CAUSE OF OCCASIONAL FAILURE OF CPVC PIPES AND FITTINGS IN HYDRONIC HEATING SYSTEMS

摘要

Chlorinated polyvinylchloride (CPVC) pipes and fittings are commonly used in hydronic heating systems. However, there are occasional failures of CPVC pipes and fittings used in these systems due to chemical contamination by the lubricant oil used in the heat exchanger refrigerant. Although leaks in the heat exchanger are rare, when a leak does occur, it can lead to almost immediate failure of the CPVC piping system due to chemical attack by the polyol ester (POE) lubricant oil in the refrigerant. This paper discusses the results of our forensic failure analyses on CPVC hydronic piping. Also we present the results of our studies on the chemical compatibility of POE compared to polyvinylether (PVE) refrigerant lubricant oils.