The Alphaliner PN in action
- Reline
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
Full steam ahead for successful rehabilitation
In an emergency, everything depends on this pipe: 5,400 cubic meters of extinguishing water per hour flow through the central extinguishing water supply pipe at Rome's Fiumicino Airport, one of the busiest aviation hubs in Europe. Rehabilitation was essential to ensure the long-term operational safety of the pipe – an ideal application for the Alphaliner PN from RELINE.
The DN 550 pressure pipeline has a troubled history. Rehabilitated 20 years ago using the inversion method with a fabric tube, it now faces serious issues. Repeated flooding of the road surface above the pipe and a measurable loss of pressure indicated significant damage. And these suspicions were confirmed: the connection to the old pipe system had proven to be inadequate in the long term. The fabric tube was backwashed because of the leaks and ultimately collapsed.
The situation required a quick and reliable solution. Experts from RELINE were called in, and their discussions with the local partner Autospurgo Roma quickly made it clear: the Alphaliner PN was clearly superior to other rehabilitation methods both economically and technically. In addition to the durability of the GRP liner, what proved particularly convincing was the minimally invasive construction method and its advantages in terms of costs, construction time, and interventions in the infrastructure.
The installation was precisely monitored
The pipe transports extinguishing water at an operating pressure of 12 bar from the pump station to the draw-off points. Access was severely restricted due to the route through the basement and the masonry of the pump building. Ultimately, a short access was created inside the building, while the main work was carried out via an excavation pit outside. It proved possible to do this with a compact depth of 5 meters and a length of 4 meters.
As the next step, a section of the pipe with a 15-millimeter-thick steel wall was cut out in the pit and lifted out. After the preparatory work, the installation team pulled the custom-made Alphaliner PN with pressure level PN 16 into the existing pipe using a cable winch and inflated it with compressed air. The curing process was meticulously executed under precise UV light control. Every aspect of the operation was carefully monitored, including temperature, pressure, and speed. Advanced sensors and control systems ensured that each parameter remained within optimal ranges throughout the curing process, guaranteeing the integrity and effectiveness of the rehabilitation.
Permanent tightness and high resilience
The liner end collars were connected to the existing steel pipe. "The service life of the rehabilitated extinguishing water supply pipe has been designed for at least 50 years," explains Vincenzo Cutruzzolà, Area Sales Manager Switzerland & Italy at RELINE.
"This means that the new solution significantly exceeds the service life of the previous fabric hose rehabilitation. The specially developed GRP glass composite of the Alphaliner PN ensures high resistance to dynamic pressure loads. The smooth inner surface also improves the hydraulic performance of the pipe."
After a successful pressure test, the airport's extinguishing water supply could be put back into operation after just four days – a decisive contribution to the long-term operational safety of the entire airport site.
Press contact
RelineEurope GmbH
Katrin Nitsche
Head of Marketing
Tel: +49 6349 93934-245
About RELINE
Founded in 2009, RelineEurope GmbH is headquartered in Rohrbach, Rhineland-Palatinate, where it manufactures GRP pipe liners, and the UV technology required in order to cure them on site. RELINE is the only manufacturer in the world to offer GRP pipe liners and the associated equipment as a single supplier. Another specialty is the in-house production of glass-fiber mats. The company is also active in Japan, China, and the USA.
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