Mining & Industrial

FOR LONG-TERM TROUBLE-FREE SERVICE IN INDUSTRIAL & MINING APPLICATIONS, it is critical that an industrial grade pipe system withstand daily pressure fluctuations and resist the corrosive and abrasive materials that pass through it, such as slurries, acids, and salts commonly found in these applications. Industrial HDPE pipe from WL Plastics fills the need with abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, toughness, leak-free fusion joints, tolerance for variable operating conditions, and exceptional long-term performance.

WL Plastics HDPE pipe is lightweight, flexible, and durable over its design life. It has low installation and maintenance costs due to heat fusion joining on site, reducing the need for mechanical connections. WL Plastics HDPE Pipe is used in industrial and mining applications for water and slurry management, such as conveying leachate, mine dewatering, drainage pipe, river water diversion, sewer and sub-drainage systems in mines or industrial plants. WL Plastics HDPE pipe is the ideal piping solution for your Industrial & Mining applications.

Benefits of HDPE Pipe for Industrial & Mining Applications

Selecting the best pipe material for industrial and mining applications requires evaluating critical factors such as life cycle costs, durability, and design life. The chosen material must be resistant to abrasion, corrosion, and breakage and have a trusted reputation with professional engineers and installers.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe can meet and withstand these challenges and has several proven advantages for mining and industrial applications, including:

Abrasion resistance. Abrasion resistance in polyethylene piping systems is far superior to metallic piping systems due to its wear and scouring resistance. Polyethylene piping systems allow for higher flow velocities than metallic pipe systems by keeping particles suspended in slurries, resulting in less scouring of the pipe wall.
Chemical resistance. HDPE pipe offers superior chemical-resistance due to the inherent inert properties of polyethylene polymer it is comprised of. HDPE pipe works well with a variety of industrial & mining processes, especially those with caustic or alkaline solutions. HDPE pipe is stable in applications where the pH ranges from 2 to 12.
Surge resistance. Polyethylene is a visco-elastic material, resulting in pipe that is semi-rigid and flexible. This allows HDPE pipe to withstand occasional pressure surges up to 2 times its pressure class.
Lower cost. Because HDPE pipe is low-maintenance and features leak-free joints, it’s extremely cost-effective. A conservative estimate for the lifespan of HDPE pipeline is between 50 and 100 years. It can withstand high external and internal pressure loads, thereby reducing any associated maintenance costs and increasing the overall lifespan of the pipeline.
Installation. HDPE pipe can be installed quickly and cost effectively. It has about one-eighth of the density of steel, which makes it lighter and easier to position. It can also be produced in straight lengths up to 50 feet long or coiled lengths of over 1,000 feet. The flexibility of HDPE pipe combined with its leak-free joints save businesses time and money compared to rigid PVC and ductile iron pipes.

HDPE Pipe Products for Industrial and Mining Applications

At WL Plastics, we produce HDPE pipe products designed to meet the requirements of many applications. We offer HDPE pipe in the following sizes and DRs:

Solid black and black with colored stripes HDPE Pipe available in ¾-inch to 54-inch outside diameters
Available in Iron Pipe Size (IPS) and Ductile Iron Pipe Size (DIPS)
Camcore (gray colored internal shell for camera inspection) HDPE Pipe in 4” to 18” IPS sizes; 4” to 16” DIPS
Thick walls up to DR5 capable of transporting slurry and for high pressures
FM 2-inch to 36-inch sizes available
Available color stripes to aid in-ground identification

Industrial Applications

Industrial HDPE piping is the perfect solution for many industrial applications, including those involving hazardous chemicals. The heat-fused joints of HDPE pipes are leak-free and as strong or stronger than the pipe itself. Because of the material’s flexibility, fewer fittings are needed to install the system, and it can withstand constant pressures of up to 500 psi (DR5) and service temperatures as high as 140°F.

A few common industrial applications for HDPE pipe include:

Paper and pulp manufacturing
Fertilizer manufacturing
Power plant operations
Petrochemical
Glass manufacturing
Semi-conductors
Liquefied natural gas
Dredging

Mining Applications

HDPE piping also has proven capabilities in many extreme environments, including even rugged terrains with ground movement and volatile climates.

Because of its durability, HDPE piping is suitable for a variety of mining applications, including:

Tailings transportation
Dust suppression
Mine dewatering
Pit dewatering
Depressurization
Solution mining
Heap leaching
Water processing
Slurry processing
Water transportation
Leachate collecting

Case Studies for Industrial and Mining Industries

Odor Reduction at Utah Biogas Operation

Alpental Energy Partners, an alternative energy provider, sought to produce biogas using animal waste from Circle Four Farms, a major producer of hogs with a 35,000-acre facility containing 64 farms. By recovering more than 800,000 gallons of animal waste per day for conversation into biomethane, Alpental Energy’s Blue Mountain Biogas Generation Facility produces more than 3.2 MW of electricity per day.

The old system used a two-stage lagoon system that had been in use since the 1970s. While the system did the job, it slowed down anaerobic digestion of the waste during cold weather and methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide would leak into the air and cause a foul odor that disturbed a neighboring town nine miles away.

WL Plastics replaced the two-stage lagoon system with 30 miles of HDPE pressure pipe. The leak-free easy installation allowed installation in only five days, and the piping system’s leak-free fusion joints eliminated the odor problem by containing all of the waste and gases within the piping system.

BMW Plant Water Distribution System

A new BMW Plant in North-Central Mexico utilized WL Plastics products to install piping for its water distribution system. The system had two 700,000-gallon raw water tanks for the fire suppression system, a 350,000-gallon potable water tank for drinking water, and a 350,000-gallon tank for grey water.

The fire suppression system required the installation of more than 50,000 feet of high-density polyethylene FM-listed PC200 red-stripe pipe in diameters of 4, 6, and 12 inches. The potable water tank involved the installation of more than 28,000 feet of 1-, 2-, 6-, 8-, and 10-inch high-density polyethylene DR9 NSF61 blue-striped pipe. For the grey water system, we installed more than 28,000 feet of 8- and 10-inch high-density polyethylene DR9, NSF61 blue-striped pipe. All piping had a special print-line showing “BMW SLP Plant” for easy identification.

HDPE Pipe From WL Plastics

HDPE pipe is the ideal material for many industrial and mining applications. With nine state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, WL Plastics is North America’s largest manufacturer of HDPE pipe and the best solution for meeting your industrial and mining needs. Our highly skilled and experienced team produces over 900 million pounds annually and is ISO 9001:2015-certified. To learn more about HDPE pipe for industrial and mining applications, or to request a quote for your project, contact us today.