Plastic Pipes in the Industry: the Right Choice! Legal Details / Editor
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Plastic Pipes in the Industry: The right choice! Legal details / Editor: Kunststoffrohrverband e.V. Kennedyallee 1-5 53175 Bonn Germany Phone: +49-(0)2 28 / 9 14 77-0 Fax: +49-(0)2 28 / 9 14 77-19 e-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.krv.de oder http://www.wipo.krv.de 2 Contents Introduction Page 4 General requirements for piping systems in the chemical process Page 5 industry (CPI) The chemical resistance of plastic pipes Page 6 Standardization / Quality assurance / Approval Page 7 Sustainability Page 8 Materials Page 10 Jointing techniques Page 15 Special Requirements of Plastics Page 18 Versatile piping concept Page 19 Examples of applications Page 20 Quo vadis industrial piping? Page 24 The Kunststoffrohrverband e.V. Page 25 Members of industrial pipes group Page 26 3 Einleitung Seit nunmehr 60 Jahren bestimmen Kunst- stoffe unseren Alltag. Ein modernes Auto ist ohne Kunststoff undenkbar, Verpa- ckungsfolien schützen unsere Nahrungs- mittel, Kunststoffrohre transportieren Gas und Wasser. Hochleistungsfolien versie- geln Deponien und feinste Kunststofffasern Introduction sind die Basis für moderne Sport- und During the last 60 years plastics have changed our lives High performance geomembranes secure durable sealing of Funktionskleidung. more than we could ever have imagined. A modern car con- landfills and plastic fibres represent the basis for modern structed without any plastics is unthinkable, packaging films sportswear respectively functional clothing. prevent our food from spoiling and gas as well as water are conveyed through plastic pipes. Bild: BMW Amaturentafel Bild: High Voltage Kabel Wesentliche Bedeutung haben die Kunststoffe für die chemische Industrie. Vor ca. 60Jahren wurden die ersten Kunststoffrohre in Frankfurt bei der Fa. HöchstHigh voltage verlegt. cable Heutewith functional spielen multilayer Kunst- sheathing out High proportion of plastics in the automotive industry stoffrohre bei praktisch jedem industriellen Prozess eine maßgeblicheof plastics installed Rolle. on the industrialsite “Höchst”. In 2012 PVC-pipes already celebrate their 80 years anniversary. Grund dafür ist die enorme Vielseitigkeit von Kunststoff- Plastic pipes have a high importance in the chemical lösungen. Je nach Anwendung werden maßgeschnei- process industry. About 60 years ago the first plastic pipes derte Kunststoffrohre eingesetzt. Hohe Chemikalienbe- were installed on the industrial site “Höchst” in Frankfurt. ständigkeit, ausgereifte Verbindungstechniken und ein Today plastic pipes play an important role in virtually every umfassender Normungsrahmen garantieren effiziente, industrial process. ökonomische und vor allem sichere Lösungen. The reason for this is the vast variety of solutions plastic pipes offer because plastic pipes can be adapted for each application. High chemical resistance, advanced jointing techniques and a comprehensive standardisation framework ensure efficient, economical and in particular safe solutions. Wet separator out of GRP Bilder: Polymerisationsanlage Polymerisation plant 4 4 General requirements for piping systems in the chemical process industry (CPI) “More than 40 years of experience with various plastic pipes and their jointing technology when handling concentrated acids and alkalis in chemical apparatus engineering at Heraeus in Hanau gives us confidence for the future.” (H. Lipp; Technical Maintenance; W.C. Heraeus GmbH, Hanau) The use of plastic piping systems for conveyance of result of this no other segment in plastic piping is offering chemicals or well-defined process water-qualities have such a wide range of different polymeric materials. The table specific demands on the complete system. Apart from summarizes the primary customer requirements. remarkable breadth and depth of the product range it is primarily the chemical resistance of the polymeric material that decides the applicability of a given system. As a Regarding the total market of plastic piping systems, Requirements for industrial pipe systems industrial piping only represents a small part. However, due to the often very individual and high technical requirements • High safety standard / emergency running properties it is more than justified to label this segment as top-end of • Chemical resistance / low leachout the market. • Legal conformance • Long service life / field references • System solutions • Easy maintenance, repair and installation • Economic cost / performance ratio Basic chemicals Fertilizer (e.g. Chlorine Pulp & Paper Alkali – electrolysis) Water-Treatment (e.g. VE, UPW, Disinfection/ industrial Cleaning waste water) Life-Science, Exhaust-gas (Food / Pharma), purification / Filtration-devices - treatment Scrubber / Semiconductor- Petrochemistry Heat-Exchanger / Coating / Pickling industry (on / off-shore) Ventilation Application areas for plastic pipe systems 5 The chemical resistance of plastic pipes “Today corrosion of polymers can be controlled and managed when using plastic piping systems in contact with aggressive chemicals.” (Dr. P. Bergsjö, Research Leader, “Polymeric Materials Dept.