HDPE pipes for water supply, their types and methods of installation

IPA stands for "low density polyethylene"

HDPE pipes for water supply: the main characterizing information, the scope of use

Pipes that produce polyethylene at low pressure producing in the five variations - SDR9, SDR11, SDR13,6, SDR 21 and SDR 26. Indicator SDR determines the degree of resistance to internal pressure. It is the ratio of the outer diameter of the article to the material thickness of its wall. In this regard, increasing the wall thickness entails a decrease SDR. That is, the smaller the number, the stronger the pipe.

All HDPE pipes for water supply can be of two brands - a PE 80 and PE 100. Thus, PE pipes 80 used for water supply and sewerage assembly with a section up to 90 mm, and the PE 100 in the main pipelines. Furthermore, the plastic used in the manufacture of pipes, may be a food and technical. The second is made from recycled materials, so its use in domestic water supply systems are not permitted.

HDPE pipe is marked with blue or yellow, depending on the destination

Useful advice!Be careful when buying pipes for drinking water supply. They must be made from polyethylene which is approved for contact with potable water.

Manufacturers supply polyethylene pipe inlets 100, 200 and sometimes 1000 meters. In some cases, the product can be found 12 meters long.

Polyethylene pipes are widely used in the construction and reconstruction of water supply systems, for equipment of hydraulic and pools of watering systems and artesian wells. Polyethylene pipes are used for transporting various liquid and gaseous fuel in industry or communal domestic sphere.

HDPE pipe length is released in coils 100, 200 or 1000 meters

Quality control of polyethylene pipes for water supply

All produced pipes are subjected to strict quality control of the following parameters:

• state of the inner and outer surfaces of articles. The walls must be perfectly smooth. Allowed only minor presence of longitudinal stripes and some waviness, which does not exceed the tolerance standards;
• inner, outer and end surfaces may be free from cracks, inclusions or shells;
• pipe plastic pipe has only black. Can often be present, longitudinal blue labeling strips, which should be at least three pieces. Their distribution circumferentially necessarily be uniform.

Since the quality of the material depends on tightness of water supply, it is necessary to pay special importance to this circumstance and to purchase products only known trusted manufacturers.

Compression fittings for connecting water pipes IPA

What makes polyethylene pipes for water supply so attractive

If a comparison with some other materials for the manufacture of pipes (steel, cast iron, asbestos), the polyethylene surpass them in many respects:

• fifty-year lifetime warranty manufacturers offer only plastic pipes;
• Plastic pipe with a diameter from 20 mm to 110 coiled in a 1000 meter saves all bays supplies that are required for installation of the pipeline, but also significantly speed up the process laying pipe;
• Electrofusion fittings application simplifies and speeds up the work for connecting pipes to each other;
• training of qualified welders, who can work with polyethylene, is much easier and faster than experts in metal;
• HDPE pipes for water supply it is possible to mount several times with small costs reassembly. They can be easily dismantled and recycled;
• PE pipe can be pulled into the existing old water supply system, not breaking it.

Connection scheme polyethylene pipes by welding

Positive physical and chemical properties

Polyethylene has some chemical and physical properties that make it attractive consumer properties:

• polyethylene chemical neutrality contributes to the lack of corrosion when exposed to water or more aggressive environments;
• the material has a lower specific weight, which considerably reduces all the production processes and transport articles;
• very high elasticity (linear expansion of up to 7.5%) allows articles to withstand not only minor shifts of lot, but even earthquakes. This circumstance prompted the Japanese in their time to production and widespread use of these pipes;
• ideal smooth inner surface allows the use of thinner tubes while retaining hydraulic parameters at the same level as that of the thicker steel analogues;
• due to low elastic modulus polyethylene significantly reduces the possibility of water hammer and breaking when water freezes.

Construction of water supply system in a private home with the use of HDPE pipes,

Have plastic pipes and a few flaws: they collapse under the action of ultraviolet radiation, deform at high temperatures (over 65 degrees), which makes it impossible to use them in the system heating.

Useful advice!When using polyethylene pipes in industrial processes, should not be passed through them nitric acid solution. This substance is capable of reacting with polyethylene, destroying the pipe wall.

Mounting pipeline using HDPE pipes

Methods for connecting PE pipes

Polyethylene pipes are adopted to interconnect two ways: one-piece and detachable. Permanent connections used in the pipeline operation at high pressure indicators, i.e. in trunking system. In the home, it is mainly used releasable compound.

Integral connection method

In practice, the permanent connection of plastic pipes in two ways:

• butt welding using the welding machine for polyethylene;
• Electrofusion use connectors.

Step by step instructions connecting PE pipes via planer

Butt welding - the most complicated technological process, which requires trained personnel and special purpose welding equipment.

Useful advice!To butt welding was quality, it is necessary to use only one weld. He must necessarily be identical in strength to the rest of the pipe.

In the presence of all necessary welding of pipes it is very convenient because it does not require the use of additional parts. It allows you to not only connect the two segments of the pipe, but also qualitatively strengthen them moldings.

Installation of water pipes with non-detachable fashion compound

When the electrofusion joint is used polyethylene electrofusion sleeve with embedded electrical heaters. Such a connection can withstand pressures up to 16 atmospheres. It is more expensive than the butt, so it is used in cramped conditions where you can not make a weld.

The use of detachable joints during installation conduit

The most common type of detachable connections are considered to be flanged. These elements may include: the sleeve which is welded to the end portion of pipes and union of metal flanges. Thin (less than 50 mm in diameter) tube may be connected to compression fittings, if it is impossible or disadvantageous to use flanges.

Mounting compression fittings when connecting pipes via releasable method

Collet type crimp connections can withstand high loading (up to 25 atmospheres), which allows used not only for joining pipes together, but also to connect to them from other products materials.

HDPE pipes for water supply connected correctly and competently, to form a low-cost water system that does not require a long time repairs and will not lose the original quality characteristics.

HDPE pipes for plumbing (video)