Fiberglass Pipe

Excerpted from http://fiberglasstankandpipe.com/fibergla.htm:

<<Don’t confuse FRP piping with ordinary thermoplastic piping like PVC and polyethylene. Those thermoplastic systems typically employ non-reinforced extruded pipe and injection-molded fittings and flanges. What strength they have comes from the sheer bulk of material. By contrast, FRP piping materials are manufactured by winding processes that employ epoxy resins reinforced with continuous glass filaments. The resins used are thermosetting i.e., they undergo irreversible chemical reactions as they cure, resulting in superior temperature capabilities, while the filament reinforcement makes the piping components mechanically far more capable than ordinary non-reinforced thermoplastics. The result is enhanced performance and lighter weight.>>

By the way, thanks for the members' input on FRP flanges. As it turned-out, it was FRP "stub end" nozzles with steel backing flanges/rings (although this was not indicated on the drawings) and the stub end lap thickness was about one inch. This necessitated specifying longer studbolts.

Woo-hoo, my anal-retentive detail obsession saved about $200 in the field! Of course, it cost over $1000 to save that amount as I spent half a day tracking down the info. It's great being a checker...

Paul Received on Thu Apr 05 21:16:00 2007