Tech Trends
Sep 4th, 2008                                Print this article

Pipe conference generates buzz

By Modern Plastics Editorial Staff

Organizers of The Plastics Pipes XIV Conference, to be held from Sept. 22–24, 2008 at the Marriott Hotel in Budapest, Hungary, are piquing potential attendees’ interest with previews of some of the presentations. For example, one presenter, Markus Haager from Austrian pipe processor AGRU Kunststofftechnik, will report on test results of polypropylene pipes used to transport sulphuric acid for the last 21 years. Haager and his colleagues tested samples from a pipe that had been used to transport sulphuric acid (20%) in a steel mill for the last 21 years. The team also tested PP pipes that were used to transport cobalt chloride (18%) for 20 years. Neither the pipes nor samples taken showed any sign of damage.

Another presentation, by Professor Alessandro Marangoni from the Bocconi University of Milan, will present a paper entitled ‘The benefits of pipeline innovation’ detailing the actual cost to Italian society of modernizing its water and sewer networks. He has also calculated the cost of doing nothing. “Every year, water leakage is costing Italian customers as much as euro 4 ($6) billion,” he said. “In Italy, cracked or broken water mains for example, have a leakage rate of 38–45%. Compare this to the best performers in Europe such as Germany’s 8–15% or The Netherlands where not a single drop of water is permitted then the scale of the wastage is evident…. Our cost comparisons will be of extreme interest to all stakeholders involved with the delivery of water and the dispatch of household waste.”

Also speaking is Ignacio Munoz, director of Spain’s Molecor, which has developed a full dry system for extruding bi-axially oriented plastic pipes (PVC-O) with what it says are clear benefits over the batch method of production. “New on-line systems that use air for drying in the manufacturing process provide significant energy and labor savings. In addition to greater speed and enhanced efficiency, they enable complete integration within one standard extrusion line. The result is a stable and reliable process that is highly profitable and works in a continuous way,” he says.

Plastic Pipes XIV is organized by TEPPFA, PE 100 +, PVC4Pipes, and the Plastics Pipe Institute. The full program is available from the Conference website along with registration and further information: http://www.ppxiv.com.

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