IBP2396_17

FULL PENETRATION WELDED JOINTS FOR RUBBER

AND POLYURETHANE LINED PIPE
Ryan Sears1, Robert Raber2

Abstract
Common existing methods for the transportation of slurries via pipe are a) rubber or polyurethane lined pipe with
mechanical joints b) bare pipe with extra pipe wall thickness to allow for metal loss from erosion or corrosion c) loose
HDPE liners with flanged joints every 500 to 1,000 meters d) HDPE pipe and e) metalized and ceramic protective
linings for carbon steel pipe. Mechanical joints are prone to leakage, limit pipeline pressure, and may be very expensive
for higher pressures. Using a bare pipeline with extra pipe wall thickness does allow for welded joints, but the pipeline
lifespan is often significantly reduced because carbon steel is significantly less abrasion resistant than rubber or
polyurethane. The construction costs are significantly higher due to the extra weight of the pipe and the exponentially
longer time it takes to weld the joints. Loose HDPE liners significantly reduce the number of flanged joints required, but
the abrasion resistance of HDPE is much less than that of rubber and polyurethane. HDPE liners are also prone to
collapse in vacuum conditions because they are not bonded to the pipe wall. To overcome these problems, Joint Lock
Ring™ technology was developed to allow full-penetration welded joints for rubber and polyurethane lined pipe.
Standard pipeline construction methods such as field bends, field length adjustments, and NDE testing are made
possible. Carbon steel rings are fabricated with a proprietary elastomer resistant to high heat and abrasion is molded to
the interior. The rings are inserted into each end of the lined pipe and adhered to the edge of the interior lining. In the
field, two ring x ring pipe sections are brought together using a pipe alignment tool. The Joint Lock rings in each pipe
end are brought flush against each other, which 1) compresses a built in gasket 2) creates exactly the gap specified to
achieve a full penetration weld 3) forms a backing ring for the weld and 4) creates a heat shield during welding for the
elastomer molded to the ring interiors. Welding of the joint may be accomplished by standard welding procedures. Upon
inspection of the interior surface at the welded joint, a smooth transition is observed from the rubber/polyurethane lining
of one pipe, through the unblemished heat-resistant elastomer on each ring, and on to the rubber and polyurethane lining
on the other pipe. Joint Lock rings allow for standard pipeline construction of rubber and polyurethane lined pipe, with
full penetration welded joints, field bends, and easy field length adjustments. This paper presents the performance and
cost advantages of full penetration welded joints for lined pipe vs. existing common slurry pipeline systems.

1. Introduction
There are currently four common pipe systems used to transport abrasive slurries, and each of them has
limitations that the Joint Lock Ring welded joint system for lined pipe can solve. Unlike other known welded joint
systems for pipe lined with rubber and polyurethane, the Joint Lock Ring system allows for field bends, easy field length
adjustments, and full penetration welded joints. Full penetration welded joints are critical for higher pressure pipelines
and required per Code in ASME B31.11 for Slurry Transportation Piping Systems.

2. Common Pipeline Systems for Transport of Slurries

2.1 Lined Pipe with Mechanical Joints

A common method to transport abrasive slurries consists of mechanically-joined carbon steel pipe that is lined
with abrasion-resistant rubber or polyurethanes. The mechanical joints commonly used are flanged and bolted
connections or grooved couplings, both of which are significantly weaker than the pipe wall and limit pipeline pressure.
Flanged joints may be very expensive, particularly for higher pressures and larger diameters. When comparing
the cost of the machined steel flanges, nuts/bolts/gaskets, and lining of the flange face, Joint Lock Ring welded joints
have a >30% cost advantage per joint when compared to ASME B16.5 Class 300 slip-on flanges of 18” diameter. The
cost advantage increases substantially as the pipe size increases. When compared to ASME B16.5 Class 600 slip-on
flanges, Joint Lock Ring welded joints have a >40% cost advantage per joint for 12” diameter pipe and >50% cost
advantage for 18” diameter pipe. The cost advantages increase substantially as the pipe size increases.
Table 1 shows a budgetary cost comparison for a high pressure 24” diameter tailings pipeline:

______________________________
1
CEO, Goodwest Linings & Coatings
2
President, Imperial Pipe Services
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Table 1. Budgetary Cost Comparison of Flanged vs. Welded Joints

