MATERIALS - ARBEE PLASTIC FABRICATION LTD
PVC
Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC-U) is the most widely used of all plastics used for pipe installations. It is rigid, versatile, and is suitable for both above and below ground installations.
It has excellent chemical resistance which, when combined with smoothness of bore, eliminates build up of scale and gives good flow characteristics. It is odourless and tasteless, and is suitable for conveying potable water and many food or dairy products.
PVC-U is suitable for use at room temperatures from 0°C to 60°C at a wide range of operating pressures, depending upon the system chosen. It is lightweight and easy to install, using cold solvent welded joints which require no special tools.
POLYPROPYLENE
Polypropylene (PP) piping systems are widely used in industrial processing. Light in weight yet with high impact strength and reliable heat fusion welding, PP also offers good abrasion resistance and is a good thermal and electrical insulator.
PP is suitable for working use at temperatures up to 90°C and will withstand short term use at 110°C.
Chemical resistance is excellent: PP is resistant to aqueous solutions of acids, alkalis and salts. PP systems are assembled using heat fusion welding.
PVDF
Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) is a unique thermoplastic with properties which allow it to be used for very aggressive or highly specialised applications. Although expensive compared to other thermoplastics, PVDF offers an economically attractive alternative to many “exotic” materials and/or in process lines where limited working life of other materials necessitates frequent replacement.
PVDF has excellent chemical and physical properties, even at low temperatures, and has considerable resistance to abrasion. It is resistant to aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, organic acids, alcohols and halogenated solvents. It is also non-toxic and can be used for high purity applications.
Safe working temperatures range from -40°C to +140°C, with short tern use well above this level. PVDF systems are assembled using heat fusion welding.
POLYETHYLENE
Polyethylene is now in widespread use for industrial pipework systems, as well as for buried gas and water pipelines, where it is the dominant material.
One of the major benefits is that Polyethylene is virtually unbreakable due to impact at temperatures above 5°C, and remains very tough at temperatures as low as -40°C. It is also exceptionally resistant to abrasion, and will outlast steel or other hard materials in most slurry applications.
It has good chemical resistance and will withstand most acids and caustic substances. Polyethylene is joined by heat, socket and butt fusion.
ABS
Acrylonitrile – Butadiene – Styrene (ABS) is a rigid pressure piping system renowned for its high impact strength and durability which combine to give exceptional toughness.
It is suitable for use over a wide temperature range from -40°C to +70°C at pressures up to 15 bar. ABS is especially useful at sub zero temperatures, where it retains high levels of impact strength. It is resistant to a wide range of abrasive slurries which can damage steel or other pipe materials, also non-toxic and taint free, therefore in widespread use for food products, soft drinks and high purity water. ABS is joined using solvent cement, with no special tools.
GRP
Glass Reinforced Plastic.
CPVC
Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC-C) is a modified PVC with additional high temperature strength. It has been developed to handle hot, corrosive liquids at working temperatures up to 100°C, whilst offering the ease of installation of cold solvent welded jointing.
PVC-C is inert to many mineral acids, bases, salts, paraffinic hydrocarbons, halogens and alcohols. It will not support combustion and is rated as self extinguishing. The low thermal conductivity of the material reduces moisture condensation on water lines, and will maintain the temperature of fluids with minimal insulation.