PIPELINE PROTECTION
The protection of underground pipes involves us since the very beginning: Raci was founded in 1952 as the exclusive importer of Denso GmbH (Germany), the company that invented the first petrolatum-based coating for pipes and metal structures. A very simple product, able to immediately and permanently protect from corrosion, without requiring previous preparation of the surfaces.
Raci, after an “in parallel” market’s introduction of the bitumen tapes for corrosion prevention/protection, has then revolutionized the method of isolation of field joint welds for buried pipelines, until then carried out with the heating tarring method, quite difficult and dangerous for jobsite operators.
Over the years, the bitumen compound tapes were side by side and then replaced, by the butyl tapes, in both single tape mode and multi-layer systems, including the mechanical protection layer.
The advent of heat shrinkable sleeve systems has expanded RACI’s product range, applicable in a wide range of sizes, from the 1'' pipe for house connections, up to the larger diameters pipelines’ of water supply.
Raci has patented in the early 70s the first plastic tunnel system in polystyrene, to build methane feeder underground tunnels, which became the normative standard in Italy for the gas pipelines, for conveying possible gas losses into atmosphere.
Raci has patented in 1975 the casing spacers, an innovative modular system, able to preserve the carrier pipes’ isolation and grant relevant mechanical protection, in case they are placed into protection pipes (cased crossings). A state of art system for reliability and modularity, made entirely of plastic (high density polyethylene) and with no metal parts, which Raci has been successfully exporting around the world since then.
The new installation techniques, a.k.a. "no dig" crossings, nowadays require an improved mechanical protection of the particularly abrasion-resistant joints, during the insertion/drilling phase. Raci proposes an innovative coating system, made in glass fiber – reinforced polyester, which hardens itself just on UV rays exposure, without additional operations on site.
The RACI range of accessories for pipes ‘installation & maintenance, is completed with mechanical sealing systems for wall penetration pipelines, both modular or “fit to size”. These sealing elements, even in case of pipe’s movements in operation, ensure total sealing and leakage prevention.
In addition to the product lines for protection of pipes and relevant accessories, RACI has also a wide range of signaling tapes and tapes with net, for buried underground pipelines, and indicator signposts for aerial surveillance.
