my question it s only about the possibility of replacing carbon steel with HDPE in chilled water system for the following reasons
-simple process and capable of producing consistent joints
-reducing the risk of joint contamination
-easy of assembly and to repair
-reliable
i have not seen the plastic family pipes using for commercial chilled water system. but seen some installation with ABS pipes for high rise buildings and subsequent pipe failures after 5&6 year operation cuz the ABS has not material strength compare to carbon steel.
maatoug - I've never experienced the issues you describe with steel pipe joints, that is unless you've suffered a serious skilled trades issue - as in having unskilled people and NOT pipefitters performing the work. What I have seen with plastic piping in chilled water service is a catastrophic failure of a plastic line, because someone (I suspect an insulator) stepped on it between supports. It's amazing how much water will flow from each end of a broken 2" line. Plus, it was in a functioning courthouse - including a state supreme court judge's chambers. The water damage was extensive, and the repair costs were spectacular...
Should that guy have stepped on the line? No, he should NOT have. But he did - and it was a bad, bad day indeed. Mechanical strength matters.