Detailed Product Description

Polyethylene is one of the polymers identified to be used in the pipe line systems industry either for pressure applications or for gas and fuel applications. Developments in polyethylene pipe and fitting material continue to improve already outstanding properties and afford the asset owner confidence in long term durability and system life. Polyethylene PE100 and PE80B pipes are used extensively in gas distribution applications world wide. In USA and Canada over 90% of the natural gas distribution system is in plastic pipes with polyethylene representing 99% of the installations. In Australia the use of polyethylene is natural gas distribution systems is growing rapidly. The demand with PE80 material is the same for pressure applications.

Properties

 Polyethylene is characterized by toughness, near zero moisture absorption, excellent chemical resistance, excellent electrical insulating properties, low coefficient of friction and ease of processing. Polyethylene pipes offer many advantages including high ductility, corrosion resistance, flexibility, coilability, light weight and reduced installation costs as well as excellent long term performance of pressure and gas pipes. Polyethylene being flexible and available in long coils minimizes the number of joints. It is ideally suited for a wide range of service conditions requiring very little maintenance. It has good abrasion resistance, flexible not affected by soil shift and temperature fluctuations.

Polyethylene (PE) Pipes for Pressure Applications- AS/NZS 4130/NZ Standard

All pipes being manufactured are as per AS/NZS 4130 (Joint Standards Australia/ Standards New Zealand) and New Zealand Standard. It includes two series of pipes generally. They are series 1 for pressure applications and series 2 &/or 3 are for gas/fuel applications. Pipes being made are from similar Polyethylene compounds but from different manufactures. Polyethylene pipes are fit for conveyance of fluids under pressure. Such fluids include but are not restricted to, water, waste water, slurries, compressed air, and fuel gas. Fuel gas includes natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in vapor phase and in air mixtures. The partial pressure of the LPG is not to exceed 300 kPa. The gas pipes manufactured should not be used with petroleum liquids, including liquid LPG and liquid pentane, or with manufactured or mixed gas distribution systems which may contain more than 1% aromatic by volume. The pipes manufactured are not put to extended exposure to sunlight. Gas pipes are not intended for service temperatures outside of the range -20ºC TO +35 ºC.

Raw Materials

The pipes are made PE80B materials which are either Medium Density or High Density Polyethylene respectively. The PE compound with it densities may be classified as follows:

HDPE ρ > 950 KG/M³

MDPE 935 KG/M³ > ρ < 950 KG/M³

LDPE - ρ < 935 KG/M³

Polyethylene water pipes for pressure applications are manufactured with HDPE and MDPE material using PE80 material. All pressure pipes for the transport of fuel gas or air are manufactured using PE80B compound that are High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). The base resins used for striping purpose are in conformance with standard. They are in equal classification of the compound used for the parent pipe. All striping and jacket compounds are UV stabilized and are only accepted on the basis of test certificates from respective manufactures.

Rework Material

Clean rework is generated in extreme cases under strict quality observation in our own production of pipe in accordance with AS/NZS 4130. The rework material however is observed to be derived from the same grade of resin as used for the relevant production. At any point in time it is regarded as a complete new batch of production.

Pipe Colour

Pipes that are intended for fuel gas applications are provided with yellow stripes with parent pipe being black in colour made using PE80B material. All pipes for gas fuel application are to be colored yellow in part or in full. This is as per AS/NZS 4130 requirement. All such coloured pipes are also manufactured on customer demands. Series 1 pipes for general pressure applications are black with blue stripes, blue with black stripes, black with green stripes, and green with black stripes are manufactured. Other colour combinations leaving yellow colour to be part of the pipe colour are manufactured on customer demands.

Ranges of Polyethylene pipes

Rural Polyethylene Pipes.

Pressure Ratings

 PN 6.3                Black Polyethylene pipe with 3 line green stripes

 PN 10.0              Black Polyethylene pipe with 3 line red stripes

 PN 12.5              Black Polyethylene pipe with 3 blue red stripes

 PN 16.0              Black Polyethylene pipe with 3 brown stripes

 Recycled Pipes - Black Polyethylene pipe with 3 lilac stripes

          The pipes shall also be only black as per customer requirement.

          The length of pipes depends on customer requirement.

          All dimensions are in millimeters

Note: Pipes shall be black with 3 line yellow stripes.

         The length depends on customer requirements.

Note: All dimensions are in millimeters

         The length of pipes depends on customer requirement.

          Pressure rating: Class 9 with a maximum recommended working pressure at a pipe material temperature of 20ºC, of 0.9 MPa; normally 90 m ahead.Class 15 with a maximum recommended working pressure at a pipe material temperature of 20ºC, of 1.50 MPa; normally 150 m ahead.

Tests Conducted

The aim of any quality check is to make sure that the product is made correct the first time. The standard following which the pipe is made gives out set out testing requirements that will ensure the pipe quality.

General tests

General tests such as marking on pipes, color, and freedom from defects are carried out at regular intervals as the pipes are manufactured.

Dimensions Test

Outside diameter, wall thickness, end square ness are carried out on regular basis as per standard requirement to conform product standard. All dimensions are measured following the methods described in AS/NZS 1462.1

Specification: Conform to all dimensions as per standard requirement.

Reversion test

Detects the presence of excess surface strain or very low level of gelation in the formulation which would affect the long term properties of pipe. Low reversion value indicates less surface strain. The test is carried out following the method described in AS/NZS 1462.4)