Benefits

W&O in partnership with GF Piping Systems, the world’s largest producer of plastic piping systems Is offering the marine industry a new plastic piping system called SeaCor®. The SeaCor® thermoplastic compound was specifically developed by GF to meet the IMO resolutions and the needs of the marine industry. This system is the only commercially available plastic piping system that meets the USCG requirements for flame spread, low smoke & toxicity. 

Though the new system has not undergone the fire endurance testing, it has met the flame, smoke & toxicity requirements and allows SeaCor® to be used in many Non-Essential shipboard piping systems, without the restrictions previously placed on plastic pipe installations. As well as having USCG approval Approval # 164.141/36/0, SeaCor® also has been approved for shipboard use through the ABS Type Approval program (Certificate # 08=HS24293B-PDA) and is approved for marine use by Transport Canada.

The SeaCor® product offers many advantages over traditional materials, features such as decreased weight, increased resistance to corrosion, easy installation and repair and its use will decrease the life cycle cost of the systems where SeaCor® is installed.

SeaCor® Offers a Significant Weight Savings When Used in Applicable Systems:

• 40% over Copper Type K water Tube
• 60% over Schedule 10 Stainless Steel Pipe
• 70% over Schedule 40 Stainless Steel Pipe
• 80% over Schedule 80 Steel Pipe

SeaCor® also offers increased efficiency through a lower coefficient of friction in the pipe than metallic pipe. Tests made both with new pipe and pipe that had been in service revealed C factor (Friction Loss Coefficient) values for plastic pipe is between 160 and 165. On the other hand, the C factor for metallic pipe varies from 65 to 125, depending upon age and interior roughening. A benefit with plastic piping systems is that it is often possible to achieve the desired flow rate using a smaller diameter pipe, resulting in less initial cost for pipe, valves, fitting and pumps, and still maintain the same or even lower friction losses. A longer-term benefit would be the resultant savings in energy required to operate the system.

MATERIAL COSTS:

SeaCor® is cost competitive with Copper and Stainless Steel systems. Steel and Galvanized pipe
have a lower initial material cost, but this cost advantage is lost when installation and welding time is factored in and SeaCor® still has the other benefits to offer. The table below illustrates how SeaCor® can provide a 75% weight reduction compared to metal systems:

* Bill of materials includes:1/2"-1-1/4" Copper water tube and solder joint fittings& flanges 1-1/2"-3" Schedule 80 Steel pipe & schedule 40 steel weld fittings & flanges