www.hipspipefabrications.co.uk

HIPS Pipe Fabrications

Contents

1 Introduction 4 Purified, WFI and RO Water 2 Fabrication workshop 5 Stainless

Steel Passivation 3 Hygienic process pipework

Company expertise

Installation of:

Hygienic process pipework Purified water

WFI water installations RO Installations

Softened water pipework Stainless steel vessels

Stainless Steel Passivation

HIPS Pipe Fabrications

Introduction

HIPS Pipe Fabrications Ltd, is a well established company specializing in workshop fabrications and onsite pipe and mechanical installations. Our expertise spans several industrial sectors. These include: pharmaceutical, food and beverage and NHS. We specialize in the installation of:

• Hygienic process pipework

• Purified and WFI water systems

• Passivation of stainless steel pipework

• Clean steam headers and pipework

• RO plant and softeners

• Exotic metals

• ABS, Polypropylene and UPVC pipework

HIPS is based in a modern 32002‘ factory based in Washington Tyne and Wear. Our factory is ideally situated in close proximity to A1 and A19 which provides excellent transportation links throughout the UK.

As a company we undertake installation contracts nationally and internationally, and have the flexibility and infrastructure to assist our clients on small installations to major projects from concept to completion

Our company prides itself on offering a workforce who are multi disciplined and who have vast knowledge and experience of installations within the companies market place.

Our philosophy is to ensure fast response in an emergency and perfection and reliability in our installations.

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HIPS Pipe Fabrications

Fabrication Workshop

Our facility is fully equipped to undertake all in house fabrications. We have invested in the latest welding equipment, to include orbital welding machines, TIG sets, MIG sets, Axeair pipe cutters, Rothernberg threading machines, band saws, pedestal drills etc.

Figure 1 shows a prototype drum filling equipment manufactured at our facility for Extract Technologies Ltd.

Fig 2 Pipe supports fabricated at our factory for Arla Foods Leeds

Fig 3 is a RO water storage vessel manufactured for Purite

Fig 4 is a chiller unit for Dairy Crest manufactured for GEA

To facilitate our installations we have produced WPQRs (welding Procedures) and have our own Boroscope with picture and video facilities

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Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3

Fig 4

HIPS Pipe Fabrications

Hygienic Process Pipework

Hips Pipe Fabrications expertise is in the fabrication and installation of hygienic process pipework . This market sector has grown exponentially over our period of trading. All our pipework is tacked together with a full argon backing purge and autogenously welded, either orbital or manually welded

Recent projects have included a

( fig 1 ). New ice cream facility at Lanchester Dairies

( fig2 ) RO (Reverse Osmosis) system Arla Dairy

( Fig 3 ) New facility installation Villa Drinks.

( fig 4 ) Chiller unit Dairy Crest

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Fig 1 Fig 2

Fig 3 Fig 4

HIPS Pipe Fabrications

Purified, WFI and RO Water

Our clients include:

• Novartis Pharmaceuticals

• GSK

• MSD

• Pfizer’s

• Elga Process water

•Steris Pharma

• Purite Limited

• Lubron Limited

• E.W.S Limited

• Getinge

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HIPS Pipe Fabrications was established in 2005, and from this point we have been actively involved in numerous RO, purified & WFI water systems. Our RO systems have been installed in many of the NHS hospitals across the UK and Ireland. These systems have been for Sterile Services, Endoscopy and Renal Dialysis. The latest install was for a Pex pipework system for Sunderland Royal Hospital 800 meters in total.Our Pharmaceutical sector have installed purified water systems for Novartis, GSK and MSD, accompanying these systems were full IQ documentation. All pipework is boroscoped and in house passivated

HIPS Pipe Fabrications

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When stainless steel is subjected to any heat process welding or machining the material looses properties within the infra structure of the metal. The chromium content is decreased and positive irons are deposited onto the welded or machined surface. This welded or machined area of the stainless steel will be prone to corrosion (rust).

The only way to overcome this problem when working with stainless steel and heat is to passivate the system. There are several theories as to how the stainless steel should be passivated.

The original concept was to firstly degrease the pipe using Potassium Metasilicate or Potassium Hydroxide (Caustic) at a 1% solution to volume. This technique will disperse any grease or foreign bodies from the material. This system is still the best way forward.

The second step in the process is to introduce an acid compound to the material to increase the oxidisation and restore the chromium element of the stainless steel. In the past Nitric acid at 40% volume was considered the only way to perform the passivation of the metal. The problem with this is that Nitric Acid is a hazardous material and requires a permit to dispose of the effluent. This can be expensive and in today’s carbon foot print life style a no no.

A more efficient process is to use Citric acid. This process is more environmentally friendly and more efficient in the passivation process. The normal percentage to volume is 15% at a temperature of 200C to 400C. The disposal of the effluent is to drain, to decrease the PH of the citric acid caustic can be added until PH is 7, this makes the effluent harmless to the environment. Using citric acid will decrease costs and work with any Environmental Company Policy.

The final process is to determine if the passivation has worked. There are several processes that can be used. Using a salt spray onto the material and left for 24 hours, brown rust marks will appear if positive irons are present. A Ferroxyle test can also be used, this is not advised on food and beverage processes, the test solution consists of Potassium Ferricyanide and Nitric acid. This compound then becomes Cyanide. In the past we have introduced a spool piece within the system to be passivated with the major pipework. This spool piece is submitted to the ferroxyle test away from the work place and disposed of.

HIPS undertake stainless steel passivation on site and at our work premises, we have a purpose built skid unit and baths which can perform the passivation of the pipework, and smaller spool pieces can be soaked in a bath solution. Full certification will be supplied for all passivation to FDA standards

STAINLESS STEEL PASSIVATION

Unit 4 Donkin Road, Armstrong Industrial Estate. Washington. Tyne and Wear. NE37 1PF

Tel: 01914157249Fax ; 01914157257Email: p.mchugh@h-ips.co.ukWeb: www.hipspipefabrications.co.uk

Proud sponsors of HIPS hippos at Flamingo Land