Understanding the common types of pipe-tapping methods is essential to a successful project. This knowledge will help you choose the right method for your project and prevent hazards and costly problems down the line. Let’s dive into some common pipe-tapping methods.
Hot Tapping
Hot tapping goes by many names, including pressure tapping or live tapping. Regardless of what you call it, this technique helps to create new connections in an existing pipeline without disrupting its operation. This method is common in the gas and water industries and is perfect for projects where shutting down the system would have detrimental impacts on its users.
Pros of this method include reduced downtime, lowered risk of leaks or spills, and improved worker safety. Note that only highly skilled and experienced technicians should perform hot tapping, as the procedure can be hazardous if done incorrectly.
Saddle Tapping
Saddle tapping creates new connections on pipes with a small diameter. As the name implies, a specially designed saddle goes over the pipe, allowing the tapping machine to create a new connection without drilling or cutting the pipe. This advantage makes saddle tapping ideal for projects where maintaining the pipe’s structural integrity is of the utmost importance, such as in older or weakened pipelines.
Despite its benefits, saddle tapping is limited by the pipe sizes it can accommodate and the pressure capabilities of the new connection. It may not be suitable for projects with large pipes or high-pressure requirements.
Direct Tapping
Direct tapping is a simple and cost-effective method for creating new connections on an existing pipeline. Unlike the others discussed in this list of common pipe-tapping methods, you can perform a direct tap in two different ways. Dry tapping is more common, but wet tapping is also great for the direct method.
Either way, direct tapping is common when space is limited or budget constraints call for a more cost-effective solution. While the procedure doesn’t require tapping machinery, you should hire experienced technicians to handle this job, especially for wet tapping. While complex, direct tapping is well-known for producing good results.
