SmartPad Operation & Benefits
How the SmartPad System Works
The SmartPad System is an innovative solution meticulously designed from the ground up to address the prevalent problem of Corrosion Under Pipe Supports (CUPS) in industrial piping systems, particularly in challenging environments like coastal regions and offshore platforms. This innovative system also facilitates rapid, cost-effective, and efficient visual corrosion inspections whenever necessary. Its operational framework is as follows:
SmartPads
SmartPads are 100% fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) wear pads with unique design enhancements. They are UV stable to suit harsh environments, and load tested to support pipes of any size and weight.
Hydroseal Gasket
A vital component of every SmartPad is preinstalled on its inner surface. As it gets compressed, primarily by the SmartBand tensioning as well as the pipe’s weight, this closed-cell gasket creates a secure NEMA 4 watertight seal. This seal efficiently blocks the penetration of water molecules into the pad/pipe interface, offering robust pipe corrosion protection. Moreover, the Hydroseal gasket functions as a “memory foam” for pipes, ensuring comprehensive safeguarding, even for pipes with uneven surfaces due to the remediation of previous corrosion damage.
SmartBands and Buckles
SmartBands snugly fit into the recessed grooves of each SmartPad, and the buckles securely fasten them. Crafted entirely from robust continuous-strand FRP material, they eliminate the risk of metal-to-metal contact, ensuring a secure grip that remains steadfast over the system’s anticipated lifespan, ranging from 20 to 30 years and potentially more. The smooth inner surface of the bands is gentle on the pipe’s exterior, preventing any damage.
SmartTool Application
The SmartTool is employed to tighten the SmartBands, subsequently compressing the Hydroseal gasket. The weight of the pipe itself contributes additional compressive force. This process results in the formation of a NEMA 4 watertight seal, eliminating moisture ingress between the pad and pipe. It also ensures the SmartPads remain securely in position, preventing movement or detachment.
Supporting the Pipe
The SmartPad System is manufactured entirely from non-metallic materials and incorporates distinctive design enhancements that serve a twofold purpose:
- Pipe Protection: SmartPads safeguard the pipe’s protective paint coating by preventing wear caused by friction resulting from the pipe’s movement and vibration. They also completely cover the section of the pipe that forms a crevice with the supporting structure, effectively addressing the concern of crevice corrosion.
- Elimination of Metal-to-Metal Contact: SmartPads eliminate any possibility of metal-to-metal contact, thus eliminating the risk of galvanic corrosion.
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SmartPad System Benefits
Heavy-Duty Materials: The incorporation of robust and resilient fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) material ensures durability, making the system suitable for supporting substantial pipes and their contents in demanding environments. Every component of the system is rated for a lifespan of 20-30 years or more, attesting to its remarkable longevity and reliability.
UV-Resistant Components: UV rays from sunlight can cause the polymer matrix in FRP products to break down, leading to a variety of issues such as discoloration, loss of strength, and reduction in structural integrity. The SmartPad System’s components exhibit high resistance to ultraviolet radiation, rendering them well-suited for challenging environments, such as coastal regions and offshore platforms, and ensuring their long-term performance and resistance to harsh environmental conditions.
Load-Tested Components: Rigorous load testing conducted by third-party labs ensures the reliable performance of SmartPads even under high-stress conditions, such as supporting large pipe sizes and their payloads.
Fire Retardant: The FRP material used in SmartPads exhibits remarkable fire-retardant properties, enhancing safety and reliability.
Eliminates Metal-to-Metal Contact: The SmartPads and Hydroseal gaskets effectively eliminate metal-to-metal contact between pipes and their supports, preventing galvanic corrosion from forming.
Pipe Coating Protection: The unique saddle shape of SmartPad serves as an effective shield for pipes, offering corrosion protection without point-loading due to its perfect fit with the pipe’s surface. This design ensures that the pipe’s paint coating is safeguarded from wear and potential damage caused by movement and vibration. Moreover, the Hydroseal gasket, functioning like a “memory foam mattress” for pipes, adeptly covers uneven surfaces. This feature prevents the ingress of water between the pad and the pipe, even on pipes with irregular surfaces that have undergone previous corrosion treatments.
Dampens Vibration and Noise: The closed-cell structure of the SmartPads’ gaskets helps reduce system vibration and noise.
Epoxy-Less System: No epoxy is required to install the SmartPads, simplifying and speeding the process, while reducing complications and the possibility of mistakes.
Weld-Less System: Being an all-composite solution, there’s no need for welding, welding permits, line shutdowns, or highly skilled labor during installation.
Quick Installation: The installation process is rapid and straightforward, taking only seconds to complete. On average, you can install at least five (5) SmartPads for every epoxied-on FRP wear pad and most other alternate solutions.
Efficient Removal and Reinstallation: The thoughtful design of the SmartPad System not only ensures rapid installation but also facilitates quick removal and reinstallation procedures, typically completed in mere minutes. This streamlined process not only allows for hassle-free visual corrosion inspections but also enables prompt relocation of the pads if ever necessary.
High Install Success Rate: The straightforward installation process significantly minimizes the potential for human error, greatly reducing the likelihood of installation errors and failures, thus lowering associated risks.
Reusable Components: The pads, gaskets, and buckles are reusable on other pipes of the same size, providing cost-efficiency and environmental benefits.
Wide Range of Gasket Materials: The SmartPad System offers a variety of gasket materials tailored to specific applications, including those involving highly corrosive chemicals. This versatility allows the SmartPads to be utilized across a wide range of applications, promoting standardization and enhancing maintenance and procurement processes.
Specialized Manufacturing Process: The SmartPads are designed from the ground up to be used as pipe supports. The manufacturing process produces custom-made pads that fit any pipe size precisely and eliminate gaps between pipe and pad, thus ensuring an effective seal between them. Competitors often repurpose pipes by cutting them to make wear pads, while they were never intended to be used as such, both in terms of manufacturing material and physical design. Such pads would not fit a pipe properly, allowing for moisture ingress, and therefore corrosion becomes a serious threat with such pads. Click here for more information.
Operating Temperature: The SmartPad System is suitable for a wide range of temperatures, from -60°F to 400°F (-51°C to 204°C), making it versatile in various operating conditions and applications.