Benefits of PB-1 for pressure piping systems
What does a higher SDR class mean in practice?
- Get to know Polybutene-1 for use in pressurized hot and cold water pipe systems
- Learn about the extraordinary characteristics of this most technically advanced thermoplastic material
- What are the benefits of using PB-1 in piping systems versus alternative thermoplastic materials?
- Opportunities to reduce the operational costs over the lifetime of a piping system
Simple, fast and efficient installation
Piping systems from Polybutene-1 have revolutionised how hot and cold water pressurised systems are installed. With the installation of PB-1 piping, no bending tools are needed, no naked flame, and no fluxes or chemicals.
PB-1 piping systems have revolutionised how pressurised hot and cold water systems are installed. No bending tools, no flame, no fluxes, no chemicals.
Polybutene-1 offers improved handling due to its flexibility, reduced pipe wall thickness and low memory effect. In addition to the potential cost savings of faster installation, polybutene-1 pipes provide opportunities for installation in tight, cramped spaces.
Pipework of up to 50mm in diameter is supplied in lightweight and easily handled coiled lengths of up to 500 metres. Installations can be made in suspended floors from below before ceilings are fitted and flexible PB-1 pipe can be cabled around obstructions and through joists. Continuous, flexible pipe means fewer joints providing greater system integrity.
With PB-1, many installations can be made without accurate pre-measuring, since it is easy to measure and cut in situ. Also, the light weight and ease of handling of PB-1 piping allows factory pre-fabrication and rapid on-site installation when timing is critical such as installations in cruise ships.
Significant performance benefits
Polybutene-1 piping systems have an array of performance advantages which have made the material the latest generation choice for piping systems.
PB-1 piping systems will not scale-up in hard water areas or corrode in soft water areas.
Performance benefits include lower thermal diffusivity than copper pipes which means water takes longer to freeze in them during cold weather.
If freezing does occur, the pipe expands to take account of the added volume, returning to its normal dimensions when the thaw comes. The same PB-1 thermal characteristic operates in reverse making them cool to the touch, even when high temperature water is being transported.
PB-1 piping systems will not scale-up in hard water areas or corrode in soft water areas. They absorb and suppress sound, rather than transmitting it (Case study: Royal Albert Hall) and they are not subject to 'water hammer' particularly in areas noted for high water delivery pressures.
A plastic pipe system consisting entirely of Polybutene-1 is possible, due to the variety of jointing techniques to connect PB-1 pipes to fittings. Typical jointing techniques include push-fit, crimping, electro fusion, socket fusion and butt fusion for large diameter pipes.
Welding technology with PB-1 offers additional opportunities to pre-fabricate sections off-site reducing logistical complexity and installation time.
Long-term ISO 9080 tests performed on Polybutene-1 pipes project service lifetimes of 50 years or more for PB-1 hot water pipes operating with water at 70°C, at 10 bar pressure. ISO 9080 tests are carried out according to international protocols by independent and accredited test agencies such as EXOVA.
PB-1 classed as "environmentally friendly"
Piping systems' environmental impact in areas including landscape scarring, emissions into the atmosphere, soil and water – and recycling potential are assessed in ‘cradle to grave’ studies. Such a study was conducted by the Technical University of Berlin on various drinking water pipe systems, including galvanised steel, copper, and plastics: cross-linked Polyethylene (PE-X), Polypropylene (PP-R), Chlorinated Polyvinylchloride (PVC-C) and Polybutene-1 (PB-1).
Environmental impact study of piping materials by the Technical University of Berlin rated the impact of Polybutene-1 as low.
For all comparative indices, Polybutene-1 was rated as one of the products delivering the lowest levels environmental impact. Polybutene-1 is regarded highly in the area of sustainability, demonstrated by demanding national and international standards, and extensive long-term testing. PB-1 is classed as 'environmentally friendly' – consuming less energy during manufacture, conversion, installation and use than its competitors. As a non cross-linked polyolefin raw material, it can also be recycled.
Chlorine Resistance
PB-1 pipes are expected to have service lifetimes of 50 years when exposed to water containing 4 ppm chlorine at 60°C. Moreover PB-1 pipe has been shown to perform for >1,000 hours in chlorine content of 30 ppm at 30°C/6 bar (Test Report-No. PB 1087C, Infraserv Höchst Technik, 2004).
Independent test results – Long-term reliability and chlorine resistance
ASTM F2023 test report obtained for LyondellBasell's Akoalit PB 4267 confirming more than 50 years extrapolated lifetime at continuous use at 60°C and a chlorine concentration of 4 ppm. download
Uninterrupted pressurised operation for up to 50 years and counting
PB-1 pipe applications installed in Europe for underfloor heating (since the early 1960s) and district energy (since the mid 1960s) are still operating successfully.
PB-1 pipes were installed in the Vienna Geothermal Project in 1974, replacing metal pipes which proved unsuitable due to rapid corrosion and operated until 2010 when an updated system was installed. The Vienna Geothermal project utilises very aggressive geothermal water as the heating medium. The PB-1 piping system ran continuously for 36 years at a constant temperature of 54°C and a pressure of 10 bar until replacement due to system reconfiguration.
PB-1 piping systems are specified increasingly in well-known major products and locations as: Royal Albert Hall, Canary Wharf, Imperial War Museum North, Säntis 2000
Independent test results – Assessment of Polybutylene Plumbing Installation after 18 Years of Service
Presented at Antec 2013 – independent study (onsite evaluation and lab testing) of the condition of a polybutene (PB) plumbing system in a multi-unit apartment complex. download
