Insulation Tubing

Corrugated pipes: Applications and product properties

Corrugated pipes consist of plastic-based insulating material pipes with diameters varying in a corrugated shape. Manufactured from a rigid material, the pipes are dimensionally stable, while the surface corrugation increases the product’s flexibility, particularly in moving applications. Furthermore, this facilitates the laying of the corrugated tube. Almost all common plastics qualify as material for the production of corrugated pipes. Therefore, the GREMCO product range includes a large number of corrugated pipes with various material compositions from PVC to PTFE.

Product properties of corrugated pipes

The specific product properties of the various GREMCO corrugated pipes vary significantly depending on the underlying plastic and the additives incorporated in the manufacturing process to enhance performance. For example, corrugated pipes occasionally contain halogens, which give them flame-retardant and self-extinguishing properties. In general, however, all corrugated pipe products from GREMCO can be certified as being dimensionally stable with undiminished flexibility. Consequently, they can be bent several times, whereby the given shape can be permanently maintained utilizing thermosetting. All corrugated pipes are characterized by excellent mechanical protection properties and outstanding resistance to a wide range of environmental influences, such as moisture. Moreover, depending on the material and additives, some of the insulating tubes have specialized properties adapted to the respective area of application, such as flame resistance or chemical inertness. To facilitate subsequent installation, GREMCO corrugated pipes are also available in slotted versions.

The design of the insulating products generally represents a closed corrugated shape in black color. Nevertheless, orange-colored variants of the corrugated tubes are also available for specific marking, for instance in high-voltage applications in electromobility.

Application areas

Corrugated tubes are suited for use in a variety of different applications. The appropriate version for a particular application depends on the respective material as well as the corrugation geometry. For instance, the thinner the wall thickness and the higher the shoulder height of the corrugations, the more flexible the insulation tubes, though stability decreases as well. Inversely, if the wall thickness is large and the shoulder height of the corrugations is low, the corrugated tube tends to be more rigid. In principle, corrugated tubes are primarily used for cable management and the mechanical protection of cables and wires, as well as cable harnesses and cable sets, while preserving their flexibility of shape. Toward achieving this end, these pipes, which are generally based on polypropylene (PP) or polyamide (PA) are used in the following sectors, among others:

• Automotive industry
• Industrial mechanical engineering
• Shipbuilding
• Medical technology

Besides the aforementioned protective function, the corrugated pipes enable the installation of flexible connections to peripheral devices. Furthermore, lightweight and efficient constructions can be implemented with the help of these pipes, making them ideal for use in solar thermal systems, heat exchangers and buffer storage tanks. Compared to smooth tubes, the increased surface area of the insulation tubes enables very good heat transfer. However, attention should also be drawn to the flow behavior, which differs from that of smooth tubes.

An additional important area of application for corrugated pipes is in electrical installations. They are used as a protective device in place of empty conduits for electrical and telecommunications cables and similar lines in external as well as internal building walls, floors and ceilings. If these insulating pipes are inserted, for example, into vertical or horizontal slots in the masonry and then plastered, the power cables, telephone, antenna and control lines can be pulled through these empty pipes. This allows the cables to be easily bundled and reliably protected from external influences. Another additional advantage of this procedure lies in the simplified expandability of the existing line network. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes are mostly used in such residential applications. In the aerospace industry, on the other hand, corrugated pipes made of various fluoropolymers such as FEP, PTFE, or PFA, characterized by temperature resistance and flame retardancy, are used for the efficient laying of cables and lines.