Metal in household communications is gradually being replaced various materials from polymers. The properties of polypropylene are especially attractive to the consumer, allowing it to be used for all household communications.
Polypropylene is resistant to corrosion and deposits, does not change properties under the influence of aggressive chemicals. Water transported through systems made of this material does not lose its properties. Also important is the high throughput due to the completely smooth inner surface.
Reinforcement types
Unreinforced polypropylene has low thermal conductivity and high temperature resistance. It changes shape over time. This property is called flowability, which requires fixing every 50 cm of the pipeline.
The fluidity is especially pronounced when elevated temperature internal environment. The main purpose of the reinforcement is to reduce precisely this quality. After reinforcement, the polypropylene material becomes more rigid, less sag when laid in a horizontal position, which makes the system more stable.
Aluminum tape reduces the coefficient of linear expansion to a level that is comparable to that of metal products. In addition, aluminum helps to reduce the conductivity of oxygen. More better quality when reinforced with fiberglass. This material makes installation easier than aluminum tape as there is no need for stripping before soldering. It is also important that products with fiberglass are cheaper than products with aluminum tape.
For reinforcement, solid or perforated aluminum foil can be used. It can be located close to the outer shell or in the middle of the wall. Solid foil is bonded to polypropylene with hot melt glue. The use of low-quality raw materials in the production entails delamination during operation.
This phenomenon is not possible if perforated aluminum is used for reinforcement. The holes in the foil make it possible to create a monolithic connection between plastic and aluminum, without using glue.
When choosing products made of polypropylene, it should be borne in mind that some manufacturers, in order to reduce the cost, use low-quality raw materials and make pipes too thin walls. This entails delamination and instability to internal pressure. It is quite difficult to distinguish a high-quality product from a low-quality one by external signs. You need to purchase the material with the thickest walls (that is, the one with a heavier running meter).
Recently, glass fiber reinforced polypropylene pipes have appeared on the market. They are sometimes called fiberglass. If the product aluminum reinforced, in fact, consists of five layers, then the use of fiberglass makes it possible to obtain a material with a monolithic structure, since the middle layer is the same polypropylene, but mixed with glass fiber. All three layers are not glued, but welded, which completely eliminates delamination.
However, fiberglass-reinforced products still have one drawback - their linear expansion is 6% more than when using aluminum. Why do I need stripping for polypropylene pipes before soldering. Some reinforced products need to be stripped before brazing to remove the outer polypropylene layer and aluminum foil, which interferes with creating a strong connection with the fitting.
Stripping of reinforced polypropylene pipes is always required when aluminum is used for reinforcement, regardless of where the foil is located. The only difference is the tool used. If the aluminum is in the middle of the wall, an edge cutter is used. The fiberglass-reinforced material does not require cleaning, since it is all made of polypropylene.
Stripping tool
The stripping tool for polypropylene pipes makes it possible to work with products with a diameter of 16 to 110 mm. For diameters up to 63 mm, double-sided couplings are produced, which allows cleaning ends with two different diameters, if the aluminum layer is located at the outer surface. The knives of this tool are made of anti-dull steel.
If the foil is located in the middle of the wall, a polypropylene pipe trimmer is required, equipped with adjustable knives, which makes it possible to adjust the tool to any diameter. Like the coupling, the facing tool has a double-sided design (for two different diameters).
Facing of polypropylene pipes is cutting the foil from the end to the welding depth. If this procedure is not carried out correctly, aluminum will interfere with creating reliable connection between the elements of the system, that is, the weld will not be of sufficient quality. During the operation of the system, water will interact with aluminum, which can lead to leakage and the formation of rust in heating devices.
Another way to solve the problem "how to clean a polypropylene pipe" is a drill attachment (shaver). This method is used for a large amount of work to strip the outer layer of polypropylene and remove the reinforcing aluminum layer if it is located at the outer surface. The shaver body is made of aluminum, the knives are made of tool steel.
Thanks to the shaver, the stripping for polypropylene pipes is automated, making it easier and faster to install with a large amount of work.
Polypropylene pipes due to performance parameters, aesthetic appearance and ease of assembly, are often used in the installation of engineering communications. Thanks to the reinforcement technology, the reliability and durability of pipes increases while maintaining all the technological characteristics of polypropylene, pipes in their qualities are not only comparable to metal ones, but also surpass them.
However, for the long-term and reliable operation of the pipeline system, proper processing and cleaning of the ends during connection are necessary.
Reinforced pipe is a product with three layers: two polypropylene and one reinforcing. Structural reinforcing shell ensures the retention of strength in the event of sudden temperature changes.
