High Performance Polyethylene Pipe: Evolution of Standards Development and Identification of Applica

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High Performance Polyethylene Pipe Evolution of
Standards Development and Identification of
Application Opportunities

• SPE International Polyolefins
• 2007 Conference
• February 28, 2007
• White G. Jee INEOS Olefins Polymers USA

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Presentation Objectives

• Examine and provide an update on the compilation
  of consensus standards development efforts to
  recognize high performance PE materials
• Brief analyses on the significance of high
  performance PE materials within the North
  American standards system and the potential
  impact these materials will have

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Presentation Overview

• Background of Standards Development Process to
  Recognize High Performance Polyethylene Materials
• Thermoplastic Materials Designation Code
• PE 2406, PE 3408, and now PE 4710
• Performance Property Improvements
• Benefits to the Design Engineer and
  Owner/End-User
• Identification of Application Opportunities

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Reference Papers

• PE 4710 What Does it Really Mean? AGA
  Operations Conference (April, 2006)
• Material Designation Code for High Performance PE
  Materials - SPE ANTEC (May, 2006)
• PE 4710 Whats in a Name? International
  Plastics Pipes XIII Conference (October, 2006)

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PE4710 Evolution in Pipe Performance
PE4710
PE3408
PE2406
PE1404
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Background on PE 4710 Standards Development
Process

• Education on Differences in ISO and ASTM systems
  of stress rating materials
• ASTM vs. ISO Methodology for Pressure Design of
  PE Piping Material (1995)
• What is PE 100? (1999)
• PE 100 vs. PE 3408 Can Someone Please Explain
  These? (1999)
• Education on different performance aspects of gas
  pipe standards ISO 4437 and ASTM D 2513
• PE 100 Performance Plus (1999)
• ISO 9080 and the U.S. Natural Gas Distribution
  Industry (2000)

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PE100 vs. PE3408 Determining the Long Term
Strength
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Performance Properties

• The similarities and differences between the two
  terms PE100 and PE3408 and the standards by which
  they are utilized may be summarized into three
  practical aspects
• Pressure Capability
• Slow Crack Growth
• Resistance to Rapid Crack Propagation (RCP)

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Background on PE 4710 Standards Development
Process

• Development and/or Update of PPI Technical
  Documents
• PPI TN-7 Nature of Hydrostatic Stress Rupture
  Curves (2005)
• PPI TR-9 Recommended Design Factors for Pressure
  Applications of Thermoplastic Pipe Materials
  (2003)
• PPI TN-28 Guide to Differences in Pressure
  Ratings PE Water Pipe between ASTM and ISO
  Methods (2003)

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Thermoplastic Pipe Material Designation Code

• Set of ciphers and letters for designation of
  stress-rated thermoplastic compounds
• Code consist of two or three letters to indicate
  the thermoplastic resin abbreviation as per ASTM
  D 1600
• Followed by four Arabic numerals
• Two to describe short-term properties as
  identified in referenced ASTM standard
• Two to designate the HDS when tested in water at
  73F in units of 100 psi, with any decimals dropped

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Polyethylene Thermoplastic Pipe Material
Designation Code

• PE Polyethylene
• X first digit (density cell class as defined in
  ASTM D 3350)
• X second digit (slow crack growth cell class as
  defined in ASTM D 3350)
• XX third and fourth digit (HDS for water at
  73F)
• Examples PE 2406, PE 3408

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The World of HDPE Pipe Standards
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PE Pipe for Gas Distribution

• Internationally, HDPE gas pipe has maintained an
  exceptional service history within the gas
  distribution application.
• This has led to extensive research and
  development of higher performance polymers and
  piping products.
• The result of this research was the introduction
  of a new level of performance in polyethylene
  piping which was designated as PE 100 in
  accordance with the ISO standards systems
  prevalent throughout the world outside of North
  America.
• As these higher performance piping materials
  became more accessible in North America, the need
  to compare the similarities and differences
  between the ASTM and ISO standards began

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PE Pipe for Gas Distribution

• As the North American polyethylene piping
  industry and its end-users became more familiar
  with both ASTM and ISO standards and test
  methods, it became evident that a pipe paradox
  exists and a consensus means was needed to
  harmonize or utilize the higher performance
  properties of these materials across the two
  widely recognized standards systems.

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PE Pipe in Water Distribution

• PE pipes versatility as a flexible, tough
  durable product makes it an ideal pipe for the
  trenchless technology installation methods.
• Water infrastructure needs will continue to grow
  as world population increases.
• PE pipe in water applications have a major market
  share in ISO standard countries while a minor
  market share in ASTM standard countries.

