Production of polymer pipes. Manufacturers of polyethylene pipes in the Russian Federation

When arranging heating systems for private houses and for intra-apartment wiring between radiators and main heating risers, polymer pipes are increasingly being used.

Polymer pipes for heating

The following materials are used for their manufacture:

• polypropylene (PP);
• cross-linked polyethylene (PEX);
• metal-plastic (PEX-AL-PEX).

The installation of pipelines made of polymer materials is distinguished by a high level of performance culture. Necessary tool fits in a small special suitcase, and the performers are not subject to such high professional requirements as electric or gas welders.

The figure below shows the heating pipeline of an autonomous heating system mounted from polymer pipes and fittings.

Application of polymer pipes for installation of heating systems

Application

Trends towards increasing consumption of polymer pipes for domestic heating are observed both in the external European and internal Russian markets. In 2015, in European countries, more than 70% of pipeline communications were plastic pipes. In Russia, the transition to plastic pipes is carried out at a rapid pace:

• In 2010, the share of polymer pipes in domestic heating systems was 48%, steel pipes – 52% of the total length of pipelines installed during the year;
• In 2015, 68% were plastic pipes (almost 300 thousand linear meters of polymer communications were installed during the year) and only 32% were steel.

Coil of cross-linked polyethylene pipes (PEX pipes)

Meticulous statisticians have calculated that over the thirty-year period of development of cross-linked polyethylene technology, more than 5 billion linear meters of PEX pipes have been installed in European countries alone.

The modern market is saturated with polymer pipes and fittings for their connections during the installation of heating mains. However, long-term, trouble-free operation of heating system pipelines can only be ensured by using high-quality plastics made from quality chemical raw materials in compliance with all technology requirements.

Unfortunately, the market is overcrowded with cheap counterfeit products, which can be recognized by external signs not easy. The quality of counterfeit products is simply not comparable to the products of the leaders in the production of polymer heating pipes.

Recognized global brands among plastic pipe manufacturers are:

1. Germany: " Rehau", "Wefatherm", "Aquatherm".
2. Italy: " Valtec."
3. Sweden: " Wirsbo."
4. Belgium: " Henco."
5. Czech Republic: " FV-Plast", "Ecoplastic".
6. China: " Dizayn", "Blue Ocean".
7. Korea: " Hydrosta."
8. Türkiye: « Pilsa", "Firat", "TEBO", "Kalde".
9. Russia: " Polytek", "PRO AQUA", "Heisskraft".
10. Kazakhstan: " Jakko."

The products of these concerns fully comply with the quality criteria adopted for polymer pipes when used as an alternative to steel heating communications.

Not every plastic pipe, chosen only because of its low price, is capable of working with hot water coolant under pressure.

The figure below shows a counterfeit plastic pipe that failed in the first days of operation when used in central heating communications.

Failed counterfeit polymer pipe

Quality criteria

Positive dynamics of demand are accompanied by constant work of manufacturers to improve technical characteristics polymer pipes. Basic quality criteria for heating pipes (regardless of the material of manufacture):

1. heat resistance, allowing you to withstand temperature surges of 105 degrees or more due to the possible ingress of hot coolant from the central heating main;
2. resistance to thermal shock - sudden temperature changes during sudden heating or cooling of the pipeline;
3. mechanical strength to resist external mechanical damage;
4. abrasive resistance to the destructive effects of mechanical contaminants such as scale or rust, sand and other solid particles entering the coolant;
5. a smooth inner surface of the pipe walls, which does not allow the accumulation of debris in the area of ​​local unevenness (protrusion, burr, sink or cavity);
6. resistance to so-called water hammer - sudden changes in pressure of the working environment up to 2.5–3.0 MPa (25-30 atm.);
7. chemical inertness to the effects of oxygen in the absence of a water coolant and to the aggression of salt additives in the coolant;
8. high maintainability, allowing you to replace a failed pipeline element without dismantling the entire section;
9. low thermal conductivity of the wall material to reduce heat loss during coolant circulation.

Lime deposits are also deposited on the inner walls of plastic pipes, clogging the flow area of ​​the pipelines. However, their negative impact is not as catastrophic as for steel communications, in which there is a complex effect of corrosion, abrasive particles, chemical additives, and scale deposits.

For comparison, the figure below shows photographs of corroded steel heating pipes clogged with scale.

Internal cross-section of steel heating pipelines after several years of operation

Manufacturers

Germany

Leaders in the production of plastic pipes for heating and their products used in the Russian construction market:

1. The Rehau company was founded in 1948 in the Bavarian town of Rehau.

To the Russian heating pipe market, the Rehau company supplies plastic pipes PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) and PEX-AL-PEX (metal-plastic) of the Rautitan system in the following range:

• Rautitan stabil;

Rautitan stabil pipe element

• Rautitan flex;
• Rautitan pink

Pipe element Rautitan pink

• Rautitan his, belonging to a new generation of pipes for heating systems.

