• +91-804-1663637/9880591727
• info@srjpiping.com
• Mon - Sat: 9:00 - 18:00

Menu

How to Choose the Right Piping Material for Your Industrial Project?

Picking the right piping material for your industrial project is like choosing the right running shoes for a marathon race. As your footwear should sustain the distance, terrain, and climatic conditions, your piping material should withstand the different project elements. Getting it wrong will introduce early wear, expensive repairs, or could even be catastrophic in failure. 

So, how do you make the right choice? It is through understanding what influences the piping material selection and comparing the strengths against weaknesses of the different materials.

We intend this article to assist you in learning the fundamentals of material selection for piping, detailed comparisons between some of the most common industrial piping materials, and suggestions for specific applications. This is a detailed reference to draw from whether you’re trying to choose between stainless steel and carbon steel or trying to find the best piping material for a certain environment.

Factors to Consider in Piping Material Selection

Taking into consideration the best piping material to use in your industrial projects is more than merely selecting the strongest or least costly piping material. You must look upon many factors to ensure your material of choice performs within your application. Some of the critical considerations include:

Operating Conditions

The operating conditions in a piping system to temperature, pressure, and flow rate are important. For example, materials that showed good performance characteristics at ambient temperatures could fail in service at elevated temperatures. And sometimes, when facing high-pressure conditions, materials must be used with greater tensile strength.

1. Temperature resistance: Consider the maximum and minimum temperatures the piping will be exposed to. Materials like stainless steel have high-temperature resistance and are suitable for applications involving extreme heat.
2. Pressure tolerance: The pressure developed inside the pipe by either the fluid or gas flowing through the pipes is another important factor. The materials must have the strength to bear such pressures without deforming or failing.

Corrosion resistance

One of the main reasons most pipes fail is corrosion, so ensure the material chosen can withstand such in its surroundings. Vital, therefore, is that the material be chosen that can withstand corrosion in the environment it will be found in. There could be chemicals, moisture, and several other corroding elements that must guide your choice of a material.

1. Chemical Compatibility: If you will be conveying corrosive chemicals, you will need materials that will not react negatively. For example, stainless steel is very resistant to chemical corrosion.
2. Environmental Factors: More so, the consideration of the major external environmental factors is exposure to seawater, industrial pollutants, and other corrosive materials that heighten the corrosion scales, and so on. 

Mechanical Properties

It is the mechanical properties that describe the performance of the material in use: tensile strength, ductility, and hardness. Such properties will determine how well the material can withstand the stresses and strains it will face during operation.

1. Tensile strength: It is the resistance of the material to break under tension. High-tensile materials will be required where high pressures are expected to be encountered.
2. Ductility: Ductility is a material’s ability to defer under stresses before it fractures. It is a very significant property in the transmission application where, among other things, the pipe is going to deal with dynamic loads or vibrations.
3. Hardness: Hardness is what controls a material’s resistance to wear and abrasion. Thus, in some conditions dominated by particulate matter or some other kind of abrasive substances, this property is crucial to the materials in question.

Cost-effectiveness

While the goal is to select material that will meet all the technical requirements, cost is a factor in selecting one. The goal is to find one that gives the best balance of performance versus cost.

1. Short-Term Cost vs. Long-Term Benefit: Consider materials cost only at the beginning and their service life and maintenance requirements. In this way, it will be found that a more expensive material has more long-term value since it requires less maintenance and has a longer service life.
2. Availability: The availability of the material will also affect its cost and impact your project timeline. The easily readymade available materials will help to shorten the schedule and hence the overall project cost.

Regulatory and Industry Standards

This is one area where industrial projects do not compromise. Always make sure that your material complies with the required applicable regulatory and industry standards clearly, to provide safety, reliability, and enforceability.

1. Industry-Specific Standards: Different industries will have their standards for piping material. For example, the oil and gas industry should follow, among others, the American Petroleum Institute (API) standard.
2. Local Regulations: Be sure to consider any local regulations that may apply to your project, especially if the conveyance of hazardous materials is involved.

