Historically prevalent, cast iron pipes, predominantly composed of gray cast iron, have seen extensive use, albeit modern applications favor superior ductile iron pipes, which offer enhanced corrosion resistance. These pipelines serve the transmission needs of water, gas, and sewage.
Plastic pipelines, favored for long-distance water transmission, exhibit remarkable resistance to abrasion and chemical corrosion, coupled with ease of handling owing to their lightweight nature. However, they manifest lower tensile strength and diminished performance in response to temperature fluctuations.
Fabricated from welded sheet steel with concrete components, concrete pipelines excel in facilitating large-diameter, long-distance transmission of water.
Based on Substance Transported
Pipelines are categorized by the substances they convey, ranging from water to petroleum products and slurry.
Essential for delivering water from treatment facilities to urban centers, underground water pipelines, fabricated from steel, ductile iron, or concrete, ensure reliable distribution while safeguarding against accidental damage.
Dedicated to transporting wastewater characterized by a high water-to-solid waste ratio, these pipelines employ materials such as concrete, PVC, cast iron, or clay, tailored to withstand varying pressures and environmental conditions.
Crafted from steel and fortified with external coatings and cathodic protection to mitigate corrosion risks, petroleum oil pipelines facilitate the transportation of crude oil to refineries and refined products to markets.
The exclusive conduit for overland natural gas transportation, gas pipelines utilize steel for transmission lines and flexible plastic for distribution networks, ensuring cost-effective, corrosion-resistant solutions.
Indispensable in the mining and dredging sectors, slurry pipelines transport mixtures of solid particles and liquids, predominantly water, from offshore wells to onshore pipelines via barges or ships.
Based on Pipe Function
Pipelines fulfill diverse functions within the transportation network, including transmission, distribution, and collection.
Designed for long-distance transportation of crude oil, natural gas, and refined products across regions and continents, transmission pipelines feature diameters exceeding 25.4 cm (10 inches), encountering challenges such as corrosion and material defects.
Primarily tasked with delivering natural gas to residential and commercial consumers, distribution pipelines encompass a range of sizes, from 12.7 mm to 152.4 mm, optimizing local supply networks.
Integral to the oil and gas industry, collection pipelines convey products from extraction sites to processing facilities, accommodating varying diameters to streamline production logistics.
Based on Method of Construction
Pipelines are distinguished by their construction methodologies, encompassing underground, above-ground, elevated, offshore, and underwater configurations.
The construction of pipelines follows a meticulously orchestrated series of steps, ensuring efficiency and safety throughout the process:
For extended pipeline projects, construction proceeds incrementally to minimize disruptions, with each segment completed before advancing to the next phase.
From material selection to construction methodology, pipelines epitomize intricate engineering feats, indispensable to global infrastructure and economic vitality.
