are not properly following one of the final steps in the installation process of our shrink sleeves and using a silicone roller to put mild pressure to that step down area to assure proper filling and sealing -- please make sure they have a roller on hand to use by tomorrow!

     So, is a potential straight line leak path a concern of yours?  If it is; let's chat.  The SharkTooth cut shrink sleeve (DIRAX is pictured above) was tested extensively in a hyperbaric chamber to insure that even under significant pressure there was absolutely no water ingress.

DIRAX Shrink Sleeves | ROCS Shrink Sleeves | SZAR Shrink Sleeves

What is the Difference Between DIRAX Shrink Sleeves, ROCS Shrink Sleeves and SZAR Shrink Sleeves?

     Once upon a time, in the far way land of Menlo Park, California a company called Raychem ruled the world (when considering heat shrink and splicing technologies).  Their products spanned multiple technologies including pipeline, electrical, telecom, mining and more.  Innovation and invention were the names of the game and Raychem invested 10-12% of their GROSS SALES into product development every single year.  With some of the brightest engineers and chemists in the world working throughout the different divisions, new product technologies were discovered at an incredible rate.  It was at that time that some genius working on developing a telecom product invented an amazing backing material called ROCS 60e.

    

ROCS 60e - an incredibly tough shrink sleeve

     ROCS 60e was unlike any heat shrinkable backing ever created - and unlike any that has since been created.  It is absolutely one of a kind offering unparalleled penetration resistance, thickness, abrasion resistance and impact resistance.  The product was so incredible that Telecom began sending out samples to the other divisions of Raychem in order to find out what other industries might benefit from this breakthrough technology.

     When the Pipeline division caught sight of it, they went bananas.  This was unlike anything else on the market in the pipeline world, there was nothing that could match it technically in terms of the backing.  The pipeline had a little work to do though - in the pipeline world; the backing is only half of the product; R&D was going to need to develop an adhesive that could do justice to this backing.  So they got to work.  In the mean time, R&D involved sales who could begin exploring different applications for this ROCS material.  That was not a problem, there were many.  Of course, once marketing got involved; things got a little bit complicated (isn't that always the case?).  Marketing decided that every application utilizing this ROCS material needed to have a different name.  At that time, in that world, different applications had different pricing levels - and the plant wanted to be able to sell this product into the pipeline coatings world (typically a lower margin business) AND have it available for traditionally high cost applications like coating pilings.  And so it was that the product called ROCS 60e became a product of three names. 

     For the Pipeline Directional Drilling world; they called the product DIRAX.  The combined the sleeve with an epoxy primer (S1301M) and a leader strip (3" wide shrink sleeve to act as a wear cone) and packaged it as a DIRAX kit.

     For the offshore riser / splash zone market; they called the product SZAR (originally sort of called SeaZar which they may have thought was clever - and which may have been shortened to CZAR but then marketing probably pointed out the flaws in offering that product in places like the old Soviet Union).  SZAR is also used with the S1301M epoxy....but they are purchased separately as two different line items.

     Finally, for the field joints of standard pipelines where the soil conditions will be incredibly challenging and rocky; the decided to call the material ROCS (simply dropping the 60e from ROCS 60e).  Like the SZAR above, ROCS is used with S1301M epoxy primer and ordered as its own line item. 

     So, one amazing product -- three different names.  I know that the name situation can be confusing...but the installation and performance of the product is simple.

Shrink Sleeves That Bond to Neoprene Rubber?

Question:  Do any of your sleeves bond to neoprene?

Answer:  Yes, we do have shrink sleeves that bond to neoprene.  It just isn't quite that simple though (it never is, is it?).  Let me give you an example.

     Within the last few weeks, I spoke with an engineer who was faced with an unusual application.  He had about 10 feet of neoprene coated pipe sitting down at the bottom of the ocean (this was just one small segment of the line).  This segment of pipe was going to see EXTREME pipe movements; as much as 10 feet of pipe movement (primarily from the current at that particular point).  This was the second time they had been forced to repair the line; previously the neoprene was worn completely off by the ocean floor in that particular section abrading away the neoprene.  We are talking thousands upon thousands of dollars here for this repair; so they were looking at just about any option available that might just give a little bit more life to the pipe (they had essentially accepted that they would be repairing it again in the future). 

     This was a TOUGH application.  Possibly the toughest I've ever heard of.  To top it off; they expected the line to operate at elevated temperatures.  So; the long and the short of it was - yes, I have something that would bond there; but I couldn't possibly predict how much life it will add to your line here.  In addition; we were talking about a 3 shrink sleeve order; something like $40.00 (large pipe diameter).  Certainly not enough money in a $40.00 order to justify any kind of a product evaluation or testing program! 

     So, yes we DO have products that will bond to neoprene.  Before we get any further though, let's talk about your application as 'bonding to' and 'doing what you want it to do' can be two very, very different things. 

What is the Best Field Joint Coating?

     The business world we live in seems to focus primarily on one thing.  What is the cheapest thing that I can use?  This isn't always the case; and I am certainly being a bit unfair by saying that - but it is something I've seen again and again and again and again in the last 13 years (my time in the pipeline world).  For many decision makers; cost is all that matters: "buy whatever is cheapest...it's all the same." 

All Field Joint Coatings are NOT Created Equal

     So, when I do get the comment "I want whatever the best coating is - this pipeline is too valuable to scrimp on the field joint coatings" I tend to sit up and take notice.  Here is a person who cares about the future of this pipeline.  Here is a person who is committed to doing their best job possible; even if they are no longer with this company through the life of the line.  Here is a person with integrity.  Here is a person who cares about the long-term...not just about moving on to the next project or claiming that next promotion.

     In cases like this, where the request is for the "best" AND where we don't have an issue with elevated operating temperatures; the answer is clear.  The best possible field joint coating is ROCS.

The ROCS heat shrink sleeve system is absolutely unmatched in the coatings world.

     What you see here is a picture of the ROCS shrink sleeve.  The pattern you see is the fiber mesh (which is woven between two layers of HDPE, heat shrinkable backing.  The other side of this sleeve is a high shear adhesive.  All of this is installed on Covalence's S1301M liquid epoxy which chemically bonds with the adhesive of the ROCS shrink sleeve in order to form a truly cohesive field joint coating.

     Since the ROCS shrink sleeve system utilizes both a heat shrinkable sleeve and a liquid epoxy bonding agent; it literally offers the best of both worlds.  The liquid epoxy gives the coating system superior cathodic disbondment properties and sheer resistance.  The fiber reinforced shrink sleeve gives the coating system excellent electrical resistivity properties; superior abrasion resistance and fantastic penetration resistance. 

     Like all things in life; you get what you pay for.  The ROCS field joint coating system is expensive on the front end, during construction.  But the truth of the matter is that leaks, repairs and corrosion problems are incredibly expensive.  Taking a line out of service can cost almost a million dollars per day (as seen here).  There must be a point where 'cost' is not the number one factor when selecting a field joint coating; are we there yet?