The inspection tool plays a significant role in assessing the condition of different pipelines. The data collected during the inspection is used to determine, among other things, the replacement investment. Waterboard Aa en Maas, that manage tens of kilometres of asbestos cement pipelines (AC), investigated the condition and the remaining lifetime of these pipelines, which were installed in the 1970s and 1980s.
Fred Bergman, responsible for pipeline maintenance and civil works at Waterboard Aa en Maas, emphasizes the importance of an inspection method such as the Acquarius: ‘’the current methods for determining the pipeline condition are often destructive and measured locally. The Acquarius presents an overall picture over the whole length of the pipeline and presents the collected data in a structured way. That is exactly what we need: assessing pipelines quickly and accurately without excavation or demolition work. This is why we have been working with Acquaint for several years now. Among other things, to further develop the Acquarius technology”.
The purpose of an inline inspection with the Acquarius goes further than determining the quality of the pipeline, leaching, the wall thickness and the location of the pipeline. Possible defects are detected. This includes dents, ovality, joint position, angular displacement, poor connections, and leakages. One of the big advantages of the Acquarius is that an inspection can take place while a pipeline is in operation.
The Acquarius provides a wealth of information about the condition of a pipeline. A report is drawn up, that not only provides a complete picture of the pipeline condition but also indicates risks. Based on this data, in this case, the waterboard’s pipelines, possible critical points in the pipeline are checked.
Waterboard Aa en Maas is very satisfied with the reports and ‘insights’ that are provided. During the two years of cooperation, the analyses and reports have been improved step by step. Bergman: ‘’In the beginning, it was difficult to read all the data, especially because everything was presented in different programs”.The goal is that all data can now be explored in one environment. In the GIS application, you would then see, at the click of a mouse, a summary that indicates which locations require attention.
While it is sometimes planned that a pipeline, technically speaking, needs to be replaced, the data obtained from the Acquarius indicates something else. ‘’Obviously, there are always action points with older pipelines, but we certainly do not need to replace kilometres. The pipelines are generally well kept and that is a reassuring thought. If we had not deployed the Acquarius, we would have probably dug up many more pipelines to inspect locally, while we now know that this is not necessary. This makes the investment in the Acquarius worthwhile’’.
A pipeline is generally inspected extensively every ten to fifteen years, depending on its condition, location and capacity. Or depending on whether a pipeline requires extra attention after an inspection has been performed. But with the use of the non-destructive inspection method of the Acquarius, critical points are located, and the condition of the entire pipeline is assessed, without excavation, expose or destructive inspection of the pipeline. On a societal/public level, the Acquarius is also of added value. The tool can be used while the pipeline is still in operation, so there are no complications with the provision of water during the inspection. In addition, the Acquarius ensures a CO2 reduction of 98% while less water is lost. With solutions like the Acquarius, we are working towards a future where no water is wasted due to faulty pipeline inspection methods.
Curious about what the Acquarius could mean for your pipeline network? Please contact our sales engineer Robbert Lodewijks: Robbert.lodewijks@acquaint.eu.