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The Pipe Paradox

• The same HDPE pipe material evaluated and used
  under two equally recognized standards systems
  (ISO and/or ASTM) results in substantially
  different pressure ratings with the same end-use.
• How can this occur?
• Differences in ISO 9080 and ISO 12162 and ASTM
  D2837
• Differences in ISO service coefficient and ASTM
  design factor

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Resolving the Paradox

• The PE piping industry through discussions in
  various industry association task groups such as
  PPI, HSB, and AGA-PMC reached consensus to build
  a means of differentiation within the ASTM
  standards system.
• Differentiation is based on the following three
  key findings related to differences that exist
  between PE 100 and traditional PE 3408 grades
• Higher base resin density
• Higher level of SCG (PENT or notched pipe)
• Greater degree of confidence in the linearity of
  the 50-yr extrapolation of stress-rupture curve

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Integration of High Performance PE Materials in
ASTM Standards

• In order to build a means of differentiation to
  recognize high performance PE materials within
  the established ASTM system, the following
  actions were initiated and have been approved
  within the industry
• Establish a density cell class differentiation in
  ASTM D 3350
• Create a higher slow crack growth (PENT) cell
  class in ASTM D 3350
• Establish a technical justification to utilize a
  higher design factor

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Revision of Density Cell Classification in ASTM D
3350

• Create a density cell class that would segregate
  the density cell class of PE 3408 materials from
  PE 100 materials
• Transfer previous cell class 4 (gt0.955) to cell
  class 5
• Divide the previous cell class 3 (gt0.940 to
  0.955) to a range of gt0.940 to 0.947 for cell
  class 3 and a range of gt0.947 to 0.955 for cell
  class 4
• Revision completed in late 2004 and published in
  ASTM D 3350-04

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Revision of Slow Crack Growth Cell in ASTM D 3350

• Establish a 500 hours minimum PENT requirement
  for high performance PE materials as cell class 7
• Delete cell classes 1, 2, and 3 which represented
  0.1, 1, and 3 hours PENT, respectively.
• Delete the statement When the Property 5 (slow
  crack growth resistance) value is 4 or 6, a 4
  shall be used in the grade designation.
• Revision completed in late 2005 and published in
  ASTM D 3350-05

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2005 ASTM D3350 Cell Classification Revisions

ASTM D3350 Cell Class for Typical PE3408 345464C
ASTM D3350 Cell Class for Typical PE4710 445574C
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Technical Justification for Increased Design
Factor (IDF)

• The HSB approved the use of 0.63 design factor
  provided that the following criteria are met
• Exceed the 500 hours SCG resistance when tested
  according to ASTM F 1473 (PENT)
• Attain the 50-year extrapolation requirements
  that substantiates the stress-rupture data at
  room temperature according to ASTM D 2837
• Provide a lower confidence limit (LCL) of 90 or
  higher when tested in accordance to the
  requirements of ASTM D 2837
• HSB approved the increased design factor in late
  2005
• PPI TR-3 and TR-4 have been updated to define the
  criteria for high performance polyethylene and
  the use of the higher design factor

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PE Material Designation Code

• PE Polyethylene
• 4 Cell Class 4 in ASTM D 3350
• Natural density of gt0.947 to 0.955 g/cc
• 7 Cell Class 7 in ASTM D 3350
• PENT (SCG) value of 500 hours minimum
• 10 Hydrostatic Design Stress at 73F using an
  increased design factor (IDF) of 0.63 for water
• Technical Justification for Increased IDF

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Thermoplastic Materials Designation Code of
Previously Designated PE 2406 Materials

• PE 2406
• PE 2708
• Consult PPI TR-4 listings of MDPE materials.

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Thermoplastic Material Designation Code for
Previously Designated PE 3408 Materials

• PE 3408
• PE 3608
• PE 3708
• PE 3710
• PE 4708
• PE 4710
• Consult PPI TR-4 Listings of HDPE Resins

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PE4710 Evolution in Pipe Performance
PE4710
PE3408
PE2406
PE1404
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Additional Standards Development Activities

• Revisions to ASTM D 2513, D 3035, and F 714 to
  incorporate PE 4710 and the modified versions
  previously designated as PE 2406 and PE 3408 has
  been balloted through ASTM F17 subcommittee
  D3035 and F714 projects have been completed.
• ASTM Committee F17 subcommittee projects to
  revise D 3035, D 2447, D 2104, D 2737, and F
  2160 are to be balloted in the near future.

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Property Improvements of PE 4710 High Performance
Materials

• Long-term Strength
• Slow Crack Growth
• Rapid Crack Propagation
• Technical Justification and Use of Higher Design
  Factor

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Benefits of High Performance PE 4710 Materials

• Improved properties with higher design factor
  allows design engineer and owner/end-user the
  capability to utilize these materials at higher
  pressures within the constraints of the
  applications or regulations or potentially
  operate at same pressure with slightly lighter
  wall thickness

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Identification of Application Opportunities

• Natural Gas Distribution Applications
• Northeast Gas Association Implemented
  Pipe/Material Specifications Based Upon High
  Performance Pipe and Material Properties
• Oil and Gas Gathering Applications
• Western Canada same as above CSA standard for
  application being revised for high performance
  properties
• Water Service Application
• OH, VA, NC selected applications for well
  drilling to utilize high performance properties

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Application of PE 4710 For Gas
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Application of PE 4710 For Gas
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Summary

• Initial phase of projects to establish
  thermoplastic material designation code of PE
  4710 has been completed
• ASTM application standards are being revised to
  recognize the material designation codes
• High performance PE materials are listed in PPI
  TR-4 and are available for appropriate end-use
  applications

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Acknowledgement

• Special thanks to Tom Walsh, President of Walsh
  Consulting Services and Stephen Boros, Technical
  Director of the Plastics Pipe Institute for their
  contribution and review of this
  paper/presentation
• Special thanks to Bob Garrison and Luis Rodriguez
  of Silver-Line Plastics for well installation
  pictures