Buckley Industrial, the only GE supplier approved to test flexible metal hose (FMH) assemblies has developed an on-site  testing facility. The need for testing is well proven but geographical limitations have meant that only sites in the UK, Ireland  and Northern Europe can be serviced from the Buckley UK testing facility.

The mobile facility will enable Buckley to test on-site anywhere in Europe and indeed the pilot project was carried out at Skikda Power Station in Algeria.

The mobile test facility arriving in Skikda

Buckley Industrial was approached by the Contract Performance Manager for Skikda Power Station. He required the hose from both gas turbines at the power station to be tested in order to meet the requirements of the GE specifications. The specification mandates testing or replacement of hose at least every three years. This supplier was chosen as the only company whose testing methods fully comply with GE’s pressure testing guidelines.

The first stage of the test procedure is a visual inspection to detect any external damage.

Hydrostatic test rigs & monitoring

The second stage is a hydrostatic pressure test. BI Datatrack, Buckley Industrial’s bespoke testing software, monitors the pressure at specified intervals during the test so that even the smallest of leaks, where there is no evidence of water escaping, can be detected.

After the pressure test, the assemblies are thoroughly dried.

Internal Inspection using a videoscope

Additionally each hose is inspected internally using a videoscope.  This serves two purposes, firstly to check that each hose is completely dry inside as required by the specification and secondly to ensure there is no internal damage such as corrosion, foreign bodies or any other damage that could compromise the integrity of the hose. When the testing and inspection of each hose is complete, the hose is capped immediately using high visibility full-face flange protectors to ensure no foreign bodies enter the hose prior to installation.

Following the resounding success of this pilot, the on-site test facility is now available for deployment at any power station or any area in which hose requires testing.  Alternatively, it could be strategically positioned to service the hose from a number of power stations in the vicinity.