Pipe cleaning

Whirlwind™

Aquam’s Whirlwind™ cleaning system has been designed by our team of engineers to be a faster, more efficient, more affordable, safer and more environmentally-friendly method to clean the interior bore of pressurized pipelines than conventional methods. 

Tubercles form as the result of corrosion inside steel and cast water mains and consist of layers of corrosion product (rust), building up over time to form lumps and mounds over local areas of metal loss. Tubercles can severely reduce the internal bore of pipes, leading to reduced flow and a necessary increase in pumping pressure to maintain a supply of water through the pipe.

Conventional methods of removal involve the use of steel flails that are rotate inside the pipe, which impact the pipe wall by chipping off the tubercle growth.  this method uses large quantities of water to flush away loosened tubercle debris from inside the pipe and the dirty wastewater is pumped to tanker trucks for disposal.  In addition, the physical action of the steal flails impacting the pipe wall can dislodge the pipe at the joints causing leaks in the pipeline supply.

The patented Whirlwind™ cleaning method removes tubercles and other deposits from internal pipe walls of potable mains by using turbulent airflow and a controlled feed of aggregate to provide a uniform cleaning pattern in the pipe.  Whirlwind™ is more environmentally friendly as it does not generate large amounts of wastewater which must be treated before disposal.  Rather, it produces a small quantity of aggregate debris, which can be reused as backfill.  The Whirlwind™ method also delivers superior performance, cleaning much longer lengths of main than conventional systems, and is not limited to straight lengths of pipe, cleaning around 90-degree bends, Tees and handles changes in diameter.

Pneumatic Micro-Cutter

The Pneumatic Micro-Cutter can be used to clean and remove pipe debris, calcite and roots from the inside of a variety of pipes including steel, cast iron and orangeburg, and is also good for reinstating pipes.

The system rotates at 2000 RPM and will negotiate turns of 90 degrees in pipes down to 2” in diameter. It runs at 40 CFM and allows for multiple cutting and cleaning heads to be attached.

Light Duty Electric Micro-Cutter

The Light Duty Electric Micro-Cutter is great when little cleaning and reinstating is necessary. It is light, compact, easy to use and can negotiate turns of 90 degrees.

The Light Duty Electric Micro-Cutter is designed for indoor use of commercial, industrial and high-rise buildings, where it is difficult for pneumatic access. The foot pedal activated cutter runs at 110 volts with variable speeds in a variety of pipes.