How to make a safe pipe repair to a leaking alcohol line

Breweries and distilleries may find themselves needing to make an alcohol line pipe repair
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Today, we are tackling a very serious subject. How to make a safe pipe repair to a leaking alcohol line quickly and easily, preventing too much loss of the most precious commodities known to humankind. Beer, wine and spirits.

There is a serious point to all this beyond drinking. Depending on its form, alcohol can be dangerous. Explosive even. Isopropyl alcohol vapour for example is denser than air and highly flammable. It can react with air and oxygen over time to form unstable peroxides which may explode.

If you have an alcohol line leaking that into the environment, the average cost of a pint increasing by 70 percent in the UK since 2008 will be the least of your worries.

Fortunately, making a pipe repair to a leaking alcohol line is quick and easy. Even if pressure cannot be turned off and the golden nectar inside is spraying out whilst you attempt to seal it back in.

Alcohol line repair where the pipe can be turned off

Where pressure can be turned off through the alcohol line, the easiest way to repair a leaking pipe is by using an epoxy putty.

Epoxy putties are two-part repair compounds which start soft. When the resin is mixed with the hardener, a chemical reaction takes place. The putty cures to a rock-hard material. When forced into cracks and holes in pipework, it seals the leak as it hardens.

Here is how to repair a leaking alcohol pipe using epoxy putty:

Turn off the flow of alcohol

Begin by turning off the flow of alcohol or any other fluid running through the pipe. If possible, disconnect or isolate the section of the pipe that requires repair.

Clean the area to be repaired

Use a wire brush or sandpaper to clean the damaged area thoroughly. Removing dirt, rust or any residues will help the epoxy adhere better to the pipe.

Mix the epoxy putty

Follow the manufacturer instructions for mixing the epoxy putty. Epoxy putties are either supplied with the resin and hardener separate or combined in a pre-formatted stick.

An epoxy putty stick is much easier to use. It simply requires the user to cut enough putty from the stick and mix by hand. For two-part putties, equal amounts of resin and hardener must be measured out before mixing.

The putty is kneaded together by hand. A successful mix has been achieved when it has turned a uniform colour and has no streaks.

Apply the epoxy putty to repair the alcohol line

Once the putty is mixed, immediately press it over the crack or hole. Ensure it fully covers the damaged area and fills the gap. Use a plastic scraper or your gloved fingers to smooth the putty in place.

How long you have to work with the putty is determined by the cure. A fast working putty will offer a work time of only five minutes, so you need to apply quickly.

A longer-setting putty may offer a cure of up to two hours. Whilst this means the pipe takes longer to put back into service, it also enables more careful application.

This can be useful for larger holes where a greater quantity of putty is needed, or more complex repairs requiring time to get the application right.

Allow the epoxy putty to cure

Let the putty cure as per the instructions. Fast working putties will achieve functional strength in 1-2 hours and full strength after 24 hours.

Cure times can be impacted by various factors, most notably ambient temperature. It is important to check the repair has fully hardened before putting the pipe back into service.

Turn pressure back on

Once the epoxy is cured, turn pressure back on to check for leaks. If the repair is successful, there should be no sign of any alcohol escaping the pipe.

Factors to consider when selecting an epoxy putty for alcohol line pipe repair

The most important factor to consider when selecting an epoxy putty is whether the alcohol in the line is for human consumption – for example, a pipe connecting a barrel to a pump in a pub.

If it is for human consumption, you need a WRAS approved epoxy putty. WRAS approval means it has been certified to British standards as safe for use with potable water.

WRAS approval is not necessarily for pipes such as the aforementioned isopropyl alcohol line. But still always consult the technical data of the epoxy product you are using before repair for factors such as temperature resistance.

Alcohol line pipe repair where the pipe cannot be turned off

Where pressure cannot be turned off and beer or spirits are escaping the line, the temptation may well be to try and direct flow straight into your own mouth so that precious alcohol does not go to waste. This course of action should not, however, be attempted on a pure ethanol pipe.

To avoid ending up too legless, it is instead best to make a leaking alcohol pipe repair using a self-fusing repair tape like Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape – which has WRAS approval.

Wrap the tape around the leak

Start by anchoring the tape next to the leak area. After two full rotations with the tape stretched to its maximum, move to the side so the tape is now directly over the hole in the pipe.

Layers of tape are now built up on top of each other. The tape will fuse together, forming a solid rubber band capable of containing the live leak within the pipe.

Continue until the entire tape has been used up, even if it appears as though the leak has already stopped.

Allow time for adhesion

Some self-fusing tapes require a brief period to bed in and become fully secure. If there is still alcohol escaping the pipe after the tape has been completed, wait between 15 and 30 minutes to see if the leak stops.

If it does not, apply a second tape on top of the first. If the pipe is still leaking, add a third, fourth and even firth.

The more tapes added, the greater the pressure resistance of the repair. Multiple Wrap & Seals have been used before to create a repair with resistance to 30 bar.

Just imagine how many litres of beer, wine or spirits would be lost via an alcohol line leaking at that pressure. It makes me shudder just thinking about it.

Reinforce the alcohol line with a pipe repair bandage

Once epoxy putty or a self-fusing repair tape has sealed the leak, the line can be overwrapped with a pipe repair bandage for added reinforcement.

A pipe repair bandage contains a water-activated resin. As it is wrapped and smoothed around a pipe following activation, the bandage will set rock-hard in a matter of minutes.

It cures to form an impact-resistant layer of protection, completing the repair. No more alcohol leak. No more waste.


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