Annual Journal 53 – 2019

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Themes, Authors, Abstracts, Keywords (Details)

Annual report 2018 and perspective in 2019
by Manfred Künze and Christoph Aigner

The digitisation in the water supply industry, measures for adapting to climate change (Sponge City) and even more efficient handling of resources are the most important fields of activity of EADIPS FGR. In 2018 they were developed further into practical projects. In the field of digitization a standard for the identification and traceability of ductile iron pipes, fittings and valves is being developed. In the field of resources EADIPS FGR and GET – Gütegemeinschaft Entwässerungstechnik are cooperating to establish a RAL quality mark for ductile iron pipes, fittings and valves. Based on the election of a new deputy board the most important fields of activity will be pushed forward by the Chairman of the board Manfred Künze and the deputy board Christoph Aigner.

About the German foundry industry
by Mario Mackowiak, Manfred Künze and Christoph Aigner

In the data of the German foundry association (Bundesverband der Deutschen Gießerei-Industrie – BDG) you can read about some changes which German foundries have experienced in the last 15 years. Above all, these days China and India are dominating the statistics of worldwide manufacturing. By far the majority of German foundries with up to 249 employees are considered as small and medium-sized enterprises. Environmental requirements for production locations, increased energy costs and highly fluctuating raw materials prices are burdening these enterprises in international competition. One opportunity could be the various environmental activities of the EU and the Federal government, which have adopted the principle of “resource efficiency”, for example in the construction industry where requirements for the recycling of building materials are increasing. EADIPS FGR, as the European association of manufacturers of ductile iron pipe systems, is striving to form a European umbrella association of the manufacturers and users of cast iron building products which, as “Initiative Guss”, with additional European manufacturers and users of cast building products provides support to the EU Commission to develop appropriate measures for achieving the climate targets negotiated in 2015 in Paris taking account of construction products manufactured with the aim of conserving resources.

University Lecturers Conference in Koblenz and Wetzlar
by Jürgen Rammelsberg and Christoph Bennerscheidt

The long-nurtured links with the FIHB – a German association which promotes information for university lecturers in architecture and construction engineering – were renewed in Spring 2018 by a joint programme in Koblenz and Wetzlar. Two reports of practical experience with urban drainage in Koblenz highlighted the main points concerning the durability of ductile iron pipes for the transport of wastewater under the most difficult external conditions: by actually entering a walk-in wastewater culvert beneath the Rhine, participants were able to prove their physical fitness and at the same time inspect the pipes which have been in operation for more than 40 years. The second highlight, a culvert consisting of two cast iron pipelines, DN 800 and DN 1250, has remained inaccessible for over 40 years under the bed of the River Mosel. With the help of newly developed stray current measurement technology, the practically unaltered state, both inside and out, was able to be established. Additional presentations described developments in the area of digitisation in piping technology and in an R&D project for rainwater usage using the sponge city principle. An inspection of pipe production at the Wetzlar factory and an accompanying presentation on the subjects of “Energy saving” and “Conservation of resources by almost 100  % recycling” rounded off the Lecturers’ Conference.

Long pipe relining in Magdeburg
by Andreas Chladek and Uwe Hoffmann

A DN 700 water main, in operation for 120 years, with two problems: ageing processes of the material with corrosion and spongiosis plus insufficient flow speeds because of a major decrease in water demand. With the tried and tested pipe relining technique as described in DVGW worksheet GW 320-1, DN 400 ductile iron pipes with restrained push-in socket joints were pulled into the old pipe and the annular gap was filled. The article gives a detailed description of the choice of technology and the planning and execution phases. Ecological and economical viewpoints are examined in depth. Pipe relining with ductile iron pipes: an elegant and economical process with proven sustainability – another 120 years without repairs are secured!

Time to harmonise hygiene requirements
by Volker Meyer

For a long time, the people of the European Union have been striving for standard living conditions, and the same applies when it comes to uniform hygiene standards in the drinking water sector. Some countries have a very advanced set of regulations for the approval of construction products in contact with drinking water, other countries have nothing in this area. For many manufacturers of valves, pipes and fittings for drinking water requirements, different approval testing for delivery to the different countries means a great deal of financial and organisational expense; the advantage of an EU internal market is not within their grasp.

