LARGE DIAMETER PIPE | MATERIALS
A system to harvest rainwater in Austria, and a desalination plant in Egypt both relied on large diameter pipe solutions
Extruding to maximum size
Large-diameter pipes help to maximise transfer efficiency, but come with some production compli- cations – such as the need to prevent sagging while processing such a huge mass of plastic. Battenfeld-Cincinnati has helped an Egyptian
extruder to produce 2.7m diameter pipe with a 5mm wall thickness deviation. Cairo-based Plastic Pipes & Products (PPP)
recently completed a large-diameter pipe project in Oman, to transport seawater to a desalination plant. Large-diameter pipes are ideal for this application, as they can transport large quantities of water efficiently in the shortest possible time. “The quality and precision of the large-diameter pipes we achieve on the new line is excellent,” said Ahmed El Mahalawy, owner of PPP. The dimensional accuracy and minimal wall thickness deviations mean that one line can save more than €1 million in raw material costs per year compared to conventional lines, says Battenfeld- Cincinnati. Andreas Türk, sales director at Battenfeld-Cincin-
nati, said: “The main focus of our technology is in the reduction of wall thickness tolerances. We can easily achieve values that correspond to half the DIN standard.”
Other benefits include high output rates of 2 tonnes/hour, a 20-25 year lifespan, and low energy consumption, he added.
www.pipeandprofile.com Melt temperature also plays a major role in the
extrusion of large-diameter pipes, as it is the main cause of unwanted sagging. The lower the tem- perature of the PE melt, the more viscous it is – and the less sagging occurs. “The less sagging, the better the pipe quality and wall thickness distribution,” said Türk. In the extruder, a SolEx NG, a combination of
spiral grooved barrel and matching screw and grooved bushing geometry ensures high specific output rates at low screw speeds and lower melt temperatures. Compared to previous, the melt temperature is around 10°C lower – with a further 10°C reduction achieved with the OptiMelt active melt cooling system.
Technical challenges Tecnomatic of Italy says there are several technical challenges to extruding large, thick-walled pipes – including the need to achieve tight dimensional control, reduce material waste, and maintain consistent quality at high production volumes. One significant issue is managing the thermal
profile of the extruded material. Uneven tempera- ture distribution can cause defects such as sagging, warping and surface irregularities – all of which compromise the product’s integrity. Achieving a uniform melt flow while preventing overheating or under processing is essential, says the company.
� Winter 2025 | PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION 13
Main image: Tecnomatic says its Eos extruders overcome typical
challenges in large diameter pipe production
IMAGE: TECNOMATIC
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