Background
The Kazan Pipe Quality Testing Center is a well-respected third-party lab in Russia. They handle pipe quality inspections, production license testing, and site acceptance checks. On a normal day, they run more than 20 hydrostatic pressure tests.
But their old water tanks were causing more and more trouble as testing volumes grew. Three problems stood out:
First, poor temperature control. Temperatures could vary by as much as 3°C between different spots in the same tank. That’s far worse than the ±0.5°C required by national standards. The result was inaccurate tests and frequent retesting, which wasted time and hurt their reputation.
Second, bad insulation. During long high‑temperature runs (like 95°C tests), heat escaped quickly. The heater kept turning on and off, causing temperature swings. This not only drove up electricity bills but also made long‑term test results unreliable.
Third, not enough test stations. The old setup had too few testing positions and no cooling system, so they couldn’t even meet daily needs. When large project contracts came in, they had to outsource the work – losing both revenue and control.
In July 2025, the center decided to upgrade. They chose our custom‑built 315 Series constant‑temperature water tank for hydrostatic testing, and it solved all three problems.
Our Solution
We designed a system tailored to their real‑world needs:
- Temperature range: 20°C to 95°C, with both heating and cooling. Covers all test temperatures required by GB/T 6111, including low‑temperature control.
- Accuracy: Temperature fluctuation and uniformity both within ±0.5°C – fully compliant with national standards, no more result deviations.
- Materials & insulation: 2mm thick 304 stainless steel inner tank, with an 85mm double‑layer insulated wall. Even when running at 95°C for weeks, the outside surface stays near room temperature. Power consumption dropped by 72% compared to their old tank – safer and much more energy‑efficient.
- Circulation system: A German Wilo high‑flow pump (135 L/min) with forced‑flow design. Water temperature stays even across the entire tank, eliminating local hot or cold spots that could ruin a test.
- Safety features: Leakage protection, over‑temperature alarm, and low‑water shutoff. Fully compliant with lab safety standards. Supports unattended long‑duration tests – for example, 1,000 continuous hours.
- Custom design: Added a 1‑to‑5 pressure distribution module with shutoff valves, greatly expanding the number of test stations.
Results
The tank has been running since December 2025, with more than 1,200 hydrostatic tests completed. The center’s technical team has seen real improvements:
- Better accuracy: Temperature stays steady at ±0.5°C. The retest rate dropped from 12% to zero. No more arguments over temperature‑related results.
- Lower costs: The insulation works so well that each tank saves about 620 kWh per month. That’s over 1,000 USD a year in electricity. Payback period: less than five years.
- More business: They can now fully test pipes up to 315mm diameter. One tank can handle up to 60 samples at the same time. In the second half of 2025 alone, they won eight new large infrastructure projects, adding nearly 40,000 USD in revenue.
- Higher efficiency: Automatic temperature control and safety features allow unattended operation. Technicians can now run multiple long‑duration tests at once – productivity is up about 40%.
Customer Feedback
The water tank is the heart of hydrostatic testing. Unstable temperature means unreliable results. After switching to this system, our data has become noticeably more stable. It fully meets the precision requirements of a third‑party lab. The custom design also solved our long‑standing shortage of test stations for smaller pipes – one tank does what used to take several. Practical, economical, and a real help for growing our business.”