Inflatable dams allow weld purging in tight bends

For closure welds, tight bends, T-piece joints, and dome end connections on which a conventional tandem weld purging system cannot be used, Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® offers a line of single-ended inflatable weld purge dams. Manufactured for pipe diameters from 6 to 96 in., these lightweight systems are heat-resistant up to 194 degrees F.

Each dam is fitted with a dual inflation and purge hose, an additional purge gas hose, and an exhaust that can be connected to one of the company’s Weld Purge Monitor®s. Once the dam is inflated using the purge gas and seals all around the internal circumference of the pipe, the excess inert purge gas spills out and purges the space around the weld joint. The oxygen then is released into the pipe length through a series of venting exhausts on the dam.