Skip to content

Tailing Lines

Replacement of Carbon Steel Pipes by Pexgol Pipes for Tailing Lines.

Case Study Nº

63

Customer

Ambatovy
Madagascar

|

2017

Working Conditions

Pressure 800Kpa Slurry concentration of 35% solids Temperature 70°C to 80°C Composition (NH4) 2SO4 PH 6-8. Flow 3,200 m³/h (2.3 m/s)

Pexgol Pipes

Pexgol 630 mm, Class 15

Application

Slurry transportation

Lenght

720 m

Categories

Replacement of Carbon Steel Pipes by Pexgol Pipes for Tailing Lines.

The Challenge

Ambatovy for it nickel mine has 15 km of tailing lines. The tailing distribution lines are made of DN700 carbon steel and this pipelines suffered from repetitive and frequent failures.
This failures were because of the effect of erosion, mainly due to the high liquid velocities inside the pipeline, especially in those areas where there is slack flow in the line.
To a lesser extent, further thinning of the pipeline wall occurs, due the presence of the highly corrosive ammonium sulphate salt (NH4)2SO4 . The frequent failures prompted the decision to replace the the carbon steel tailing pipeline with Pexgol pipes.

Pexgol Solution

After designing the lines in cooperation with Paterson & Cook, Ambatovy decided to install Pexgol 630 mm pipes on 2017.

The pipes were installed down hill from the pumping station where velocities are high. Testing the wall thickness periodically showed minimum effect of wear on the installed Pexgol pipes.

Another advantage that Ambatovy pointed out as a reason to use Pexgol systems is the simplicity of dismantling and reinstalling Pexgol pipes when raising the dam’s level, which saves time and money if comparing this to doing it with carbon steel pipes or carboon steel lined pipes.

Related Case Studies

Drainage in Underground Mine with Slopes Between 40° and 90°.

Water Drainage in Underground Mine

NEMISA Mine
Mexico

 | 

2018
Installation of a Pexgol Pipe on top of a Steel Outdated Pipe

Carriage of Chemicals at Sea Port

Ashdod Sea Port
Israel

 | 

2016
Installation of Pexgol Pipes for a Free Chlorine Potable Water Supply.

Free Chlorine Potable Water Supply

Rabin Medical Center
Israel

 | 

2020
Transport of high corrosive material from the thickeners to the neutralization plant

Corrosive Material Transportation

Moa Nickel S.A. Sherritt
Cuba

 | 

2015
Pexgol Pipe Installation for the Transport of Water with Solids (Feathers, Bones, Viscera, Etc.)

Transportation of Water with Solids

Kofanor
Mexico

 | 

2022
Installation of Pexgol Pipe for the Transport of Abrasive Tailings.

Abrasive Tailings Transport

Pirquitas Mine
Argentina

 | 

2015