Technofast is now the exclusive Australian and New Zealand distributor for Swiss-engineered HAELOK pipe fittings which can be deployed in under a minute to provide outstanding sealing performance under vibration and high pressure.
Leaking refrigerant in commercial and industrial HVAC and refrigeration systems can be difficult to trace and remedy, particularly if the piping systems involved were not ideally specified in the first place.
Technofast managing director, John Bucknell, said leaky installations require prompt action to curb the environmental and financial costs associated with leaks.
He said this is particularly true for refrigeration and HVAC systems which have complex piping to accommodate large cooling loads.
“Such conditions are very common both in industrial refrigerated process applications and commercial building HVAC applications,” Bucknell said.
“These systems may contain refrigerants in a gaseous or liquid state, depending on the specific stage of the refrigeration cycle.
“While the pipes themselves are typically made from durable materials to withstand pressure variations and temperature – such as steel, stainless steel and copper – the joints also must also be engineered to withstand these variables.
“Specially optimised for ammonia, nitrogen, and other refrigerants, the HAELOK system is used wherever vibrations and pressure pulses require the highest level of safety.”
The connectors are compatible with all natural refrigerants, such as carbon dioxide (R744/CO2) in sub- and trans-critical pressures from 40 bar up to 160 bar, ammonia (R717/NH3) and hydrocarbons such as propane (R290/C3H8), propylene (R1270/C3H6) and isobutane (R600a/C4H10).
Bucknell said HAELOK fittings have a proven track record and have been in use in European markets for more than 20 years.
HAELOK fittings are applicable to a broad range of applications, including power stations, high pressure hydraulic lines up to 1270 bar for smaller sizes (up to 4 inch at 250 bar), oil, gas, and petrochemical refineries (including offshore), navy, marine, and defence, caustic environments, including food and beverage and primary processing, heavy mine sites, steam and biogas lines in sugar mills, and hydrogen piping.
“Pipe installation and repair work for these applications often involve welding, which means you need a hot works permit, a spotter, x-raying, flushing, purging, and a shutdown period – all of which takes time and adds considerable cost,” he said.
“With a HAELOK fitting, one person can complete the repair in approximately 40 seconds, and the pipe is ready to go.
“Technicans can isolate the area they are working on without shutting down the whole line. Hydraulically cut the pipe, install the relevant HAELOK fitting, crimp the ends, and the job is complete.”
Besides being a cost-attractive alternative to conventional joining techniques such as welding and brazing, the system’s simplicity means it can overcome difficult operating and space-limited installation conditions.
The HAELOK range includes 250 standard sizes and variations, such as straight fittings, repair fittings, reduction fittings, fittings with internal or external threads, end caps, union tees, elbow 90-degree fittings, SAE flanges and many more variations to suit different applications.
In addition to the standard range, customised fittings can be manufactured to suit unique requirements.