An Investigation into Plastic Pipes as Hot Water Transporters in Domestic and Industrial Applications

This work discusses convenience of thermo-pipes as compared to traditional steel and copper pipes when used for transporting hot water in domestic and industrial applications. Comparison is made here between thermo pipes and steel pipes regarding strength, material properties, corrosion resistance, aging effect, energy saving, electrical properties, and workability. Tensile tests were conducted in this research for two types of thermo pipes: Cross-Linked Polyethylene (Thermopex) and Polypropylene Random Copolymer (PPRC). The tests were conducted by computer labs of Royal Scientific Society. A lot of material properties (E, σy, σf, ur, ut, B, e%, a%) were gained from these tests, which are in good agreement with the values given by the manufacturer. The results show, that both types of thermo-pipes (polyethylene and polypropylene) are more convenient for heating purposes, corrosion resistance, and easier workability than traditional materials like steel and copper. Thermo-pipes materials behave satisfactorily when subjected to thermal stresses for long periods of time (aging effect). Also, they possess low thermal and electrical conductivities with lower melting points than steel. Therefore, they exhibit higher energy conservation and safety than steel pipes do.