Plastic components for shipbuilding

Compared to metal, the only solution used until a few years ago for the various plants, there are many advantages that are causing a shift in the interest of shipyards, technicians and designers towards the use of different types of PVC. Let's see which ones:

Aliaxis offers robust and high-quality plastic systems for conveying fluids specially designed to reduce weight and noise on board civil and military vessels, as well as solutions for fire prevention and to minimize the risk of legionella bacteria spreading .

The need to treat the wastewater produced on board ships before being discharged into the sea to prevent any form of pollution of the marine environment has made their design phase even more complex.

The separation of gray and black wastewater requires treatment systems that reduce the load of organic contaminants, in line with the legislation of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The combination of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) with a reverse osmosis system is one of the most effective systems.

Safely transporting the liquids to be treated or already treated by the respective on-board systems is a task that our lines of PVC-U and PVC-C pipes and fittings, FLS instrumentation and VKD-Dualblock valves perform at their best.

Aliaxis has product lines for freshwater generation systems, those that transform seawater into process water. The same systems that filter and disinfect water also have the task of regulating the hardness and mineralization of fresh water produced and stored for human use and consumption.

The Aliaxis systems of PVC-U or PVC-C pipes and fittings, the FLS instrumentation for monitoring water conductivity and the VKD-Dualblock valves are already successfully used on cruise ships in cooling systems, or for the service waters of non-potable users or for potable water.

The need to guarantee the hygienic safety of closed environments, such as the confined spaces and high attendance of cruise ships, is increasingly pressing today. Avoiding bacteriological and biofilm proliferations, preventing the risk of contamination, obliges you to monitor all sanitary and drinking water systems. The systems are precisely the privileged places for the accumulation and development of bacteria, such as Legionella in hot water circuits and Pseudomonas in domestic cold water networks. The presence of biofilms, corrosion phenomena and limescale deposits in the pipes are factors that favor their proliferation, affecting the efficiency of the circuits themselves.

To limit the development of bacteria in the circuits, 3 operations are carried out:
• combat the formation of limescale deposits and pipe corrosion

• maintain high or increase the temperature of the water in the systems

• avoid water stagnation by guaranteeing constant circulation.

These measures can include shock or continuous treatments, both chemical and thermal. Having systems capable of withstanding these treatments over time is essential to keep the systems safe and the ship in perfect working order.

The Fluxo flexible multilayer piping system, the PP-R/PP-RCT pipe and fittings system for polyfusion and electrofusion and the System'O PVC-C pipe and fittings system, compliant with MSC.399, are the answer of Aliaxis to address these important health risks on ships.

In the past years, ballast water loading and unloading operations in different geographical areas have produced significant imbalances in local marine ecosystems caused by the introduction of invasive species. The most effective way to limit the spread of non-native species transported in ballast water is to prevent their introduction.

For this reason, the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) of 2017 requires ships to treat the water contained in their tanks to remove invasive species such as Undaria Asiatica, Cholera vibrio, European green crab, Stella North Pacific Navy or render them harmless before unloading at the ports of arrival.

For the delicate preservation of the variety of different marine environments, systems must be used that guarantee maximum safety. The PE 100 pipe and fitting systems for electrofusion, the FLS measuring instrumentation, the Straub mechanical joints for metal and plastic pipes and the FK Heavy Duty butterfly valves with handle block are the tools that Aliaxis makes available to designers, technicians and shipyards to prevent the spread of harmful alien species in marine environments distant from those of origin.

Since the 1970s, the problem of managing waste water produced by ships has led over 160 countries to sign the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, known as MARPOL 73/78.

Discharges of waste water or "black water" into the sea are in fact prohibited with the exception of certain specific conditions provided for by the Convention.

The increase in passengers on cruise ships over the last decade, calculated at 10% per year, has multiplied the number of ships and their dimensions, resulting in a significant increase in the volume of black and gray water produced.

To safeguard the well-being of the planet's seas, the most attentive and responsible companies have launched processes for the further modernization of systems and equipment aimed at the treatment and purification of waste water and sludge management.

Also for these specific processes Aliaxis has product lines that offer the best performance on the market, such as Frialen's PE 100 pipes and fittings systems for electrofusion, the Phonoblack PVC-U pipes and fittings system with push-fit connection and the Straub-Flex mechanical joints for metal and plastic pipes.

Our products ensure uniform and constant performance for the entire time of use, offering excellent chemical and mechanical resistance to the typical stresses of marine applications.

Present with offices and branches in over 45 countries, our support and consultancy services on the project and technical assistance on the products are always available locally in the world.