HDPE Pipes and Fittings
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is manufactured from ethene monomer and is manufactured at low temperature and pressure. Ethene is mainly a monomer obtained from petroleum. It has a high strength to density ratio and it is flexible plus resistant to corrosion, which makes it ideal material for water transport. HDPE Pipes in Pakistan are cheaper and stronger as compared to other types of pipes in Pakistan and are the most commonly used plastic for commercial purposes. HDPE pipes and fittings have a lot of benefits which are explained below.
Properties of HDPE:
- High density to strength ratio
- Lightweight
- Inexpensive
- High operating temperature upto 71°C
- Suitable for water pressure levels upto 1500 psi
- Dampens waves and surges
Benefits of HDPE Pipes:
- Resistance to corrosion: Corrosion is a very common with different types of pipes especially with those made up of metal. It affects the water quality, flow and also shortens the lifetime of the pipe. HDPE pipes and fittings are, however, resistant to corrosion. It is resistant to different chemicals including chlorinated water, alkalies, sulphurous compounds and other elements found in the tap water. Hence, it prevents the pipe from damage and ultimately increases its lifetime.
- Resistance to fatigue: HDPE pipe is not hard but flexible and ductile, still has excellent strength. Because of its property to dampen surges, it is resistant to fatigue. HDPE has this property over the other types of pipes.
- Easy to transport and install: Since HDPE pipes and fittings are lightweight, they are easy to transport and install. Owing to their flexibility, they become further easy to install. They can simply be installed with simple hand tools.
- Resistance to Heat: HDPE has a melting point of above 100°C, so it can carry mildly hot water without getting deformed. Despite its flexibility, it is still very good at cold temperatures.
- Durability and toughness: HDPE pipes are tough and resistant to physical damage. Due to this durability, it can survive on jobsite installations. It does not break with physical pressure upto an extent, so it is safer in these terms too.
- Recyclable: Another big benefit that the HDPE pipes and fittings have is that they are made up of recyclable material. It is also eco-friendly and has a low environmental effect. It can undergo a recycling process and the resulting product can be used again for manufacture of other plastic products.
- Longer Lifetime: Owing to all their good features, HDPE pipes can survive between 50 to 100 years provided the optimal conditions. Hence, they have a longer lifetime than most of the pipes and provide lifelong service.
Difference Between HDPE and PVC:
- Composition: HDPE is a thermoplastic polymer and is made out of petroleum. PVC is also a thermoplastic and it is amorphous.
- Surges: HDPE can reduce surges while PVC is unable to do so, and it leads to the damage of the system.
- Usage: HDPE is the most commonly used thermoplastic in the world while PVC comes on third in this list of popularly used types of plastics.
- Durability: When exposed to extreme weather conditions, HDPE has proved to be more durable than PVC as it has a lower failure rating.
- Thermal Expansion: Materials expand when they are given temperatures. HDPE expands 4 times more as compared to PVC.
- Applications: Both these types of thermoplastics differ in their applications too. PVC is commonly used for sewers, irrigation and drains etc. While HDPE has various uses Including the above mentioned ones and also in the distribution of natural gas and petroleum.
LDPE vs HDPE:
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) can be compared with High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) as follows
- HDPE is more durable
- LDPE has lower density
- HDPE has higher melting point
- HDPE is stronger than LDPE
- Weaker intermolecular forces are found in LDPE
- Greater chemical resistance is offered by HDPE
- Higher tensile and shear strength in HDPE
Prestige HDPE product range:
Prestige HDPE products include PE-80 and PE-100 piping systems that include pipes with an outside diameter ranging from 20mm to 315mm. Besides this wide range of pipe diameters, all types of fittings are also available such as tees, reducers, bends, elbows and valves etc.
HDPE Quality Assurance Tests:
Prestige HDPE pipes and fittings go through many different tests on different stages of production to ensure the best quality production. These tests include hydrostatic, tensile, impact strength tests. Diameter and length, density, elongation and mass flow rate tests are also included in this list. These tests thus ensure the production of the best HDPE products by Prestige Plastics.
Installation of HDPE pipes:
Installation of HDPE pipes and fittings is easier as compared to many other types of piping systems. Several different joining methods could be adopted to install HDPE pipes. These include flange joining method, butt welding and coupling adapter joining techniques. These techniques ensure a safe and smooth connection in the HDPE piping system.
Applications of HDPE pipes and fittings:
HDPE pipes and fittings have a wide range of applications. They are especially great in the mass transportation of water. Bigger diameter pipes of HDPE are very suitable for the transport of water in mass quantities. Following are some of the applications of HDPE pipes and fittings.
- Potable Water Pipelines: For drinking water, it is required to reach the houses without any contamination. HDPE pipes are excellent in this regard. First of all, they are corrosion free and ensure no contamination. Secondly, they are also bacterial resistant which makes them safe for the transportation of potable water. They are also produced in larger diameters so they can transport potable water in mass quantities.
- Irrigation purposes: HDPE pipes are commonly used to transport water for Irrigation purposes. They can carry water at relatively higher pressures and can transport the water underground. Hence, HDPE Pipes in Pakistan are used for irrigation purposes extensively.
- Sewage Pipelines: Being corrosion-free and chemically stable, HDPE pipes and fittings are used in sewage systems that contain chemically toxic substances. HDPE pipes do not react with them and do not accumulate bacteria so are a safer option for this application too.
- Gas Lines: Besides transportation of liquids, HDPE pipes are also used for transportation of gases. They are used in natural gas supply systems because they do not react with natural gas. It owes to their chemical inertness to such substances. They are also not leaky, so are considered good for transportation of gases.
- Relining: HDPE pipes have a lower friction coefficient as compared to other types of pipes. Hence they can be slided into the existing leaking pipelines. Hence, they solve the broken pipelines problem in an economical and permanent way.
- Telecommunication Cables: Telecommunication cables are widely spread underground to ensure digital connection between all places. These cables however require some outer protective pipeline to ensure their safety when they are underground. HDPE pipes do very well in this application since they are flexible and cheaper as compared to other types of cables.
- Petrochemicals: Since HDPE pipes and fittings do not react with petroleum products, they are used to transport petrochemicals effectively. They do better in transport of petroleum than most of the types of pipes so are also extensively used for this purpose.
- Wastewater treatment: Wastewater has to be mixed up with several different chemicals for its treatment. HDPE pipes in Pakistan are the most suitable option for transportation of such chemically mixed water too since they are corrosion resistant and do not react with any such chemicals easily.
HDPE Pipes in Pakistan:
Prestige Plastics is a piping company in Lahore providing quality HDPE pipes in Pakistan and HDPE pipes in Lahore. Different sizes and diameters of HDPE pipes and all the fittings that need to be applied in any kind of application are available at Prestige Plastics. At Prestige Plastics, we manufacture high-quality HDPE pipes and fittings that are designed to withstand the rigours of any project.
Contact us today to learn more about our products and how we can help you with your piping needs!