Pipeline Description: 24" dia. x 0.375" wall Class 600 pipeline, 8,300 meters
Flanged Joints JLR Welded Joints
Flanges $ 1,715,467.00 Joint Lock Rings, Installed x
Fabrication & NDE $ 1,233,005.00 Beveled End Preparation x
Nuts, Bolts, Gaskets $ 1,213,333.00 Rubber Lining Labor & Matl x
Rubber Lining Labor & Mat'l $ 3,630,581.00 Total $ 4,615,161
Total $ 7,792,385

Total Savings $ 3,177,224

% Savings 41%

Note: The budgetary cost analysis above does not take into account the cost of shop bends, stub ends with loose
flanges, nor additional freight cost for shipping flanged pipe.
Besides cost, another limitation to both flanged and grooved coupling joints are that they have the potential to
leak due to damaged sealing surfaces, uneven or insufficient bolt torque, seismic movement, and thermal expansion. For
this reason, it is not recommended to bury pipelines with mechanical joints.
Field length adjustments are a common challenge with both flanged and grooved coupling joints. At most bends
and other critical junctures, pipe lengths must be cut to a specific size. With mechanical joints this generally entails
waiting for a pipe section to be fabricated to a specific length and the lining to be installed at a shop location. This can
add days or weeks to a project schedule. Joint Lock Rings can easily be installed at field cut locations and ready to weld
within hours. The Joint Lock Ring field length adjustment process is covered in more detail later in the paper.
Another major limitation to flanged joints are the fact that flanged pipe cannot be bent in the field, as the
flanges do not fit through pipe bending machines. Additionally, when flanged pipelines change direction and reverse
bends are required, very expensive lap flanges with stub ends are used to make it possible to adjust the plane of mating
flange faces. The long-radius bends used for most long distance slurry lines only stretch the outer radius of the pipe a
few percent, which is well within the elongation potential of rubber and polyurethane linings. Therefore, rubber and
polyurethane lined pipe with Joint Lock Ring welded joints can be bent in the field just like bare pipe.

2.2 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Liners

Loose HDPE liners are often used for slurry pipelines with higher pressures. HDPE liners allow for full
penetration welded joints, which are critical to high pressure pipelines. HDPE liners also have a very low rate of osmotic
permeation, so water does not permeate through the liner at high pressure. Historically, loose HDPE liners are installed
in lengths of pipe that are approximately 600m long with flanges on each end.
A major limitation of HDPE liners are that they are significantly less resistant to abrasion than natural rubber
and polyurethane. Historically HDPE liners are used more for corrosion resistance than abrasion resistance.
Another limitation of HDPE liners are that they do not resist gas permeation. Gases permeate the liner and
collect in the annulus between the liner and the pipe wall. The gases must be drained at gas outlets positioned throughout
the pipeline.
A third limitation of HDPE liners are that they are susceptible to collapse under vacuum, which occasionally
occurs from the phenomena of slack flow and other factors. HDPE liners are generally engineered to be of sufficient
thickness to resist vacuum, but liners can be worn thin. Age and incorrect installation can cause them to sag into the flow
of particles, thereby creating cavitation and increased local abrasion. When an HDPE liner is breached, the liquid
quickly fills the annulus between the liner and pipe wall and causes the liner to collapse on itself – thus plugging the
pipeline.

2.3 HDPE Pipe

HDPE pipe is commonly used for pipelines with pressures under 2.413 MPa (350psi). It is the lowest cost
option for transportation of slurries. A major limitation of HDPE pipe is that it is significantly less resistant to abrasion
than natural rubber and polyurethane. Another limitation of HDPE pipe is that the pressure rating is significantly
reduced when the pipe is above ground and subject to heat from the sun.

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2.4 Bare Carbon Steel Pipe

Bare pipelines with welded joints are commonly used for long distance high pressure slurry pipelines. Full
penetration, NDE-tested welded joints can obviously be used, pipe can be bent in the field as measurements are
determined in the field, and field length adjustments are quick and easy. The wall thickness is increased to allow for
erosion and corrosion.
The major limitation of bare carbon steel pipelines are that they are not nearly as resistant to corrosion and
abrasion as rubber and polyurethane. It is often the case that a bare pipeline transporting coarser particles (i.e. tailings)
would need to be constructed twice or even three times over the period of time that one rubber or polyurethane lined
pipeline would last.
Table 2 shows a budgetary cost comparison of a high pressure 28” diameter tailings line in South America.