Pipes are supplied in diameters of 16 mm, 20, 25, 32, 40, 50 and 63 mm.

Rehau pipes are capable of transporting coolant with temperatures up to 110 degrees. C, which significantly distinguishes them from analogues of other manufacturers. The Rautitan system itself is based on the use of a so-called sliding sleeve for connecting Rehau pipeline elements.

On the territory of the Moscow region of the Russian Federation, there are two pipe production enterprises from Rehau - the city of Ramenskoye (opened in 2002) and the city of Gzhel (opened in 2005).

1. The Wefa Plastic company (Attendorn, Germany) is a manufacturer of Wefaterm polypropylene pipes. Since 2003, it has been producing polypropylene pipes with fiberglass reinforcement. Vefaterm composite pipes are used in all sections of heating mains from the heating boiler to radiators.
2. Aquatherm polypropylene pipes made from PP-R-80 propylene and fittings for them are products of the Aquatherm GmbH enterprise, founded in 1973 by Gerhard Rosenberg. The company is known for a wide range of sizes of polypropylene pipes and fittings, up to a diameter of 630 mm. For domestic pipelines heating systems pipes of the “Aquatherm qreen pipe” series are produced that can withstand temperature regime up to 130 degrees. C.

Pipeline system made of polypropylene from Aquatherm

About 200 km (200,000 meters) of Aquatherm pipes are supplied to the Russian Federation annually.

Belgium

Henco Industries was founded in 1992 by Louis Hendrickx. Supplies metal-plastic heating pipes of the Henco RIXc series (outer diameters 16, 20 and 26 mm), Henco Standart (outer diameters 16, 20, 26 and 32 mm) to the world market.

Branded pipe from the Belgian manufacturer Henco Industries

Henko products are produced only in Belgium, so “manufacturers” of pipes of this brand from other countries (mainly China) supply counterfeit products that are unsuitable for use.

Sweden

The largest manufacturer of PEX-A cross-linked polyethylene pipes is the Wirsbo concern, which began rolling them back in 1972. Since 1992, the company has been present on the Russian market. The concern's products are used for radiator heating and heated floors with operating temperature 95 degrees C with a possible increase to 110 degrees. C.

Türkiye

Turkish companies supply the Russian market with polypropylene heating pipes that belong to the middle price class and are practically not inferior in quality to products from German or Belgian manufacturers:

• Pilsa, established in 1971, is the undisputed leader in the production of plastic products in Turkey. The company's enterprises use German technologies and equipment; specialists are trained in Germany. Since 2008, Pilsa has been part of Europe's largest concern for the production of plastic pipelines, WAVIN GROUP.
• Pipes with the Firat brand are supplied by the company Fırat Plastik AŞ, established in 1972. The company has huge production areas in Istanbul and Ankara.
• Kalde pipes are supplied by Kalde, a company founded in 1998 in Istanbul. The company has its own quality control laboratory, accredited in Spain and Germany.

View of the Kalde pipe

• Under the TEBO brand, pipes made from PPRC type 3 polymer come to the Russian market at the production facilities of the TEBO technics company. A distinctive feature of TEVO pipes is the reinforcement of polypropylene with perforated aluminum foil.

Russia

Plastic pipes for heating are produced by several Russian enterprises that have adopted innovative technologies from leading European manufacturers and equipped their workshops modern equipment. As a result, the names of popular brands also appeared on Russian-made polymer pipes:

• Polypropylene pipes "Pro Aqua", produced at enterprises in Italy and Germany, are now manufactured at the Egoplast plant (Sergiev Posad Moscow district. region). Moreover, currently over 85% of the entire range of PP-R pipes and fittings of the Pro Aqua brand is produced in the Russian Federation.

The products of the Chinese company Shanghai Pro Aqua Co Ltd have nothing in common with the “native” brand. There are no Pro Aqua branches in China.

• The Swiss company Santrade Ltd and the German concern HEISSKRAFT, together with Russian enterprises, have been producing metal-plastic and polyethylene pipes Santrade and Heisskraft for several years, which are not inferior in quality to their European counterparts.
• POLITEK PTK LLC is Russia's largest manufacturer of polymer pipes made from PP polypropylene, HDPE low-density polyethylene and PVC pipes, however, its products are less in demand compared to modern metal-plastic or cross-linked polyethylene pipes.

Kazakhstan

The Jakko company was founded in Aktobe. Since 2006 it has been producing polypropylene pipes. In 2009, a second plant for the production of polymer pipes was launched in Karaganda, which made it possible to expand the range of products.

