SA Affordable Housing September - October 2019 // ISSUE: 78 | Page 8

NEWS
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how thick it has to be) cut to size. (One of the greatest
points is that this a reinforced liner, allowing it to be
very thin and very strong).
The liner is pre-impregnated with UV activated
resin in the factory so no mixing or impregnating
on site.
The liner is sealed on one end so as to create a
vacuum.
The liner is pulled or inverted through and made
airtight by blowing it through the damaged pipe.
It is inflated to adhere to the sides.
As the lining is inserted, a small flexible UV light train
is inverted simultaneously through the entire length
of the pipe, and once the UV light is switched on it
cures the entire length simultaneously – explaining
the time saving.
How Pro-Kanal differs from others, Meier explains, is that
other systems have a heater or light train which steadily
traverses the length curing as it goes – this takes longer
and also introduces both human danger and the risk of the
process failing, in which case the lining has to be pulled
back out at a considerable cost of time. The Pro-Kanal /
NuFlow system is an all-in-one inversion.
Pohirille says, “The curing technology whereby
ambient air cures the resins is no longer competitive, as it
takes on average four hours, and when using the slightly-
quicker option of heating by steam, there was an element
of danger.” For the time saving, the new system is also
slightly cheaper, as well as safer. Pro-Kanal is so quick
because the resin has a UV-activated element, which
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means it does not cure prematurely like other resins do
because it is not affected by temperature.
Meier describes the market for Pro-Kanal as being
primarily plumbers, piping contractors and civil engineers.
“It can be used for any pipe in any city where they break
as they get older, for instance, such as a connection from a
house to the city main water supply, without requiring any
dirty work.
“Things can always go wrong – when you’re working
underground anything can happen. The advantage of our
system over others is that if something does go wrong,
we can pull the pipe out easily because it cannot get hard
inside the pipe until the UV light is applied. Other systems
do not have this benefit, and it is impossible to simply pull
out the lining as it is already hardening. It becomes a major
job to get it out if something has gone wrong. They use
high temperature (over 200°C) but only for 30 seconds for
the resin and this can cause shrinkage because it is applied
to a cold pipe. There is no chance to adhere. It then shrinks
as the heat is withdrawn,” says Dieter.
The Pro-Kanal cures at a maximum of 60°C over a longer
period (than 30 seconds) because it is a permanent light.
That eliminates shrinking.
Meier started out as a proprietor of a cement foam
product to people who inserted pipes in the ground.
He was known as an inventor and was approached by
businesses as to whether he could invent something to
repair small plumbing pipes. NuFlow has launched an
affordable patch repair system for contractors who simply
want to get into lining but don’t have the appetite for a
large cash outlay.
saaffordablehousingmag
SA Affordable Housing
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za