Comparison of Common Piping Materials

Now that we’ve discussed what to look for in piping material selection, let’s take a look at some of the most popular industrial piping materials and compare them. Each material has its list of pros and cons, which make it best suited for given applications.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel has become very popular in industrial piping because of its high corrosion resistance, high-temperature bearing capacity, and strength. It is widely used in such hygienic environments as food processing, pharmaceuticals, and chemical manufacturing.

Advantages

• Has very high corrosion and oxidation resistance
• Strong and durable
• Can withstand high temperatures
• Clean and easily maintainable

.

Disadvantages

• Higher cost compared to other materials
• Can be awkward to work due to the hardness 
• Needs to be taken care of while machining
• Stress corrosion cracking can occur in different environments

Carbon Steel

Carbon steel is a material highly esteemed for its strength and cost-effectiveness; hence it has found extensive use across various industries. This material is therefore very suitable for high-pressure systems and low-temperature variance environments.

Advantages

• High tensile strength
• Relative cost-effectiveness compared to stainless steel
• Available in several grades for use in different applications
• Performs well in high-pressure environments

Disadvantages

• Subjects to corrosion, especially in a moist and acidic atmosphere
• High maintenance is required to prevent rusting
• Not suitable for high temperatures unless especially treated

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

It is a versatile, less expensive plastic piping material recommended for a variety of low-pressure and low-temperature applications. It is widely used in the chemical processing industry and water and wastewater systems.

Advantages

• High resistance to chemicals and corrosion
• Lightweight and easy to install
• Cost-effective for low-pressure applications
• Available in a wide range of sizes and fittings

Disadvantages

• Weak temperature tolerances
• Low-temperature brittleness
• May become susceptible to the degradation initiated by ultraviolet rays

Copper

Copper has been a material used for piping systems, having high thermal conductivity and being corrosion-resistant for a long time. It is usually used in plumbing heating and cooling systems. It is also somewhat used in lower-end industrial applications.

Advantages

• Highly resistant to corrosion
• High thermal conductivity—Excellent in heat exchange and HVAC applications
• Bio-resistant and anti-microbial
• Easy joining and installation methods

Disadvantages

• Relatively expensive to materials like PVC or carbon steel
• Corrodes easily in the presence of acidic environments
• The scrap value is high and has a high probability of getting stolen.

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

High-density polyethylene is flexible and chemical-resistant in tough plastic. It’s a material common in use in an industrial piping system due to its nature of being resistant to many impacts and corrosion by chemicals.

Advantages

• Good resistance to chemicals and corrosion
• Flexible as it can never break easily
• Light and easy to lay down
• May be laid underground

Disadvantages

• Not for high-temperature, high-pressure applications
• Inferior pressure rating when compared to steel
• Can be damaged by UV if not protected well

Best Materials for Specific Applications

Pipe materials for use in piping vary from industry to industry, since the environment and the material to be conveyed would vary accordingly. Here are some applications and chalked out are the materials that are the best fit for an application:

Chemical Processing Plants

Corrosion resistance: The piping material selected needs to be resistant to many highly corrosive substances in chemical processing plants. Thus, stainless steel is one of the most popular selections, having very high chemical resistance, apart from its strength. Occasionally, specific materials of construction, such as Inconel or Hastelloy, need to be used for handling highly corrosive or high-temperature processes.

Food and Beverage Industry

The food and beverage industries demand materials that are easy to clean and maintain, and strong enough to withstand the process conditions. Because of its ability to resist corrosion, its inertness towards food products, and its resistance to frequent cleaning and sterilization, the material preferred in this industry is stainless steel.

Oil and Gas Industry

The needs of the oil and gas industry require piping materials that must withstand severe pressure and temperature and, in some cases, be exposed to highly corrosive elements such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. Carbon steel is widely used due to its mechanical strength and relatively lower cost, but in more aggressive environments, stainless steel or even duplex stainless steel may be required.

