Our Pipe Isolation team delivered a fast-response pipe freezing and valve replacement service at the historic and prestigious Old Admiralty Building in central London. By isolating sections of the system with liquid nitrogen pipe freezing, we enabled major pipework upgrades without any drainage or disruption to the wider system.
Two Butterfly Valves, Extended Pipework and New ‘Ts’ fitted
Site Location – Old Admiralty Building, London, SW1
Contract Duration – For one evening/night
Pipe Freezing Services
Liquid Nitrogen Used to Isolate LTHW and Chilled Pipework
Scope of works included:
- Out-of-hours service at a secure government facility
- Eight pipe freezes performed to isolate LTHW and chilled pipework
- Fabrication and installation of new pipework and butterfly valves
- All works completed in one night
Pipe Isolation Services Completed Included
- Our experienced engineers arrived on-site in the evening to minimise disruption to daily operations.
- They worked with precision and speed to meet the demands of this Grade I listed building.
- The team performed four pipe freezes on the LTHW system and another four on the chilled pipework.
- Using liquid nitrogen, they formed solid ice plugs to stop flow—no need to drain the system.
- Once frozen, the engineers cut into the pipework and added two new ‘T’ connections.
- These new branches support future system expansion and offer greater flexibility.
- They then extended the pipework internally to allow easier servicing and access.
- Next, the team supplied and fitted two new 2.5” butterfly valves inside the building.
- These valves enable quick shut-off and future isolation without system downtime.
- After finishing the valve installation, the engineers safely thawed the pipework.
- They completed full system checks and confirmed everything was operating correctly before leaving the site.
Result
Everything was left in good working order.
Our engineers left the site clean and tidy, with all redundant parts being disposed of at a licensed refuse/recycling facility.
Lastly, the client was happy that in the future they can add a new line.
Benefits of Valve Replacement and Pipework Fabrication
Installing new valves improves control and flexibility in any HVAC or chilled water system. Butterfly valves are compact, reliable, and ideal for managing flow in high-traffic buildings. When placed strategically, they allow future shut-offs or changes without major disruption.
Fabricating and extending pipework gives building managers the ability to scale systems. In this project, we future-proofed the network by installing new ‘T’ branches—making it easier to add lines for upcoming works without starting from scratch.
What is Pipe Freezing?
Pipe freezing creates an internal ice plug using ultra-cold temperatures. At IDWe Ltd, we use liquid nitrogen to freeze the pipe’s contents inside pipe jackets.
This ice plug isolates the section safely and can withstand normal operating pressure. It allows engineers to work on live systems – without shutdowns, drain-downs, or contamination risk.
Our freeze seals are effective on copper, steel, plastic, and mixed-material systems. We freeze pipe diameters from 8mm up to over 12 inches across multiple industries.
>> To learn more, please read our full guide
Can we help you with your next project? Discover further details on IDWe Ltd’s Pipe Freezing Services
Get a quote, please call 020 8302 7644 or email info@idwe.co.uk
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