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Fluid Handling
Pumping, conveying and controlling liquids are important factors in the irrigation, plumbing and process industries. For aqueous fluids, Ticona's Hostaform® and Celcon® acetal copolymers have an extensive history in parts such as housings, taps and valves, and couplings. These parts are found in many fluid handling applications including plumbing, irrigation, water softeners, beverage dispensers, water filters, shower heads, sprinklers, water meters, and pumps. The acetal copolymer materials offer good flow and moldability, and their very low moisture absorption permits dimensional stability in contact with water. Other materials from Ticona used in these applications include Celanex® polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and Celstran® long-fiber reinforced thermoplastics (LFRT).
The good abrasion resistance of Celcon and Hostaform acetal copolymer resins is important in the moving parts of taps and valves, and their resistance to fatigue and creep makes them able to sustain long term mechanical loads. Their good chemical resistance also makes them good candidates for similar applications with non-aqueous fluids. Ticona offers Celcon and Hostaform acetal copolymer resins that perform well in outdoor applications and resins that comply with applicable US FDA and European Union regulations for food contact, as well as National Sanitation Foundation regulations (WRAS/UK, KTW-W270 / Ger, ACS/F).
In the process industries, liners and housings can be made from both Fortron® polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) and GUR® ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE). Though very different, both of these materials offer superior chemical resistance. The abrasion resistance of GUR UHMW-PE makes it able to withstand the wear caused by handling fluids with a high level of suspended solids, even abrasive slurries.
Fortron PPS, on the other hand, can tolerate much higher temperatures, and also has excellent stiffness and resistance to creep, properties that help avoid leaks in pumps and fittings held together by compression bolts.
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