[inspic=164,left,,150]KWD-globalpipe, 2007-11-20. (CPVC Recent testing conducted by Stork Twin City Testing Corporation has confirmed that Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc., a subsidiary of The Lubrizol Corporation, Corzan® CPVC is four times quieter than copper with regard to water flow noise. Stork Materials Technology, based in St. Paul, Minn., is a network of independent, accredited laboratories providing material testing solutions to industries throughout the U.S. and Europe.
The third-party testing lab recently conducted noise emission testing on 2″ Corzan CPVC pipe joined with solvent cement and 2″ type L copper with soldered joints. The testing showed that Corzan CPVC pipe had a sound level of 31.7 dBA, and the copper pipe had a sound level of 49.9 dBA. The human ear interprets this difference of 18 dBA as being four times as loud.
Testing was conducted using procedures outlined in ISO-3822(99), “Laboratory Test on Noise Emission from Appliances and Equipment Used in Water Supply Installations.” Operating conditions were maintained at a nominal 43.5 psi with a flow rate of approximately 4.5 gallons per minute.
Although CPVC has always been considered a superior material for minimizing water flow noise and virtually eliminating water hammer (the banging sound in pipes when flow is suddenly changed), the testing at Stork Corporation represents the first time that the noise differential has been specifically quantified. Copper, being rigid in nature, cannot respond quickly to absorb noise. Since the CPVC material used in a Corzan system is considerably more flexible, it successfully dampens and absorbs sound. In the case of water hammer, the more flexible CPVC material reduces and, in some cases, completely eliminates water hammer because the maximum theoretical shock wave is lower. This shock wave essentially attempts to expand the wall of the piping material. The more flexible the pipe, the better its ability to expand and absorb some of the energy (noise).
Noise reduction is an ongoing challenge in many building applications, especially where there are multiple residents such as hotels, college dormitories, hospitals and apartment buildings. Water flow noise and, even more so, water hammer can disturb or even wake neighbor residents during a late-night trip to the bathroom or shower.
This latest testing confirms that along with the product’s many other benefits, including corrosion resistance, fast and easy installation and cost reduction, a Corzan CPVC piping system is an effective solution for reducing concerns relative to water flow noise in a wide variety of commercial applications.
The Lubrizol Corporation is an innovative specialty chemical company that produces and supplies technologies that improve the quality and performance of our customers’ products in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. These technologies include lubricant additives for engine oils, other transportation-related fluids and industrial lubricants, as well as fuel additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for personal care products and pharmaceuticals; specialty materials, including plastics technology and performance coatings in the form of specialty resins and additives. Lubrizol’s industry-leading technologies in additives, ingredients and compounds enhance the quality, performance and value of customers’ products, while reducing their environmental impact.
With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, The Lubrizol Corporation owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 20 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 6,800 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2006 were $4.0 billion.
Contact: Lubrizol Corporation, www.lubrizol.com, james.dedrick@lubrizol.com.
