In water fire extinguishing systems, a significant place in terms of its labor intensity and cost is occupied by a system of fire pipelines, the installation of which requires a lot of time and appropriately qualified personnel. In foreign practice, such installation methods are increasingly being used that allow, on the one hand, to simplify the installation procedure, and on the other, to reduce both time and financial costs. The most well-known of these methods is grooving. Recently, however, a new technology has emerged that is designed to make the installation of pipelines even easier and more economical. This is a pressfitting technology. This technology is well known abroad, but is not widely used in Russia.
In accordance with the requirements of the set of rules SP 5.13130 “Fire protection systems. Automatic fire alarm and extinguishing installations. Norms and design rules "pipelines of water fire extinguishing installations should be made of steel pipes with welded, flanged and threaded connections, as well as with detachable pipeline couplings (" groovlok ", from the English word" groove "- groove, groove). At the same time, the use of other types of pipelines and their connections is not prohibited, but it is possible only if there are developed technical conditions and the results of the corresponding fire tests for each specific object or group of similar objects.
Split couplings (groovlok) appeared in Russia almost 20 years ago, but until now they have not received mass distribution due to the fact that the cost of a grooved joint is twice the cost of a welded joint.
At present, a fundamentally new technology for connecting pipelines with the help of so-called press fittings, which form a permanent connection by mechanical compression (irreversible deformation) of the pipe with a special press tool, is becoming more and more widespread in the world. The first prototype of the press fitting was developed by the Swedish engineer Gunnar Larson in the late 1950s, and since 1972, when the German company Novopress released the first press tool, the new technology has steadily replaced the traditional methods of connecting pipelines. In Russia, press fittings are used in water supply and heating systems, but they have not yet become widespread in the field of fire extinguishing, although the use of press fittings in water fire extinguishing installations significantly simplifies, speeds up and reduces the cost of installation.
The Gefest group of companies has certified ANYTOP press fittings for use in the domestic market, allowing to design and install using advanced technology fire extinguishing installations with water, low-pressure water mist, as well as an internal fire-fighting water supply system. To help designers and installers, the organization standard STO 420541.005, developed on the basis of field tests, was issued.
ADVANTAGES OF PRESS FITTING TECHNOLOGY
The press tool is simple and convenient to use, it is possible to work with the tool completely with one hand, in hard-to-reach places or when working at height, thereby ensuring a safe working process. The tool is easy to carry (the welding machine weighs 15–20 kg!), No hot work is required (welding is flammable!), Work can be performed at low air temperatures down to minus 10 ° С (at negative air temperatures, it is difficult to obtain a high-quality welding seam!).
This technology significantly reduces the time of pipeline installation. When using a press tool, the connection is completed in a few seconds, and the pipe is welded in 5-10 minutes. For example, it takes 1.5 minutes to join two pieces of pipe with an outside diameter of 108 mm using a press fitting and approximately 45 minutes using welding.
Another significant advantage: sprinklers do not need to drill holes in pipes and weld couplings to them - pressing a special tee with an internal thread takes 1 minute.
It is very convenient for installers the possibility of preliminary routing of the pipeline before pressing in order to select the optimal route for laying pipes in accordance with the situation at a specific object.
ANYTOP press fittings are made of galvanized steel and can be successfully used not only with black steel pipes, but also with galvanized ones, the use of which is prescribed, for example, by a set of rules for fire extinguishing installations with water mist.
Cutting threads on galvanized pipes destroys the galvanized layer, thus creating conditions for the appearance of pipeline corrosion, while the use of grooved joints leads to a significant increase in the cost of the fire extinguishing installation. The use of inexpensive press fittings is, in fact, the only solution that provides an optimal price / performance ratio for galvanized pipelines. Moreover, pressfitting connections, according to the developers of this.
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