Pipelines in the chemical industry must meet strict requirements. The drive to increase productivity means they must withstand constant loads and be absolutely clean before the next production process begins. Before the next product can flow through the pipes, any remains of the previous product that flowed through the pipes must be removed to prevent cross-contamination. This is where PFEIFFER pigging solutions come into play.
Mr. Michael Miertz is head of product management for pigging systems at PFEIFFER Chemie-Armaturenbau GmbH which offers turnkey solutions including the valves, pipelines, and pigs. The SAMSON company engineers the entire unit for customers as a single-source solution that can operate reliably in production plants.
The pig plays an important role. It must be able to push along liquids and gases without any resistance. The lips of the pigs ensure a snug fit inside the stainless steel pipes.
PFEIFFER uses a special bending method to ensure the pig can reliably round pipe bends to push along residual media. There are no weld seams to hinder its progress through the pipe. The various pressures and temperatures have no effect on the high-tech pig with its flexible lip seal. The pig quickly picks up speed inside the pipework. However, the pig must not be allowed to move faster than one meter per second. Otherwise, optimal cleaning performance cannot be achieved. The chemical giants in Germany are not the only companies that rely on technology. Other customers are located in the Benelux countries, Scandinavia, and the US. The pigging systems meet the requirements laid down in DIN 2430. Pipe lengths range from just a few meters or extend to several kilometers. The pipe inside diameters is between DN 50 and 200 as stipulated by DIN 2430.