30 European associations which are involved in the production and supply of materials and components to do with drinking water and have links with the European drinking water suppliers have joined together in a European industrial association “European Drinking Water” (EDW). EDW has taken the initiative to support the European Commission in the upcoming revision of the drinking water directive so that, in future, every EU citizen can enjoy Europe-wide harmonised hygiene requirements of the same high level of protection of human health. In addition, the manufacturers of materials and components for the supply of water will be able to benefit from the advantages of the European internal market.

100 new drinking fountains for Berlin
by Jörg Meier

In the Summer 2018 with its high temperatures, if not before, the need for public drinking fountains was clear. In a programme provided with a million euros, the Senate of Berlin has approved the installation of 100 additional new drinking fountains and water dispensers in the city. An artistic drinking fountain designed years ago by Siegfried Kaiser has a surface relief which recounts the history of drinking water. One of the member companies of EADIPS FGR, in collaboration with Berliner Wasserbetriebe, won the contract to revise and adapt the existing model. The individual cast iron components are enamelled so that a robust surface of the drinking fountains in public spaces can still be hygienic and attractive after many years.

Inspection of a culvert pipeline after 44 years of operation
by Hans-Jörg Schulz and Wilhelm Kelb

On a culvert constructed at the beginning of the 1970s for wastewater, drinking water and telecommunication lines, the concrete structures of the inlet structure were in need of attention. But before deciding on whether to renovate or rebuild, there was the question of the condition of the two sewage pipes, DN 800 and DN 1250, in ductile cast iron. For the first time, a new type of stray current measurement process installed in an inspection pig was used, which was able to examine the wall of both pipes to 100% for irregularities (corrosion damage) even through cement mortar and epoxy linings. After 44 years of continuous operation, the evaluation of the measurement data did not show any noteworthy alterations due to corrosion. There was no need for any work to be done on the pipelines, so the decision regarding the renovation of the concrete structures above was able to be tackled.

The intergenerational project “Circulago” of WWZ AG
by Marco Nussbaumer

The waters of the large and deep inland lakes in Switzerland conceal an enormous energy reservoir which has recently been put to use to provide heat and cooling for extensive populations. To do this, water is taken from deep in the lakes and carried to heat exchangers by pipelines. Electrically operated heat pumps can then transfer the heat contained to a secondary circuit, brought up to a higher energy level and routed to domestic heating systems. For the construction of the primary lines in the lake, some challenging pipeline construction processes need to be mastered. With the Lake Zug project described, DN 600 supply and return pipelines of ductile iron pipes fixed together with double pipe clamps were pulled into a previously driven micro-tunnel with an internal diameter of 1.6 m. BLS® restrained push-in joints take up the tensile forces here. External and internal protection is adapted to suit external conditions and the medium carried.

The technical service life of gaskets
by Rüdiger Werner

Cast iron pipe systems, these days almost exclusively used with flexible push-in joints, have a long useful life. High-quality corrosion protection and reserves against unplanned external loads are prerequisites for a working life expectancy of 100 years and more. This article shows that, with the correct construction of the joint, even the rubber gasket in the right elastomer is no weak spot in the system. Practical experience in network operation and modern elastomers together form a surprising symbiosis.

The new Galgenbuck tunnel in the region of Schaffhausen
by Roger Saner

With the construction of a bypass tunnel, the town of Schaffhausen can almost halve the vehicle traffic in the town. After past experience of devastating fires in transport tunnels, the highest priority is given to the secure supply of extinguishing water in projects of this kind. The wealth of experience of the manufacturer, vonRoll, in similar tunnels was also a benefit for Schaffhausen: pipes in ductile cast iron, fittings, high-performance hydrants, shut-off valves and air release and ventilation valves from the same supplier are a guarantee of a safety system with the highest reliability and the lowest maintenance costs.

