Polymer pipes: Scope, temperature, Polypropylene Types, Popularity Rating Materials.
Fineco Mounting and Welding Equipment 
What a man feels at the sight of a water tank, the bottom and the walls are covered with suspicious mucus, rusty growth of unknown origin. Moreover, looking at the drop of this water into a microscope and discovering the existence in it is not derageous for the stomach of man flora and fauna. Imagine, you offer this liquid to drink, pre-having disinfection: adding chlorine to water
All of the above fully refers to the traditional steel or copper water pipe, from which it was not one generation of saw and continues to drink water, often even without boiling. That as a result, the doctors and workers of the sphere of ritual services are well known.
So, the situation of hopeless? Calm down, everything is not as bad as it might be. In the early, the decade to the Russian market for plumbing and plumbing equipment were injected by unprecedented goods and materials. Builders assigned new technologies for laying pipes from polyethylene, fiberglass, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, from metal-polymer. Viyul 1996. The Collegium of the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation decided to "exploration the field of application of pipelines from polymeric materials in engineering systems", which confirmed the need for wide use in the housing construction of pipes, connecting parts and locking reinforcements from polymeric materials. For now, many regulations are operating in Russia, prescribing the use of polymer pipelines in water supply systems. (Vault of the SP-40-101 rules, SNIP 2.04.01-85, SNiP 3.05.01-85, CH 478-80, CH 550-82, etc.).
The scope of pipes, connecting and shaped parts from polymeric materials is extremely extensive. We will focus on the problem of cold and hot water, the best solution of which, according to most specialists, is the use of pipes, connecting parts, combined shut-off and other water reinforcement from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polybutene and other polymeric materials. Already many year all over the world, polypropylene enjoys well-deserved trust.
In Russia, dozens of foreign and domestic firms are provided in Russia in Russia in the field of manufacturing and installation of engineering systems of water supply from polymers. It actively seeks to strengthen the German company AquaThermGMBH, whose pipes from a green polypropylene can be found throughout Europe and even on ocean liners. A similar range of polypropylene pipes and connecting products called Ekoplast offers the Italian firm Fineco. Universal set of materials, assembly and installation and Welding equipment supplies Turkish company Dizayn Teknik, whose polypropylene pipes and parts for them characteristic gray can be purchased and installed through a representative of the company in Russia "New Russian House", everything necessary for the construction of polypropylene water pipes is ready to provide two Moscow firms: "Tokk- Plumbing "and" Mont ".
However, the leadership in the field of installation of water pipes of the XXIVEK from polypropylene pipes "Randa Copolymer" (PPRC) in Russia is firmly held by the domestic companies NPO Stroypolymer and Gazuniversal +, which are not just engaged in the installation of water supply systems and the sale of materials from polypropylene, and spend a large teaching - Methodical work on the preparation of qualified personnel and actively promote the technology of "pipeline construction" of the future century.
Polypropylene is one general name of a whole group of polymers, some of which is used in construction. The proceedings of pipes and connections are commonly used by the following types of polypropylene:
- Type 1 (PP-1) Used primarily for cold water supply, as sewer and technological pipelines.
- Type 3 (PP-3) or "copolymer random", PPRC commercial designation. Pipelines from it are used both for cold and hot water supply with a constant water temperature not higher than 70s.
- Hostalen 5216/34 polypropylene, manufactured by Hoechst, denoted as PPH , pipes from which are withstanding a long temperature to 95C and can be used in heating systems.
In Russia, polypropylene PP-3 (PPRC) received the greatest distribution. It is characterized by high stability of properties, especially resistance to deformation and crack formation at elevated temperatures. This material does not change the physical and chemical properties of water. The inner surface of PPRC eliminates the development of bacteria and fungal microorganisms. Polypropylene pipelines satisfy the most stringent modern environmental requirements.
Polypropylene tube, in contrast to metallic, does not accumulate lime deposits, not contaminated under the influence of the external environment, is not subject to corrosion and is not sophisticated, resistant to acids and chlorides, in different concentrations present in drinking water. When water freezing, the PPRC polypropylene pipeline is not destroyed. Material non-electro-conductive, and it means not subject to the destructive action of wandering currents and ferructured.
Waste when installing or welding polypropylene pipes is practically no not at all. The speed of these operations in comparison with metal pipes is 2-4 times higher. But the main advantage of such pipes is low: they are about 30% cheaper than the galvanized steel of the same diameter. IETO without taking into account operating costs!
The guaranteed service life of PPRC pipelines in cold water systems is at least 50 years, in hot water systems (at a temperature of no more than 70s) - at least 25 years.
Each of us knows what is the installation or replacement of a tap system from metal pipes. This is the workers with heavy and unsafe acetylene cylinders, the rolling of walls and overlaps, through which the bulky inflexive steel pipe is started, nothing and soot when welding plus inevitable leaks as a result of connection defects. For example, the installation of a new water pipe from the steel galvanized pipe in the reconstructed two-storey cottage forces by four workers took a week. Another week went to repair broken walls and overlaps.