Type of pipe "Jakko"

Jacco products are certified according to Turkish quality standards for polymer pipes, so they are often mistakenly considered a Turkish product.

Video about soldering pipes

The nuances of soldering polypropylene pipes, which help beginners avoid possible mistakes, can be learned from this video.

Steel pipes are inferior to polymer pipes in the price-quality ratio, so the trend of growing interest in polymer pipelines will only deepen. Manufacturers of plastic pipes closely monitor the market, so they are always ready to adjust the range of their products.

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Introduction

In this article we will take a detailed look at the production technology of plastic pipes (PP, PE, PVC pipes) and fittings used for cold and hot water supply, as well as for sewerage and drains. Pipes usually have outside diameter based on the following standard series: 12, 16, 20, 25, 32, 40, 50, 63, 75, 90, 110, 125 mm, etc.

Polyethylene pipes (HDPE pipes, pipes made of PE-63, PE-80 and PE-100, as well as PEX) are usually used for water supply at various nominal pressures in the system. Pipes made of polypropylene (PP random copolymer) are also used for cold and hot water supply, and pipes made of PP homopolymer are used for internal sewerage buildings. Sewer pipes for external networks, they are produced from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Gutters are also made from PVC. Standing apart are plastic or metal pipes and fittings in a polyethylene sheath and polyurethane foam thermal insulation (the so-called PPU pipes). In addition, there are metal-plastic pipes that have a composite metal-plastic wall, which includes polymer and metal layers. Metal-plastic pipes are used for various purposes: heating of premises (including “warm floors”), water supply and gas supply to premises and enterprises. Corrugated pipes made from various materials are also widely used in various fields farms. The popularity of corrugated pipes is due to their lightness and excellent flexibility, which allows them to be used as hoses, including sewer systems. In some narrower areas, fiberglass pipes are also used.

Pipes made of polymers have a number of advantages over steel ones: the weight of plastic pipes is light, they are stainless, seamless, do not overgrow during operation, do not vibrate or make rumbling sounds, do not burst when water freezes (the system can withstand several freezing cycles in the presence of pressure without destruction), do not conduct stray currents, do not require painting and are easy to install. For example, polypropylene pipes and fittings, depending on the operating pressure, can operate for decades with fluid temperatures up to 95°C. Polypropylene and polyethylene pipes are environmentally friendly and are successfully used in cold and hot water supply, heating and air ducts with a working pressure of up to 25 atm.

Thanks to fittings with chrome-plated brass inserts, PP pipes can be easily combined with steel pipes and steel reinforcement, and when laid in the ground they do not require additional insulation. Besides, in last years Polysulfone inserts are being actively introduced as a replacement for brass inserts for connecting plastic pipes.

When installing pipes made of polyethylene and polypropylene, diffusion welding is usually used, performed using simple and inexpensive equipment. This connection method does not require special skills and is accessible to everyone. The resulting structure is completely sealed, and the welding process itself takes very little time. In this case, the connection is ready for use immediately after cooling (2-3 minutes). PVC pipes are usually used for drains without pressure, so they are not welded, but are fastened with sockets, rubber seals, and less often with adhesive joints.

The use of polymer pipes usually provides a significant economic effect: transportation and installation costs are reduced several times compared to steel pipes. The economic effect of using pipes and fittings made of polypropylene compared to steel and cast iron consists of savings in transportation costs, reduction in labor intensity and waste during installation, savings Supplies, no costs during operation, as well as a significant service life - about 50 years. If all this data is taken into account when determining the cost of the pipeline and drawing up an estimate, then installation made from polypropylene pipes and fittings will reduce the cost by 15-20% compared to a pipeline made from galvanized steel pipes.

Basic materials for the manufacture of modern pipes

1. Polypropylene random copolymer.

The material used for the production of PP water pipes and fittings is a product of copolymerization of propylene and ethylene in certain proportions and is called polypropylene random copolymer PPRC (type 3). Unfortunately, worthy alternative PPRC type 3, produced by foreign manufacturers, is not yet on the Russian polymer market, and apparently will not be soon. In Russia, the propylene copolymer brands RA 130E BOREALIS (Finland) and TIPPLEN CS4-8000 TVK (Hungary) have proven themselves well for the production of PP pipes for hot and cold water supply.

2. Polypropylene homopolymer.

Propylene homopolymer is mainly used for sewer PP pipes and fittings. Moreover, due to the fragility of the homopolymer at low temperatures use polypropylene pipes in climatic conditions Russia and the CIS are only possible for internal sewerage. Therefore, such pipes are the thinnest-walled (wall thickness is usually 1.6 - 2.0 mm).

As a rule, polypropylene produced by Moscow (Kaplen 01003), Ufa (Balen 01003) and other domestic enterprises with a fluidity of 0.3 g/10 min is used for the extrusion of pipes from PP homopolymer.

To ensure the competent and correct use of polypropylene pipes and fittings in pipe systems in the Russian Federation, a Code of Rules for the design and installation of polypropylene pipelines “Random Copolymer” (SP40-101) was issued, and corresponding changes were made to SNiP 2.04.05-91 “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning" and in SNiP 2.04.01-85 " Internal water supply and building drainage."

3. Polyethylene

In most cases, they are used for the production of pipes and fittings. various brands low-density polyethylene (high density, HDPE, HDPE), as well as silanol cross-linked polyethylene (PEX). Water pipes made from conventional HDPE are already obsolete today. The same applies to the PE-63 grade, which does not withstand such high pressure as the more modern pipe grades PE-80 and PE-100. In many European countries, the production of PE-63 material has been discontinued and polyethylene piping systems are transferred to modern PE-80 and PE-100, which has very high characteristics when operating under pressure and elevated temperatures. Unfortunately, here too the share of Russian raw materials for pipe production is close to zero.

4. Polyvinyl chloride

PVC pipes and fittings are used mainly for organizing external sewerage. This is due to high characteristics of PVC at low temperatures, unlike polypropylene. PVC sewer pipes are thicker-walled than polypropylene pipes due to the nature of their operation. In addition, some PVC pipes are used for plastic gutters and drainage. To produce polyvinyl chloride pipes, a standard composition is usually taken, including PVC resin, stabilizers, lubricants, fillers and modifiers. The resin is usually made in Russia, the additives are made abroad.

Technology and equipment for pipe production

The process of producing plastic pipes is technologically quite simple, relatively labor-intensive, low-energy and environmentally friendly, and the minimum area required to install and operate one complete pipe production line is about 100 m2.

The extrusion line for producing pipes is a technologically complete continuous cycle of extrusion, sizing, cooling, drawing, cutting and stacking finished products and consists of the extruder itself with an extrusion head and a supply system for polymer raw materials, a calibration and cooling bath, a pulling device, a cutting device and a stacker or automatic winder for small-diameter pipes.

Let us briefly describe the extrusion technology: granulated plastic is poured into the hopper of an extruder, which is a helical screw made of high-strength nitrided steel, rotating at a given speed inside a material cylinder. Several heaters are installed along the entire length of the cylinder ring type and several temperature sensors. Thus, in each conditional heating zone it is possible to set and control the temperature of the melt in the cylinder. By means of a rotating screw, the granulate is melted, mixed and, plasticized under pressure, enters the extrusion head, the purpose of which is to obtain a plasticized billet in the form of a pipe through the forming cylindrical surfaces of the mandrel (internal diameter) and matrix (external diameter) at the exit of the head. Heaters with temperature sensors are also installed inside the extrusion head, providing the required heating mode for the material.

The extrusion head can be made in the form of a single block that has a flange for attachment to the material cylinder, and consists of a body, a divider, a mandrel holder and the matrix itself, which is centered relative to the mandrel with adjusting bolts to ensure equal thickness of the pipe wall in diameter.

The extruder, in addition to the hopper, the screw-cylinder pair, the extrusion head and the heating system, also includes asynchronous electric motor AC with a frequency-controlled converter to ensure precision of screw rotation, an electrical automation unit and a programmable logic controller, which should be discussed further.

A programmable logic controller is essentially a computer that contains all the technological parameters of the extrusion line and controls the operation of all systems included in its composition. Using a control panel consisting of a display and keyboard, the operator exercises operational control of all actuators, regulates and controls the heating temperature of the extruder and head, the rotation speed of the screw and pulling device, melt pressure, cutting and stacking modes.

The extruder may additionally include auxiliary equipment for the production of plastic pipes. For example, a vacuum loader to ensure continuous loading of granulate into the hopper, an automatic filter changing system for the extrusion head, etc.

The polymer in the form of a plasticized pipe blank must take the shape of a pipe with specified external and internal diameters and wall thickness. To do this, it needs to be calibrated, which happens in a vacuum calibrator through which the pipe blank is pulled. The vacuum calibration and cooling bath is usually a 3-meter closed container made of of stainless steel, at the ends of which rubber cuffs are installed to seal the bathtub. The principle of pipe calibration is vacuum, based on the outer diameter. The device for vacuum calibration by outer diameter is located in the front part of the bath and is a brass cylinder with a central hole of a given pipe diameter and with transverse slots along the entire length. The calibrator is intensively cooled using nozzles from which water is supplied under pressure. The calibration and cooling bath is connected to a vacuum pump and, due to the fact that rubber cuffs are installed at its inlet and outlet, a vacuum is created in its cavity. Due to the presence of transverse slots in the calibrator, negative pressure in the bath cavity expands the pipe and presses it against inner surface calibrating attachment. The vacuum in the chamber is controlled by a vacuum gauge. Next, the pipe passes through the calibrator diaphragm into the cooling bath, in which a vacuum is also maintained, since the cavity of the bath is connected through a pipe to a vacuum pump and is intensively cooled using nozzles.

