Innovative design and manufacture of fibre reinforced pipes and fittings opens up wide potential in hydropower applications

Abstract

Fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) pipes, particularly fibre glass in resin, is in use in chemical industry, potable water supply and related applications for some time now due to their advantage of chemical inertness. Use of FRP pipes and fittings in hydropower application were almost unheard of (other than his own work - to the best knowledge of the author). Earliest hydropower applications found cast iron pipes as penstocks, which were subsequently replaced by ductile iron pipes. Welded mild steel pipes started finding wide application, particularly with non-standard and large penstocks. Pye pipes too were widely used recently for low head mini-hydro applications due to their advantages of low weight with the resultant lower costs of transport and installation, and the smooth surface leading to lower head losses in penstock. Its use, however, is restricted due to available limited pipe diameters and pressure range. Mild steel pipes are often coated both internally and externally to reduce erosion and to prevent corrosion respectively.