Pre-insulated HDPE pipes - are they a better choice !

[Gottago]

Dear Friends,

Please share your experience if you have ever used pre insulated high density polyethylene pipes for chilled or hot water systems. Are they a better choice over conventional black steel pipe in terms of cost, installation and being more energy efficient. Thanks

 

[willard3]

This is the wrong place to post this. Try Pipelines, Piping and Fluid Mechanics forum

 

[EnergyProfessional]

I think for buried pipe they are a good choice since you get long distances without buried joints. If they have the proper sleeve that protects the insulation you can install them much easier. i assume material is more expensive, but less labor.

if you install them in the building you may need more hangers etc. It probably depends if they are more or less costly overall. Again, you won't have joints, which always is good. they also are hung more flexibly, so you don't have to worry about expansion loops.

 

[Drazen]

I didn't hear about HDPE for hot water temperature conditions so far. Do you have some specific product in mind and what is temperature rating of pipes in question?

 

[EnergyProfessional]

After reading Drazens's response I realized my response relates to PEX, which is for hot water as well. It may have limits on maximum size vs. HDPE.

 

[Gottago]

Drazen, They are both for chilled water and hot water usage. This product is quite in use now and most of the designers are recommending it from energy conservation perspective. See the link

http://www.gfps.com/appgate/ecat/common_flow/100005/COM/en/109068/131671/131672/P106681/product.html

 

[Drazen]

The fact of being in use cannot prevent you to make engineering scrutiny, and for all plastic pipes temperature rating should be checked first. Than comes pressure and chemical composition of technical water you plan to use.

What you sent is ABS, not HDPE pipe, and in brief googling it looks like their max. temp is 60 degrees C, but, as said, it needs to be checked.

 

[Gottago]

Drazen, My apologies for sharing ABS link. Purpose of putting this query here is to benefit from someone's experience, that how did thy find it over conventional blacksteel. A product only gets popular in the markets if it has some good in it. In Middle East, most of the district cooling systems are employing HDPE pipe. It is also being used for hydronic systems in North Amecica / USA. Again I am more interested in knowing how did someone's experience go with it. Can i consider it a better choice for my future projects. Going further, someone who got a chance to work on a LEED project, aren't consultants preferring polyethylene pipes over steel pipes !!