The pipes, used to carry out pipelines, should pass through specific processing phases such as welding and coating with shrink sleeves or epoxy powder fusion.

All these operations must be carried out at temperature higher than the ambient one, therefore the pipeline must be heated.

The most qualified international standards require the induction method, it means heating through currents induced directly into the pipe steel . This method is greatly innovative compared  to the traditional flame heating. The process is safer, faster, cleaner and allows precise temperature control and uniformity over the whole area that has to be heated. It is also selective and it does not break into the coating and/or the painting next to the field joint. In addiction the induction heating does not oxidise the sand-blasted surfaces and involves just the metallic part of the pipe. These are just some of the most important advantages of this innovative technology, affecting the complete cost of a pipeline welding process.

Since the Induction technology heats through induced currents, the results of the process are uniform,  easily controlled and they effect only steel parts. Therefore it is not dangerous neither for the operators nor for the environment as the obsolete flame systems used to be.

Moreover, it does not oxidise, does not cause damages to the coating material already existing on the pipe, it does not rust the sandblasted surfaces.

It’s easy to use, safer and cost-effective

The induction heating with Parmaprogetti equipment is extremely easy and safe thanks to more than decennial of specific experience. The operators only have to push the start button after having inserted the coil on the pipe. From this moment the heating cycle starts and finishes automatically following the programmed cycle.

The working time set-up can be modified, stopped or resumed easily in every moment before, after or during the process.

You can choose Motor driven or Static Generators

The induction heating units manufactured by Parmaprogetti can be divided into two categories:

• Motor driven generators consisting essentially of a diesel engine connected with a single-phase medium frequency alternator.
  Static generators. They are fully electronic inverters requiring a three-phase electric power supply.

• Motor-generators, or rotative generators, are particularly suitable for on-shore operations, because they are easy to install and don’t need any additional external source of power supply.

Static generators are more flexible compared with motor-generators, because they can generate automatically a wide range of frequencies in order to get the best efficiency with every different pipe diameter.
They do not exhale fuel gas and require only a three-phase external power supply. For this reason they are particularly suitable for stationary installations (pipe-laying ships and coating plants).
It is also possible to install them over tracked or tyred vehicles equipped with a three-phase generating set or using a three-phase alternator driven by the vehicle engine as power supply.
The standard Static model IR160SC, with a power of 160 KVA, depending on the applications, has an efficiency higher of about 20% than the rotative standard model.

Parmaprogetti can manufacture, on request, static generators for different powers, from few Kilowatts to many Megawatts, suitable for almost every possible application.

A large number of Coils and Accessories are available

Coils are basically of three different types and can be custom tailored for any different specific need:

• Model F: it is a high temperature resisting fibreglass ring, with the coil turns wound around, designed to be inserted inside the pipe leaving free the external surface.
  By using it in pair, both the edges of the pipes to be coupled (usually a portion of 15 cm - 6 Inch both sides) can be heated avoiding the oxidation of the joint or any damage to the adjacent coating and to the inner painting.

• Model FE: same characteristics as model F but for operating outside of the pipe. It is particularly suitable for the operations where the pipe can run inside the coil, like on the pipe-laying ship or the coating plants.

• Model H: it is a removable- shell type coil. It should be clamped on the welded pipe in order to heat the desired area (usually 750 mm – 30 Inch); particularly suitable for the joint-coating. It does not rust the sandblasted surfaces and the adjacent coating material. Many sizes are available for any purpose of use.

There’s a wide range of applications

The Induction Heating is highly recommended in the following operations: