Wear and Performance

Can you mix and match HDPE and Rubber lined pipe?

The short answer is yes!

Why would you want to mix the two?

There are several different reasons to mix HDPE and carbon steel. The majority of the time you have an HDPE line that needs custom fittings that are not able to be built in HDPE due to pressure constraints. You make them out of carbon steel. Long sweeping radius are better accomplished in carbon steel induction pulled bends.

What about misalignment?

Using reducing flanges on the carbon steel combined with different liner thicknesses you can match up the ID on many schedules of HDPE piping. se picture above!

What about grooved terminations?

Using Style 997 couplings and D-rings on carbon steel you can achieve matching ID’s.

Where has this been used in mining?

Some of the best examples of this i have seen is on tailing manifolds. HDPE being used for the run to the taillings pond but the Tee shapes being made of carbon rubber lined, for strengths and configuration. Also many 3D elbows and laterals made this way to change the direction using carbon steel. Many more shapes are available in steel as opposed to fabricated HDPE fittings which can be weaker than the extruded pipe.

Why is my elbow wearing out?

There are many factors that affect a liner’s wear characteristics. A liner which is working within it’s operational parameters can last 30 years and that’ the natural beauty of  rubber lining and why it has been utilized in the mining industry for so many years.

 Any of the following will have an affect on the liner life.

Angle of incident: The angle at which the slurry impacts the liner has a large effect on it’s resistance. Rubber is best suited for wet sliding abrasion. Angle of less than 5 deg or greater than 50 Deg have the best lifespan.

Particle Characteristics: Size, Distribution, Profile Characteristics, Hardness, Density of the concentrate and temperature all have an affect on wear.

Type of flow: Is the slurry a laminar flow, turbulent, heterogeneous or a homogeneous mix? What is the flow velocities, these are all factors in liner life.

Pipe Conditions: What is the pipe material or lining material, Durometer? What is the pipe formation, unevenness, bends or slopes? Is the diameter correct for the flow?

Slurry Makeup: Is the material acidic or alkaline. How is the distribution of the particulate? What is the temperature of the slurry?

These are some of the questions and factors which must be considered when choosing a lining material.