In order for the plastic pipe to be evenly pulled through the calibration system, keeping the thickness of the pipe constant and specified, after an additional cooling bath, a caterpillar or belt-type pulling device with pneumatic clamping of the tracks is installed. The tracks are driven by an electric motor with a variable frequency drive synchronized with the main drive of the extruder. The clamping force of the tracks for different pipe diameters is adjusted mechanically by changing the distance between the tracks.

A cutting device is used for cutting plastic pipes - a guillotine or disk type saw, depending on the diameter of the pipe. The device operates both in manual mode, receiving a signal to start cutting from a limit switch installed on the stacker, and in automatic mode, when cutting modes are set from the control panel.

The stacker dumps finished pipes of a given length as they arrive from the cutting device onto a special rack for further sorting or packaging by the operator.

When producing free-flow pipes from polyethylene or small-diameter PP pipes, instead of a stacker, an automatic winder can be used, which, having a winding drum adjustable in diameter, an electric drive and a meter counter system, allows you to obtain finished coils at the output.

Pipe fittings production technology

Fittings are often made from the same material as the pipes, such as polypropylene random copolymer type 3. However, it is often impossible to obtain quality product on an injection molding machine (injection molding machine) from the material used for extrusion. Thus, for casting fittings for internal PP sewerage, more fluid grades of polypropylene homopolymer are used, for example PP01030, PP01060 or PP01130. In the case of PVC, the casting of fittings also uses a special granular composition with greater fluidity than extrusion analogues for pipes.

The injection molding method is widely known and studied. The method of loading, heating and plasticizing in preparation for casting is completely identical to the extrusion line. That is, we have the same material hopper and a screw-cylinder pair installed on the frame. Polypropylene is poured into a hopper, transformed into a melt through a rotating screw and ring heaters and, being plasticized, flows to the nozzle for injection into the mold. The latter consists of two halves, hydraulically closing before the injection cycle and opening after cooling the finished product. The mold has a sprue opening for supplying molten material under pressure. The screw of the thermoplastic machine is connected to a hydraulic cylinder and has the ability to move forward at a given speed and, upon command from the operator’s console, return to its original position. Thus, the process of producing fittings is a cycle consisting of six phases: closing the mold halves, applying a nozzle to the sprue hole, injecting the melt, withdrawing the nozzle, opening the mold and taking the next dose of material by rotating the screw. Any injection molding machine has a programmable logical processor, operator console, electrical automation unit, which allows you to program the technological process with setting heating modes, material collection, injection and other parameters.

It is clear that these technological installations in real production may contain various auxiliary units. In some production conditions, an air treatment unit is desirable ( air compressor, filter, sludge separator), refrigeration unit, etc.

Conclusion

Sometimes finished pipes and fittings require additional operations after production, such as belling, bending, welding, gluing or assembly. For example, sewer pipes must be socketed, and then a seal - a rubber ring - must be inserted into the socket. Sometimes particularly complex fittings are produced by welding or gluing together several semi-finished products. In this case, resistance welding, friction welding, rod welding, and heated gas are used.

Despite the lack of a normal raw material base, in Russia and the CIS there are already dozens of companies producing plastic pipes from various materials. If you wish, it is not difficult to purchase imported analogues; fortunately, there are many companies on the market that sell polymer pipes from various manufacturers. Thus, purchasing polymer pipes in modern realities is a pleasant choice between high-quality imports and inexpensive, but quite acceptable domestic products.

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Lines for the production of plastic pipes

Today, the vast majority of developers have refused to install metal pipes in new buildings (both multi-storey and private houses), since their installation is extremely expensive and labor-intensive, and the pipes themselves are unreliable. The same applies to the replacement of worn-out metal pipes - they are everywhere being replaced by polypropylene, plastic, polyethylene or PVC pipes, which are today the most optimal replacement for metal pipes.

For more than 15 years, it has been supplying companies located both in Russia and in countries near and far abroad. The number of partners who trust us to supply equipment increases many times over every year, and the experience gained during our work allows us to provide high-quality advice to all entrepreneurs who decide to establish (or expand) the production of pipe products.

