Page 46: of Marine News Magazine (May 2013)

You cannot put a vessel to work without pumps, valves and piping. Too often, product selection is left to the discretion of those who view these items as inconsequential deci-sions, driven primarily by not much more than initial cost. That mindset, in an atmosphere of cost-cutting, the quest for fuel economy and reduction in total lifecycle costs, is changing ? albeit ever so slowly. Led in part by success in the military and naval sec- tor, workboat operators are now tak- ing a hard look at both plastic and glass reinforced epoxy (GRE) piping, as well as pumps and valves built with alternative composite materials. The reasons to change from the traditional metallic approach are compelling, the downstream advantages countless. As you follow along, it is easy to see why. GLASS REINFORCED PIPING (GRE)Glass Reinforced Epoxy (GRE) ma- terials have been found to be a viable alternative to carbon steel pipes, espe- cially for use in corrosive, aggressive and normal duty areas. Increasingly, boat operators are insisting on GRE piping to achieve the same or better performance as CuNi piping (shock,  re, repair), reduce manpower (installa- tion and service) and to control and/or reduce ship acquisition costs. Beyond this, and just as importantly, weight savings during construction and the elimination of corrosion worries make the use of GRE a smart move for most operators, in the right application.GRE piping is suitable for a wide range of applications, including:JA Moody Company, a  rm that originated in the 1950?s as a  uid power distributor, represents and dis- tributes Bondstrand brand GRE pip-ing in addition to a wide variety of  uid control products to the Marine Industry. In April, JA Moody Techni- cal Sales representative Scott Beardsley led MarineNews through the merits of this product. As it turns out ? de- pending on what you are looking to use it for ? the advantages are many. Case History Data ? Bondstrand has been installed in a myriad of marine applications:The ideal application for GRE piping can involve long, straight runs of ballast systems, typically installed in double bottoms on ATB vessels. The immedi- ate, low hanging fruit in terms of tangi- ble bene t is in weight savings. Initially more expensive, the piping is also easier to install; hence the manpower required more than eclipses the small price dif- ferential. With  lament wound into the pipe runs to prevent conductivity, GRE is durable, noncorrosive and represents a clear advantage in lifecycle costs. Ap- provals for this product include DNV, Lloyds, API, ABS, BV and GRE piping also passes most Milspec tests, including shock, mechanical and  re performance criteria. Speci c advantages of the GRE system from Bondstrand include:  Lower system lifecycle cost (LCC): a combination of all metrics;  Weight savings: Up to 75% reduction for >10? over CuNi pipe.  Installation: Bondstrand can be in- stalled much faster than steel or alloy systems. Pipes are easy to install, main- tenance personnel can be quickly trained to cut and complete a joint. No hot work is required. Installation cost savings: as much as $900 per linear foot.  Corrosion resistance: No galvanic component and good service history. Ca- thodic protection is not required. Bond- strand GRE does not rust or scale.  Fouling resistance: Similar in perfor- mance to CuNi pipe and smooth inner surface lessens fouling under high  ow conditions. Smooth internal surface re- duces friction losses, allowing for down- Pumps and Piping: Pumps and Piping: A Curious Turn to the Right A Curious Turn to the Right Owners and shipyards come to the realization that alternative composition piping and pumps represent the way forward. By Joseph Keefe Ballast waterDisposalDrilling mud Produced Water Sanitary/SewageCaissonsDeluge (dry)Fr esh WaterFire mainsColumn pipingCooling waterDrainsPotable waterSaltwaterVent lines Anti-Air Warfare Destroyers Astute class sub-marinesemi-submersible rigsQueen Elizabeth Aircraft CarrierSix LNG carriers (ER piping)crude oil carrier FSO P-47FPSO AKPORO/RO seawater systemsUniverse class jackup rigProduct/ Chemical Tankers MOD Auxil-iary OilersAluminium car-passen- ger ferryMay 201346 MNMN May2013 Layout 32-49.indd 46MN May2013 Layout 32-49.indd 465/3/2013 12:58:04 PM5/3/2013 12:58:04 PM