Metalloplastikovye pipes now usegreat popularity. They are used in private houses, apartments, industrial buildings and boiler houses. Such products have gained immense popularity among urban residents for good reason, because they have several functions:
- pipes made of metal-plastic are able to conduct a liquid heated to 110 degrees;
- they can be bent manually at the required angle without damaging the structure.
What explains the popularity of pipes from the MP
Metal-plastic pipes consist of twomaterials - polyethylene and aluminum. They have become indispensable in places where it is necessary to transport hot or cold water, gas, and liquids for heating houses.
Thanks to the incredible flexibility of modern pipeseasy to install, minimizing the use of welding and additional equipment (fittings). Thanks to these advantages, it became possible to use metal plastic for a number of tasks:
- installation of a warm floor, as heating pipes of aluminum and plastic are used;
- the pipeline can be hidden inside the walls;
- thanks to modern pipes it has become incredibly convenient to make the connection to the radiators of heating;
- at a summer residence pipes from MP are used for installation of watering systems.
Manufacture of modern pipes
Metal-plastic pipes consist of a two-layerlinked at the molecular level of polypropylene called PE-X. Between it is laid a thin aluminum substrate. Combine all three layers with a specially designed adhesive. Each manufacturer seeks to use its individual adhesive composition.
Aluminum gives the pipes durability, and thanks topropylene can bend such plumbing equipment at an angle without much effort. A tape made of aluminum of minimum thickness is made of two semicircular fragments. They are joined end to end or overlap with each other. For reliable adhesion, welding is used using ultrasound. After this procedure, layers of polypropylene with an adhesive composition are applied from the outer and inner sides.
After a reliable coupling, the pipes must be marked and rolled up for easy transport. It is in this form that they enter stores.
Technology of manufacturing of MP tubes
The construction in the cross-section of such pipes can be described as follows:
- The outer layer is made of polyethylene.
- Glue.
- Foil made of non-ferrous metal.
- Again glue.
- Inner layer of polyethylene.
It is thanks to this design that the service life ofmetal-plastic pipes in the apartment reaches several tens of years. The white color of the plastic pipes is not chosen by chance, because the coating looks aesthetic. In addition, there is no need to periodically tint the pipeline.
Two layers of polyethylene (inner and outer)provide a smooth internal surface, through which water can freely enter the sink. On the walls of the pipeline there is no scale and no deposit settles. The outer protective layer fulfills the function of protecting the aluminum film during the joining of pipes with each other and with metal parts, preventing galvanic processes. Also, the plastic surface eliminates the formation of condensation. Due to this important property, the service life of metal-plastic pipes increases many-fold.
The design of the pipes from the MP absorbed allpositive qualities of two materials - metal and plastic. Such plumbing products can now be widely used in water supply, sewerage, air conditioning, and other systems. In addition, the plastic is not corroded, so the service life of metal-plastic pipes is much higher than their predecessors made without the use of polypropylene.
Polyethylene stably tolerates an aggressive environment,It can withstand heating up to 110 degrees, while not releasing harmful, poisonous substances. The foil made of aluminum with a thickness of no more than 400 microns is able to withstand high pressure, which is important for the use of pipelines for sanitary purposes. Under the condition of correct operation, the manufacturer guarantees the service life of metal-plastic heating pipes of about 50 years without repair.
The field of application of pipes from MP
In addition to water supply, sewerage, and heating, plastic pipes with aluminum foil are used for the following purposes:
- transportation of compressed air over long distances;
- in air conditioning systems;
- for the installation of an electric cable as protection against force fields and the prevention of a fire resulting from a short circuit;
- transportation of liquid and gaseous substances.
Despite the rather long service lifemetal-plastic pipes and characteristics that allow them to be used not only in everyday life, but also in industry, they also have a number of limitations in operation:
- In the system of centralized heating of apartment houses, if there are elevator units.
- It is forbidden to use in rooms of category "G" as a fire protection.
- In piping systems, where the pressure exceeds 10 bar.
- In places where the temperature of heating the pipe can exceed 150 degrees.
Dimensions of pipes made of plastic and metal
With a rather long service lifemetalloplastikovye pipes for a waterpipe let out both domestic, and foreign manufacturers of a various diameter (from 16 to 63 mm). Before installation, the pipe is selected, taking into account only the outer diameter.
As a rule, for the installation of a water supply system inA private house or apartment uses pipes with an external diameter of 16 to 26 mm. If a large water transport network is deployed in the house, then pipes of a larger diameter, 32 and 40 mm, are used. In this case, the main pipeline is constructed from pipes of much larger diameter, but the connection to individual plumbing devices is carried out using pipes of smaller external diameter.
How many pipes from the MP
Metal-plastic pipes with a service life,exceeding metal ones by several times, are also used at large industrial facilities, for example, in bays. The length of such structures reaches 200 meters. Serves can last several decades.
Advantages of plastic pipes
Hot water for the lifetime of plastic pipes almost does not affect. In addition, such designs have a number of other positive qualities:
- Complete environmental safety when used properly.
- High resistance to chemical attack.
- Long service life without maintenance and repair.
- The walls of the pipe always remain clean, not allowing the deposit to settle on the inner surface.
- High throughput, compared to metal precursors.
- A small mass.
- Ability to bend.
- Virtually no-waste use.
- Quite simple installation, not requiring knowledge and expensive tools.
- The possibility of walling pipes in cement or concrete, masking them in apartments and houses. Thus, not only the aesthetic appearance is preserved, but also the space in the room is saved.
- If repairs are required, they are easily recoverable.
- Decent appearance.
- Low price.
- Sound-absorbing properties.
- Does not accumulate static voltage.
- Low coefficient of thermal conductivity.
Negative factors in MP pipes
But there are such plumbing structures anda significant drawback - the life of the fitting on metal-plastic pipes is reduced when there are sharp temperature changes. Leaks in the area of the pipeline connections are due to the fact that aluminum and plastic have different coefficients of thermal expansion. With rapid heating, aluminum expands more slowly, and when cooling, the colored metal takes its original form much faster. This difference negatively affects the pipes from the MP, often leakage occurs.
The service life of metal-plastic pipes forwater supply does not change if they are bent. However, repeated bends of the material can lead to rupture of the aluminum film inside. Bend material is allowed up to a certain radius, not exceeding eight times the outer diameter of the product.
Long service life of metal-plasticpipes and their popularity is explained by the fact that they can be bent by hand, without much effort. To do this, it is necessary to fill the cavity of the product with sand and so bend it to the required state.
The manufacturer warns that bending plastic plumbing products and twisting on its axis is not allowed.
Characteristics of pipes from MP
The most popular are the pipes, the outer diameter of which is 16 and 20 mm. On their example, consider the technical characteristics of metal and plastic products.
The pressure in the pipeline system depends on the diameter of the pipe, the thickness of the metal wall, and also the water passing through it.
If the water in the pipes is heated to 95 degrees,then the pipe must be designed for a pressure of 10 bar. If the water temperature is 25 degrees, then the design in the water supply system must withstand 25 bar.
Plastic pipes with the addition of aluminum are capable ofto withstand a high temperature, reaching up to 110 degrees, but on one condition - this increase should be short-lived. In this case, the strength of the product from the metal-plastic will not be violated. Modern pipes will burst only if the internal pressure reaches 94 bar, and the temperature of the liquid inside will be about 20 degrees.
