Huntsman in collaboration with BRUGG Pipes, have developed a next generation pipe solution for ground source heat pumps.
The polyurethane foam system has excellent insulation properties that can be used to create highly flexible, thermally efficient, pre-insulated pipes for connecting ground source heat pumps and local heating units to domestic and commercial buildings.
The closed cell SUPRASEC/ DALTOFOAMTE system solution is already being put to good use by BRUGG Pipes, a specialist in the production of pipe systems for transporting liquids, gases, and heat, safely and efficiently on a global scale.
Traditionally, expanded polyethylene (PE) has been used to insulate the plastic pipes that join local networks and heat sources to individual buildings.
Huntsman’s new SUPRASEC/ DALTOFOAM TE system produces foam with better insulation properties (low lambda value) than PE.
The result is pipes with a thinner layer of insulation compared to PE that still deliver good overall insulation performance (low U-value).
In addition, thinner, lighter pipes are more flexible, meaning they are quicker and easier to transport and install as well as reducing heat loss.
Using Huntsman’s innovative SUPRASEC/ DALTOFOAMTE system solution has been key to ensuring the high flexibility of BRUGG Pipes’ FLEXSTAR pipes which first launched in January 2022.
BRUGG Pipes head of marketing, Bora Yayla, said the company has been wanting to enter the heat pump market for a while.
“We needed a competitive insulation solution that would enable us to quickly gain ground in this market,” Yayla said.
“Key to our success was achieving a good degree of flex in our pre-insulated pipes to ensure ease of handling without compromising insulation performance.
“Pipes that are more flexible have a smaller winding radius, meaning they are easier to transport and quicker for heating engineers and installers to lay in confined spaces or where there are tight bends and building entry points to navigate.
“Working with Huntsman, we’ve achieved all of our project objectives and orders for FLEXSTAR are now being placed around the world.”
Huntsman senior market manager, Tjerk Lenstra, said as countries worldwide work to achieve ambitious net zero targets, the spotlight is turning on solutions like ground source heat pumps, which have a much lower carbon footprint.
“Growth in this sector is evident across all primary heating markets in North America, Europe and North Asia so the development of this new solution is timely, and will deliver value for our customers, our business and the planet,” Lenstra said.
The Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2021 revenues of approximately $8 billion.
The company has more than 70 manufacturing and R&D facilities in 30 countries.