Linear Expansion
Expansion in PPr Pipe
Expansion Calculation for Pipes
The linear expansion of pipes depends directly on the material's heat exposure. Cold water pipes have negligible linear expansion and can be disregarded in installation design.
However, in warm water, heating installations, and extreme temperature environments, pipe expansion is significant and must be accounted for using the formula:
∆L = α L ∆T
Where:
∆L is the expanded length (mm),
α is the coefficient of linear expansion (mm/mK),
L is the length of the segment (mm),
∆T is the temperature difference between working and installation.
Example Calculation: For a standard BlueTherm pipe segment (L = 1.6 meters) at a maximum working temperature of 70°C, with a coefficient of linear expansion (α = 0.15) and an installation temperature of 25°C:
∆L = 0.15 1.6 (70°C - 25°C) = 10.8 mm
This means the segment will expand by approximately 10.8 mm under these temperature conditions. Refer to the table for quick calculations based on different pipe types.
