【History of Haichuan Chemical Industry】The development history of water supply and drainage pipelines during the Modern Industrial Revolution

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As times have progressed, those water supply and drainage pipes made of primitive materials have gradually disappeared into the annals of history. Metal pipes accompanied us into modern civilization and the First Industrial Revolution; they came into being at that time, and the production techniques for cast iron pipes were further improved. At the end of the 19th century, British engineer Joseph Gilbert Bolton invented a new method for manufacturing cast iron pipes, known as the \"Bolton process\". This method uses higher-quality iron ore, and a certain proportion of graphite is added to the molten iron, which significantly improves the strength and durability of the cast iron pipes. As the manufacturing technology of cast iron pipes continues to improve, their range of applications is also expanding. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, cast iron pipes began to be widely used in urban water supply and drainage systems. In 1948, the first ductile iron pipe in history was produced at the Saint-Gobain Mousson plant in France, marking a new chapter in the history of cast iron pipes. The flake graphite and silica protective layer in cast iron pipes provide excellent corrosion resistance and protection, with corrosion resistance that exceeds the expected service life of the building. Studies have shown that some buried cast-iron pipes still in use in the United States are over 100 years old; 53% of them are over 150 years old, and all of them are products of modern industry. When human society entered the Second Industrial Revolution, improvements in smelting and casting technologies led to rapid development of cast iron pipes. Meanwhile, the discovery, extraction, and refining of oil spurred significant progress in chemical materials, which were gradually applied to water supply and drainage pipes. Thanks to their low weight, corrosion resistance, high pressure resistance, and safety and convenience, these materials gained favor in the pipe industry ； As a result, PVC chemical product pipes became popular in Europe and the United States, starting to partially replace cast iron pipes in use. PVC pipes were first developed in Germany in the 1930s. In 1933, PE material was discovered ； In 1936, the German company Unic produced the first PVC pipe; unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC-U) pipes began to be used in bathroom drainage systems ； In 1939, the industrial production of LDPE began. In the 1950s, the Netherlands began to use plastic pressure pipes in its water supply systems ； The first plastic valve was also produced during this period ； In 1951, during the same period, this technology began to be applied in Japan and South Korea. PE (polyethylene) was developed independently during this period by German scientist Karl Ziegler and Italian scientist Giulio Natta. These two scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963 for their outstanding contributions to the field of polymer science. The discovery of PE material laid the foundation for the subsequent development of HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipes. In 1958, the industrial production of HDPE began; the UK started manufacturing high-density polyethylene drainage pipes using extrusion methods, resulting in the first generation of HDPE pipes. Due to their very low content of resin comonomers, these resins possess the properties characteristic of what is known as PE63 grade materials according to the subsequent ISO classification. The minimum required strength (MRS) for such materials is typically 6.3 MPa; therefore, they are considered to be PE63 grade materials and can replace some traditional PVC plastic pipes. Subsequently, the Swiss Geberit Group also began researching, developing, and producing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) drainage pipes, promoting the technology of modern HDPE pipe systems for same-level drainage throughout Europe. In the 1960s, the real estate development industry began to adopt plastic rainwater drainage systems. The British Standards Institution has introduced standards for sewage pipeline systems, allowing local authorities to purchase PVC-U systems. With the advancement of production technologies for HDPE materials, HDPE pipes began to be used in the European market, and they gradually became the preferred material for systems used to transport water, gas, and other substances. In the 1970s, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (PVC-C) hot and cold piping systems also began to enter the market. The second-generation resin, namely PE80 material, improves the content of comonomers based on the first-generation resin, thereby basically meeting the requirements for long-term hydrostatic strength (MRS) at 20°C. At the same time, HDPE pipes made a breakthrough in the North American market and quickly gained widespread attention. Thanks to their superior performance and reliability, HDPE pipes swiftly became a popular choice for water supply, drainage, and natural gas transmission systems. In 1970, the International Organization for Standardization established the \"Technical Committee on Standardization of Plastic Pipes, Fittings, and Valves\" (ISO/TC 138). The internationalization, standardization, and serialization of product standards greatly promoted the production and use of PE pipes in various countries ； During this period, plastic pipes made from various materials achieved a market share of 50% in Europe and the United States; moreover, plastic rainwater drainage systems were used in over 60% of newly constructed buildings. With the technological advancements in polyethylene materials in the 1980s, the UK began using blue medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) in water supply systems. High-performance double-wall and multi-wall pipes entered the market, as did high-quality polybutylene (PB) pipes for hot and cold water applications. With the expanding range of applications for HDPE pipes, standards and specifications for HDPE pipes have also begun to emerge internationally ； The formulation and implementation of these standards have encouraged more active research and development of high-performance HDPE pipes. The third-generation resin, PE100, emerged in the late 1980s; it features a bimodal molecular weight distribution, higher density or stiffness, while still maintaining good ESCR performance. The emergence of PE100 has opened up broader application prospects for HDPE pipes, mainly in terms of the ability to withstand higher pressures, an increased range of applicable diameters, and the possibility of utilizing various efficient construction methods. Entering the 1990s, with the widespread use of third-generation HDPE pipes and PVC plastic pipes being replaced, new product lines were gradually developed. PVC systems began to be used in floor heating systems and central heating systems, in order to increase the demand for plastic pipes in the construction market ； Meanwhile, significant progress has been made in HDPE technology; large-diameter plastic pipes with structured walls have been successfully developed and are now being used in sewage and stormwater piping systems as well as highway drainage systems. Entering the 21st century, in Europe, North America, and some other developed countries, plastic drainage pipes and cold/hot water pipes began to be widely used in newly constructed residences. Their share rose rapidly from 17% in 2001 to 90% in 2009. HDPE pipe technology, processes, and products have also been widely promoted and applied globally. With innovations in engineering technology, their joining methods and application areas have seen significant improvements. After nearly a century of development, PVC-U pipes have been in use for many years in countries such as the UK, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United States, Australia, South Africa, and Japan. Countries such as the United States and Australia have established product standards for PVC-U, and the International Organization for Standardization has also issued a PVC-U standard – ISO/DIS 16422-2006 ； HDPE pipes from the same period were defined in accordance with the international standards ISO9980—2012 and ISO12162—2009, which classify PE pipes into grades such as PE32, PE40, PE63, PE80, PE100, PE112, and PE125. Currently, PE80 and PE100 grade pipes dominate the global market. However, for water supply and drainage pipelines in important projects, public buildings, and super-tall buildings, metal pipes remain the necessary choice ； Furthermore, since the 1990s, with the development of China’s basic industries and steel manufacturing, it has become a major global producer of cast iron water supply and drainage products, supplying such products to developed countries in Europe and the United States.