January 2012 Tube Products International
35
products & developments
Sustainability and performance in HDPE
pipe applications
SABIChas launched the Vestolen ARELY
family of tough, sustainable bimodal
high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
materials for pressure pipe applications.
The portfolio offers converters energy
savings and enables environmentally
responsible pipe installation.
The company has also developed a
new strain hardening method, a fast
and accurate method for evaluating the
slow crack growth resistance behaviour
of HDPE. This method avoids the
use of detergents that can pose an
environmental hazard, and avoids the
use of valuable drinking water.
“Our new SABIC
®
Vestolen A RELY
products in combination with the strain
hardening method – that measures their
performance – are key deliverables in
SABIC’s global strategy to supply the
pressure pipe industry with breakthrough
technologies,” saidJeanEngels, business
manager HDPE SABIC. “SABIC takes
great pride in proactively developing
materials and methodologies that meet
current and emerging industry needs,
particularly in the areas of sustainability
and cost effectiveness. We also welcome
new partners who can help us drive
development of new pipe solutions
utilising our high-performance HDPE
materials and extensive technological
resources and expertise.”
The first two grades within the Vestolen
A RELY range – one designed for low
sagging and the other engineered for
high resistance to slow crack growth
– contribute to the eco-responsible
production and use of pressure pipe.
With these materials, converters
can reduce energy. Developers and
contractors can select trenchless pipe
installation such as guided boring and
horizontal directional drilling that reduce
impact on the environment.
Both new materials are classified
as PE100 grades, demonstrating
compliance with the highest industry
standards for HDPE pressure pipe.
Vestolen A RELY 5924R delivers low
sag performance for large-diameter
pipes and pressure pipes with a
low standard dimension ratio (SDR).
This grade has an internal pressure
approval for PE 100 that complies
with the EN12201 and EN1555
standards, underscoring its quality and
performance for transporting potable
water, gas, sewage and other liquids.
Vestolen A RELY 5922R offers resistance
to slow crack growth propagation in
high-pressure pipe applications and
can therefore be used with advanced
trenchless pipe installation technologies
such as re-lining, horizontal directional
drilling and guided boring. Its resistance
to slow crack growth is demonstrated
by results of the FNCT (>8760h) and
pipe notch test (>8760h, DIN and ISO
13479). This grade also has an internal
pressure approval for PE 100, meeting
EN12201 and EN1555 standards.
The RELY products are produced at
SABIC’s state-of-the-art HDPE plant
in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, which was
designed to put less stress on the
environment than traditional facilities.
The plant cuts electricity usage by 8%,
air emissions by 85% and sewage by
50%, and uses SABIC’s own proprietary
catalyst technology.
The primary slow crack growth
resistance testing methods for HDPE
for pressure pipes have had significant
drawbacks, including high cost,
long durations of a year or more and
uncertain reliability. SABIC’s new strain
hardening method correlates well to
traditional methods that assess the slow
crack growth behaviour of HDPE. The
method is typically able to determine the
intrinsic slow crack growth behaviour
via a simple tensile test at 80°C.
Advantages of this test method are
low measurement variation, absence of
surfactants and notches, small amount
of required testing material (<50g) and
testing times of only a few hours.
The strain hardening method can be
easily implemented at accredited labo-
ratories, and the company anticipates
that it will become the standard for
HDPE slow crack growth testing.
SABIC Vestolen A RELY 5924R and
5922R are available globally. Additional
grades within the product line are due
for release in the near future.
SABIC
– Saudi Arabia
SABIC Europe
– The Netherlands
Aluminium redrawn tubes
Siddhi Engineers, India, is a TUV-,
ISO 9001-2008 and ISO-14001-2004
TUV Nord-certified company engaged
in the manufacture of close tolerance,
precision aluminium redrawn tubes.
The company states that its aluminium
redrawn tubes have various advantages
over extruded tubes: close dimensional
tolerances (±0.02); good surfaces finish
(Ra 0.4µ); added mechanical/physical
properties; accurate straightness
(1:2,000); and precise quality and
eccentricity. Very small (from 1mm
diameter) and very thin (from 0.2mm)
sections are possible, as well as special
shapes and telescopic profiles with
close dimensions. The precision drawn
tubes and profiles can be supplied in
various types of aluminium wrought
alloy.
Aluminium precision drawn tubes are
available in outside diameters from 1 to
110mm, and thicknesses from 0.15 to
10mm. Rods have a maximum outside
diameter of 30mm, and profiles have
a circumscribing diameter of 50mm.
Tubes in coil form have maximum
outside diameter of 16mm, maximum
thickness of 2mm, and maximum coil
weight of 30kg.
Siddhi Engineers
– India