Equipment for the production of pipes: general information

The advantages of polymer pipes produced using the equipment we supply cannot be overestimated:

— such pipes weigh much less;
— their installation is several times simpler;
— installation of polymer pipes does not require special conditions;
— polymer pipes are not affected by corrosion;
— period of operation – not less than 50 years;
— significant savings;
— the hydraulic resistance of such pipes is an order of magnitude lower;
- structure and biological features polymers prevent deposits from forming on the walls of such pipes, which is a significant problem with metal pipes.

Below we will look lines for the production of polypropylene pipes, as well as plastic and polyethylene pipes, PVC pipes, since the production processes of all four types of products differ minimally. Let's list the necessary pipe production equipment, as well as manufacturing features.

In general, the production of polypropylene pipes is quite simple process, and does not require a lot of labor. Thus, from the moment of delivery (polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC pipes) to the enterprise, to the full production of finished products at full design capacity, as a rule, it does not take more than a month (taking into account the time required for preparation and training of personnel).

However, for the production of pipes it is necessary to have specialized equipment - a line configured to produce a specific type of pipe. Usually, pipe production equipment(extrusion) are manufactured based on the specified requirements. Particular attention must be paid to the quality of the source material for the manufacture of pipes, the presence of appropriate markings, the specified range of pipes that will be produced on this equipment, pipe wall thickness, productivity, energy efficiency, etc.

Equipment for pipe production: main components

The fundamental element of a line for the production of any type of pipe is an extruder - it is with the help of an extruder that pipes are produced; the remaining elements of such lines can be classified as auxiliary. The extrusion process begins with the feeding of plastic (in granular or powder form) into the feed hopper of the extruder. Next, the material enters the extruder cylinder, which is made of high-strength nitrided steel and is a screw-shaped device. Along the perimeter of the cylinder there is a large number of various sensors, with the help of which the required temperature and pressure are maintained. The material is melted inside the cylinder, and its plasticization is achieved due to high pressure, after which the melt of the material is supplied to a die (extrusion head) of the required shape, at the exit of which the final hardening of the material occurs, which has become the finished product.

In addition to the above elements, the extruder must have an electric motor and automatic control devices, thanks to which the operator’s control panel directly controls the entire pipe production line. Depending on the specific production conditions, in plastic pipe production lines various additional items may be included optional equipment. Such equipment includes loading elements that, without human intervention, feed material into the feeding hopper; automatic changer of dies and pipe heads, etc.

Equipment for pipe production: brief characteristics

In order to obtain a high-quality finished product at the exit of the extruder that fully complies with the stated requirements, its surfaces (both internal and external) must be subjected to calibration, especially for pipes. To perform accurate calibration in a pipe production line, a specialized device is provided - a calibrator (most often a vacuum one). During calibration, the pipe blank is pulled through a calibrator, after which it acquires the required parameters. To ensure that the workpiece is drawn evenly, a special device is installed, the main purpose of which is to maintain a given pipe thickness - such devices are of caterpillar or track type.

Having calibrated the diameter of the pipe blank, it is necessary to cut the blank correctly so that the finished pipe has the specified length: to ensure an even edge, the cut is made at the end of the line. The cutting is performed by a special device, most often a guillotine type or Circular Saw. After cutting a given length, using the last device in the line - a stacker, it is thrown to a given place. Note that with the help of (polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC pipes), pipes with diameters of 16-1000 mm are produced at a productivity (depending on the source material and the final diameter of the pipes) of 80 - 1500 kg/hour.

Specification of equipment for pipe production depending on the purpose of finished products

Today, the production of polymer pipes for various purposes is very promising: first of all, this is facilitated by the constantly growing popularity of such pipes, their reliability and quality. At the same time, polymer pipes can vary significantly, depending on the area of ​​​​the planned application. The most popular is the division of polymer pipes (and, accordingly, equipment for their production) into low and high pressure pipes. Polymer pipes are also distinguished by the type of material used for their manufacture: polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC.

Visually, the manufacturing features of pipes can be determined by color and markings: the starting material for gray pipes is most often polypropylene; for black – polyethylene; pipes made of PVC most often have an orange or yellow-pink color; the presence of blue or blue longitudinal stripes indicates that such pipes are intended for water supply (cold); white pipes, as well as the corresponding markings applied to them, indicate that these pipes are intended for hot water supply; Yellow-painted pipes are produced for gas pipelines.

Completing lines for pipe production

In addition to the main elements that we described above, they are equipped with pipe heads, a packaging table, and also vacuum-water baths. The presence of the above elements allows us to organize high-quality, continuous, efficient production of pipes from any polymer materials in a short time. Note that depending on the focus of the line for the production of pipes from a particular material (plastic, polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC), a specific type is selected, as well as the performance of the extruder. For example, if you need a pipe production line from soft raw material, the best option will be the choice of a single screw extruder. If the feedstock is hard, a 2-screw extruder is best suited.