Reduce the costs for pumping and risk of damages
by Jürgen Rammelsberg and Christoph Bennerscheidt

In transport pipelines, flowing water can have an enormous amount of kinetic energy. It is essential that trapped air, as a compressible medium, is removed from the pipeline because it could accumulate at favourable points and form large air pockets, hence reducing the cross-section for the flowing water. This could result in increased energy expenditure (pumping power) to convey the amount of water required; in addition, pressure surges can occur with consequent damage to the piping system. All of these dreaded effects can be avoided by the installation of ventilation and/or air release valves at appropriate points in the pipeline. In this article the various construction forms and working mechanisms of these valves are described and the corresponding technical regulations are quoted.

Modernisation bit by bit
by Patricia Pfister

Saving in the long run: this is the declared aim of the Carinthian municipality of Feldkirchen. Therefore the town is modernising its network of water supply pipes, thereby profiting from higher subsidy rates which reward diligent communities for their commitment to pipeline renovation. The old PVC pipelines from the sixties and seventies are being replaced by durable and highly robust ductile cast iron pipes from Tiroler Rohre GmbH. With its financial support, the state government is giving communities clear incentives to adjust their water supply networks to the latest state of population development.

Installation of a sewer pipe on a steep slope
by Patricia Pfister

One project which is certainly not run-of-the-mill is the construction of a 1.5 km long sewer pipe on a steep, 45° slope for a scattered settlement in the region of the Austrian-Italian border called Nassfeld in the state of Carinthia. Ski tourism, but also increasingly high visitor numbers in Summer, are resulting in extremely fluctuating wastewater volumes equivalent to between 17,000 and 40,000 residents. The external conditions with possible landslides set some challenges for the planners, who mastered them with the use of ductile iron pipes with restrained joints and cement mortar coating. Tiroler Rohre GmbH supported the planning with their expertise acquired in similar projects and also managed to gather some new experiences in the construction phase which will prove to be of benefit in future projects.

Installation of a DN 600 drinking culvert under the Nežárka river
by Ivan Demjan and Petr Krejčí

A water main in Veselí, South Bohemia, was previously hung beneath a bridge over the Nežárka river. There were risks in the additional loads placed on the bridge by high water and vandalism. A considerably safer solution lay in running this line through a culvert under the Nežárka. Pulling the section of the pipeline through by the HDD process proved to be the best answer. To do this, various geological conditions had to be mastered on both banks of the river. DN 600 ductile iron pipes with cement mortar coating and restrained BLS® joints, which have long since proved themselves in projects of this kind, also resulted in success here, in the Czech Republic, for the first time.

Renewal of the drinking water treatment at the Sindelfingen waterworks
by Matthias Müller and Boris Vaihinger

Air release and air admission valves, shut-off valves, gate valves, adapters and extensions: essential fittings and accessories for drinking water treatment and supply equipment are subject to constant pressure for improvement and optimisation. At best, this improvement process succeeds if user and manufacturer can cooperate closely with one another. Only in this way can the requirements of users be transferred to new constructions and materials. And only in this way is it possible for the manufacturer to remain competitive in the changing world of drinking water.

A new generation of underground hydrants
by Matthias Müller

Underground hydrants allow water to be taken directly from the municipal drinking water network. First and foremost, this is extinguishing water, but water can also be drawn by hydrants from the network for flushing piping systems, building projects, fairs and carnivals and street cleaning. In addition, hydrants can be used for aeration and ventilation or for draining sections of pipeline, but also for detecting leaks using the correlation process. Hydrants must be the “all-rounders” in network operation, meeting a broad range of requirements. So it is no wonder that these fittings are part of a constant process of optimisation. This applies both to construction and to the materials used. So, it is no wonder, for example, the most recent “top class” underground hydrant is equipped with a shut-off ball in wear-resistant polyurethane which prevents even small foreign particles from getting into the valve seat. A further refinement is the all-over enamelling, inside and outside, with an enamel which makes it impact resistant.

How to explain the function of a control valve?
by Ursula Vogler and Oliver Jäger

The physical effects of bubble formation and cavitation which, under unfavourable conditions, occur when water flows through a valve are not visible from outside and can also not be seen in a “real film”. This is not the case in an animation which can make use of the data from a CAD construction. With a reproduction of the surface which is accurate in every detail, the simulation of the flow of water, with skilful emphasis of important details and effective background music, a video has been produced in which the advantages of the Düker plunger valve are made clearly comprehensible.