Large Diameter PE Pipe Cutter

Completed

Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas)

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
Northern Gas Networks

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 March 2021

01 March 2022

ENA months

£168,650

Energy

Yorkshire & Humberside

Network Innovation Allowance

Project Contact, Northern Gas Networks

Discovery – Initial stakeholder sessions have already taken place within Northern Gas Networks to develop scope and objectives for this project.Design and Development – Steve Vick International will undertake this stage at their facilities in Bradford on Avon. SVI will detail all work carried out with all key milestones / decisions made in the form a log / report. This report is to be shared with NGN prior to advancing to the next phase.Field trials – To be carried out under a G23 mandate to make sure the cutter is suitable to be used on the network. Measurement of efficiency, safety and usage will be monitored and recorded.Project Closure – End of project phase to assess whether the cutter is viable to be produced to be used commercially. All design and development work from TRL 4 up to TRL 7. (NIA Funded) Data collection to allow project progression to TRL 8 and 9 (SVI Funded) A finished cutting system at TRL 8 with all additional design and refactoring work (SVI Funded) and therefor outside of NIA funded activities and will be provided at SVIs expense. A cutting system that can be used in and out of an excavation by a single operator. The objective of the project is to deliver: Identify the best two methods for LDPE cutting Identify the best single method for cutting LDPE Produce the final prototype machine for use on Northern Gas Netwoks sites Supply a factory ready machine to NGN (BAU or TRL 8-9)

The proposed project is to work in partnership with Steve Vicks International to design, develop and demonstrate a safe and practical method to enable safe, efficient and reliable cutting of large diameter PE pipe with wall thickness up to 103mm, inclusive of 630mm diameter pipes.We propose that the cutting machine designed will operate in both below ground and above groundscenarios.Design, manufacturing and testing will be carried out at the SVI headquarters in Bradford on Avon and a Technical Report will be completed and supplied to NGN for evaluation prior to moving into any subsequent project phases.The finished design will be assessed by a 3rd party to ensure compliance with any relevant legislation that may affect the design and use of the cutter once completed.

19/10/22