Chemical Resistance

Plastic pipes have a very good chemical resistance and often offer a far more reliable, and long-term solution than traditional metallic pipe systems for the transport of chemicals.
  Plastic pipes are used not only for drinking water, water for general use and wastewater, but also for transporting chemically aggressive liquids and gases. Therefore, questions regarding the chemical resistance of piping materials to media are as important as the mechanical parameters for the installation of the piping system. Today expensive pipe designs, such as lined metal, ceramic or glass fiber reinforced pipes can be replaced by plastic systems in many cases. GF Piping Systems attempts to present resistance statements in order to identify the best suitable material for your application. The recommendations given in the ChemRes PLUS database are not only based upon the long and extensive applicational experience of GF but origin as well from tests in GF-own laboratories. The data are subject to frequent updating and addition. ChemRes PLUS is an easy way to obtain information on the chemical resistance of materials used in products from GF Piping Systems. It’s very straightforward to use:

• Select the medium to be transported
• Select the pressure/temperature point corresponding to your application
• ChemRes PLUS shows you the suitable materials in a clear table

Thanks to decades of experience, our specialist teams are highly knowledgeable about the chemical resistance of materials. The online tool ChemRes PLUS provides you with key basic data for each individual materials resistance to a range of chemicals.

Chemical Resistance Tool

Below are 2 examples of results shown via the GF ChemTool. Firstly PE used with Glycol mixtures. The example below shows COOL-FIT, with carrier pipe PE, in contact with Glycol mixtures. For example open roof-top installations for condensate water can use glycol as an anti-freeze in the pipe fluid to avoid risk of the pipe freezing, and causing damage, in winter.

The second example is resprentative of a water treatment plant in a data center cooling plant. Where the water treatment plant is sterilizing in-take water before the water is then circulatated in the closed loop cooling plant. Here often sodium hypochlorite is used as a desinfectant. The table below show PVC in contact with Sodium Hypochlortie.

The nomenclature for evaluation of the chemical resistance to a chemical is as follows :

++ (Green background): Fully recommended, no influence on material properties. 

+ (Blue background): Recommended together with the specified reduction factor. Influence on material properties, e.g., by penetration or swelling, is possible, but no chemical attack. 

O (Yellow background): Restricted recommendation. From this temperature, recommendations are not generally given, only on the basis of an individual assessment. Please contact GF Piping Systems directly. 

- (Red background): Not suitable. Incompatibility of material and medium.