What is polypipe and how does it relate to HDPE?

Have you ever wondered what is polypipe?

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer produced from ethylene and is the material used to make polypipes, also known as PE.

First developed in Europe and the United States in the early 1930s, low-density polyethylene was initially used as a coating for underwater cables during World War II. However, today’s high-density polyethylene technology used in polypipes only entered the market in 1951. 

Polypipe has been manufactured in Australia since the 1950s, starting out as a small diameter pipe solution for rural and irrigation projects and some industrial works. Over the past 60 years, its popularity and number of applications across various industries has grown due to its wearability, flexibility and ease of installation compared to alternative products, such as PVC or concrete pipes.

Polypipe is now used across several industries for a range of applications, including:

• infrastructure and civil pipelines
• pressure water and sewerage
• rising mains
• fire mains
• mining and process piping
• gas reticulation mains
• treatment plants
• gas and methane collection

How is polypipe made?

HDPE Polypipe is made with Polymer Resin, which is extracted from the polymer bean, melted down, extruded, stretched and cooled under a vacuum to achieve a perfectly rounded pipe.

Being derived from a natural resin product not only makes Polypipe flexible due to its bendability but also non-toxic, and as such, it is the only environmentally sustainable or “green” piping product on the market.

What are the benefits of using polypipe?

As HDPE is a lightweight material with excellent chemical resistance, polypipe is incredibly versatile across a number of applications.

It’s fully weldable, which means you don’t have to rely on glue or rubber joints that can cause leaking and cracking over time.

The material is also naturally bendable, making it incredibly flexible, easy to maneuver and manipulate, and allows manufacturers to create larger and longer pipes (up to 12 and 20 metres long), as well as coiled pipes for specific applications.

Polypipe is also naturally UV stable, making it perfect for Australia’s hot climate, particularly in remote and arid terrain, such as mining sites.

Because of this versatility, flexibility, strength and durability, Polypipe lasts for over 100 years in most environments without pitting, corroding or cracking, making it the most cost effective piping product on the market over time.

What types of polypipes are there, and what should I use?

The grade and density of Polymer Resins have improved over time through advances in technology and resin manufacturing, enabling larger Polypipes to be extruded. 

Polypipe products in Australia started with PE30, then PE50, and then PE80, which is referred to as MDPE. Now the top of the line Polypipe worldwide is PE100. 

The white coextrusion layer pipe has also been a very successful innovation in recent years, especially for the hot Australian climate.

At Advanced Piping Systems, we stock P100 or P100 RC (rapid crack resistant) piping products. 

The P100 is now the industry standard Polypipe, which has all of the benefits of any premium Polypipe product, while the P100RC is a new product on the market that claims to be even more resistant to cracking than the premium product.

What is the most surprising benefit of polypipe?

The durability and flexibility of the material make polypipe one of the best and most trustworthy products available on the market.

Because it’s a naturally flexible, elastic material, it is often chosen for use when earthquake proofing buildings, waterways and other major industrial projects.

Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, HDPE and Polypipe became the number one product used for rebuilding and replacing the damaged main piping system and other key infrastructure throughout the city.

What are the best applications for polypipes?

Polypipe is a premium product that can be used on a range of jobs in many ways. However, its durable material and trenchless application have most recently shown it to be the superior product for municipal waterways.

By pulling long welded strings of Polypipes through holes below the ground, which can be bored by horizontal drilling machines, polypipes can effectively be installed, avoiding the need for open trenches. 

This not only reduces disturbances to the public and property in city areas, but it also prevents any unnecessary environmental impacts in rural and remote applications.

In addition to this trenchless application, a study conducted by the Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) in Irvine, Texas, and Jana Laboratories in 2009 confirmed that the standard 100-year life expectancy for Polypipe can also be applied to municipal potable water systems. 

“One hundred year service life exceeds typical expectations; fifty years is widely accepted as the usual benchmark,” said Tony Radoszewski, Executive Director of PPI.

“Polyethylene has been successfully used for water pipes in Europe and North America since the late 1950s due to its leak-free joints, durability, resistance to galvanic corrosion, and long-term cost-effectiveness. 

“This research, along with analytical projects conducted over the years by our association and other entities, overwhelmingly provides evidence demonstrating the superiority of PE pipe systems over historically-used materials.”

Because of this, polypipe is now seen as the best practice material for rebuilding and renovating old pipelines, particularly for urban waterways.

If you would like to learn more about what we do and how we can help your next piping project, contact us via the website or call 1300 362 229.