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Welcome to our FAQ’s page on all things HDPE Pipes, HDPE fittings and PE Fabrication, where you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions. If you have further questions please feel free to contact us
Carbon black, utilized in most all HDPE pipe is the most effective ultraviolet stabilizer and therefore, black is the recommended pipe color for exposed long term service or storage. Pipe of this color will provide decades of outdoor use similar to that of black power-line cable jacketing. HDPE pipe produced in non-black colors may also be supplied for outdoor exposure (storage and use) but its life expectancy is much less and is usually specified for a particular time period. Questions on this topic should be referred to the pipe manufacturer.
Yes, HDPE pipe, due to its density being slightly less than water, will float even when full of water.
Union Global generally supplies pipe in accordance with ISO 4427 and can also supply pipe to suit customer requirements and other standards.
Smaller diameter pipes can be supplied in 50m to 100m rolls. Larger diameter pipes can be supplied in 6m and 12m lengths. We can also supply customs lengths based on your requirements. Please contact our sales staff for more information.
Many installations of HDPE pipe in water applications are already reaching 50 years of successful service. The polyethylene pipe industry estimates a service life for HDPE pipe to conservatively be 50-100 years but this will vary based on pipe service conditions. This relates to savings in replacement costs for generations to come.
Contact our sales staff for the availability of your specific requirements.
DR stands for Dimension Ratio which is the average outside diameter (note: DR is also used for PVC pipe) divided by the minimum wall thickness. A Standard Dimension Ratio (SDR) is a specific DR based on ISO preferred number series The use of SDR’s enables manufacturers to produce pipe to a set of standardized DR’s. SDR’s include 9, 11, 13.5, 17, 21, 26, and 32.5. All SDR’s are DR’s, but not all DR’s are SDR’s.
PE pipe can be used to transport potable water, waste water, chemicals and compressed gas
Union Global is the sole distributor of products manufactured by Hydro Dynamic Pipe Engineering
Lead times will vary depending on the quantity and size of pipe required. Contact our sales department for more information.
Lead times will vary depending on the quantity and size of pipe required. Contact our sales department for more information.
The advantages of HDPE pipes are
Our pipe has many uses. Irrigation, sewerage, drinking water lines and more. See page 8 of our catalog for more examples of applications.
Our pipe has many uses. Irrigation, sewerage, drinking water lines and more. See page 8 of our catalog for more examples of applications
Union Global currently has the following approvals and has supplied to many high profile projects and clients
Be sure to check with our sales staff as we are constantly pursuing registration with many other bodies.
No. All pipes expand and contract with change in temperature. The key is management of the resultant thermal strain. As with all materials, expansion and contraction must be taken into consideration when designing a HDPE piping system. Buried pipelines usually do not move due to soil friction. However, thermal effects must be considered for above grade applications.
The fusion bead has very little effect on the flow as it is basically rounded and protrudes very little on the inside surface of the pipe Secondly, the Hazen-Williams C-factor of 150 takes into account the inner bead. Field tests confirm that a 150 C- factor used in the Hazen- Williams equation properly calculates actual flow and that the bead is of no hydraulic significance for either pressure or flow. The Hazen-Williams Friction Factor, C, for PE pipe was determined in a hydraulics laboratory using heat fusion joined lengths of pipe with the inner bead present.
Generally pipes are produced in accordance ISO 4427 (see page 65 of our catalog for more details). In addition custom thickness can be supplied such as thin wall sleeve pipe and duct pipe.
Refer to page 70 in the Union Global catalog for an estimate on how many pipes will fit on a standard 40ft trailer.
HDPE pipe provides the lowest life cycle cost when compared to other systems due to significantly reduced or no leakage, increased billable dollars, water conservation, fewer new water-treatment plants, reduced maintenance crews, reduced seasonal water-main breaks, and no loss in flow capacity over the long term.