“ Swerea KIMAB, Stockholm Schweden) The success of plastic piping systems in chemical resistance of a given plastic piping system is influenced by engineering is due to both the huge variety of materials a variety of factors. The following graph shows the main and the exceptional high level of their chemical resistance. factors: In this respect it needs to be considered that the chemical Mainly set by the chemical structure of the polymer Extensive possibilities to alter the material by the Chemical formulation, processing and installation resistance Real life: Mixtures of chemicals impurities, of industrial fluctuating operational conditions Additional dynamic stress (installation, vibration, piping change of T-Fluctuating, welding, etc.) Dynamical and discontinuous service Relying on more than 50 years of practical experience and When selecting the materials and systems close collabora- a well developed understanding in researching the basic tion between the user and the manufacturer is essential. corrosion mechanism, in most cases it is possible to specify The tables of “chemical resistance” should therefore rather the material compatibility of the particular material reliably. be looked at as a tool for basic orientation. According to current knowledge, plastic piping systems allow for conveying any chemicals at operating temper- atures even over 100°C. 6 Standardization / Quality assurance / Approval „Ein“A standardization ausgereiftes und system auf internationaler for semi-finished Ebene products koordiniertes and raw und materials stetig aktualisiertes that is operated Normenund on an Standardisierungssysteminternational level and continuously für Halbzeuge updated und Rohstoffe is the backbone ist das for Rückgrat any quality jeglicher assurance Qualitätssicherung for plastic vonpiping Rohrleitungssystemen systems. Due to this, aufsuch Kunststoffbasis. a high level of standardizationDamit leistet das contributes hohe Niveau significantly der Normen to auf the diesem Gebietproven einensafe operation sehr großen of theBeitrag respective zum erwiesenermaßen plants especially sicherenin the segment Betrieb of der chemical aus diesen process Produkten industry.” gefertigten Anlagen gerade im Segment des (Hans industriellen Telgen, President Anlagenbaus.“ of the European plastic pipe and fitting Association (TEPPFA)) (Hans Telgen, Präsident des Europäischen Kunststoffrohrverbandes (TEPPFA)) Both formulation as well as processing effect the proper- supervised by independent testing institutes are well ties of the components of a given polymer-based piping recognized. A noticeable example for this market is the system substantially. Quality assurance of these products is approval issued by the German Institute for Building guaranteed by a well organized body of standards that are Technology (DIBT, Berlin). Although this is a national continuously updated. German basic standards or European German approval, it has a very high international reputation application standards frequently are used as the foundation in terms of guarantee of a high level of quality assurance and of many international standards. In particular special documented third-party-supervision. approvals that are based on additional guidelines and European National basic DVS / AWS application standards standards DIBT-Approval Standards / Approvals Technical rules DIN CERTCO Guide lines Special approvals Internal standards CE (e.g. ship building, ATEX, FM) On a global level the national and European standards are Company standards and special approvals that have been completed by other international Standards (e.g. ISO, ASTM, developed over decades complement these standards. BS, JS). Due to a lack of harmonized European standards a CE- Standardization of welding, solvent cement jointing and Marking of the plastic piping system components is not jointing of plastic pipes in general has been - also globally possible yet. - regulated successfully for many years by the German welder Association (DVS). The harmonization of the standards with corresponding ones of other countries is a continuous process. 7 Sustainability Plastic products need less energy than alternative products In Europe, the demand of energy for production, use, It can be concluded that the replacement of plastic recovery and disposal of plastics is about 4.300 products by other materials wherever possible would million GJ/a take about 57 % (1.500-3.300