Since early 1960s, PE pipes are extensively used in marine applications. Under-river and under-lake fluid transfer, fluid discharge and water intake for desalinators and cooling towers in power plants are among most widely used inshore applications of PE pipes. In addition, PE pipes are also used as temporary pipelines floated on water surface and also installed on swampy lands.
Durability, long operating lifetime, high strength and innovative cost-effective methods which facilitate pipe installation are the main reasons for marine applications of PE pipes.
Reliable butt fusion systems for joining PE pipes with access to a wide range of mechanical fittings allow designe engineers for selecting a leak-free joining system. The joining system in turn allows affordable installation of long pipelines by floatation and immersion. Several factors make PE pipes the best choice for marine projects, some of which are:
Desalinators
Desalination is a process in which some salt or other minerals are separated from saline water. Desalination aims at preparation of drinking and agricultural water. Currently, 1% of population uses desalinated water. According to UN forecasts, this will increase to 14% in 2025.
Desalination is mostly performed in areas with arid climate such as Australia and so on.
According to International Desalination Association (IDA), 19744 desalination units were active in 150 countries in 2017 and produced 118 million cubic meter of drinking water daily.
The contracts for producing desalination units have been doubled since 2010 and daily production of drinking water has increased from 59.7 million cubic meter to 118 million cubic meter in 2017.
According to International Desalination Association, the number of desalination units significantly increased in 2019 as compared to that in 2000.
Marine industries products