Getting started to install a warm floor, the question arises which pipe material is better: stitched polyethylene or plastic.
The answer lies in the conditions of operation of a warm floor, and the opinions of specialists, experience and reviews of people operating floor heating systems will help to deal with this issue.
Based on almost all modern pipes, stitched polyethylene lies, only the composition of metal-plastic pipes to the outer and inner layers of cross-linked polyethylene added a metal enhancing layer with adhesive layers that ensure the monolith of the product.
Stitched polyethylene: properties
Due to additional molecular bonds of stitched polyethylene pipes have high strength
Stitched polyethylene refers to high-tech material and is the production of polymerization of ethylene having a mesh molecular structure with the Abbreviation Rex.
Conditionally, the stitching process is to create additional molecular ties. The starting polymer is associated with chaotic at the molecular level with free side chains of molecules, forming a three-dimensional grid, a particularly strong structure with a "memory effect".
Single-layer products are preferable
Changes in the size and shape of the pipe under the influence of loads after their removal returns the product in the original form. According to technical properties, Rex is not inferior to many solids and exceeds under service life.
Stitched polyethylene pipes produce 4 ways:
- The peroxide is introduced into polyethylene in the manufacture of material. The highest degree of crosslinking is 75%. In the method of low productivity and high cost of the product, but the material becomes very durable and elastic.
- Re -HB - The processing of moisture with the silane and catalyst creates polyethylene, from which the shell of the product is less solid, but when the fluid passes, it can withstand high pressure. Stitching is 65%.
- Rech - C - polymer treated with electrons. Polyethylene with low degree of crosslinking 55 - 60%.
- Rh - xD - nitric acid is used. The method is rarely applied.
Of the listed methods, the pipe made with the use of silane is most in demand, is characterized by an optimal price and acceptable operational properties.
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The best variant of the pipe for the warm floor of cross-linked polyethylene is single-layer products of re-ha and re-xb with a protective layer, which is a barrier for oxygen diffusion that destructs polyethylene.
Advantages of stitched polyethylene products
The pipe from such a material has molecular memory
The pipes of heating produced by the method of re-ha and re - xb are characteristic:
- Resistance to pressure drops. In high pressure mode, the life of the products does not change. The polymer is withstanding pressure up to 10 atmospheres.
- Molecular memory. When the water freezing in the pipe, the resulting ice increases the diameter of the pipe, and after thawing the ice, the size of the pipe returns to the original version, without damaging the material.
- Melting and burning at high temperatures. The material comes melting at a temperature of over 150 ° C, and ignition when the ambient temperature reaches 400 ° C.
- Resistance chemical and biological. The polyethylene tube is not subject to the process of corrosion, does not create conditions for the appearance of fungi and reproduction of bacteria, the material is resistant to chlorine and remains neutral to chlorinated water.
- Environmental Safety. The material during heating does not secrete harmful substances and decomposes on carbon dioxide and water when burning.
Polyethylene is not afraid of temperature differences
- Plastic. With repeated bending, the product does not burst and restores the size of the bend.
- Functionality. The polymer material retains the properties, remain unchanged the pipe sizes with a changing temperature of the coolant from 0 to 95 ° C, but the material is able to withstand and more rigid temperature regime.
Metal plastic tube: Properties
The advantages of cross-linked polyethylene also has a metal-plastic tube consisting of five layers, each of which performs certain functions. The outer and inner layers of polymeric, and the outer polyethylene shell performs protection against mechanical damage, and the inner smooth layer contributes to the rapid flow of fluid.
The inner smooth layer does not form obstacles for water current
There are 2 adhesive layers between the polymer layers, and in the midst - the inner layer is an aluminum sheath that gives the rigidity of the entire design of the metal-plastic product.
Reliability and durability in the operation of metal-plastic products determines the quality of the layers:
- The aluminum layer of the product determines its strength and should be a thickness of at least 3 mm. 2 methods of welding of the aluminum layer affecting the strength of the pipe, laser welding in the joint and ultrasonic welding of the brass are technologically used. The method of welding a layer of jack is called seamless, it does not have lack of fragility and in comparison with welding mustache does not allow leaks in places of connection with fittings.
- The adhesive used determines the possible bundle of the layers at a changing temperature of the coolant, which also affects the strength of the pipe. On the cutting pipe when using high-quality glue, the bundle is missing.
- The reliability of the pipe is determined by the layers of the polymer, the polymer with the PEX and PE-RT marking ensures the strength of the pipe, and the pipes with another labeling are used by a low-quality polymer, in this connection, with a hydraulic man.
When choosing a metal-plastic pipe, we consider that these products have a seamless method of welding an aluminum layer, providing trouble-free operation of the product.
Choosing pipes for water floor
Try to choose high-quality materials
Proposals a lot and about the product, and about the manufacturer, in this case the action is one, the choice of the formula is the best price / quality, but it is necessary to start with quality:
- Pipe reliability and mechanical strength when used in specific conditions, which will ensure trouble-free operation of the system during the period of operation, i.e. The pipe must withstand the pressure of at least 10 bar.
- The service life or durability of the use of a warm floor system depends on the material from which the product is made. The deformation of the pipe is not allowed at the temperature of the coolant 95 ° C.
- For free movement through the pipes of the coolant, the inner surface of the pipe must be smooth.
- Conditions for maintenance, costs of preventive work and control tests of the system for tightness are optimal. Read more about what pipes to choose, look in this video:
The comparative characteristics of the heating systems offered by the market, the complexity of installation work and operating conditions are considered after evaluating the qualitative characteristics. Last but, we compare the cost of products, taking into account installation work, as well as difficulty with an independent warm floor device.
Comparative characteristics of pipes with a diameter of 20 mm
| Indicator | Units. change | Metalplastic Waila trumpet | Stitched polypropylene tube |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working temperature | FROM | 95. | 95. |
| The coefficient of thermal expansion | mm / m ° C | 0,026. | 0.024. |
| Operating pressure | MPa | 1,013 | 1.0 |
| Connection strength glue | N / see | 70. | |
| Aluminum connection strength | N / mm2. | 57. | |
| Roughness coefficient | 0.07 | 0.005 | |
| Coefficient of thermal conductivity | MW / cm ° K | 0.45 | 0.41 |
| Transverse breakdown | N. | 3050. | |
| Stretching strength | MPa | 20.6 |
Metal plastic is less plastic compared to crosslinked polyethylene
All the same, what pipe is better for a warm floor: polyethylene or metalplastic. The difference of products in the layers of the crosslied polyethylene of the metal plastic pipe and the metal layer.
Improving the polymer, scientists and specialists in the field of chemistry managed to modify polyethylene with the conventional name PE - RT, in which the molecular structure with branched bonds. The polymer does not lose its properties in recycling, unlike predecessors. Recommendations of specialists in the selection of pipes See in this video:
Pipes from PE - RT polyethylene with a strong head of the coolant completely isolate the noise of fluid flow. The polymer significantly exceeds the previously stitched polyethylene resistance to high pressure and the temperature of the coolant, as well as the duration of the pipeline.
Thanks to the molecular structure with branched bonds, the PE material preserves thermoplasticity, pipes can be soldered and welded without dismantling damaged areas.
Material withstands several frost and thawing cycles without changing the structure and properties. PE-RT material produce both polymeric products and metal-plastic.
The heat-resistant PE - RT polymer in its properties fully meets the requirements of a warm floor and can be considered the best option when choosing pipes.
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