ELIPS DISTRICT COOLING SYSTEM

GUIDE SPECIFICATION

FOR DIRECTLY BURIED DISTRICT COOLING PIPE SYSTEMS

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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 ELIPS DISTRICT COOLING SYSTEM

GUIDE SPECIFICATION

CONTENTS

1.0 GENERAL

2.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE

3.0 SERVICE PIPE MATERIAL

4.0 THERMAL INSULATION

5.0 OUTER CASING JACKET PIPE

6.0 PRE-INSULATED PIPE ASSEMBLY

7.0 FITTINGS

8.0 FIELD JOINTS

9.0 SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

10.0 INSTALLATION

11.0 FIELD SERVICE

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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1.0 GENERAL

1.1. All chilled water piping shall be supplied as pre-insulated bonded carbon steel service pipe
with rigid closed cell polyurethane foam insulation (PUR) and with high-density polyethylene outer
casing (PE-HD) manufactured by ELIPS.

1.2. Works, pipes and components shall meet the technical and environmental requirements of
the applicable directives and harmonised standards. Health and safety requirements and the function
of safety related systems must be fulfilled.

1.3. The pre-insulated bonded piping supplied shall be designed, manufactured and installed in
accordance with the following codes:

• Pre-insulated pipes: EN 253

• Fitting assemblies: EN 448
• Steel valve assembly: EN 488
• Joint assembly: EN 489
• Surveillance system: EN 14419
• Design and installation: EN 13941

1.4. The piping system shall be designed for a calculated lifetime of minimum 30 years with the following
basic design criteria:

• Design pressure: 1600 kPa (Max. operating pressure: 2500 kPa)

• Operating temperature range: 2 - 20 °C (Max. cont. operating temperature: 140°C)
o
• Soil temperature: 10 - 50 °C (Max. short peak temperature: 150 C)
• Max. ambient temperature: 50°C (During Installation)

1.5. The circulated water intended for the DC-system shall be treated and have a quality (pH-
value, conductivity, contents of oxygen, chlorides etc) in accordance with the Operating
Company’s requirements in order to not jeopardize the structural design and endurance of the system

1.6. Handling, design, installation and inspection of pre-insulated piping shall be in accordance
with the manufacturer’s written instructions.

1.7. The manufacturer shall provide technical assistance and supervision during critical periods
of installation.

2.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE

2.1. The processing and manufacturing of products shall be in accordance with a Quality and
Environment Management System certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004.

2.2. All production methods shall be certified according to Euro Heat & Power Certification Guidelines for
Quality Assessment that prove conformity to requirements of applicable European standards.

3.0 SERVICE PIPE MATERIAL

3.1. Service pipe material shall be longitudinal or spiral welded according to ASTM A 53 /API 5L GrB

3.2. Elbows, T-pieces, reducers and other butt-welding pipefitting shall fulfill requirements in
accordance with ASME B16.9 / ASTM A234.

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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GUIDE SPECIFICATION

3.3. Straight lengths shall be supplied in DRL-12 m

3.4. Tolerances for diameter, wall thickness and straightness shall be in accordance to ASTM A 53 / API
5L GrB.

3.5. Prior to insulation all steel pipes and components shall be cleaned and shot blasted with
steel sand for optimal bonding between service pipe and insulation.

3.6. All steel pipes and components used for fabrication of pipe assemblies shall, on request be
delivered with inspection mill certificate as per ASME 31.1.

4.0 THERMAL INSULATION

4.1. All pipes and fittings shall be delivered pre-insulated with CFC-free rigid closed cell
polyurethane foam applied at factory in accordance with EN 253.

4.2. The polyurethane foam shall be applied by either spraying or moulding onto the service pipe
in a continuous process after which the casing is extruded on top of the insulation or by
injection of polyurethane foam into the annulus between the service pipe and the pre-
extruded PE-HD casing.

Test
Property Value
Standard
Density spray technology ≥ 50 kg/m³ EN 253
Density injection
≥ 60 kg/m EN 253
technology
≤ 0,023 W/m K (at
Thermal conductivity EN 253
10°C)
≤ 5 % of cross
Voids and bubbles EN 253
sectional area
Compressive strength ≥ 0,3 MPa ISO 844
Closed cell content ≥ 88 % EN 253
Cell size ≤ 0,3 mm EN 253
Water absorption ≤ 10 % EN 253

4.3. Cyclopenthane shall be used as blowing agent. CO2-, CFC- or HCFC-foam shall not be
allowed.

4.4. Open cell insulation or non-bonded insulation shall not be allowed

5.0 OUTER CASING JACKET PIPE

5.1. The outer casing jacket pipe shall be seam-less and extruded from UV-stabilized bimodal
high-density polyethylene of minimum PE80 in accordance with ISO 12162.