Such an indicator - as the coefficient of thermal elongation is 6% higher for pipes with aluminum reinforcement, which increases the durability and reliability of the pipeline, which uses reinforced pipes.
The presence of an aluminum layer in a polymer pipe allows maintaining high temperatures and prevents the rupture of communications in the system. Tempera leaps and bounds are compensated for by the flexibility of the reinforcing base. Reinforcement is carried out in two ways:
Reinforced products are produced both with a solid sheet of aluminum foil and in the form of a mesh with perforations. The viscous polymer flows through the aluminum holes and creates a strong adhesion to the protective layer, increasing the reliability of pipe products even at increased high-temperature loads.
If the fiberglass reinforcement does not require additional cleaning of the ends of the pipes, then during installation with aluminum it must be removed and cleaned.
During installation, molten aluminum does not give a hermetic connection with propylene, and it is required to exclude contact of metal with water at the joints of pipes and fittings, and to avoid corrosive processes.
Attention! The cleaning process removes the oxidized layer and various kinds of contamination from the surface of polypropylene pipes. This prepares the edge of the pipeline for making a reliable weld joint.
Before proceeding with the installation of reinforced pipes, you must first select a stripping tool. It can be both manual and mechanical devices.
Cleaning and reinforcing polypropylene pipes is not the most difficult task, but there are many nuances in them. This will be discussed in the article.
One of the advantages of polypropylene pipes is their long service life. They can be used many times longer than metal products. But the service life largely depends on the quality of the installation works... It can be maximized if the reinforced polypropylene pipes were cleaned correctly.
It plays such an important role due to the fact that the presence of various irregularities and burrs will impede a reliable connection. Even during the planning of the installation of a polypropylene pipeline, it is worthwhile to delve into why this procedure is required. It is also worth understanding what tools exist for stripping polypropylene pipes (read: ""). Special attention should be paid to products with a reinforcing layer.
High performance properties polypropylene pipes are achieved by covering them with a protective layer. When it comes to products intended for household use, then usually its thickness is no more than 0.1 mm.
Benefits of Reinforced Pipes:
However, the reinforcement has one significant drawback. It somewhat complicates the welding of polypropylene joints. For this reason, a pipe stripping is required first. The procedure is extremely simple: remove the upper thin layer of aluminum from the product. If this is not done, the quality of the welding will decrease, which will lead to a decrease in the service life of the entire pipeline.
It is important to do the job carefully, understanding general principle... For a better understanding of everything, study technological process and also prepare necessary tools... Detailed information on these issues will be presented later in the article.
There are several methods of stripping, each of which is designed for a specific reinforcing layer.
Outer layer... If the reinforcement is applied as the top layer of a polypropylene pipe, then it will become an obstacle when connecting the structure to the fitting. Then the pipe section entering it melts during installation. If you delay stripping, then the molten aluminum will not be able to bond with the molten polymer. In this case, nothing will ensure the tightness of the connection. It will be violated immediately after starting the system.
The inner layer... Despite the fact that the aluminum located between the polypropylene layers is not used for welding, it still needs high-quality stripping. It is necessary in order to prevent the interaction of aluminum and water. If a potential jump occurs in the pipeline, then there is a risk of electrochemical processes. They can completely destroy the aluminum layer.
Clue! The reinforcing layer of aluminum can be applied in one piece or with holes. If there is a choice, then the second option is much more preferable. The perforated aluminum layer has good adhesion and does not require any glue. In addition, the stripping of perforated aluminum pipe is much faster.
Glass fiber reinforcement... In this option, do-it-yourself stripping for polypropylene pipes is not required. A thin fiberglass wall is placed between the polypropylene layers. It does not come into contact with the fitting, nor is it affected by the liquid. One of the advantages of this method is that a reliable fastening of the pipes is achieved without additional work. But this leads to one drawback - on such products, sharp temperature drops have a greater effect than on options with aluminum reinforcement.
There are hand and mechanical stripping tools for polypropylene pipes. Hand tools are great for doing homework. If a more voluminous task is ahead, then mechanical tools will already be required.
Types of stripping tools:
An important nuance! It is worth understanding the difference between stripping pipes before welding and cleaning metal products. It is two different kinds work. Different equipment is used for each of them. In addition, they have different technological processes, which should also be taken into account.
Also, for stripping polymer pipes, you will need: a tape measure, the required stripping tool, a construction pencil for marking, a soldering iron, as well as scissors, a pipe cutter or a hacksaw. These are popular tools and can be found in almost every home.
To obtain a perfect cut on the pipe, high alloy steel tools should be used. It is preferable to choose two-sided solutions. Such a tool is effective when working with products of different diameters.
