MATERIAL | PVC-O
PVC-O production capacity on the rise
PVC-O production capacity is on the rise worldwide, according to suppliers. At this year’s Plastic Pipes in
Infrastructure conference in London, both Wavin and Molecor pointed to statistics showing the growth in PVC-O installed capacity – both now and projected into the future. “PVC-O is starting to substitute
PVC-U,” said Andre Nijland, area manager for technology licensing at Wavin.
He told delegates that many countries already have PVC-O standards in place, while others have such standards in preparation. Europe recently introduced a new standard covering PVC-O pipe (EN17176).
Recent countries to publish a PVC-O standard include Morocco and India. At the same event, Darren Daly, sales manager for UK and Ireland at Molecor, highlighted the growth in worldwide PVC-O capacity. Total
300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0
2006 2017 2022
Projected worldwide growth in PVC-O capacity Source: Molecor
installed capacity in 2006 was around 38,000 tonnes/year – split almost equally between the Americas, Europe and Australasia. By 2017, this has swelled by around 155,000 tonnes/year: annual capacity in Europe reached nearly 50,000 tonnes, which there was also an 8,000 tonnes/ year in South Africa. By 2022, Molecor expects capacity to double to around 300,000 tonnes/ year, and be spread across every continent. Annual production in South America is expected to reach around 65,000 tonnes, North America around 45,000 tonnes, and Europe around 60,000 tonnes – with Asia-Pacific exceeding 100,000 tonnes.
improves (+1% at 20°C, +6% at 45°C and +12% at 60°C). The main advantage of C-PVC-O (against
PVC-O) is the higher Tg, but there is no substantial increase in mechanical properties in the range of 20-45°C, said Molecor. “Applying orientation to C-PVC could find massive use in the civil works when working in hot environments,” said Muñoz.
PVC-O in Paraguay Elsewhere – and sticking with its more traditional technology – Molecor has begun production of PVC-O pipe in Paraguay, with a manufacturing partner. The company has teamed up with Grupo Titan
to create a plant in Villa Elisa. The plant, which cost $6m to build, will have an initial annual production capacity of 3,000 tonnes – equivalent to 850km of pipe. The pipe will be used mainly for completion of the aqueduct for the Chaco project – which will deliver drinking water to around 70,000 people living in three cities and more than 80 indigenous villages. The partners say that its objectives include
improving hydraulic infrastructures and the water distribution networks in the country. The plant will use Molecor’s molecular orientation technology (or Tom) to produce the pipes. Molecor also recently published the latest edition of its technical manual for using its Tom PVC-O pipes and fittings in network design. The
24 PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | October 2018
manual brings together the characteristics, advan- tages, applications, suitability of use and sustain- ability of these products, offering many practical cases of mechanical and hydraulic calculations of the pipes and fittings. Molecor says that any material – such as PVC-O
– requires adequate installation conditions so that the trench-fill-pipe system works properly to achieve the necessary stability to guarantee maximum durability of the network. The manual explains the characteristics and advantages of PVC-O – which Molecor says offers the way to convey water under pressure, thanks to its hydraulic capacity, efficiency in the exploitation phase and low maintenance costs. There is growing demand for PVC-O pipe in
Paraguay – as evidenced by a recent project there. In an interview in La Nacion, Carlos Arce, president of the Sanitary Services Company of Paraguay (Essap), explained how the city of Villarrica now has a 21km PVC-O pipeline, which cost US$7m to install. The installation provides permanent potable water to Villarrica – something that was not previ- ously available. The pipeline is used to transport the water from a treatment plant in nearby Tebic- uarymi – and there are plans for “a network exten- sion to the surroundings of Villarrica”, he said. And, while PVC-O is usually reserved for potable
water, a city in Spain has chosen it to expand its washdown network. The Bailen-Miraflores district in Malaga will use PVC-O pipe. Technicians at the municipal water company, Emasa, designed a
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Capacity – tonnes/year
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