Starting your own pipe manufacturing business

To everyone who decided to start own business for the production of pipes, or is thinking about expanding existing capacities, you need to know that today the domestic market for the production of metal-plastic pipes is in the middle stage of development. This means that, despite the fairly large number of companies involved in extrusion of metal-plastic pipes or plastic pipes, There is still room for new producers. At the same time, competition in the Russian market for the production of PVC pipes is steadily increasing: new companies are appearing, and those already present are regularly expanding their production. It should be noted that extrusion equipment, like most elements of equipment for the production of PVC pipes, are quite expensive, and the production process itself will necessarily require the involvement of qualified specialists (at least for initial stage launching production to train our own personnel).

As experts say, the use of polymer pipes in heat and water supply has made a real revolution in construction. The main advantages of these materials are their high corrosion resistance; low weight; in the smoothness of the inner surface, which provides lower hydraulic resistance compared to conventional metal pipes; relatively low cost (again compared to metal products); ease of installation, high wear resistance (the service life of a polymer pipe can be 50 years or more). Although such pipes also have certain disadvantages: low temperature resistance, gas permeability, low operating pressure, large linear expansion and difficulties in using reliable threaded connections. All this significantly limited their use in hot water supply and heating until new types of materials, installation methods and production technologies for polymer pipes were developed.

The main material for the production of such products is a special type of thermoplastic polymer. One line for the production of polyethylene pipes allows the production of high and low pressure pipes from various polymer materials - polypropylene, polybutene, polyvinyl chloride, etc. Polyvinyl chloride, for example, has such a quality as fire safety, which is explained by its high ignition temperature (+440°C) and oxygen index 60%. However, the main disadvantage of polyvinyl chloride is the increased rigidity of this material, which greatly complicates working with it.
Polyvinyl chloride is formed by the polymerization of vinyl chloride. It comes in two types - chlorinated and unplasticized polyvinyl chloride. PVC is a fairly durable, easy-to-use and resistant to external influences materials. But its scope is limited due to increased toxicity and rapid flammability. For these reasons, such pipes are used mainly for drainage and sewerage equipment. But on the other hand, PVC products also have a number of advantages: resistance to corrosion, low thermal conductivity, smooth surface inside, rigidity. Like other polymers, PVC is not resistant to sunlight, is oxygen-resistant and requires the use of special installation and welding equipment.

Polyethylene pipes are low cost, easy to weld, and their production does not require large investments. However, they are not heat-resistant and durable enough, so they are rarely used for heating (only pipes made of special polyethylene for elevated temperatures). In our country, the production of polyethylene pipes of the PE 63 type predominates, although in the West a new generation material, PE100, which is more durable and heat-resistant, has become widespread. In our country, a fairly large number of companies produce pipes from PE 80 (for example, OJSC Kazanorgsintez, LLC Stavrolen), and from PE 100 - only a few (occasionally they are produced by the Gaztrubplast AND JSC plant and JSC Kuzpolimermash). Another rather promising direction for development is the production of polyethylene pipes for elevated temperatures - PE-RT. So far, only the Polish company KAN sells products made from this polymer in our country. However, Russian entrepreneurs are still in no hurry to introduce PE-RT pipes into their product range, believing that they are too expensive in price (comparable to the cost of metal-plastic and PE-X pipes) and still have a number of disadvantages compared to metal-plastic products (lower pressure, degree of resistance to chlorine, etc.).

In addition, three modifications of polypropylene are used for the production of pipes: block copolymer PP-B, homopolymer PP-H and static copolymer of propylene with ethylene PP-R. Each of these types of materials is used for specific pipes. For example, PP-N is used for the construction of process pipelines, PP-B is used in sewer systems, and PP-R, due to its high strength, is used in hot water supply and heating. However, polypropylene in the construction of heating systems is gradually giving way in Europe to pipes based on PE-X. It is still popular in our country because it has good weldability. And this advantage compensates for all the disadvantages for domestic builders: a relatively high speed of crack propagation, rigidity and high linear thermal expansion(compared to metal-plastic pipes). However, in cold water supply and sewerage systems, polypropylene prevails over PVC, since it has higher chemical and thermal resistance compared to the latter.

The leaders in the polypropylene pipe market are foreign manufacturers Aquatherm and Polymelt Kunststoftechnik. Among the Russian companies producing polypropylene pipes are Stroypolymer, Borodino-Plast and Agrigazpolymer. The main difficulty in producing propylene products is the need to purchase certain raw materials. The best raw materials are considered to be the products of the Swedish company Borealis, but they are significantly (about 150 euros per ton) more expensive than similar raw materials from other German, Korean, Hungarian and even Russian companies.