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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5.2. Material properties in accordance with EN 253 listed below:

Property Value Test Standard

Density ≥ 944 kg/m³ EN 253
Carbon black content 2,5 % +/- 0,5 % EN 253
MRF-variation 0,2 - 0,7 g/10 min EN/ISO 1133 (5kg, 190°C)
Oxygen Induction Time > 30 minutes at 210°C (EN 728) EN 728
Elongation at break ≥ 350 % EN 253
Heat reversion <3% EN/ISO 2505
NCLT > 300 h EN 253
Rapid Crack Propagation > 5 bar ISO 13377

5.3. The following outer casing wall thickness shall apply for extrusion of PE-HD on top of the
insulation using the spray process technology:

Nominal Outside Minimum wall

Diameter, mm Thickness mm
400 OD < 800 4
800 OD < 1200 5
1200 OD < 1600 6


1600 7

5.4. The following casing dimension shall be used for injection:

Nominal Outside Minimum wall

Diameter, mm Thickness mm
90 3,0
110 3,0
125 3,0
140 3,0
160 3,0
180 3,0
200 3,2
225 3,4
250 3,6
280 4,0

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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Nominal Outside Minimum wall

Diameter, mm Thickness mm
315 4,5
355 5,0
400 5,5
450 6,0
500 6,5
520 6,6
560 7,0
630 7,8
710 8,5
780 8,8
800 9,0
900 10,0
1000 11,0
1100 11,5
1200 12,0
1300 13,0
1400 14,0

5.5. The outer casing jacket pipe must be internally corona-treated prior to injection of foam into
the annulus between the steel service pipe and the outer casing to ensure optimal bonding
between outer casing and insulation.

6.0 PRE-INSULATED PIPE ASSEMBLY

6.1. Thickness of insulation shall be minimum 25 to 90 mm depending of pipe dimension and

insulation series chosen.

6.2. Pipe ends of straight pipes and fittings shall be delivered free from insulation with a length of
220 ± 10 mm for welding in the field.

6.3. All steel pipe ends shall be delivered with a plastic cover for transportation and storage
protection.

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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6.4. The following maximum centre line deviation shall apply:

Nominal Outside
Minimum centre line
Diameter casing Pipe
deviation mm
mm
90 – 160 3,0
180 – 400 5,0
450 – 630 8,0
710 – 800 10,0
900 - 1400 14,0
≥ 1400 18,0

6.5. The manufacturer shall prove that there is bonding between the service pipe and polyurethane insulat
insulation and between the insulation and the outer casing pipe which fulfil the requirements according
to EN 253 by presenting a test certificate from a third party technical test institute. The test certificate
shall not be older than two years.

6.6. The following properties shall apply:

Property Value Condition Test Standard

Axial shear strength > 0,12 MPa 23°C; new and aged EN 253

Axial shear strength > 0,08 MPa 140°C; new and aged EN 253
Tangential shear
> 0,20 MPa 23°C; new and aged EN 253
strength

7.0 FITTINGS

7.1. All fitting shall be pre-fabricated thermally insulated fittings comprising a steel fitting, rigid
polyurethane foam insulation and an outer casing of high-density polyethylene with the same material
properties as for straight pipes.

7.2. All pre-insulated fittings shall have embedded copper wires for surveillance.

7.3. Service pipe material shall be according to ASTM A 53 /API 5L GrB.

7.4. Butt-welding pipe fittings shall be in accordance with ASME B16.9 / ASTM A234.

7.5. The insulation shall be CFC-free rigid closed cell polyurethane foam in accordance with EN 253

7.6. The casing shall be bimodal high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) of minimum PE 80

according to ISO 12162.

7.7. PVC or GRP material for casings shall not be allowed.

7.8. Hot air welding, adhesive sealing or tape material shall not be allowed.

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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7.9. Minimum 200 mm of casing length at fitting ends shall apply to ensure good contact surface
for field joints

7.10. Bends

• Pre-fabricated bends shall be in accordance with EN 448.

• Steel bends shall be welded 1,5D minimum centre line radius or bent to a 2,5D centre line
radius.

7.11. Branches

• Pre-fabricated branches shall be in accordance with EN 448.

• Full and reducing branch tees shall be welded, or integrally reinforced branch outlet fittings in
accordance with ASME 16.9.
• Weld-o-lets can be used for reducing tees in field applications.

7.12. Reducers

• Pre-fabricated reducers shall be in accordance with EN 448.

7.13. Isolation valves

• Isolation valves shall be in accordance with EN 488

• The valve body shall be fully welded. No flanges or screwed connections shall be allowed.

• All valves shall have tightness class acc. to EN12266-1, Rate B.

• The valves shall withstand an axial stress of 300 MPa (N/mm2).

• Spindles and uncovered parts shall either be of stainless steel or corrosion protected.

