Performance of polypropylene homopolymer (pph) pipes in industrial condensate recovery systems

Abstract

Industrial competitiveness can be achieved through sustainable manufacturing by employing a multi-dimensional approach that is capable of minimizing operational costs and production downtime. Steam remains an inexpensive source of energy for heating purposes to facilitate higher rates of chemical reactions during steel strip processing. Steam condensate contains an appreciable enthalpy that can recuperated to enhance boiler efficiency, conserve water and minimize waste heat. A condensate recovery system thus ought to be an integral part of a steam system in order to minimize the utility costs of steel plant and enable it maintain a competitive advantage. However, the reliability of the condensate recovery system to recuperate heat lies in exploitation of material properties of the piping system to match the desired system performance characteristics. This work analyzed the technical performance of PPH pipes in comparison with the conventional steel pipes when used in industrial condensate recovery system piping. Comparison was made in regard to durability, safety, maintenance cost and downtime. The results have proved that PPH pipes are more economic overtime, conserve more thermal energy, have a longer service life and their mechanical properties are enhancement with a 149.95% increase in tensile strength, 43.76% increase in compressive strength, 24.8% increase in flexural modulus and a 37.63% increase in hardness for a one-year service period. This indicates that crystalline reorientations and cross linking were dominant over oxidative degradation and chain scission. However, the impact strength greatly decreased and averaged at 3.15J/m which proves that in-service pipes become more brittle with time and therefore further studies should be done in that regard. Guidelines for installation, maintenance and support configurations for the PPH piping have been proposed. Finally, there is need for steel strip processing plants to recover all condensate while using PPH pipes, there is a dire need for further studies to ascertain the service period when oxidative degradation becomes dominant in the PPH piping.