What is PPR Pipe & What is it Used For?

Since its development in the early 90’s the application of PPR pipe has become commonplace, due to its durability, cost effectiveness and long service life. As a manufacturer you may be curious as to why some companies choose to produce PPR over PVC and PE pipe. In this article we will cover the basics of PPR pipe, its features, advantages, and its most common applications.

What Is PPR Pipe?

PPR pipe is a straight and rigid cylindrical pipe, made from Polypropylene Random Copolymer plastic, produced through a continuous extrusion process. They are commonly offered in green or white color, and in outer diameter sizes ranging from 20mm to 110mm making the pipe walls far thicker than PVC. PPR pipe is accompanied by a series of connection fittings, parts, and accessories available for every pipe diameter.

PPR Pipe Characteristics

Low Thermal Conductivity

The thermal conductivity of PPR is very low, meaning temperature cannot easily be conducted from the outside environment to the liquid in the pipe, and vice versa. This factor reduces heat loss or gain during the transferring of hot or cold fluids respectively, resulting in energy efficient systems and lower insulation costs for PPR piping.

Long Service Life & Durability

PPR piping systems can remain functional for over 50 years, at a wide range of fluid and environmental operating temperatures. Moreover, PPR pipe exhibits excellent durability in both hot and cold water systems. Firstly, it can endure the temperature and pressure strain of hot water systems.

At the same time PPR pipe is able to structurally withstand impacts even in cold weather installations without any risk of cracking or breaking, unlike other common types of plastic piping.

Efficient Inner Surface

The inner surface of PPR pipe is very smooth and boasts a very low friction coefficient, compared to traditional types of piping. This results in a reduction of pressure losses during fluid transport and distribution, further contributing to the energy efficiency of PPR piping systems. Moreover, unlike metal pipes PPR does not flake or scale, making them safer to use.

Chemical & Mechanical Endurance

Compared to traditional plastic piping systems, PPR offers very high resistance against abrasion by hard particles. This is especially important in cases of well water or industrial applications, where the transferred liquids may contain abrasive particles.

Moreover, unlike traditional metal piping, PPR is inert to most electrolytes and chemicals, over a wide range of temperatures. This electrolytic and chemical inertness makes PPR piping safe to use in cases of high water salinity (eg. in pool applications that use sea water) or even highly corrosive chemicals (eg. in industrial applications).

Ecological & Economic Efficiency

Due to the low weight of PPR pipe, their transport, handling, and installation doesn’t require high amounts of energy consumption or manual labor. At the same time they are very easy to cut, join, and work with, making them even more economically sustainable.

Moreover, joining PPR pipe and fittings is performed solely through heat and doesn’t require any additional chemicals or materials. All of these factors contribute to PPRs low environmental impact and usage cost.

PPR Pipe Applications

The durability, economical, and ecological advantages of PPR has resulted in it being used for an increasing number of diverse applications in recent years.