Two support Types: Loose and Fixed
Plastic pipe should be installed using supports designed for use with plastics and should then be installed taking care not to damage or overstress the pipe.
There are two commonly used supports: Fixed and Loose.
Firstly, lets look at pipe movement inside the brackets (depicted in the image below), followed by the design implications this has for plastic expansion.
Pipe Movements
Design Implication 1: Plastic Expansion
For this exercise, let’s assume we have a 6 metre pipe length with a pipe expansion of 6 millimetres.
A loose pipe bracket allows the pipe to slide within the bracket and can therefore potentially expand 6mm in either direction depending on the endpoint arrangements.
A fixed bracket mounted at the centre of the pipe is clamped; preventing the pipe from sliding. The pipe, now essentially halved to 3 metres by the fixing point, can only expand in the non-fixed direction by a factor of 3 millimetres.
This is one method of reducing the amount of expansion distance placed on an endpoint.
Design Implication #2 Vertical Pipe Installation:
Vertical pipe installations will require fixed brackets – otherwise, the pipe will slide through and extra load will be placed on the bottom point of the pipework.
Read on for the features of both bracket options.
LOOSE Pipe clips (Brackets)
loose brackets
A loose bracket is a pipe bracket which allows axial movement of the pipe.
This allows stress-free compensation of temperature variations and compensation of any other operating condition changes.
Arranging loose brackets
The inner diameter of the bracket should be larger than the outer diameter of the pipe to allow free movement of the pipe.
The inner edges of the brackets should be free from any sharp contours to avoid damaging the pipe surface.
Typically used in a horizontal installation and on dosing boards.
Product: LOOSE BRACKET CLIP
Advantages
- All plastic construction black PP
- Size ranges for both metric and imperial pipe sizes
- Sizes 75mm and above have an offset hinge allowing for easier installation
- Sizes DN10 to DN50 offer single bolt connection
- Various spacers to boost the height of clips
Fixed Pipe clamps (Brackets)
Fixed Brackets
A fixed pipe bracket is a bracket that prevents the pipe from moving in any direction.
The purpose of a fixed point is to control system stresses caused by temperature variations.
Product: Fixed BRACKET Clamp
Material: Stainless 316 with EPDM rubber liner
Advantages:
- All 316 stainless steel
- EPDM rubber liner
- M8/M10 bolt size
