PIPA and the Environment
Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia Ltd
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PIPA and the Environment
Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia Ltd
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Plastics Pipe Systems Good for the Environment a summary of of Piping Systems Embodied Energy Analysis |
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A great benefit to the environment from industry is to consume less energy. Being aware of the embodied energy implications for a particular system helps engineers design piping solutions that not only deliver required hydraulic performance but also deliver lower embodied energy impacts on the environment. CSIRO have produced a document, Piping Systems Embodied Energy Analysis, which demonstrates that plastics for a piping solution have a significantly beneficial effect on the embodied energy total for the system. This study revealed that PVC-O pipes come out as the winners, providing the best embodied energy solution in many situations. A significant factor is the thinner wall resulting in a lighter pipe. Also, systems using more materials will have higher embodied energy. Several piping systems were considered for this report, consisting of both different materials and different sizes. The range of pipes analysed was intended to cover those generally used for urban water and sewage systems, including Ductile Iron, DICL, PVC-U, PVC-M, PVC-O, PE80 and PE100. Comparing embodied energy coefficients of various materials using only the megajoules per kilogram (MJ/kg) value leads to misconceptions as to which material is actually the best to use. It is practical to translate values into common measures for the common materials. In regard to pipes this is the lineal metre length of pipe for the various sizes. When these are compared a different picture emerges. In order to assess practical comparisons of pipe systems, three scenarios were developed to test the embodied energy implications of using different piping solutions to achieve a similar hydraulic performance over a fixed length. In all three scenarios the ductile iron concrete lined piping solutions delivered the highest embodied energy total for each situation. However, as pipe sizes increased the percentage difference decreased.
The graph illustrates the results for three of the materials used in all 3 scenarios. CSIRO was commissioned by Vinidex Pty Ltd to look at the energy coefficient of the manufacture of ductile iron, PE and PVC piping systems. The study is based on linear pipe comparisons to counteract claims made by the ductile iron pipe suppliers who promote that on a mass basis ductile iron shows less energy use in manufacture than plastics. This report is limited to the energy requirements in the manufacture of the pipe and does not include the energy requirements for transportation from factory to site nor the energy requirements for installation of the pipe. Study in these areas will demonstrate further the advantages of pipe manufactured from plastics.
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