Water and Wastewater Treatment

For water and wastewater treatment facilities, corrosion resistance and cost-effectiveness are key considerations. Both durable and resistant to corrosion, commonly used materials include PVC, HDPE, and ductile iron. On the other hand, stainless steel is typically used in areas that are heavily exposed to chemicals and high temperatures.

HVAC Systems

In HVAC systems, thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance are critical. Copper is a common material because of its good thermal conductivity and formability. For larger systems, carbon steel or stainless steel might be used for different reasons.

SRJ’s Recommendations for Material Selection

Appropriate choice of piping material is a big step to be taken to make your industrial project a success. We have a team of experts to guide you on the knowledge and skills of material selection, so that the best piping material may be chosen for your specific needs. Then our experience-based top recommendations would be as below:

For High-Temperature Applications

If your application involves high temperatures, you have the option to select stainless steel or a high-temperature alloy, such as Inconel. These offer significant resistance to the heat and retain their structural integrity even in the harshest environmental conditions.

For Corrosive Environments

In aggressive settings experiencing corrosion problems, the best materials are usually stainless steel or duplex stainless. These offer better resistance to a wide range of corrosive substances and extend the lifespan of your piping system.

For Economical Solutions

If cost is a major consideration and operating conditions are not too extreme, carbon steel or PVC could be the best answer. Carbon steel is strong and less expensive, while PVC is lightweight and resistant to many chemicals and is a good choice for lower-pressure systems.

For Flexible Installations

We would recommend the use of HDPE in projects that will need to be flexible, such as underground piping or installations in areas potentially subjected to seismic activity. In light of these solicitations, it is an excellent material since it is supple and resilient to impact.

Maintenance and Monitoring Role in Material Longevity

However, selecting appropriate material would just be partly the solution, proper maintenance, and monitoring are equally important to make sure that your Piping system will last long. Regular inspection of corrosion and prompt conducting of repairs can prevent small problems from growing into major problems.

Regular Inspections

Periodic pipe system inspection helps you to identify signs of wearing and corroding far beforehand. This might help in extending piping material lifespan and ensuring no premature or costly failures.

Corrosion Monitoring

Corrosion monitoring tools are good sources of real-time data regarding the exact status of your pipe in systems exposed to corrosive conditions. It helps to have the correct information that will put you in line for timely corrective actions before corrosion lays you asunder.

Timely Repairs

If there are any problems detected, make sure that the process of correction begins. Any delay in the effect of the repair will only result in an exponential increment of the damage observed, thereby increasing the cost and complexity of the repair work.

Future Trends in Piping Materials

As industries continue to develop, the same trend has been seen in materials utilized in the piping system. Emerging trends in material science are leading to the development of new materials with even greater performance, durability, and sustainability.

Composite Materials

Composite materials, which assimilate the best of many materials, are getting more and more popular for use in pipelining systems in industries. Combining excellent corrosion, high temperatures, and mechanical resistance with low weight and facility of installation is possible with such materials.

Eco-Friendly Materials

Sustainability is creeping into every field, and the piping material being developed is increasingly environmentally friendly. Such materials are developed to have the minimum adverse effect on the environment, both in the production area and whenever they may be disposed of. This makes them a potential material for environmentally concerned projects.

Smart Materials

The incorporation of smart technology in the material of piping is just an illustration of what is coming. Smart materials will be able to automatically monitor in situ the conditions of temperature, pressure, or corrosion changes and quickly provide real-time data to their maintainers. This can greatly contribute to industrial piping reliability and safety.

Conclusion

Choosing the right piping material for an industrial project is a critical decision that affects the overall safety, efficiency, and serviceability life of your system. Well-informed decisions can be made once you have considered operating conditions and resistance to corrosion, mechanical properties, and cost; in so doing, materials can be chosen that suit best the specific needs of your projects.

That’s what we are trying to do; to help guide you through complex piping material selection issues. Our team of professionals holds the requisite knowledge and experience to recommend the best materials for your project, ensuring performance that shall persist over the years.