The gas distribution market uses plastic as well as metal piping components. Water distribution includes applications such as potable water delivery and irrigation for agriculture. The potable water applications include new installations as well as the relining of older, decaying concrete pipes. Polyethylene is well-suited for pipe applications due to its light-weight, ease of production and installation, ability to withstand required pipeline pressures, and it’s inherently non-corrosive.
Major uses for non-pressure pipe and corrugated drainage pipe include storm water drainage for roadways, parking lots, building foundations and similar. Applications also include automotive (wire harnesses and heater/defroster air-conditioning duct), construction (footing and foundation drainage tiles, roof drainage pipe and golf course irrigation and drainage systems), appliances (venting ducts, drain piping and wire harnesses), farming (drainage and irrigation lines), medical (ducts, hoses and housing for respiratory equipment), and utilities (electrical service conduit, insulation sleeves, telephone and coaxial cable conduit). Polyethylene is often selected for use due to its optimum combination of toughness, stiffness and ESCR required in many of these applications. When compounded with carbon black, polyethylene is an excellent choice for outdoor applications.
Micro-irrigation is an irrigation method that uses lower pressure and lower water flow than a traditional sprinkler system or standard crop irrigation system to maximize water utilization by focusing the water flow closer to the targeted plant life. Micro-irrigation tubing is used in a range of agricultural applications, including row crops, orchards, and vineyards. Polyethylene (typically formulated with carbon black) is ideally suited for this application because it is inert, exhibits high stability against UV rays, and can withstand agricultural chemical usage due to its high ESCR.
Typical applications cover various electrical utilities uses, including electrical service conduit, insulation sleeves, jelly filled cables, telephone and coaxial cable conduit. Excellent flexibility, high ESCR, and high vapor / water barrier and long-life makes polyethylene well-suited for these applications.
Let Univation’s Polyethylene Product Experts assist you in selecting the right UNIPOL™ PE Products to meet your customer’s PE applications needs.