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Asbestos cement pipes - Shine above the competition
 

AC Pipes have some intrinsic physical advantages over their competitors. Below we emphasize these advantages. Unfortunately due to the unfounded paranoia surrounding asbestos, the market share of these pipes has dropped drastically from 35% to 3%.

  • Asbestos is stronger than steel and thermal coefficient matches with cement. It provides a homogenous, microscopic , three dimensional reinforcement in AC. Can thus withstand more than 15 times the water pressure than a concrete pipe of similar thickness.
  • Durability(100yrs) & it gains strength with age !!
  • Thus safety factor increases unlike in alternatives where it reduces.
  • Lower initial costs and longer life means cost / year is 1/4th to 1/10th of its alternatives.
  • Robust, thus least storage costs
  • Capable to withstand the transverse stress arising out of internal pressure, including water hammer (pressure surge).
  • It has high flexural stress i.e. high crushing strength. Hence it can be safely used under heavy external loads and the heavy traffic. It can withstand backpressures even when the pipe is under vacuum.
  • It's low co - efficient of expansion, helps to counter the expansion and contraction arising out of the variations in temperature of water it carries; also the unbalanced pressure produced due to bends, and closures including gates.
  • It is corrosion free - both chemically and electrolitically.
  • Friction loss is low and high carrying capacity is permanently maintained, as the pipes are not subject to encrustation or tuberculation. C value = 150. Hence considerable savings in power and cost of pumping, when compared to most other pipes.
  • It has low thermal conductivity / excellent Insulation as a result of which water conveyed by these pipes remains cool even when the ambient temperature is high.
  • These pipes are comparatively light and are easy to handle and transport.
  • Jointing is easy & the joints have flexibility(upto 10 degrees in AC Couplings) to obtain a satisfactory joint (unlike most alternatives).
  • Easy & inexpensive to cut and tap and to use & maintain. (Often known as permanent & maintenance free pipes )
  • AC is Heat & Fire resistance
  • Can withstand chlorine treated drinking waterand no tuberculation / erosion occurs
  • Excellent for Intermittent Water supply where corrosion, tuberculation & erosion problems are acute
  • Excellent for tropical countries

Alternatives : weaken with age thus reducing their safety factor and durability.

- In concrete steel being the reinforcement, detachment and weakness develop due to varying thermal expansion of steel and cement & due to corrosion of steel

- Plastics are weaker, moreover embitterment & atmospheric degradation further weakens them & reduces the life. ( approx 1/4th life)

- Metals : corrosion weakens them & reduces the life. (approx 1/4th life)

- Metals with internal lining are prone to lining damage & thus acute pitting corrosion along with external corrosion (much higher costs but approx 1/4th life)

Joy Manglani
Only Nature Endures

 

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