The above-mentioned PE-X is the so-called cross-linked polyethylene. This pipe production technology appeared relatively recently. The advantages of cross-linked polyethylene include better impact strength at low temperatures, chemical resistance, minimal long-term strength and resistance to crack propagation along the pipe surface. However, this material is not resistant to petroleum products and their derivatives (oils, solvents, fats).

The purpose of the pipe and the material from which it is made can be determined by its markings and coloring. For example, black pipes are made from polyethylene, orange and yellow-pink pipes are made from polyvinyl chloride, and gray pipes are made from polypropylene. During manufacturing, the pipes are marked with multi-colored stripes. Longitudinally applied stripes of blue and blue colors pipes for cold water supply are marked, and stripes white Pipes in heating and hot water supply systems are marked. Yellow pipes are used for gas pipelines. To produce pipes from polymer materials, an extrusion line for the production of polyethylene pipes is used. Gas pipes are usually yellow in color.

To produce pipes from polymer materials, special extrusion lines are used for the production of polyethylene pipes. Such equipment is usually made to order, taking into account the client's requirements. The functionality and configuration of the line directly depends on several factors. In particular, it is necessary to take into account the type of material from which the pipes will be made, the need to apply markings (this is also carried out on automated equipment), the desired performance of the equipment, the cross-sectional dimensions of the pipes and the thickness of their walls.

From a technological point of view, the process of producing pipes from polymer materials is quite simple and does not require much time to train workers (they can easily learn all the intricacies in a month). The production line for the production of polymer pipes using extrusion operates on the principle of a continuous and closed cycle. It consists of several basic elements. A single-screw extruder is a screw press, inside which a homogeneous mass of polymer substance is formed and proportionally divided into several parts (their exact number depends on the length and width of the pipe) using a forming head. The extruder is turned on using a drive. High-speed pipe heads are made according to the spiral principle, which allows for the necessary extrusion. They also control the temperature. A vacuum calibrator uses compressed air to shape the diameter of the pipe. This is especially important in production water pipes, as it allows you to clearly calibrate their internal diameter, which is necessary for precise joining. Cooling sections come in two types: with an irrigation system or with a pipe completely immersed in water. The main thing is that the cooling occurs evenly, otherwise there is a high probability of getting a defect. The pulling device removes the product from the head and pulls it through the cooling section. These devices can be of different types, depending on the size of the pipe: in the form of chains, belts or roller structures. The cutting device is an electric saw, which can be either a circular saw or a band saw. The pipe is cut into pieces required length. The marking machine applies information about the length, thickness and diameter of the product to the surface of the pipe.

Granulated plastic is used as raw material, which is placed in the hopper compartment of the extruder. This compartment contains ring heaters and a screw that melt the granules, forming a homogeneous viscous mixture. The melted granules are fed to the extrusion head, through which they are extruded under high pressure, thus forming the future product. The formed polypropylene pipe is sent to vacuum calibration, where its cross-section is calibrated using vacuum. There, the workpiece undergoes primary cooling. The pipe then moves through cooling chambers, where it finally cools down and is then cut into pieces of a given length. In order to ensure the pulling of a long pipe, a special pulling mechanism with tracks is used. Using this mechanism, the pipes are pulled out without damage. To operate the line, 1-2 operators are required per shift.

Such a line allows the production of pipes with a diameter from 15 to 63 mm. The annual production capacity will be from 115,000 to 310,000 linear meters, depending on the thickness of the products. The installed power of the current collectors is 20 kW, and water consumption is 1 cubic meter. meter per day. To place the line you will need an area of ​​120-150 square meters. meters. Add to this the area of ​​administrative and utility premises (20-25 sq. meters) and the area of ​​the adjacent territory (50-70 sq. meters). The cost of such a line is from 3 million rubles. More expensive options will cost $150,000 or more. When purchasing a line (especially an inexpensive one), pay attention to whether it includes an air treatment unit (air compressor and filter). Sometimes, for a line in the basic configuration, it may be necessary to purchase an additional printer to apply markings to finished products, refrigeration units etc.

Total investment to create own production polymer pipes will amount to over 6 million rubles. This amount includes rent of premises, purchase of equipment, wage employees, purchase of raw materials. Payback periods depend on profitability, which can vary greatly (up to a maximum of 20-25%). On average, such an enterprise pays for itself within 2-2.5 years. However, keep in mind high level competition in this segment. It is likely that the payback period will increase if you cannot ensure the sale of your products at competitive prices from the very start of your production. Therefore, it is worthwhile to look for distribution channels even at the stage of drawing up a business plan.