InSeptember2012,IhadtheprivilegeofattendingtheinternationalPlasticPipesXVIConference. Theconferenceincluded465delegatesrepresenting47countries,themajoritycomingfromacross Europe.Theaimoftheconferenceandexhibitionistopresenttechnicalandmarketingissues relatingtothedesignanddevelopment,testing,installationandoperationofplasticpipessystems. OneofkeysubjectsfordiscussionattheconferencewasPVCOpipeswithsixkeypresentationson PVCOanditsadvancementasamaterialofchoiceduetoitssuperiorperformance. WhatthesepresentationagainreconfirmedisthatitisabundantlyclearthatPVCOpipe,when properlyproducedandinstalled,isunmatchedbyanyalternativepressurepipetypeinperformance, environmentalimpactand,importantly,installedcost. IhaveputtogetherasummaryofthepresentationofPVCOfromtheconferenceandincludedlocal AustralianinformationontheuseofPVCOpipes. Regards, NigelJones BusinessDevelopmentManager ThinkPipeThinkPVC
HISTORYOFPVCOPipe
ThetechnologyusedtoproducePVCOpipehascomealongwaysincethefirstprocesswas developedforcommercialproductionbyYorkshireImperialPlasticsinthe1970s.Australiawasan earlyadopterofthisprocess,withVinidexcommencingmanufactureofPVCOpipesbackin1984. Thisprocessinvolvedorientatingthepipesofflineinaseparateorientationchamber,inflatingthe pipesusingpressurisedhotwater.Theprocesswasslowandcumbersomeandproductionwasvery limited. Comethe1990s,anumberofcompaniesincludingVinidexbegantodevelopprocessesthatwould significantlyincreasetheoutputofPVCOpipe.Outofthisworkcametheinlineorientation process,whereafeedstockpipefromtheextruderisstretchedoveramandrelorplugundertightly controlledconditionstoproduceabiorientedPVCpipe.Thisconceptsubsequentlybecamethe standardprocessforproductionofPVCOpipesaroundtheworld.InAustralia,IplexinstalledWavin ApolloPVCOlines,whilstVinidexinstalledtheirpatentedCornetprocess,bothinNSW. In2006,MolecorwasformedinSpainbyformeremployeesoftheSpanishpipeproducerUralita. ThecompanywasformedtodevelopandmarketanewPVCOmanufacturingmethodutilisingan offlineorientationtechnique,basedonpressurisedhotairtoinflatefeedstockpipes.Thismethod onthesurfaceappearstoavariantoftheYorkshireprocessusingairinsteadofwater.However,by utilisingapreheatingoventobringthefeedstockpipesuptotherequiredtemperaturefor orientation,theMolecorprocessmatchestheoutputratesoftheinlineprocesses.
PVCOPipesSuperiorPerformancebyNigelJones,May2013
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ThemostrecentPVCOmanufacturingtechnologycomesfromRollepaal,withtheirRBlueprocess. RollepaalhavebeeninthePVCObusinessforsometimebehindthescenes,supplyingWavinwith theequipmentfortheirApolloprocessWavinareapipeasopposedtoanequipment manufacturer.HoweverRollepaalandWavinhavenowgonetheirseparateways,leavingRollepaal todirectlymarkettheirequipment. TheRBlueprocesshaseffectivelycombinedtheinlinewiththeMolecorprocessandcomeupwitha processthatstretchesthepipeusinghotairbutnotinaseparateorientationchamber.Theairis saidtoactasthelubricantfortheorientationmandrel.Thistechniqueovercomesthesize limitationsofearlierinlineorientationprocessesduetothelargeforcesrequiredtostretchpipe overamandrel.ThisproblemhadlimitedthesizeofPVCOpipetoaround400mmmaximum diameter.TheRBlueandMolecorprocesseshaveallowedsizesabove600mmtobeproduced,with 1200mmdiameterPVCOpipenowunderinvestigation.
ADVANTAGESOFPVCOPIPE
PVChasanumberofinherentadvantagesasamaterialforwaterpipeoveralternativeproducts.In particular,resistancetocorrosionandchemicalattackincludingwaterdisinfectants,effectonwater quality,smoothbore,excellentbalancebetweenstrength,stiffnessandflexibility,easeof installation,costeffectivenessandrecyclability. TheadventofPVCOpipeenhancedtheseadvantages,butalsoimportantlyenhancedthe environmentalbenefitsofPVCpipe.ThefollowingdiagramsillustratetheadvantagesofPVCOpipe overconventionalPVCUandalternativeproducts.ItisimportanttonotethatPVCOandPVCU typicallyhaveverysimilarcompositionsthedifferenceinpropertiesisduetotheorientation process.
Source:Molecor
TheabovediagramshowsthekeypropertyadvantagesofPVCOoverPVCUpipe.The orientationprocesssignificantlyimprovestheimpactandcrackpropagationresistanceof thepipe.Thisisduetothelaminatestructureimpartedonthepipethroughtheorientation process,whichdispersestheenergyfromanimpactorcrackcircumferentiallyaroundthe piperatherthandirectlythroughthewall. ThislaminatestructuremakesPVCOpipevirtuallynotchinsensitive.PVCOpipeistherefore lesssensitivetoscratchingorothersurfacedamagethatmayhappenduringinstallation. TheimagebelowcomparesPVCOandPVCUpipesafterpressuretestinguptothepointof failure.ThelaminatestructureofPVCOcanclearlybeseen. PVCOpipeafterpressuretesting
PVCUpipeafterpressuretesting
Source:Molecor
Source:Molecor
PVCOPipesSuperiorPerformancebyNigelJones,May2013
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Source:Molecor
ENVIRONMENTAL
NumerousstudiesfromAustraliaandoverseashavedemonstratedthesuperiorenvironmental propertiesandbenefitsofPVCOpipecomparedtoallotherpressurepipeoptions.Comparingpipe weightsanddiameters,itisnothardtoseewhy.
PVCO
PVCU
SUMMARY
PVCOpipehasanumberoftechnical,performance,commercialandenvironmentaladvantages overcompetingpressurepipessuchasductileironandPE.Fromasustainabilityperspective,itisa clearwinner.ThefollowingtablesummarisesthesustainabilityadvantagesofPVCOpipecompared tothealternatives. Social Lowestfailurerates Fasterinstallation Safertoinstall Lowesteffectonwater quality BestROIforconsumers Provenlongevity Ecologic 57%byweightfromsalt NohazardousRMs Lowestembodiedenergy Conserveswater Recyclable Economic Lowestcostpipe Lowestinstalledcost Lowestoperatingcost Lowestmaintenancecost Allowscapextostretch further
PVCOPipesSuperiorPerformancebyNigelJones,May2013