Used and recommended by pipeline and civil contractors around the world, kwik-ZIP centraliser and spacer systems are solving production casing centralisation challenges across New Zealand.
kwik-ZIP has an established stockist in Australia, US, UK and New Zealand. kwik-ZIP Spacers and Centralisers have been developed to solve support, grading and centralisation challenges in the trenchless and pipeline, vertical production drilling, and ground engineering industries.
Manufactured from kwik-ZIP’s engineered thermoplastic blend, the HDXT Series is suitable for heavy-weight pipe materials including: steel, ductile, mild steel cement lined (MSCL), glass reinforced epoxy (GRE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
They can be used on all diameters from 300 mm and beyond through the simple addition of multiple segments. The casing spacers utilise a segmented design that enables the system to be used on a variation of carrier pipe sizes.
The spacers incorporate low friction high abrasion resistant wear pads, attached to load sharing runners. The number of segments required for each spacer is determined by the outside diameter of the carrier pipe.
kwik-ZIP’s spacers were installed in June 2020 as part of the Wairi trunk watermain project, located in Te Puke, the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
The spacers were installed around the circumference of a 710 mm PE pipeline to ensure the newly installed PE pipeline will sit centre, while pulling the pipeline through a 1040 mm steel jacking pipe.
By using the kwik-Zip HDXT 103 model spacers, the construction company have avoided any potential damage to the PE pipe on installation and protected against any future damage caused by the steel jacking pipe coming in to contact with the newly installed PE pipeline.
The construction company used the kwik-Zip brand due to the easy and quick installation with the screw lock system. This was key, due to the complexity of working below ground level. If the installation was to take longer or was more complex it could have created delays for the drillers pulling the pipeline through the jacking pipe, and therefore caused knock on delays for the project.
Spacers were placed at either end of the jacking pipe, from there the spacers were installed at 2m intervals between each end, to avoid any sagging in the pipeline.
On site personnel were inducted into the correct way to install the kwik-ZIP spacers using kwik-ZIP’s installation guide, which ensured the product was used correctly and efficiently. The product worked exactly as it should and no issues were encountered. They were very quick and easy to install and HEB Construction would not hesitate in using them again should the situation arise.
More recently, in October of 2021, kwik-ZIP’s HDXT 103 model spacers were installed as part of the Te Maunga Outfall project located in Tauranga, also located in the Bay of Plenty. The spacers were installed around the circumference of a 1200 mm PE pipeline to ensure the newly installed pipeline would sit centre, while still pulling the pipeline through 100 m of 1500 mm existing concrete duct under the TEL.
By using the kwik-ZIP spacers, the construction company have been able to avoid any potential damage to the PE pipe during installation.
Spacers were placed at either end of the jacking pipe, from there the spacers were installed at 1 m intervals between each end. The personnel at the site were fortunate to have experience with using kwik-ZIP’s products and were familiar with the easy to understand installation guide, ensuring the product was used correctly and efficiently.
With the successful completion of these projects in New Zealand, it’s clear kwik-ZIP is continuing to build a strong reputation for hard work and innovation not just in Australia but worldwide.
For more information visit kwik-ZIP.
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This article appeared in the October edition of Trenchless Australasia. Access the digital copy of the magazine here.