What are the different types of fiberglass pipes?

Fiberglass is a type of fiber-reinforced plastic where glass fiber is the reinforced plastic. That is why fiberglass is sometimes known as glass fiber reinforced plastic or glass reinforced plastic.

Glass fibers can be comprised of different types of glass. Flattened into a sheet, the glass fiber is randomly arranged or woven into a fabric. Fiberglass is lightweight, strong and less brittle.

One of the most appealing features of fiberglass is that it can be molded into different shapes. This explains why fiberglass is widely used in construction, civil engineering, commercial and residential products, aircraft, roofing, and sporting equipment.

At the end of the 18th century, glass fiber was discovered by French scientist Rene Ferchault de Reaumur though it was left largely on the back burner. A German glass blower was recorded to have made a piece of cloth by weaving silk fibers in one direction with glass fibers in the other.

In 1893, at the Chicago world fair, Edward D. Libbey — from Libbey Glass Company — showcased a dress made of that cloth. For demonstration purposes only, the dress tended to break when folded and weighed 13.5 pounds.

Clothing aside, glass fibers offered potential for a number of uses though at that time, they were not completely flexible. There was also no way of mass-producing these glass fibers.

Fortunately, in the 1930s, Illinois-based Owens-Illinois Glass Company discovered a process to produce air filters made of glass fiber for ventilating equipment. These air filters were more efficient than the cotton material used for the same purpose.

Also, these glass fiber air filters were inexpensive and could be discarded when they became clogged. Owens-Illinois was a steady seller of these air filters for decades with the widespread use of air conditioning.

Fiberglass behaves like regular glass:

• It does not absorb moisture
• It does not mold nor mildew
• It is non-conductive
• It does not rust, shrink, expand, or burn

Several decades and many discoveries later, Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) products are used to make items like rotor blades for windmills and helicopters, components for commercial and military aircraft, parts for vehicles and even trucks.

FRPs are used in sports and recreational equipment such as surfboards, snow skis, bicycles, and sports gear like athletic shoes. The flexibility of FRPs produced in a process of manufacturing known as pultrusion means that profiles with flowing shapes can be created. This means that if the desired product can be modeled, it can be built.

The prices of traditional materials such as steel and wood have tended to increase while the cost of FRP materials is on the decline. Also, manufacturing processes have improved over the years, becoming more efficient. For industries, FRP products are more economical year by year.

Previously, many of the FRP products needed to be painted as they tended to be translucent. Currently, manufacturers can spray a coat of gel before laying up the glass mats and resin. An innovative method of production known as pultrusion pulls strands of glass fiber through vats of resin into a heated die.

In this process of manufacturing stiff or flexible, customizable profiles can be produced and formed. These include rods, window reinforcements, tree stakes, and driveway markers or any profile with a constant cross-section such as an I-beam.

Types of Fiberglass

Fiberglass can be broadly categorized into different forms, each of which is used for different applications:

• A-glass: Also known as alkali glass. A-glass fiber is resistant to chemicals and has some similarities to window glass. Outside of the United States, it is used to make process equipment.
• C-glass: Also known as chemical glass. C-glass offers great resistance to chemical impact.
• E-glass: Also called electrical glass. E-glass is an excellent insulator of electricity.
• AE-glass: Alkali resistant glass.
• S-glass: Also known as structural glass. S-glass is used for its mechanical properties.

Attributes of Fiberglass

High tensile strength: In thermal load-bearing projects, fiberglass rebars are as strong as steel when it comes to reaching a buckling point. They maintain their integrity and do not corrode when used in harsh environments.

For more Horizontal FRP Composite Tank information, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

In a study on FRP rebar used in construction for the reduction of thermal bridges, load-bearing fiberglass rebar had a higher longitudinal tensile strength and lower module of elasticity and density in contrast with steel (550 MPa and 200GPa for steel compared to 1000 MPa and 50GPa for fiberglass rebar).

• Electrical insulation: Fiberglass has excellent electrical insulation properties.
• Non-combustible: It is not combustible. It does not propagate or support a flame. When exposed to heat, it does not emit smoke or give off toxic chemicals.
• Dimensional stability: Fiberglass does not warp, bend or distort as it has a low coefficient of linear expansion.
• Does not rot: Fiberglass maintains its integrity and is not impacted by the action of rodents and insects.
• Thermal conductivity: Fiberglass is popular in building and construction as it has low thermal conductivity.

Applications of Fiberglass in Industries

Fiberglass is durable, safe and offers high thermal insulation. It not only provides better insulation and is widely used in the industries given below:

• Manufacturing: Fiberglass grating has an embedded grit surface for slip resistance in wet areas or in places where hydraulic fluids or oils are present.
• Metals and mining: Fiberglass is used to make grating especially in areas that are exposed to chemical corrosion.
• Power generation: Many areas of the power generation industry like tank farms, scrubbers, and others use fiberglass as it has non-conductive properties.
• Automotive industry: Fiberglass is extensively used in the automobile industry to make vehicle and body kits and components.
• Aerospace & Defense: Fiberglass is used to manufacture parts for both military and civilian aerospace industry including test equipment, ducting, enclosures, and others.
• Docks and marinas: Fiberglass does not get corroded, rusted and damaged by salty watery environments.
• Fountains and aquariums: Fiberglass is used to support rocks to help in circulation and filtering from under the rocks. Where there are large public fountains, fiberglass grating is used to protect spray headers and lights from damage. This also helps to prevent people from drowning in the fountains.
• Pulp and paper: Fiberglass has chemical corrosion-resistant properties and is used in many applications because of its corrosion resistance and anti-slip properties.

