A Pronal inflatable stopper within a pipeline after it has been pneumatically actuated to block the release of any toxic substance into the surrounding environment.
Anti-pollution pipeline stoppers are a frontline weapon for industrial and municipal organisations concerned about accidental toxic spills into the natural environments and waterways surrounding their operations.
These pneumatically inflatable devices – designed to be installed permanently within pipeline systems without interfering with the usual safe flow of liquids – are one of the simplest and most immediately effective risk management tools for organisations concerned about the consequences of sudden accidental spills.
The globally proven stoppers – including the range of Pronal Pollu-Plugs from Air Springs Supply Pty Ltd – are permanently fitted in stormwater and sewerage lines ready for rapid inflation by remote triggering as soon operators detect spills of:
- process chemicals,
- hydrocarbon fuels,
- cleaning fluids,
- firefighting foam,
- sewage contamination
- or other sudden accidental contamination occurring at plants ranging from food and beverage, transport and distribution facilities, marine, mining and energy plants and agricultural and primary product processing facilities.
Uninflated and inflated Pronal Pollu-Plugs, which take up their position naturally in the upper part of the pipe without any support being required. Such plugs provide frontline waterway and aquifer protection that is now recognised by rural and urban industry alike as one of their primary duties of care essential to their social license to operate. The statutory and regulatory shared resource obligations companies have to protect groundwater resources in Australia and New Zealand are a fundamental first step obligation for any industry seeking to safeguard or expand its operations, says long-established anti-pollution and environmental technology supplier Air Springs Supply Pty Ltd.
“If a spill does occur, these simple and highly robust stoppers can be inflated in seconds to block the contamination from entering waterways, soaking through to aquifers, polluting community potable water sources or leaking into marine environments,” says James Maslin, National Sales and Marketing Manager for Air Springs Supply.
Air Springs Supply has more than 40 years’ experience in industrial actuation and isolation. Its national distribution network supports the global range of elastomer engineering products from Pronal, which is a European civil and military emergency equipment and environmental protection leader. Operating for 60 years, Pronal’s range of more than 5,000 products, used to lift, push, separate, seal and store, include a range of stoppers to contain any accidental pollution that could be released following an incident.
Pronal anti-pollution stoppers are made of flat, fully vulcanised elastomer-coated fabric with a flexible armature to make it easier to install them in piping. These patented systems are mounted on the upper section of the pipe and do not hinder the water flow.
Pollu-Plug stoppers are made to measure according to piping dimensions, ranging from the smallest diameter up to 1,000mm, with a specific inflation pressure according to their size, says Mr Maslin.
Installing the system is simple and does not require any major civil engineering work. Not only can the stopper be inflated by using the control unit, but it can also be remotely deflated without having to enter the pipe. Pollu-Plugs are one of the broad a Pronal range of inflatable stoppers designed for uses including:
- Pressurised inspection of sewage piping
- Isolation of rainwater networks of hazardous factories
- Stopping of aircraft runway networks to prevent hydrocarbon overflow
- Chemical decontamination in steam generator piping
- Pressurised sealing test of check valve gates
- Overflow pipe cleaning
- Isolation of rainwater piping
In addition to extensive industrial expertise, Pronal also works in the defence, aerospace, civil emergency and maritime/harbour sectors. Pronal’s Australian distributor, Air Springs Supply, is Australia’s leading supplier of air springs and associated pneumatic technology for the industrial and transport sectors.News