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In the pipeline: Pipes then & now
Global SourcesUpdated on 2023/12/01
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How did pipes of the past shape pipes today?
Image by dimitrisvetsikas1969 from Pixabay
Pipes have been around for a very long time, and present-day design and quality are products of developments made in history. These are how pipes improved through the years to what they are today:
Water & gas transport – First uses
The oldest pipes date back to 3,000 B.C. and the first ever uses are for transporting water and gas. According to a St. Louis Pipe & Supply article, it all started with the Egyptians who created copper pipes and the Chinese who introduced bamboo pipes in 3,000 and 2,500 B.C., respectively. Water and gas supply remain the most common applications of pipes until now.
Leak resistance & plumbing
The earliest improvements to pipes were brought about in 2,000 B.C., per the article. This was when pipes were able to provide constant water supply and the first form of plumbing came about.
Greek use of refractory clay, stone and bronze as more durable and leak-resistant pipe materials, and Roman and Persian aqueducts built with gravity and land incline in mind, were key to these developments. In fact, some aqueducts that remain standing today are now famous world landmarks due to their majestic designs and contribution to the history of water transport. Nowadays, leak resistance for a continuous water supply is a top must-have feature in plumbing pipes.
Corrosion resistance
As for strength against corrosion, this development began in the 1600s to the 1800s. St. Louis Pipe & Supply mentions that makers have found by these times alternatives to metal that resist rust, such as redwood, a popular pipe type in the US back then.
Metal types weren’t stuck without improvement, though. It was said that galvanization, which is still among the dominant rust-resistant pipe finish options today, had become prevalent entering the 1900s. Metal pipes were installed for pioneer William Murdock’s coal burning lamp system that gave lighting to all of London. Nowadays, pipes have improved greatly in withstanding not just corrosion and chemicals, but also harsh environment conditions, extreme temperatures, impact and more.
Wider applications
Besides durable pipes, manufacturers eventually came up with cost-effective and versatile alternatives such as steel. According to a Pipeline Equities article, besides the reason that steel pipes can be reinforced further by many techniques, they were also in-demand back then because they can be made suitable for bicycles, automotives and more.
The latest pipes from Verified Suppliers on GlobalSources.com for instance, reflect these developments.
Mild-, carbon-, black-, spiral welded steel
Company: China Royal Group Ltd
China Royal’s Bella-Steel Pipe-003 model comes in mild-, carbon-, black- or spiral welded steel. The surface can be black, galvanized or hot-dip galvanized. The pipe meets GB, ASTM, EN, DIN and JIS standards. Size can be buyer-specified. Price is $555 to $598 per US ton.
Plain, beveled, thread ends
Company: Tianjin Anxintongda Steel Pipe Co. Ltd
Tianjin Anxintongda offers the AXTD-AX-0230 model, a hot-dip galvanized steel pipe that has a plain, beveled or thread end with a coupling or cap. Outer diameter is 1/8 to 24in. Wall thickness is 0.8 to 12mm. The surface treatment can be bare, black paint, galvanization, oil, 3PE, FBE or corrosion-resistant coating. Price is $480 to $510 per US ton. MOQ is 5 US tons.
For oil, firefighting
Company: Shanghai Maya Corp. Ltd
Shanghai Maya’s Carbon Pipe004 model is used for oil and firefighting. Outer diameter is ½ to 24in. the pipe can be made to follow API 5L/5CT, ASTM A53, A106, A213, A257, A500 or A179 standards. Price is $780 per US ton.
Round, square or rectangle
Company: Wuxi Longchao Metal Products Co. Ltd
The model LC-SSP-008 pipe or tube from Wuxi Longchao is available in round, square and rectangle variants. Outer diameter ranges from 6 to 600mm. Length is 6m, 12m or buyer-specified, and thickness is from 0.2 to 30mm. The product goes for $1,750 to $1,950 per UK ton.
Heavy, corrosion-resistant
Company: Hebei Distributions Co. Ltd
Hebei Distributions’ HBD-CS-003-39486-3427 model is a heavy and thick seamless steel pipe that can be given a varnish, 2PP, 2PE, 3PE or 3PP corrosion-resistant coating. The ends can be plain or beveled and with or without caps. Outer diameter is ½ to48in. The pipe goes for $800 per metric ton.
Hydraulic pipe/hose fitting
Company: Shaanxi U'luck Industries Co. Ltd
The 16711 model from Shaanxi U'luck is a hydraulic fitting for pipes or hoses. It can be made through forging and casting of stainless or carbon steel, or buyer-specified materials. The fitting can meet JIC, BSP, NPT, BSPT, SAE, Metric or ORFS standards. For an MOQ of 10 pieces, each is quoted at $0.10 to $3.
PPR male pipe plug
Company: Ningbo Salvador IMP & EXP Co. Ltd
Ningbo Salvador’s model SWD-D4MP-6447 PPR male plug suits cold and warm water, rainwater utilization system, compressed air and solar plant, swimming pool, agricultural and transport pipes. For an MOQ of 1,000 pieces, each is priced $0.05 to $2.20.
Meets ASTM, AISI standards
Company: Wuxi Dihua Special Steel Co. Ltd
The Dhcoil-063 model from Wuxi Dihua is ASTM- and AISI-compliant. It can also be made according to ASME, EN, BS, GB, DIN and JIS standards. The hot- or cold-rolled stainless steel coil is 0.1 to 100mm thick, 1,000, 1,219, 1,240, 1,500, 1,800 or 2,000mm wide, and 2,000 to 6,000mm long. Length can be buyer-specified. The coil goes for $1,300 to $1,400 per US ton.
Made of cold-rolled steel
Company: Tianjin Runfei Trade Co. Ltd
Tianjin Runfei offers the RF-WC-125 model, a hot-dip galvanized coil made of cold-rolled steel. It is zinc-coated and used for pipes and purlins. Grade DX51D+Z, CSA, CSB, CSC, SGCC and SGCH versions are available. Maximum coil weight is 10MT while inner diameter is 610 or 508mm. Price ranges from $720 to 790 per metric ton. MOQ is 20 metric tons.
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