Underground water pipes are a major long term (50-100years) investment. In addition to comparing the initial purchase price, the long term maintenance costs and overall life-cycle costs should be carefully evaluated. Compared to PVC and ductile iron, PE has the lowest life-cycle costs due to lower installation costs, lower repair rates, less water loss and lower energy costs.
HDPE is a ductile material and has exceptional impact strength. HDPE’s superior impact strength provides a piping system that is near impervious to impact damage and to damage from improper tapping. In the real world, engineers understand that pipes must be tough and resist impact and handling damage. HDPE pipes are field tested and proven to be impact tough.
HDPE pipe is easily and dependably joined using the standardized butt-fusion procedure. In this process matching ends of the pipes to be joined are aligned and heated with standard tools until the surfaces have become molten. When engaged under moderate pressure, the melt faces flow together forming a monolithic, homogeneous joint that, as the material cools, yields joints that are as strong as or stronger than the pipe itself.
There are several other well established heat fusion procedures used to join HDPE pipe such as electro fusion, which is exceptionally well suited for the assembly of pipe to fittings, or for making tie-ins or repairs, and saddle fusion which is used for the attachment of service fittings to HDPE mains. Apart from the heat fusion process of joining HDPE pipe, it can also be joined successfully with a variety of mechanical style fittings.
Yes, however we maintain stock of most sizes and can supply small quantities in most instances. Contact our sales department for more information.
Yes, however we maintain stock of most sizes and can supply small quantities in most instances. Contact our sales department for more information.
All plastic materials, including HDPE and PVC, are subject to creep. Proper design, such as using the long-term modulus of the material where appropriate, accounts for creep effects.
YES. Send us a drawing and we will provide an estimate.
Yes. PE pipe can be installed with pipe bursting, slip lining, or horizontal directional drilling (HOD) techniques, all of which are trenchless.
Yes. In some cases, depending on the butterfly valve dimensions, butterfly valve flange adapters, or standard flange adapters with tapered ID spacers are required in order for the valve to open & close freely.
No. PE pipe is known for its flexibility, toughness and chemical resistance. PE pipe can withstand great pressure changes due to its outstanding ductility and toughness. These performance characteristics make PE pipe an excellent choice for dynamic soils and earthquake prone areas that require a strong, long-lasting and corrosion-resistant pipe that is also flexible enough to be installed and assembled in harsh and challenging environments.
No. When HDPE pipe is buried, the temperature of the system becomes much more stable than an above ground pipeline and therefore will exhibit far less dimensional change. In most systems, buried HDPE pipe does not move after it is buried.
Refer to page 70 in the Union Global catalog for an estimate on how many pipes will fit on a standard 40ft trailer.
HDPE pipe provides the lowest life cycle cost when compared to other systems due to significantly reduced or no leakage, increased billable dollars, water conservation, fewer new water-treatment plants, reduced maintenance crews, reduced seasonal water-main breaks, and no loss in flow capacity over the long term.
Underground water pipes are a major long term (50-100years) investment. In addition to comparing the initial purchase price, the long term maintenance costs and overall life-cycle costs should be carefully evaluated. Compared to PVC and ductile iron, PE has the lowest life-cycle costs due to lower installation costs, lower repair rates, less water loss and lower energy costs.
Union Global generally supplies pipe in accordance with ISO 4427 and can also supply pipe to suit customer requirements and other standards
Many installations of HDPE pipe in water applications are already reaching 50 years of successful service. The polyethylene pipe industry estimates a service life for HDPE pipe to conservatively be 50-100 years but this will vary based on pipe service conditions. This relates to savings in replacement costs for generations to come.
Union Global currently has the following approvals and has supplied to many high profile projects and clients
Be sure to check with our sales staff as we are constantly pursuing registration with many other bodies.
YES. Send us a drawing and we will provide an estimate
Carbon black, utilized in most all HDPE pipe is the most effective ultraviolet stabilizer and therefore, black is the recommended pipe color for exposed long term service or storage. Pipe of this color will provide decades of outdoor use similar to that of black power-line cable jacketing. HDPE pipe produced in non-black colors may also be supplied for outdoor exposure (storage and use) but its life expectancy is much less and is usually specified for a particular time period. Questions on this topic should be referred to the pipe manufacturer.
