Weld purge plugs for tube and pipe purging

1 min read

For welding nickel alloy, titanium and stainless steel tubes and pipes, including stubs, elbows and tees, Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT) has designed and developed clinically clean, white nylon weld purge plugs, providing a barrier for weld purging.

Luke Keane, technical sales manager for HFT said: “When other purge systems cannot be used, weld purge plugs can be used to make a suitable barrier for purging pipes, tubes or fittings.”

“These low cost, lightweight weld purge plugs are available for a variety of applications for pipe sizes 0.5 to 6” (12 to 152 mm) diameter, eliminating the need for welders to create their own homemade purging dams out of unsuitable materials such as foam, paper or cardboard.

They are manufactured from engineering-quality nylon with rubber seals made of natural black rubber. Special plugs can be made to order with sealing rings made of silicone, viton or nitrile rubbers, making them suitable for use with petrochemical fluids, high temperatures or any other conditions that might arise during use.

The plugs are supplied with a hollow shaft with an outside half-inch BSP thread for screwing on a standard hose connection or solid shaft versions up to 1.5-in diameter for pressure testing.

Typical applications for weld purge plugs include small diameter pipes, short, complicated or variable size assembles where a purging system or inflatable dam would be too long, or other purging equipment may not be available or practical. HFT’s nylon plugs can be used for many other applications, including garden ponds, pools and spas and on yachts.

Other applications include the stopping of pipes to prevent foreign bodies or liquids from entering or gases and liquids from escaping, blocking pipes in order to carry out routine maintenance, repair work and leak testing. As “overnight stoppers” they provide a strong barrier in pipeline activities, to prevent foreign bodies entering the line during downtime.