Continental Industries

Allchem Industries Continental Industries Kessler Chemical... 

As a result of its investigation, the Safety Board makes three safety recommendations to the Research and Special Programs Administration, one safety recommendation to the Gas Research Institute, three safety recommendations to the Plastics Pipe Institute, one safety recommendation to the Gas Piping Technology Committee, two safety recommendations to the American Society for Testing and Materials, one safety recommendation to the American Gas Association, two safety recommendations to MidAmerican Energy Corporation, two safety recommendations to Continental Industries, Inc., and one safety recommendation each to Dresser Industries, Inc., Inner-Tite Corporation, and Mueller Company. 

Excavations following the accident uncovered, at a depth of about 3 feet, a 4-inch steel main. Welded to the top of the main was a steel tapping tee manufactured by Continental Industries, Inc. (Continental). Connected to the steel tee was a 1/2-inch plastic service pipe, (see Figure 13.2.) Markings on the plastic pipe indicated that it was a medium-density polyethylene material manufactured on June 11, 1970, in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard D2513. The pipe had been marketed by Century Utility Products, Inc. (Century). The plastic pipe was found cracked at the end of the tee s internal stiffener and beyond the coupling nut. 

The Safety Board attempted to identify every U.S. steel tee manufacturer that currently manufactures steel tees with a compression end for plastic gas service connections [76], The Safety Board identified and contacted representatives of Continental Industries (Continental), Dresser Industries, Inc. (Dresser), bmer-Tite Corp. (Inner-Tite), and Mueller Company (Mueller) [77]. 

The use of Continental Industries, Inc., tapping tees with the company s protective sleeves may leave the tapping tees susceptible to corrosion because the sleeves do not provide sufficient clearance for the application of field wrap to the metallic steel tapping tee. 

Ken Egnor, Project Engineer, Continental Industries David Jordan, Engineering Manager, Continental Industries Abstract... 

This paper has been written to educate and update natural gas professionals concerning the evaluation of PA 12 from a manufacturer s perspective. The information contained in this paper is derived from a collection of technical papers, presentations, and data collected from the molding and testing of PA 12 mechanical fittings completed by Continental Industries. The topics discussed will include fitting requirements, polyamide materials, PA 12 producers, PA 12 applications, injection molding capability, and product testing currently underway at Continental Industries. 

In the early stages of this project, PA 12 was selected by Continental Industries as a good candidate material to evaluate because of its close similarities with PA 11. Continental has had over a decade of success molding mechanical fittings from PA 11 material. We estimate that over 5.5 million PA 11 mechanical fittings have been installed on PE and PVC gas pipe. 

ASTM DOT compliance testing was conducted at Continental Industries test facility in Broken Arrow, OK. Seven hundred forty seven (747) performance tests are complete or in progress to evaluate the use of PA 12 material for natural gas mechanical fittings. Most of the tests are eonducted with Performance 8100 PE gas pipe. PA 11 butt fusion joints have also been tested in our evaluation of PA 12 because that is the method Continental uses to join Con-Stab ID Seal stab fittings to the outlet of PA 11 mechanical tapping tees. Fusions were made with the same temperatures and melt times as used on PA 11 fittings. We did not experience any PA 12 fusion joints failures in the eourse of this evaluation. 

---