Yes, HDPE pipe, due to its density being slightly less than water, will float even when full of water.
HDPE Pipes are generally utilized for the transportation of water, various chemicals and gases. There are numerous manufacturing international standards for HDPE pipes and generally Union Global can produce pipes that follow the metric system utilizing millimeters. The standards that Union Global; can produce are but not limited to
– ISO 4427
– EN 12201
– DIN 8074
– BS EN1519
– ISO 4437
HDPE pipes can be produced for pressure or non pressure applications. If you need assistance with standard your project requires please send us a enquiry.
Smaller diameter pipes can be supplied in 50m to 100m rolls. Larger diameter pipes can be supplied in 6m and 12m lengths. We can also supply customs lengths based on your requirements. Please contact our sales staff for more information.
Many installations of HDPE pipe in water applications are already reaching 50 years of successful service. The polyethylene pipe industry estimates a service life for HDPE pipe to conservatively be 50-100 years but this will vary based on pipe service conditions. This relates to savings in replacement costs for generations to come.
DR stands for Dimension Ratio which is the average outside diameter (note: DR is also used for PVC pipe) divided by the minimum wall thickness. A Standard Dimension Ratio (SDR) is a specific DR based on ISO preferred number series The use of SDR’s enables manufacturers to produce pipe to a set of standardized DR’s. SDR’s include 9, 11, 13.5, 17, 21, 26, and 32.5. All SDR’s are DR’s, but not all DR’s are SDR’s.
PE pipe can be used to transport potable water, waste water, chemicals and compressed gas.
No. All pipes expand and contract with change in temperature. The key is management of the resultant thermal strain. As with all materials, expansion and contraction must be taken into consideration when designing a HDPE piping system. Buried pipelines usually do not move due to soil friction. However, thermal effects must be considered for above grade applications.
Generally pipes are produced in accordance ISO 4427 (see page 65 of our catalog for more details). In addition custom thickness can be supplied such as thin wall sleeve pipe and duct pipe
HDPE is a ductile material and has exceptional impact strength. HDPE’s superior impact strength provides a piping system that is near impervious to impact damage and to damage from improper tapping. In the real world, engineers understand that pipes must be tough and resist impact and handling damage. HDPE pipes are field tested and proven to be impact tough.
HDPE pipe is easily and dependably joined using the standardized butt-fusion procedure. In this process matching ends of the pipes to be joined are aligned and heated with standard tools until the surfaces have become molten. When engaged under moderate pressure, the melt faces flow together forming a monolithic, homogeneous joint that, as the material cools, yields joints that are as strong as or stronger than the pipe itself.
There are several other well established heat fusion procedures used to join HDPE pipe such as electro fusion, which is exceptionally well suited for the assembly of pipe to fittings, or for making tie-ins or repairs, and saddle fusion which is used for the attachment of service fittings to HDPE mains. Apart from the heat fusion process of joining HDPE pipe, it can also be joined successfully with a variety of mechanical style fittings.
Yes. PE pipe can be installed with pipe bursting, slip lining, or horizontal directional drilling (HOD) techniques, all of which are trenchless.
Yes. In some cases, depending on the butterfly valve dimensions, butterfly valve flange adapters, or standard flange adapters with tapered ID spacers are required in order for the valve to open & close freely.
No. PE pipe is known for its flexibility, toughness and chemical resistance. PE pipe can withstand great pressure changes due to its outstanding ductility and toughness. These performance characteristics make PE pipe an excellent choice for dynamic soils and earthquake prone areas that require a strong, long-lasting and corrosion-resistant pipe that is also flexible enough to be installed and assembled in harsh and challenging environments.
No. When HDPE pipe is buried, the temperature of the system becomes much more stable than an above ground pipeline and therefore will exhibit far less dimensional change. In most systems, buried HDPE pipe does not move after it is buried.