British Gas MDPE SAFIRE programme
December 18th, 1991
Four Prosyma Research Ltd reports to British Gas investigating the use of SAFIRE technology for gas pipes.
Reports dated 18th December 1991, 31st May 1992, 7th July 1992, 7th September 1992
S F Bush
Summary
The following items were specified in the original proposal dated 5th August 1991. It has been necessary to add to the programme as indicated below.
- Characterize the behaviour of British Gas’s MDPE grade namely Rigidex 00240 R919 (MF1 0.2 and density 0.94) hereinafter referred to as Rigidex A, on the SAFIRE pipe making line.
- Make Granex long fibre (LF) granules using Rigidex A.
- Use the LF granules to make 35 mm OD pipe.
- Carry out tests or provide samples to British Gas for the following:
- on granules: photographic and cutting tests for fibre wetting.
- on pipe:
- do burst tests on SAFIRE and virgin pipes
- examine fibre condition in the made pipes
- do hope and axial tests
- do fibre length and orientation analysis
- send sample lengths to ERS for stress cracking tests
Because we found the BG MDPE grade not to wet the fibres very well, items 5-9 have been added to the original programme.
- Make LF granules using a higher MFI MDPE (actually Rigidex HD384OUA with MFI = 4.0 and density 0.938) hereinafter referred to as Rigidex B.
- Make pipe with a blend of Rigidex A and Rigidex B for reference.
- Test pipes made of the blend for reference.
- Make and test pipes made from Rigidex A and Rigidex B Granex granules.
- Incorporate a coupling agent (e.g. BP’s Polybond) into 2 and 5 above and repeat 4 and 8.