ADVANTAGES

TOM® PVC-O pipes are highly robust to withstand damages caused by impact. Breakages during installation by rough handling on-site are minimal.  The laminar structure prevents the propagation of cracks due to scratches; and minimizes the risk of rapid crack behaviour during operation.  The result is a spectacular increase in the product’s useful life. 

TOM® PVC-O pipes are tested for its resistance to internal pressure of up to two times the nominal pressure (32 bars in PN16 pipes), which means that they can better withstand surge of excessive pressure such as water hammers and other malfunctions in the network.  Moreover, the material creep behaviour is very low, extending the durability of the pipe working at nominal pressure for design life up to 50 years.

Molecular Orientation reduces the pipe wall thickness, giving TOM® PVC-O pipes a greater internal diameter and flow section.  The internal surface is extremely smooth, reducing the load loss and making it more difficult for deposits to be accumulated within the inner walls of the pipes. TOM® PVC-O pipes offer between 15% -  40% more hydraulic capacity than pipes made from other materials with the same external diameters.

Thanks to their excellent material elasticity, TOM® PVC-O pipes are able to withstand momentarily external load.  TOM® pipes  can return to their original shape, after load is removed thus reducing the risk of potential breakage by soil subsidence or sharp edges of rocks or machinery.  This flexibility ensures optimum performance once laid underground, but yet give adequate rigidity to withstand both dead and live loads. 

Water hammer can introduce sudden surge in pressure on the pipe working pressure and may lead to breakage, particularly when the pipe has already been damaged by impact or corrosion. Air locks in the pipes during filling can be highly damaging when water hammer is present and can cause an excess of pressure far beyond the rated pressure ratings. TOM® PVC-O pipes can withstand this surge in pressure better than the metallic materials. However as a precautionary measure, it is important to observe the following recommendations: 

• Filling the pipe should only be carried out at low speed and at the lowest point in the pipe system
• Installing purging mechanisms at the highest points on each section of pipe
• During filling it is important to leave open the elements capable of evacuating air and close them from bottom to top in the pipe as the pipe fills up with water 

TOM® PVC-O pipes are lighter and easier to handle in comparison to other type of pipes made from conventional materials.  In most cases, the handling does not require lifting machinery.  What's more, due to the easiness in union, flexibility and impact resistance, TOM® PVC-O pipes stand out in terms of COST, PERFORMANCE AND INSTALLATION SPEED.