PVC piping for mobile system
PVC piping for mobile system
(OP)
Hello,
I am designing a mobile water treatment system and am looking into some input into materials selection. The water we are treating is essentially brine and will be at ambient temperatures. I would like to use PVC piping as it is economical, resistant and light but I am wondering about vibration and general wear and tear encountered while traveling from site to site. Does anyone know if this is something I should concerned with and if I'm even on the right track with this or if I should be looking at totally different materials?
Thanks!
I am designing a mobile water treatment system and am looking into some input into materials selection. The water we are treating is essentially brine and will be at ambient temperatures. I would like to use PVC piping as it is economical, resistant and light but I am wondering about vibration and general wear and tear encountered while traveling from site to site. Does anyone know if this is something I should concerned with and if I'm even on the right track with this or if I should be looking at totally different materials?
Thanks!





RE: PVC piping for mobile system
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
I always thought PVC would do better in buried or inside building conditions rather than exposed to a lot of hot-cold amabient cycles and sitting in the sun on a flat bed for awhile, then cooling off in transport wind, but maybe I'm just thinking too much there.
One thing to consider might be what kind of design life are you looking for?
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RE: PVC piping for mobile system
This unit would be used in the southern and mid eastern states so I don't expect extreme cold temperatures.
I am intending to include multiple flexible connections to enable the overall system to flex with transport. Keeping short pipe lengths is definitely a good idea also.
Design life ideally will be 10+ years however if I build the system using more economical materials then having a slightly shorter design life is not critical.
We have used PVC in outdoor applications in the past (although not mobile) in Texas and found that we do need to paint it to protect from the sun.
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
PVC doesn't last long in the sun.
Greetings
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
Unless the service is HOT water, CPVC is just a waste of money. It is considerably more expensive than PVC and aside from temperature resistance it offers few benefits not already offered by PVC.
If it will be in direct sunlight for years on end when stored or used, put it in shade when you can, or paint the pipe with the white mastic designed for this purpose. Unpainted PVC pipe can survive for years in direct sunlight without painting- just not five or ten or twenty years... Shade or shelter is a good idea anyway, as the PVC pipe won't be the only thing on a mobile water treatment skid which can be damaged by direct sunlight for extended periods I'll wager.
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
The only advantage of PVC is that you can glue it,
The disadvantage is you have to paint it, as you stated.
Hdpe has all the fittings you need,
just like PVC.
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
CPVC is superior in a number of performance factors but costs more money. You only pay for those extra performance features if they benefit your application. Unless it's hot water, PVC is an adequate selection.
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
I spoke with Georg Fischer (thanks for the tip RigPiper) and they recommend either PP or PE over PVC for this application due to the vibration and stresses of constant transport and outdoor use. PP is considerably more expensive but would be the most durable and best choice in their opinion.
RE: PVC piping for mobile system
Use caution, though, as polypropylene is listed as having poor UV resistance in numerous references I've seen, as well as in my own personal experience with PP items exposed directly to weather.
Much of the PP pipe and fittings sold in North America is natural (i.e without pigment), whereas in Europe the metric sizes are typically pigmented a buff colour. Pigmented versions might offer better resistance, and some formulations may, like PVC, contain UV stabilizers or other ingredients to improve resistance.