And now imagine such a picture. A busbar day to the porch of the house under construction is driven up "Zhiguli" with a solid stack of snow-white pipes ringed on the upper trunk. Plastic packaging with connecting parts, locking reinforcement, fastener and case with a tool are extracted from the trunk. Two guys-installers in light corporate clothing spores make explicitly non-heavy load into the room. Special pipe scissors are cut into pieces of desired length. After half an hour, according to the project, they begin to start at the places of future compounds in the technological holes pre-done working holes in the walls.
An hour later, everything is ready for contact thermal welding (welding by fusion) pipes. Weekly tees from the main pipe on the floors should be made withdraws to toilets, a bathroom, to the kitchen, to the boiler, in the garage. After half-hour rest, the workers remove a special electrical apparatus from the case, which allows you to heat the surface of the connected polypropylene parts to a temperature of 260c. Two replaceable welding heads with sleeves and dorms on the size of the welded parts are attracted to the heating device.
Connected surfaces are degreasing with a tampon, moistened with alcohol. Next, the pipe is inserted into the sleeve, and the tee is attached to the Dorn of the welding head, where they are heated for a few seconds (the time of time depends on the diameter of the products of the products and ranges from 5 to 40 seconds), after which the pipe is inserted into the tee to the depth marked with a pre-pencil axis. The thermal contact lasts half a minute (for a thin pipe, the period of time is still shorter), as a result, the products are welded at the molecular level form one monolithic integer. Similar operations are done to connect any other part and when welding the next pipe cut.
Welding takes about two hours. Construction fasteners require more time. The entry of work occurs the need to connect a polypropylene riser to the metal pipe of the main water supply. To do this, the carving is cut on the steel pipe and the pipe connection is cut using a special combined adapter (polypropylene metal), the ball shut-off valve or other fittings is installed in the same way.
By the end of the working day, water is served in the riser. The owner and foreman bypass the house: not a single leakage! According to the contract, the work is considered to be made. Communication of the year, the company has been subject to free warranty service of the system established by its specialists.
In the popularity rating behind polypropylene pipes, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) are followed. The pioneer in the field of creating water supply systems and heating from these materials is the American Concern Nibco, whose products also find use in the housing construction of Russia. Systems called FlowGuard and FlowGuardGold are successfully tested in the US for 30 years. According to its PVC and CPVC indicators, are generally similar to PPRC-3 and Hostalen 5216/34 polypropylene (PPH). ONNO PVC pipes differ from other high-fire properties: the ignition temperature of the chlorinated polyvinyl chloride exceeds 433c, which allows the use of pipes from this material to mount fire extinguishing systems. Polyvinyl chloride heating systems are permissible to use 35% of the toosol solution. Finally, they are resistant to mechanical effects than polypropylene. The cost of polyvinyl chloride pipes is lower than steel galvanized.
Fiberglass pipes are becoming a serious competitor of steel pipes. They withstand a large (up to 100 atmospheres) pressure, heat-resistant and resistant to hot water. They have the ability to self-compensate, in certain conditions can be enclosed in concrete. The cost of fiberglass pipes is above metallic, but their service life is 3-5 times more.
Recently, pipes from stitched polyethylene (crossling polyethylene) produced by the Swedish concern Wirsbo and the German company Rehau appeared on the Russian market. It is characterized by flexibility (pipes can be bent at any angle), frost resistance, resistance to antimony, which is often used in local heating systems instead of water. The temperature of operation of the Swedish system- up to95s (incredited mode to 110 ° C), the working pressure is up to 10thmmospheres (up to15atmospherespress and short-term mode). Installation is carried out by a hand tool without gluing, welding and soldering, which is very convenient in the field. Stitched polyethylene has molecular memory: the installation of the pipe "self-assessing" on the fitting from brass, forming a compound, the strength of which, under the guarantee of the company, is higher than the strength of the pipe itself. The cost of pipes from polyethylene is higher than metal galvanized, but service life in 3rd is greater.
Raisin Mounting Rehau- systems use ergonomic box for combined installation of heating and electrical networks. In this case, the box of electrical wiring of the box remains always hermetic, the temperature in it does not exceed 30s.
In cold and hot water and heating systems, pipes made of polybutene and a livinylidene fluoride produced by the Swiss company Georg Fisher can also be used. They are distinguished by high (up to135c) temperature and chemical resistance, which predetermines the use of the latter in all kinds of technical pipelines, as well as in heating systems with increased temperature parameters. Such pipes, however, are much more expensive than all of the above. The process of their compound requires special training.
With the emergence of new technologies, the culture of the plumbing, which was also traditionally associated in the consciousness of citizens with a drunk plumber in a dirty specialist. Today, they were replaced by intelligent people, quickly and conscientiously perform their work strictly at the rates of the company.
The editors thanks the director of the NGO Training Center "StroyPolimer" V.S. Mareyko and specialists of the Damen LLP for consultation in the process of carrying out installation and welding work at the facility and in the preparation of the article.