BIGGER IS BETTER FOR TOUGH PIPE APPLICATIONS
High volume and high pressure pipes are becoming big business in Australia. And we mean BIG. Some of the pipes made recently from the latest PE100 grade Qenos high density polyethylene are large diameter, thick walled PE pipes - over a metre in diameter and with over 100mm wall thickness.
The PE pipes, used for water, waste and mining, need to be big and strong - often for many years and in tough environments. Qenos Alkadyne® PE100 is tested and qualified for long term performance in pressure pipe applications according to AS/NZ 4131.
Standards for PE100 pipe reflect the requirements of the pipe to meet long term service in use. Qenos PE100 grade Alkadyne® HDF145B performs excellently in meeting the standard including the key aspects of hydrostatic strength, slow crack growth resistance and resistance to rapid crack propagation.
For Australian pipe manufacturers, Qenos PE100 grade Alkadyne® HDF145B is a polyethylene with high performance in extrusion and as well as in the end application. With very high melt strength, Qenos PE100 is capable of making very large diameter, thick walled PE pipe. The ultra-low sag extrusion performance of Alkadyne® HDF145B’s delivers large diameter, thick walled pipe capability and has been demonstrated to produce wall thickness of >100mm. This is a step above leading conventional PE100’s which are generally capable up to about 80mm pipe wall thickness.
The Qenos PE100 also has very good processability allowing for increased throughput and maximised extrusion capacity.
The throughput benefits of Qenos PE100 are built into the product at a molecular level - the unique molecular structure results higher output per screw revolution at lower melt temperature. For a range of pipe dimensions and extrusion equipment this can yield up to 20% throughput benefit. This efficiency improvement has big benefits for Australian pipe manufacturers. The high level of control also means scrap rates can be exceptionally low.
Importantly, very large, thick walled pipe made from Qenos PE100 also has consistent dimensional tolerance – maintaining both wall thickness and circularity – which allows high quality joints and delivers excellent ease of installation.
Large diameter PE pipe, made from the Qenos PE100 grade Alkadyne® HDF145B, is finding use in tough applications. In water mains projects these thick PE pipes can be used instead of steel – particularly in challenging directional drilling installation. In large scale mining projects, this durable PE pipe is great for slurry transportation. In desalination projects, large diameter PE pipe is suitable for intakes and outfalls.
Qenos has a long term commitment to the Australian pipe market and the latest Qenos PE100 will set a new benchmark for big diameter pipes with outstanding performance and durability.
Alkadyne PE100 Grades | Pipe Case Studies