Water, Sewage & Effluent November-December 2016 | Page 34

DPI Plastics DPI Plastics offers a full product range of PVC pipes up to 630mm, and fittings are available for these sizes. PP vs PVC for pipes and fittings for sewer, drainage applications While PVC sewer fittings are all rated 400KPa (SN 8), both SANS 8773 and SANS 21138 allow lower stiffness ratings for fittings. A lower stiffness rating makes for a thinner wall thickness and, therefore, a cheaper product. Low-stiffness pipes and fittings are intended for use in shallow drains, whereas SN 8 (400kPa) pipes and fittings can be used in all drains and deep sewers. “The South African market is not well educated to look for, and know, the difference. Hence, SN 2 (100kPa) and SN 4 (200kPa) PP sewer fittings are sometimes installed in main sewer lines — an application they were not designed or intended for. This may lead to premature failure of sewer lines,” DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman warns. “PP is a new entrant with a minimal track record in the sewerage and drainage market compared to PVC, both locally and abroad,” Snyman points out. His call for increased awareness of PP versus PVC comes in light of PP fittings for sewer and drainage applications slowly being introduced into the local market. DPI Plastics offers a full product range of PVC pipes up to 630mm, and fittings are available for these sizes. However, only 110mm PP sewer fittings are available in South Africa. “This means that a full system and size range of pipes and fittings are not available locally in PP material,” Snyman cautions. Smart and hygienic pumping KSB Pumps and Valves has introduced smart pump solutions for hygienic applications that give users vital pump information at their fingertips. KSB’s PumpMeter is compatible with its Vitachrom and Vitacast pumps and provides all the necessary information about the condition of the pump on its easy to read data display. The manufacturer has also optimised PumpMeter so that it can be combined with pumps used in sterile processes, for example in life sciences applications. Installation of the system also 32 Water Sewage & Effluent November/December 2016 meets the requirements of hygienically demanding processes. All the sensors are mounted as flush with the pipes as possible and are sealed with O-rings. This eliminates dead volumes and results in easier cleaning. “PumpMeter complies with all standard food industry regulations applicable for Vitachrom and Vitacast. It offers total transparency that extends the service life of pumps and helps users identify efficiency potential,” says Hendrik Enslin, KSB Pump and Valves application manager.