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smith fiberglass piping

Introducing IntegraLine Fiberglass Pipe – FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) Pipe

After years of serving corrosion-related industries, Fibrex noticed there seemed to be no easy approach to selecting and designing fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) pipe (also known as GRP pipes). Most plants have worked with fabricators and engineers to custom design all fiberglass pipe (FRP) equipment. Yet there is considerable cost and effort to custom design fiberglass pipe or a fiberglass pipe system and it is not always necessary. Fibrex has found there are many applications where a standard FRP pipe product will meet all of the requirements. That’s why Fibrex has developed a standard pipe product line called IntegraLine.

IntegraLine is a standard production fiberglass pipe with custom corrosion resistance. Simple to specify and select, this fiberglass pipe is ideal for new system installation or replacement of existing pipe. IntegraLine pipe will meet many of the applications and life-span requirements at your plant or facility.

For special design requirements, Fibrex also offers custom fiberglass pipe solutions. Custom fiberglass pipe solutions may require thicker corrosion or abrasion barriers with different resins. Also, heavier structural laminates and special glass reinforcements are available to meet installation and temperature requirements. Fibrex can provide design recommendations for a proposed installation.

And because Fibrex understands the industries we serve, Fibrex products are designed to meet the most demanding and specialized conditions at each site. In standard pipe, custom pipe, special header systems, duct or stacks, Fibrex delivers long-term corrosion solutions and absolute maximum product life. We call this “performance-based manufacturing.”

• Cost savings
• Faster production and quicker delivery
• Fast and easy fiberglass pipe selection

Corrosion Resistance

IntegraLine fiberglass pipe (fiberglass reinforced plastic pipe – FRP) is designed to be “user-friendly.” The resin, glass reinforcement materials, and composite construction were selected to provide consistent corrosion resistance for the majority of chemical applications for which FRP pipe is considered appropriate. There remain certain extreme chemical services for which special construction and alternative resins should be considered. Fibrex can advise if this is required for your application.

Weather Resistance

IntegraLine pipe utilizes a heavily resinated exterior coat containing an ultraviolet stabilizer to impart long-term resistance to the effects of sunlight and other weathering elements. Should pipe become weathered after many years in particularly severe environments, the exterior can be sanded and resin-coated or painted.

Color

Pigmented exterior gel coats are not used on IntegraLine pipe in order to take advantage of the natural translucency of FRP. Visual inspection of the pipe, both new and after years of service, is more reliable with a “natural” laminate. Additionally, the liquid contents can often be observed in the pipeline… sometimes a process control advantage. When special color coding is required, however, this can be provided at a nominal added cost and slightly longer delivery time.

Durability

The high tensile elongation properties of the vinyl ester resins utilized in IntegraLine pipe impart superior toughness to the pipe enabling it to resist cracking and crazing of the resin when subjected to heavy design loads. In addition to high fatigue resistance, this toughness also provides a safety factor against impact damage during shipping and installation.

Resin

IntegraLine pipe is manufactured with a premium vinyl ester resin as the standard production resin. Other vinyl ester resins specified by the customer are available; however, delivery lead times will generally be longer. Epoxy vinyl ester resins are premium corrosion resistant resins. At both room and elevated temperatures, these resins offer resistance to a broad range of acids, alkalis, bleaches, and solvents making them the appropriate choice of resins in many chemical processing industry applications. These resins, when properly formulated and cured, comply with FDA regulation 21 CFR 177.2420 covering materials intended for repeated use in contact with food. Specific chemical resistance information can be found in the Chemical Resistance and Engineering Guides, available from FIBREX or directly from the resin manufacturers.

Reinforcement Materials

A “C” glass (chemical grade) veil is provided on all surfaces exposed to corrosive media. Fiberglass used in all subsequent layers of the laminate has excellent electrical resistivity, high tensile strength, moderate thermal conductivity, and is noncombustible. The basic types of fiberglass materials used; mat, woven roving, and continuous strand, are selected for their physical properties, manufacturing characteristics, and the chemical resistance of the laminate resulting from their use.

Corrosion Barrier

The corrosion barrier of IntegraLine pipe is nominally 100 mils thick and is comprised of 70% to 80% resin. This highly resinated laminate is reinforced by one layer of “C” glass veil followed by two layers of randomly oriented fiber strand mat.

Structural Laminate

Straight Pipe
IntegraLine pipe is manufactured by the filament winding process utilizing continuous fiberglass strand wound in a helical pattern at a nominal 55 degree wind angle to produce an optimum combination of hoop and axial properties for most typical applications. The high glass content resulting from the filament winding process imparts excellent strength characteristics to the laminate providing superior protective structural backup to the resin-rich corrosion barrier.

Fittings
IntegraLine pipe fittings are manufactured utilizing a highly efficient contact-molded laminate consisting of alternating layers of glass fiber strand mat and bi-directional woven glass roving. The high glass content resulting from the specific laminating process used for IntegraLine pipe fittings permits the wall thickness of this hand-layup process to closely approximate the wall thickness of filament-wound straight pipe in equivalent pressure-rated classes.

Fiberglass Pipe Laminate Construction

Fiberglass Pipe Design and Selection, System Design, Field Installation:

Click Here to Print the Fiberglass Pipe Manual for Chemical Plants

Click Here to Print the Fiberglass Pipe Manual for Power Plants

Click Here to Learn More About Fiberglass Pipe IntegraHeader – The Long-Term Chlorine Header Solution

Contact us to discuss your requirements for underground fiberglass storage tanks. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.