Blow-out accidents of concrete delivery pipes are very dangerous. Because the pressure of the concrete in the pipes is very high, the fly-out sand and gravel can easily hurt people. Therefore, how to reduce the occurrence of a pipe blow-out accident is something that every pump operator needs to know.
1. Pipe block up
Pipe block up is a common problem in daily work. If the concrete is blocked in the pipe and forced to continue pumping, the concrete pressure inside the pipe may become larger and larger, and finally, the pipes cannot withstand the pressure and causing a pipe blow-out.
First, when the pipe block up happened, it is forbidden to drain the pipe by forced pumping. You can keep switching positive/reverse pumping to increase the concrete flow and solve the problem.
Secondly, if the above method still does not work, you can hammer the pump to find the position of block up while pumping. The concrete will be loosened due to the hammering.
At last, after the pressure can be released from the concrete pipe by the reverse pumping, remove the blocked pipes and clean the inside concrete manually. Don’t forget to RELEASE THE PRESSURE FIRST before cleaning if you don’t want a worse accident after.
2. Worn pipes and elbows
Concrete delivery pipes and elbows are wearing parts with a limited lifetime. Especially the 90-degree elbows at the boom joints which no only subjected to friction but also huge impact force. Its lifetime is shorter than straight pipes. If the pipes or elbows are seriously worn, the pipe wall will be thinned, and it is very likely that the pipe blow-out accident may occur because the instantaneous impact force of the concrete cannot be withstood. This type of pipe blow-out is more common.
To avoid such accidents, you have to check the pipes for serious wear regularly. Usually, you can hit the pump tube with a hammer, through the sound can identify whether the pipe is seriously worn. Then you can remove the pipe and inspect. If the thickness is lower than standard, replace immediately
3. Poor-quality pipes
The thickness of some poor-quality pipes looks fine. But the abrasive resistance is not qualified for required lifetime or strength which will cause crack while pumping.
4. Collision deformation of the pipes
During the operation, if the pipe collides with the surrounding buildings, it may cause the pipe to crack or deform, and the direct result is the pipe blow-out.
Overall, pipe blow-out is mainly because the pipe lifetime has reached the limit. In daily operation, the operator needs to strictly follow the pump operating instruction. Regular inspection and maintenance are very important. For inexperienced pump operators, knowing the above solutions should be able to reduce the occurrence of pipe blow-out accidents to a large extent.
Edited by Hello-Parts.com
