PPXX: PVC-O DN800 – Efficient Transformation From Soil to Irrigated Land

Abstract

“Food is the new oil and gas” is a rather bold statement, but everyday more and more population is concern about food scarcity. Bringing irrigation to not productive lands will change the lives of the community and if it can be done with a cost effective and the most eco friendly solution, even better. This case study is about a project to transform 244 hectares into irrigated land in the La Sarda region of the municipality of Pedrola (Zaragoza, Spain) with DN800, PN16 bar pipes, and about how the most cost effective alternative was chosen among cast iron, helical steel and reinforced concrete with metal sleeve.

Molecular orientation applied to PVC pipes has been around for few decades now, but we cannot say the same regarding large PVC-O pipes (from DN800 to DN1200). The current state of the art technology applied to this sector opens up fields of application not explored before with PVC-O pipes, and what is more important, this development brings to the table a very much competitive product with regards of metal pipes. The supply conditions, with a very high instantaneous flow in a very short period of time, the high installation performance in meters/hour, the anti-corrosion properties, ease of assembly and lightness, among others, were the main reasons why PVC-O pipes were chosen for this. The most suitable diameter was calculated and considering the investment and power costs, the DN800 mm was the one which better fitted for this project.

This paper explains in detail the background of the project as well as the purpose and planned solution of the works together with the implementation phases, calculations made and conclusions reached.