The Forensic expert kollegium conducts expertise of all types of pipelines.

Steam and hot water pipelines are an integral part of any power supply, water supply, and heating system and are used for transporting water and superheated steam. Steam and hot water pipelines include pipes, fittings, pipeline valves, and other elements. Depending on the purpose of the pipeline and its operating parameters (temperature and pressure of the medium), various materials are used in the manufacture of steam and hot water pipelines (steel, cast iron, polymeric materials, etc.).

During the operation of steam and hot water pipelines, they are subjected to thermal, mechanical (external and internal), and chemical (corrosion) loads, which may result in accidents and incidents.

According to the expert practice of the Forensic expert kollegium, the main causes of accidents and damage to steam and hot water pipelines are:

• unacceptable external impact on pipeline elements (mechanical damage);
• violation of connection and installation rules (unqualified joining of pipeline elements by welding, flanges, etc.);
• external and internal corrosion of pipelines due to inadequate quality of pipe materials or improper preparation of the transported medium (pH of the medium, hardness, temperature), stress corrosion cracking, crevice corrosion and local corrosive effects (microbial corrosion, pitting corrosion, etc.), cavitation erosion, erosion corrosion);
• manufacturing defects in the production of pipes and equipment at factories (non-compliance with the design documentation for pipelines and their elements);
• errors in the design documentation for pipelines (for their installation, reconstruction, modernization, and modification), non-compliance of the design documentation with the requirements of technical legislation);
• unacceptable actions of personnel during pipeline operation (violation of occupational safety instructions and pipeline operating rules).

The following issues are most frequently addressed during the steam and hot water pipelines expertise:

• What are the causes of the destruction (damage) of the pipeline?
• Does the quality of the material (welding and installation work) comply with the requirements of technical regulatory legal acts?
• Did violations of the operating rules for technological pipelines occur, and are they causally related to the occurrence of the accident (incident)?

Steam and hot water pipelines expertise at the Forensic expert kollegium are carried out by qualified experts in the field of design and safe operation of steam and hot water pipelines, as well as certified specialists in the field of non-destructive testing.

For conducting steam and hot water pipelines expertise, it is desirable to provide the experts of the Forensic expert kollegium with the most complete set of design, engineering, and operational documentation. In certain cases, for example, when conducting non-destructive testing of welded joints of steam and hot water pipelines using visual, capillary, and ultrasonic methods, preparation of the examined surfaces for inspection is required, namely: cleaning, removal of insulation, etc.

If necessary, during the steam and hot water pipelines expertise, the specialists of the Forensic expert kollegium perform engineering strength calculations. Calculations of the strength properties of steam and hot water pipelines are carried out using licensed software - the KOMPAS 3D-V16 computer-aided design system with the APM FEM strength analysis system.

You may contact the Forensic expert kollegium for consultation regarding steam and hot water pipelines expertise at: Minsk, Zhukovskaga St., 11A, 4th floor

or by phone: +375 (17) 317 04 71; +375 (17) 317 04 72; +375 (17) 317 04 73; +375 (17) 317 04 74; +375 (17) 317 04 76; +375 (29) 109 60 11; +375 (44) 588 60 11.