New Dow HDPE resin for pipe applications achieves highest performance listing by the Plastics Pipe Institute

30-Apr-2003

The polyolefins and elastomers (PO&E) Business Group of The Dow Chemical Company today announced that DOW DGDA-2490 BK100 High Density polyethylene (HDPE) resin is the first ISO PE100 pipe material produced in North America to be listed with a 100-year rating at 20°C (68°F) by The plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI). DOW DGDA-2490 BK100 HDPE resin also was given a 50-year rating at 40°C (104°F) and an 11-year rating at 60°C (140°F) by the PPI, making it the first PE100 resin to be listed at elevated temperatures. ISO PE100 is a leading global classification for polyethylene pressure pipe materials published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

DOW DGDA-2490 BK100 HDPE resin offers significantly improved long-term ductile hoop strength combined with excellent resistance to slow crack growth (SCG) and rapid crack propagation (RCP) when compared to HDPE resins currently available for the production of polyethylene pressure pipe. The material will benefit pipe producers and other companies responsible for the design and maintenance of water systems, industrial and mining pipe, oil and gas production, and natural gas distribution.

PPI granted DOW DGDA 2490 BK 100 HDPE resin the 100-year listing based on the ISO 9080 standard, listing the resin with a Minimum Required Strength (MRS) of 10 MPa (1,450 psi) at a standard operating condition of 20°C (68ºF) for 100 years. Currently, ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards specify a hydrostatic design basis (HDB) at 23°C (73°F) based on an extrapolation for 11 years for all pressure pipe segments. The exception is for natural gas distribution, which requires linear substantiation of the extrapolation of long-term hydrostatic strength (LTHS) to 50 years at 23oC (73°F) (ASTM D2513 - Standard Specification for Thermoplastic Gas Pressure Pipe, Tubing, and Fittings). DOW DGDA-2490 BK 100 HDPE resin is validated by ISO 9080 for the ductile extrapolation to 250 years at 20°C (68°F).

"Dow is the first supplier to receive this 100-year listing at 20°C," explained Dr. Gene Palermo, technical director for the Plastics Pipe Institute. "The data also clearly confirm DOW DGDA-2490 BK 100 HDPE resin can be rated with the ISO method at 40°C and 60°C. Current ASTM guidelines in North America do not provide the flexibility for a gas engineer to design a system at selected times - like 100 years. As a result, we turned to the proposed ISO protocol described in PPI TR-9, which provides for design at selected use conditions."

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