China is one of the leading shipbuilding nations and receives commissions from around the world. Marintec China is therefore an important hub to showcase current trends and innovations in the marine sector. At the 2023 edition, Swiss flow solutions provider GF Piping Systems will display its lightweight and long-lasting thermoplastic solutions and preview HEAT-FIT PE, an evolution of the company’s fire-retardant pipe jacket system.
In the first half of 2023, China led the global shipbuilding industry, contributing nearly 50% of the world's total output. Sustaining this output while simultaneously ensuring a high build quality requires technical solutions that combine efficiency, operational safety, and longevity. At Marintec 2023 in Shanghai, GF Piping Systems will therefore focus on two innovations: the fire-retardant HEAT-FIT PE system featuring co-extrusion technology for improved operational safety, and the pre-insulated COOL-FIT portfolio designed for more efficiency in HVAC applications on board.
HEAT-FIT PE is an evolution of the company’s fire-retardant jacket system HEAT-FIT for polyethylene piping systems. The marine-approved (ABS, BV, DNV, LR, RINA) HEAT-FIT System makes thermoplastic piping system fire-proof and enables their use in essential applications (L3) such as Ballast Water distribution and treatment, Fresh- and Seawater Cooling (Engine Cooling), and Exhaust Gas Scrubbing on board. HEAT-FIT copes with the strict fire resistance regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and makes thermoplastic piping systems resistant to temperatures around 1,000°C for at least 30 minutes under pressure. With HEAT-FIT PE, GF Piping Systems introduces PE100 pipes with a high-performance intumescent coating applied via co-extrusion directly on the pipe. This new version of fire protection for pipes helps to increase the robustness of the fire protection, as well as reducing the handling and installation time rapidly.
COOL-FIT is a completely pre-insulated and marine-approved plastic piping system, including pipes, fittings, valves, and flexible hoses, for HVAC applications. Thanks to the factory-installed pre-insulation and vaporproof construction, cooling applications with water, glycol, and brine, can be operated up to 30% more efficiently compared to cooling systems operated with traditional post-insulated metal piping systems. Thanks to it’s material properties, the system doesn’t corrode, has a lifespan of up to 25 years and is 60% lighter than comparable solutions made of metal. As a result, COOL-FIT ensures long-term reliability and energy efficiency while reducing maintenance costs and improving the overall vessel performance.
Kelly Chen, Head of Sales Asia at GF Piping Systems, looks forward to attending Marintec 2023: “For more than 30 years, our marine approved piping systems, components, and services have been trusted by shipyards, owners, and operators, including the Chinese market. We are excited to display both proven technologies as well as innovations such as HEAT-FIT PE and create more connections for life in the Chinese shipbuilding sector.”
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