Table 2. Budgetary Cost Comparison of Bare vs. Lined Tailings Line

Unlined Pipe 28" dia. X65 1.25" wall Price per km

Pipe Material $ 590,000
Estimated Construction Cost $ 980,000
Total Price per km $ 1,570,000
Estimated Lifespan 8 years
Price per km per year $ 196,250

Lined Pipe 28" dia. X65 .500" wall Price per km

Pipe Material x
Rubber Lining 12mm thick x
Joint Lock Rings, installed x
Estimated Construction Cost $ 616,000
Total Price per km $ 1,366,137
Estimated lifespan 20 years
Price per km per year $ 68,307

Notes:
*The bare pipe with 1.25" wall weighs 2.2 times more than the lined pipe with .500" wall.
*The bare pipe with 1.25" wall takes 6.08 times longer to weld than the .500" wall.
*The cost for transporting, handling, hauling, stringing and lowering the bare pipe is higher than the lined pipe
due to the additional weight.
*The cost for bending the bare pipe is higher than the lined pipe due to the heavier equipment required to deal
with the additional resistant moment.

The chief advantage of the Joint Lock Ring welded joint system is that it allows for carbon steel pipelines with
rubber and polyurethane linings to be constructed virtually the same as bare pipelines. Pipe assembly, full penetration
NDE-tested welded joints, field bends, and field length adjustments are all easily accomplished.
The chief of advantage of rubber and polyurethane linings are that they resist abrasion much better than carbon
steel, thereby allowing for larger, coarser particles to be transported in long distance slurry pipelines.

2.5 Other Protective Linings for Slurry Pipelines

Chromium carbide overlay and ceramics are examples of other protective lining materials for carbon steel pipe.
While they have a high resistance to abrasion, their costs are very high when compared to rubber or polyurethane, and
are generally only cost-effective for limited areas.

3. How Joint Lock Ring Welded Joints Work

3.1 Ring Manufacturing
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Carbon steel rings are rolled and the OD of the rings are machined to slightly less than the inside diameter of
the pipe size. A proprietary elastomer resistant to high heat and abrasion is molded to the interior of the rings. The

proprietary elastomer is chemically bonded to the steel rings during the molding process. The elastomer is also
mechanically anchored to the steel rings. The mechanical anchors are formed by the elastomer protruding through
counter-bored holes in the ring wall. Photograph 1 shows a pair of 6” diameter rings with the elastomer molded and
mechanically anchored to the carbon steel rings.

Figure 1. Rings with Molded Elastomer

3.2 Ring Insertion

The rings are inserted into each end of the lined pipe and adhered to the edge of the interior lining. The rings
are tack welded to the land of the beveled pipe end to hold them in place. The rings are left slightly protruding from the
end of each pipe. Diagram 1 shows the rings after insertion into pipe ends.

Figure 2. Cross section showing rings installed in pipe ends

3.3 Field Assembly

In the field, two ring x ring pipe sections are brought together using a special pipe alignment tool, as
manufactured by Walhonde. The alignment tool is clamped onto the pipe straddling the joint, and is designed to correct
for oval pipe ends by making them perfectly round. It is also has a feature that can correct for flat spots by making the
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adjoining pipe have an equal flat spot. By correcting for out of round issues and lining up the beveled ends of each
adjoining pipe, the rings are also brought into a perfect circle and prepared to be brought flush against each other.
The last important feature of the alignment clamp is the turnbuckles, which when tightened will bring each
adjoining pipe together. This compresses a gasket that is fitted into a recess on the face of one of the mating rings. The
gasket is made of the same temperature and abrasion resistant elastomer as the ring elastomer. Photo 2 shows the
Walhonde alignment clamp assembled onto 18” diameter pipe.

Figures 3 & 4. Walhonde alignment clamp

The mating Joint Lock rings create exactly the gap specified to achieve a full penetration weld. The external
carbon steel portion of the mating rings form a backing ring for the weld and a heat shield for the elastomer molded to
the ring interiors.

3.4 Welding

Welding of the joint may be accomplished using standard API welding procedures, with attention to ensure the
heat does not exceed specified parameters. During the assembly and welding process, the gasket embedded into one ring
is compressed against the flat surface of the adjoining ring, creating a high pressure seal that prevents liquid from
reaching the carbon steel portion of the rings when pressurized.