Stripping polypropylene pipes is not particularly difficult. One person can cope with the task, no special knowledge is needed for this. Also, no expensive tools are required. Simple machines will do just fine. Even with their help, it will be possible to carry out the cleaning quite efficiently and accurately. It is enough just to prepare everything in advance, having carefully studied the technological process of this task.
Market building materials proposes big choice pipes made of polymer materials.
Advances in organic synthesis have resulted in materials that exhibit excellent performance characteristics.
Products made of polypropylene are popular - every second apartment or private house have plumbing or heating from such pipes.
Modern technologies have made it possible to create a durable, lightweight material that does not corrode, has good strength characteristics, and does not react with aggressive media.
Low price, light weight, ease of installation determine the widespread use of polypropylene pipes (what is it).
The industry produces several types of products, some of which contain a reinforcing layer on the outside or inside the pipe.
High-quality soldering such models are possible only in the case of stripping the ends from aluminum foil.
We use two types of shavers:
The first, are used when performing one-time operations, the second, is able to clean pipes in large volumes, which is typical for large construction companies ().
Plumbing or heating system from polypropylene, in addition to its advantages, it has several significant disadvantages.
Despite the ability to transfer water with a temperature of 90-95 degrees and withstand short-term heating up to 100 degrees, the polymer has a large coefficient of thermal expansion (about the technology of mounting metal plastic pipes read the article).
Flexible structure will allow the product to regain its shape when the temperature drops.
But this situation can become critical with hidden pipeline laying in walls or under the floor.
Adding a layer of fiberglass or aluminum foil to the product will reduce thermal expansion and avoid deformation when heated.
Reinforcement helps in linear sections of the pipeline, but there is no foil in the joints. This leads to softening of the polymer at temperatures above 100 degrees.
In such places, a breakthrough of communications is possible, therefore, the use of reinforced products is not recommended for industrial pipelines.
To strengthen the pipes, use:
In the process of stripping the reinforced product, it is removed metal layer in the place of the future connection with the coupling or fitting.
The need for external stripping occurs when using reinforced pipes with an outer foil layer. It is impossible to solder pipes without removing the reinforcement.
To remove metal from the surface, a special tool is used (what is needed for the installation of pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene, it is written), with which the product is cleaned to the depth necessary for welding.
Drill bits are made for one pipe diameter.
To work with such a tool, it is necessary to prepare the necessary attachments in advance.
Using a drill will increase the stripping speed, the number of pipes processed and the productivity of labor.
The nozzle is capable of working with both external and internal reinforcement.
How to choose
Product is selected, according to the type of pipes, and is clamped into the chuck. V high speed rotation is a drawback - it is necessary, constantly, to control the process. Otherwise, the pipe could be damaged.
If you want to learn how to flawlessly clean the pipe end before welding, watch the video.
Processing of reinforced, polypropylene, plastic and shaped pipes before welding is mandatory. It allows you to achieve a high-quality and reliable connection that is completely resistant to physical and mechanical stress. The welded area will not crack and detach when stretched.
By cleaning and removing the oxide layer from the pipe, it is possible to create the most suitable surface that will adhere well when electrofusion welding in domestic and industrial conditions.
All stripping elements are divided into two categories - manual and electric. TO hand tools include:
Electric:
Each tool has its own characteristics of application, which are based on criteria such as, - size and type of pipe, material of manufacture of the product, functionality of the device, model and manufacturer.
Top brands include Reed, Virax, Ritmo, ADR Tech, Rothenberger, Ridgid and Rems. Cleaning for plastic pipes of all these companies is carried out in the online store ProfTechSnab.
Not every store has such an extensive collection of pipe cleaning equipment. different types... This catalog contains tools that perform cleaning and surface treatment of pipes prior to direct welding.
If this reinforced pipe and you need to remove the plastic and partially aluminum layer from it, then the Ritmo shavers presented on the site are perfect.
If pipe preparation is required with the removal of burrs and oxide layers, then products from Reed, Rems, ADR Tech, etc. will do.
All products meet high quality standards and have the necessary certification documents from the manufacturer.
The company offers only reliable tools for different pipe diameters and types of welding. They all have the following qualities:
Stripping for plastic pipes - this is an important event that should not be overlooked when welding. Otherwise, the connections will not be reliable and may deform at the very first loads of the coolant (if it is a pipeline for water supply and heating of the house), mechanical influences (if it is planned to carry out optical fiber, electrical wires and communication cables) and chemical influences (when hazardous gaseous substances are allowed through the pipeline, loose and liquid type).
