Georg Fischer polypropylene piping systems

When it comes to finding a DWV (drain, waste and vent) drainage system for use in pharmaceutical, biotech and chemical research laboratories that can handle the various chemicals and solvents that get flushed down the sink, options can be limited. Both glass and stainless steel are popular due to their high chemical resistance. Both, of course, have their limitations as well, being very low impact resistance and high cost, respectively.

Polypropylene has good chemical and physical properties to make it suitable for handling corrosive chemical waste solutions present in laboratory and industrial DWV applications. It is suitable for use in chemical and industrial plants as well as in hospital and university laboratories where mixtures of acids, bases and solvents are drained.

Polypropylene can handle temperatures up to 100°C and has a very high impact strength. It will not rust, pit, scale, corrode or be affected by electrolysis, and, in aboveground installations, the pigmentation protects the system from sunlight.

Polypropylene is resistant to the corrosive action of alkalis, alcohols, acids, solvents and salt solutions. Dilute mineral acids and aqueous solutions of acid salts, which are so destructive to most metals, have no effect on polypropylene. In general, it is attacked only by strong oxidising acids and weakened by certain organic solvents and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Polypropylene is a material that is known to have wide acceptance as a superior thermoplastic material for handling harsh, corrosive fluids. With mechanical joints for easy under-sink clean-out or electrofusion couplings for any overhead applications, installation time is much quicker than welding stainless steel.