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Fiberglass is on the rise in pipeline construction – even and especially in the chemical industry. This is because the material is not only corrosion-resistant, but also insensitive to heat and force. Low weight and advantageous processing properties enable fast assembly processes that bring price advantages.
The pipes of the Zeitzer fiberglass pipe specialist Fiberpipe are manufactured in conjunction with worldwide partners and are fully compatible with existing systems due to their ISO dimensions. Custom-made products are also part of the core business.
The following examples show how fiberglass pipe systems and components have established themselves in the chemical industry.
The company: Kali + Salz GmbH (K+S) is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of specialty and standard fertilizers, plant care and salt products and employs around 12,000 people. For more than 25 years, K+S has been successfully relying on corrosion-resistant pipe systems made of epoxy resin. Many of the areas of application known today have been successfully used here for the first time. The experience that Fibercast centuder tubes have resistance to salt sols esals up to 120°C of more than 20 years is proven here every day.
The problem and its solution: In 2006, a new cover was to be implemented for the Werra plant in Philippsthal for a sewage treatment plant that absorbs 95°C hot, highly concentrated salt solses for the sedimentation of unresolved components. The range was about 6.7 metres and a load capacity of 350 kilograms per square metre. In addition, a gradient of about two degrees and a surface of the slide class R 12 had to be adhered to.
Since the service life of the previous rubberized steel constructions was unsatisfactory, Fiberpipe was commissioned with the planning as a specialist for corrosion-free components. The company incorporated the know-how, which resins are resistant to the fronds, into the design proposals, which also took into account the static specifications, cleaning hatches and removable assembly segments.
K+S opted for a construction of T-beams with a planking of vinyl ester resin profile plates. The complete order, including disassembly of the old cover, was carried out by Fiberpipe. All work was completed within just three weeks.
The company: The Oberrhein refinery in Karlsruhe is Germany’s largest refinery and one of the most modern and efficient in Europe. Around 1,000 employees refine around 16 million tonnes of crude oil annually into high-quality products such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, propylene and bitumen.
The task and its solution: In 2006, the company was in the process of renovating the existing sewage pipes. Since the entire sewer network must be corrosion-resistant, lockable and pressure-resistant, Fiberpipe was the first point of contact. An optimal compromise should be found between durability, temperature resilience, compressive strength and assembly friendliness.
Together with the client, Fiberpipe developed a tailor-made pipe system. The decisive factor for placing the order was that Fiberpipe not only supplies the material, but also carries out the assembly. Fiberpipe provided all relevant engineering services for this order. The solutions implemented by Fiberpipe form a wide range of DN 400 pipes for water transport up to loads at 125°Celsius and 16 bar pressure resistance.
The company: The refinery in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, manufactures a wide range of high-quality mineral oil products, whereby the complex production processes are controlled and monitored using state-of-the-art digital control technology. The company is particularly experienced with corrosion in pipelines.
The task and its solution: The task in 2006 was the development of a special pipe system for the drainage of tank lines. The challenge was that the pipes must be resistant to both normal waters and stored products in order to avoid damage to personnel and the environment in the event of an accident. Fiberpipe quickly involved the resin supplier in the development of the system and was thus able to supply a reliable product with optimal properties for this special case. Convenient for the client: Preparation, delivery and assembly were carried out from a single source as a complete service by Fiberpipe.
The company: Celanese Chemicals as a branch of Celanese Corporation is a leading manufacturer of acetyl products and dispersions. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company employs about 5,000 people worldwide and generated sales of approximately US-Dollar 4.3 billion in 2005. Celanese Chemicals operates production facilities in North and Central America, Southeast Asia and Europe.
The task and its solution: As part of a complete plant conversion at the Oberhausen site, people were looking for a Pipe DN 600 that remains corrosion-resistant to Brüden at 120°C. Since the resistance of normal steels is not sufficient, the choice was made for Fiberpipe, whose glass fiber pipes are able to cope with the stresses.
Fiberpipe took over the complete detail engineering – including stress analysis, design of the mounting concept, drawing creation, procurement of components, certifications and turn-key construction of the Frown lines. Precise planning reduced the assembly time and thus the duration of the plant downtime to an extreme minimum.
The company: As a multinational company in specialty chemicals, Degussa employs around 44,000 people worldwide. At the large-scale site in Wesseling, 1,500 employees work on an area of 330,000 square meters, the production is supported by a modern site service. The plant has been a regular customer of Fiberpipe since 2004.
The task and its solution: Fiberpipe has carried out a wide range of projects since 2004. The decisive advantage for Degussa is that Fiberpipe can quickly and easily adapt its product range to the changing needs of the customer again and again. The fast availability of the required product quantities and qualities up to the nominal size DN 300 simplifies all configuration processes.
The standard pipe system from Fiberpipe is designed according to ISO dimensions. In addition to the full compatibility of the various pipe systems, the advantage is the usability of standard components as brackets.
Are you interested in a case study, a case study or a user report? Please contact us, we will be happy to provide you with further information.
The company: The Ingolstadt power plant of E.ON-Kraftwerke GmbH is operated with heavy heating oil. The blocks each have a capacity of 386 megawatts and are mainly used to cover peak and medium loads.
The problem and its solution: Short-term work is necessary from time to time in the power plant blocks. Flexibility, the ability to assemble under the highest safety requirements and speed were decisive for the choice of the contracted service provider. If unforeseen repairs are to be carried out in the flue gas desulphurisation, these must normally be carried out immediately, during operation and, if necessary, with protective equipment. Fiberpipe provides the repair service with contractually agreed lead times of up to 24 hours. Fiberpipe’s standard pipe system is designed according to ISO dimensions. In addition to the full compatibility of the various pipe systems, the advantage is the usability of standard components as brackets. The fact that the lightweight GFRP pipes also allow for faster assembly and processing than would be possible with conventional piping systems saves additional time and thus costs for all work. Fiberpipe also provides a similar service for the large-scale mannheim AG power plant.
The company: Lurgi AG, based in Frankfurt am Main, is one of the leading companies in the field of plant engineering and process engineering. Against the background of increasingly scarce fossil raw materials, Lurgi is working on processes for extracting fuels from biomass. In the near future, all components of plants, including wood and other residues, will be able to be recycled in state-of-the-art biofuel plants.
The problem and its solution: As a global player, Lurgi was not only looking for a system specialist for corrosion-resistant pipelines in 2006 – he should also be able to deliver worldwide. Due to its large number of partners all over the world, Fiberpipe met the requirements profile. Whether pipelines for fire extinguishing and cooling water or transport lines for acids and alkalis – Fiberpipe ensures that the desired products are available not only in Europe, but also in North and South America, Asia and Australia at short notice.
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