6/3/2015

PEPipesandPressureGrades

HighdensitypolyethyleneHDPEisaverypopularmaterialforwaterpipes.Itis
resistanttochemicals
easyandlightweighted
longliving
lowfriction
relativelycheap
flexible
sunresistant
PEpipescanbeusedinrangeoftemperatures40oCto60oCconsideringthechangeofoperatingpressure.Typicallythestandardspecificationidentify
classofaHDPEpipeisbythenominalpressureclassPNuptoPN20or20bar.HDPEpipecanalsobeclassifiedbythematerialusedPE100,PE80,
PE63,PE40orPE32.

PressureNominalPN
PEpipesareproducedindifferentpressuregrades(PNgrades),whichindicatesthepressureinbarsthepipecansupportwithwaterat20oC.
ThepressuregradesavailableaccordingtoEuropeanstandardsare
PN2.5maxpressure2.5bar
PN4maxpressure4bar
PN6maxpressure6bar
PN10maxpressure10bar
PN16maxpressure16bar
1bar=105Pa(N/m2)=0.1N/mm2=10,197kp/m2=10.20mH2O=0.9869atm=14.50psi(lbf/in2)=106dyn/cm2=750mmHg

ColorCodesandPressureGrades
Colorcodesusedtoindicatethepressuregradesonthepipesare
ColorCode

PEPressureGrade

Yellow

PN4

Red

PN6

Blue

PN10

Green

PN16

ClassedbyMaterials
Polyethylenepipesarealsoclassifiedbythetypeofmaterialused:
PE32lowpressurepipingsystems
PE40lowpressurepipingsystems
PE63mediumpressurepipingsystemsirrigationsystemdrinkingwaterconnections
PE80gaspipefornaturalgasdistributionnetworkwithpressurerateupto4barsdrinkingwaterpipewithpressurerateupto16barsewers,
outfallpipes,industrialpipes
PE100highdemandspipingapplications
TheMinimumRequiredStrengthMRSaccordingISO4427forthedifferentmaterialsare:

Designationofmaterial

MRSat50yearsand20oC
Mpa(bar)

PE100

10(100)

PE80

8(80)

PE63

6.3(63)

PE40

4(40)

PE32

3.2(32)

ColorCodesandMaterialsClassifications
Commoncolorsusedtoclassifythepipes
completelyblackforindustrialapplications
completelyblue,orblackwithbluestripes,fropotablewater
completelyyellow,orblackwithyellowstripes,forgasconduits
Notethatthecolorsmaydependoncountry.

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