8/2/2020 The four main different PVC pipe categories

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PVC pipes are generally categorised into three: PVC-U unplasticised PVC),
C-PVC (chlorinated PVC), PVC-O (molecular oriented PVC) and High
Impact PVC (PVC-Hi). Besides sharing many of the same properties such
as safety, durability, sustainability and recyclability, each type of PVC has
its own advantages for different applications

PVC-U
PVC-U stands for unplasticised PVC, which means no plasticiser (US: plasticizer) has been added to the PVC
compound. Unplasticised PVC is also known as rigid PVC. PVC-U is the most common PVC type for pipes and
ttings including transportation of drinking water, soil and waste, sewage and underground drainage and
industrial applications.
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Pipes and ttings made of PVC-U have many bene ts. They are a safe choice for transportation of drinking
water, light and easy to handle and affordable. Technical properties include high mechanical performance,
high durability (at least 100 years for underground pipes), high chemical resistance and resistance to UV
exposure. Moreover, PVC-U pipes have favorable environmental pro les and are 100% recyclable.

   

PVC-U is the most common PVC type for

pipes and ttings

C-PVC
C-PVC stands for chlorinated PVC. Pipes and ttings made of C-PVC share many of PVC-U's advantages. Both
are safe for use with drinking water, have high resistance to corrosion, high durability and excellent impact
resistance. However, with its higher chlorine content than regular PVC-U, pipes and ttings made of C-PVC can
withstand a wider range of temperatures. This has made C-PVC a popular choice for water piping systems in
residential as well as commercial construction. C-PVC is also signi cantly more ductile than PVC-U. Pipes and
ttings made of C-PVC are 100% recyclable.

   

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C-PVC is typically used for pipes and

ttings for hot and cold water

PVC-O
Molecularly oriented PVC (PVC-O) is the result of a production process that turns the amorphous structure of
unplasticised PVC (PVC-U) into a layered structure.

PVC-O enhances the many bene ts of PVC-U such as resistance to corrosion, preservation of water quality,
cost-ef ciency and recyclability and an unsurpassed balance between strength, stiffness and exibility. Pipes
made of PVC-O are especially advantageous when it comes to hydraulic capacity, ductility, crack propagation
and impact and fatigue resistance. This means that PVC-O is an excellent choice for pressure pipes for
drinking water. PVC-O is also well suited for buried non-potable applications such as irrigation and sewer
pumping mains. PVC-O pipes and ttings are 100% recyclable.

   

PVC-O is typically used for pressure pipes

for drinking water

PVC-Hi
PVC-Hi stands for High Impact PVC. The PVC-Hi grade is obtained by adding to PVC-U, an impact modi er that
increases the resistance of the pipes to external blows.

The minimum requirements for a PVC-Hi grade is precisely de ned in section 5 of the international standard
ISO6993-1 “Buried, high-impact poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-HI) piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels —
Part 1: Pipes for a maximum operating pressure of 1 bar (100 kPa)”:

Composition: PVC-Hi shall be one of the following compositions:

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a. a mixture based on PVC

b. a blend based on PVC

c. a copolymer based on PVC

d. a combination of these types

The proportion of the impact modi er in the composition shall be at least 7 % w

Long term strength: The MRS value of PVC-Hi shall be at least 18 MPa. Conformity to this requirement shall
be proven using a long-term evaluation in accordance with ISO 9080. Testing shall be carried out at 20 °C,
40 °C and 60 °C, for periods up to 9 000 h. At 60 °C no knee shall occur before 5,000 h

Vicat softening temperature: The Vicat softening temperature of PVC-Hi shall be at least 76 °C

K-value: The PVC-U used to make PVC-Hi shall be at least 65

Impact resistance after UV weathering: UV weathered pipe specimen of PVC-Hi should not break when a
striker of a de ned mass is launched from a de ned height

Resistance to gas constituents: no crazes of a depth greater than 30 µm should be observed in pipe
specimen of PVC-Hi exposed to tetrahydrothiophene and n-hexadecane

PVC-Hi is how the material should be designated when a pipe comply with ISO6993-1 (see section 12 of the
standard). This grade is the only accepted since the late 70s for pipes supplying natural gas. 60,000 km of PVC-
Hi pipes are installed in the Netherlands only. Learn more about the Dutch gas grid in this video.

   

PVC-Hi is typically used for

transportation of natural gas

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