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Investigation of Polyethylene Pipeline Behavior after 30 Years of Use in Gas Distribution Network

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Abstract

Polyethylene (PE) gas pipes are introduced in Algeria in 1978 to substitute the old pipelines made by copper, steel and cast iron. These later were used for the distribution of natural gas with medium working pressure of four bars. In this study, the polyethylene pipes were extracted from the Algerian distribution gas network in order to study their characteristics after more than 30 years of use. Two different pipe diameters (Ø63 and Ø125) with different ages of use were characterized according to the specifications on the EN1555-2 standard. The dimensional, physical and mechanical tests were performed with the same parameters as a newly produced pipe. The results showed that most of the characteristics are still fitting the EN 1555-2 specifications except for the density and the oxidative induction time. These two later will be considered as two basic parameters for the future studies of the polyethylene aging.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by DGRSDT (Direction Générale de la Recherche Scientifique et du Développement Technologique, Algeria). The authors gratefully acknowledge the center of research and development on Electricity and gas «Centre de Recherche et de Développement de l’Electricité et du Gaz - CREDEG/Spa» and the distribution directions of Sonelgaz (SDA – SDE – SDO and SDC) for their financial and technical support of this project. The author would like also to thank the Algerian PEHD pipes production factories, especially Sitep Tuboplast, Chiali Tubes, Chiali Profiplast, Tubex and Kplast for their help in conducting the mechanical tests (Determination of tensile properties and the Hydrostatic strength test) presented in this paper.

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Correspondence to Naima Belhaneche-Bensemra.

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Bachir-Bey, T., Belhaneche-Bensemra, N. Investigation of Polyethylene Pipeline Behavior after 30 Years of Use in Gas Distribution Network. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 29, 6652–6660 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-020-05118-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-020-05118-9

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