BorECO? PP-HM ensures high-flying performance for runway drainage system

Mar 22, 2010

A new 3.5 km pipe based on BorECO™ high modulus polypropylene (PP-HM) from Borealis, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions, will ensure leak-free drainage performance for the runway at Germany's Hof-Plauen airport.

On-going modernisation connecting Hof-Plauen with international hubs for the first time in the airport’s 40 year history means traffic volumes are expected to increase by 4% per year. Efficient runway drainage is a vital element in ensuring take-off and landing safety. To reach international airport runway standards, a new 3.5 km drainage network capable of withstanding extreme aircraft forces was required to replace the existing pipe system.

To ensure only short-term runway closure and minimal future maintenance requirements, high-durability BorECO-based AWADUKT PP SN10 pipes from leading pipe manufacturer REHAU AG & Co were chosen to meet the challenges of long-term pipe performance and a fast and efficient pipe installation process.

BorECO BA212E has high stiffness and impact strength. These benefits give AWADUKT PP pipes the necessary high ring stiffness and stability to endure long-term exposure to heavy load bearing. BorECO’s resistance to the glycol and acetate used in defrosting and de-icing agents further aids the pipes’ long term operation. The potential for corrosion from de-icer fluids, runway defrosting chemicals, or leaked oil and fuel is an important consideration in airport pipe choice. For the Hof-Plauen project, sealing rings with oil and fuel resistance were added to the pipes to support corrosion-free performance and low maintenance needs.

To meet the fast installation requirements, REHAU took advantage of BorECO BA212E's consistent material quality to create a conventional socket-joined interlocking network of 6 metre long pipe sections. The lightweight benefits of PP-HM pipes combined with their toughness and ability to withstand wear and tear during installation ensured cost-efficient completion of the project over a short four month period.

"BorECO BA212E is proving to be the ideal material for demanding airport environments, having already been used successfully in drainage systems in two other airports in Germany," comments Veronika Ettinger, Marketing Manager for business unit Pipe. "Our on-going efforts to expand the benefits of the BorECO family are building on this success, bringing new added-value innovations to our customers in the drainage and sewage segments. For example, our pioneering BorECO BA2000 grade, which achieves new levels of stiffness and impact performance for heavy duty pipes without the need for fillers or additional equipment investment."


Contact:
Borealis AG
Lena Aschauer
(External Communications Manager)
Wagramerstrasse 17-19
1220 Vienna, Austria
PH.: +43-1-22400-0
E-Mail: lena.aschauer@borealisgroup.com
Internet: www.borealisgroup.com

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