In Soma, buildings are heated by a lignite fuelled central heating system. Insulation of the current heating system pipes has become worn-out including water exposure at joints due to leakages. CITyFiED works are preparing an impressive upgrade
In the future, heat at the Soma site will be supplied by surplus heat of the nearby thermal power plant instead of the existing central heating system. Addressing corrosion issues in the distribution system, old pipes made of steel are being replaced by plastic pipes with much better properties such as high corrosion strength and an ability to carry high pressure drinking and geothermal water carriage, for example.
The new reinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTP), with insulation are based on the distinct needs of the CITyFiED project. Continuous fiberglass in the middle layer provides resistance against heat and pressure and protection for the continuous fiberglass layer. The RTP pipes also have a high chemical resistance and convenience for assembling. Thermoplastic layers either side of the fiberglass features are key to these improved qualities. Project partner MIR conducted multiple mechanical and thermal tests to examine properties of different materials, achieve the right number of fiberglass layers and minimize heat losses along the pipeline.