Figure 5. Cross section of completed weld joint

Upon inspection of the interior surface at the welded joint, a smooth transition is observed from the
rubber/polyurethane lining of one pipe, through the unblemished heat-resistant elastomer on each ring, and on to the
rubber/polyurethane lining on the other pipe. It is important to note that the root pass of the weld also welds the carbon
steel rings to the pipe wall. Photograph 4 shows a cross section of a welded joint on a 6” diameter pipe lined with
rubber.

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Figure 6. Completed Welded Joint of Rubber Lined Pipe Using Joint Lock Rings

3.5 Field Length Adjustments

The ability to make length adjustments to pipe sections in the field is necessary at most bends and other critical
junctures. The process for making length adjustments to pipe fitted with Joint Lock Rings is as follows:
1) Cut the pipe to desired length and bevel the pipe end.
2) Remove the rubber or polyurethane lining from the edge of the pipe using a counter-boring tool attached to
an orbital cutting tool. The lining is removed the distance necessary to accommodate the Joint Lock Ring.
3) Apply adhesive to the exposed edge of the rubber or polyurethane lining.
4) Insert the Joint Lock Ring into the end of the pipe, flush against the shoulder of the rubber or polyurethane
lining.
5) Tack weld the ring to the pipe edge.

Figure 7 Orbital cutting tool with counter-boring tool for lining removal

3.6 Non Destructive Examination (NDE)

Completed welds can be examined for cracks, inclusions, and other defects by using standard nondestructive
examination techniques. Ultra-sonic examination and X-ray examination may both be used to guarantee the integrity of
each full penetration welded joint.

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4.0 Tests and Trials

4.1 Trial installation

Pipe with Joint Lock Ring welded joints was installed at a lithium extraction plant near Salton Sea, California,
USA. The following is a summary of the trial installation:
Process liquid: geothermal brine exiting geothermal power plant
i. Temperature 105C
ii. Lower level abrasion from salt crystals
iii. Extremely high rate of corrosion to carbon steel
Existing pipeline description: 2” diameter 2205 Duplex stainless steel, ~ 0.7 MPa (100 psi). Carries
geothermal brine from geothermal power plant to adjacent lithium/zinc extraction plant.
Test section description: 3” dia. sch. 40 carbon steel with bromobutyl rubber lining, 12mm thick., 6m overall
length with two 90 degree bends. 6 welded joints.
Results: No issues with rubber lining or welded joints after 8 months in service. Gasket seal & bond of Joint
Lock rings to bromobutyl rubber lining were intact and unaffected.

4.2 Shop Test

The following test is regularly performed in the shop to verify the integrity of the welded joint:
A small coupling is installed in the weld zone to expose the mating rings through the pipe wall. The ends of the
welded pipe are blinded off and the pipe is hydro pressure tested to more than 1,000 psi. As the pipe increases pressure,
the gasket seals off flow from the interior of the pipe. This test proves the integrity of the joint between the rings and the
rubber/polyurethane, as well as the fact that the rings completely seal when pipe is pressurized.

4.3 Laboratory Abrasion Test

The ring elastomer material was tested for abrasion resistance by an outside laboratory per ASTM B611 using
30 grit aluminum oxide for 10 minutes. Table 3 shows the measurements of grams lost after the test, with the Joint Lock
Ring elastomer results highlighted in yellow.

Table 3. Results of Abrasion Test ASTM B611

When accounting for the higher specific gravity of the ring elastomer, the ring elastomer lost exactly half the
volume of material vs. the 60 shore A durometer natural rubber.

4.0 Summary

The limitations of existing methods for transportation of slurries, particularly at high pressures, has necessitated
the development of a full penetration welded joint system for lined pipe. Joint Lock Ring technology has answered that
need while allowing for field bends and quick field length adjustments.
Full penetration welded joints for rubber and polyurethane lined pipe can dramatically reduce the long term
capital cost of abrasive slurry pipelines operating at high pressure.

5.0 Bibliography

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ASME B31.4-2016 Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquids and Slurries
ASME B16.5 Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings
ASTM B611 Standard Test Method for Determining the High Stress Abrasion Resistance of Hard Materials