• Ball valves shall have an all-welded steel body and polished stainless steel ball, fitted with
spring loaded Teflon seat. Operation of ball valves shall be by gear or actuator for dim ≥ ø
219,1 mm

• Butterfly valves shall have an all-welded steel body and polished stainless steel disc, fitted
with metal seat. Operation of butterfly valves shall always be by gear or actuator.

8.0 FIELD JOINTS

8.1. Field joints shall be designed to withstand severe working conditions and shall remain
sealed during the pipe systems lifetime.

8.2. All field joints shall comply with requirements in EN 489 as minimum and all materials
belonging to field joints and the installation shall be furnished by the pre-insulated pipe
manufacturer.

8.3. Welded joints shall be made of high-density polyethylene with the same material properties
as the casing and shall be joined to the casing by means of fusion welding. In a computer
controlled thermoplastic welding process the joint and casing pipe shall melt together to one
firm unit. Only the manufacturers welding equipment for weld joints shall be used.

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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8.4. Shrink joint shall be made of cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) with integrated mastic. Shrink
joint shall be installed by means of a soft gas flame.

8.5. All joint kit shall include a joint casing, possible welding strips or sealant mastic, necessary
venting and sealing plugs, additional sleeves and polyurethane foam for applying on site.

8.6. The joint insulation foam shall be CFC-free rigid closed cell polyurethane foam with the
same properties as for insulation in pipes and fittings.

8.7. Prior to joint installation the steel service pipe shall be hydrostatically pressure tested at
minimum of 1,5 times the design pressure in accordance with EN 13941.

8.8. Prior to insulation the joints shall be pressure tested according to the manufacturer’s
instructions.

9.0 SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

9.1. All pre-insulated straight pipes and fittings shall as minimum have two embedded sensor
wires in the insulation at a fixed distance from the steel pipe for surveillance.

• Sensor wires: 1,5 mm2 copper wire

• Wire resistance: 1,2 - 1,5 /100m wire
• Distance to steel service pipe: 15 mm
• Position: ± 30 - 200 mm from 12 o’clock position

9.2. The surveillance system shall comply with EN 14419.

9.3. The function of the surveillance system shall be based on the electric properties of the
insulation changing with the moisture content.

9.4. The monitoring system shall be able to survey the entire system including straight pipes,
bends, branches and other fittings and be capable of detecting more than one leak after
acknowledgement of previous or current leak.

9.5. The monitoring system shall comprise a microprocessor unit, which fast and easy detect and
localizes any fault by using a built-in pulse echometer (TDR) also called Cable Radar. The
unit shall have an integrated function to ensure that the surveillance system is intact all
times.

9.6. The surveillance system shall work as a fully documented system taking measurements of
each increment of the entire sensor wires and storing the received data in a data base
memory, with the measurement after one month of operation with operating temperature as
start-up data. In monitoring mode actual data and start-up data shall be compared in order to detect
deviations.

9.7. The signal range shall be minimum 3000 m of pipeline with accuracy of less than 1 m.

9.8. The unit shall easily be connected to a computer by means of signal cable, Internet or GSM
(TCP/IP protocol).

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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10.0 INSTALLATION

10.1. Handling and installation of the pre-insulated District Cooling System shall be done

• in accordance with the installation plan and the system manufacturers’

instructions,

• in accordance with the design documentation so to ensure adequate safety

of fitters and other personnel on site as well as any third persons,

• so that installation and operation do not harm to other structures or installations; conversely
those structures and installations shall not be able to cause damage to the pipe system.

10.2. Whenever pipes and components are handled, precautions shall be taken to avoid damaging the PE
casing.

10.3. If pipes are to be cut, this shall be done perpendicular to the pipe axis. Pre-insulated fitting shall not
be shortened.

10.4 .Welders shall be qualified and have a valid certificate in accordance with EN 287-1 for the
techniques, material groups, dimension range and welding position concerned.

10.5. Joint edge preparation and adaption of possible misalignment and difference in wall thickness shall
be done in accordance with EN 13941.

10.6 Inspection, examination and NDT of steel welds shall be performed by qualified and capable
personnel and by well-proved and documented methods. NDT is generally done by radiography and
can be supplemented or replaced by ultrasonic examination after agreement.

10.7. Field joint installation shall be done in accordance with the pre-insulated pipe manufacturers
instructions by trained and experienced personnel (fitters). The manufacturer shall provide necessary
education, training and supervision on request.

11.0 FIELD SERVICE

11.1.The pre-insulated pipe manufacturer shall, on request, provide training, assistance and/or supervision
during critical periods of the project such as

• Product/system training
• Unloading/handling
• Installation training
• Field joint installation
• Testing

11.2. Fitters shall be educated and trained by factory-trained technicians with high competence and
experience from using the manufacturers field joints.

11.3. The pre-insulated pipe manufacturer shall provide rental of welding and foaming equipment.

ELIPS shall be entitled to modify this Guide Specification and its content with immediate effect and without any further notice. 2012-rev-1

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