Polymers are very large molecules made up of thousands of atoms that are bonded together in repetition. They are widely used in gas gathering application due to their properties like durability and flexibility. In gas gathering application the lines collect gas from smaller lines and move it to central collecting point. Polymers like PP, HDPE, LDPE, PVC etc. are the most widely used polymer materials for the distribution of natural gas. Extensive testing and field performance confirm that the long-term strength of polymer is unaffected by natural gas and its common constituents.
Traditionally steel pipes were used to carry natural gas and LPG. Steel pipes are subject to hydrogen embrittlement which causes accidents and economic loss. Also steel pipes are heavy and wielding of these pipes is not cost efficient. As compared to steel, polymers are far superior to them. Polymers are corrosion resistant, electrical and thermal insulators, fatigue resistant, chemically inert, lightweight, eco-friendly and cost efficient. Because of these properties they are widely used in gas sector. According to the study of PRnewswire, worldwide demand for polymer is projected to grow 6.5 percent per annum through 2019 to 20.6 billion meters. Strong construction activity, particularly in the large markets of China and the US, will boost polymer demand. This growing polymer industry is extremely prone to rodents and insects damage.
There are more than 2000 species of rodents. The classification of rodents include rats, mouse, beaver, gopher, paca, hamster, squirrel etc. They have flexible ribs and muscles that can bend up to extreme point. So, no matter how big or fluffy these rodents are they can pass through the slimmest gap present in our premises. They have incisors which grow continuously throughout their life. To keep them in check, rodents chew anything they find or smell attractive including our gas pipes.
In addition to rodents, insects like termites and ants also cause damage to our gas pipes. They have microorganisms like protozoa in their stomach which helps to break down and digest the polymer. Ants and termites secrete formic acid, which has the capability of dissolving the hardest polymer. This way they form cracks and holes to our gas pipes causing leakages which in turn results in explosion.
Here are some incidences that show how rodents and insects have damaged our gas pipes:
LPG explosion: Family of three succumbs to burns.On November 7, Shibin, a welder died with his wife Anju Thomas and their son Alwyn. Shibin lit the stove to make tea. The cylinder exploded and both he and his wife, who was also in the kitchen, suffered from serious injuries. Their son Alwyn, who heard the blast and went towards the fire to reach his parents, also suffered burn injuries, said the police “It is suspected that the hose pipe connecting the cylinder and stove was damaged as a rat had bitten it off. Shibin had cut that particular part and fixed it. Also, there might be chances that they would have left the stove knob on. But further investigations will reveal the exact cause of the blast,” said the officer. A case of unnatural death has been registered in the Kadugodi police station – Bengaluru, November 2015, DHNS.
Rat nibbles gas pipe, cylinder blast injures three.
Three persons suffered severe injuries after a gas leakage led to a blast in an apartment in Nalasopara (East) on Monday morning. The police have said that the leakage happened after the gas pipe was nibbled by rats. The incident happened in the rented flat of one Popat Bangar in Pawan Apartment of Sankeshwar Nagar in Nalasopara.
“We suspect that rats had nibbled the gas pipe leading to the leakage. We have taken statements of the neighbors as well as the injured. The injured were rushed to a hospital,” said a Tulinj police officer. –Mumbai, June 2015, DNA.
Also in Britain people are being warned about that they may face invasion of 100 million rats this winter:
Brace yourselves – Britain might face an invasion of 100 million 10-inch rats this winter.
As the cold weather creeps in and strong winds are blowing, up to 100 million rats can seek shelter in the warmth of our flats and houses, experts warn.
“They will not only scratch, gnaw and rip items apart to make nesting materials but they will also chew beams and joists, causing structural damage, and through electrical cables, which can cause fires,” Paul Bates, the boss of Cleankill Environmental Services, said.
“With forecasters predicting the harshest winter the UK has seen in half a century, pest controllers are now advising people to make sure their homes are fully protected against invading rodents.”
– December 2015, Britain, Hexjam news.
There is a need to control and prevent this damage. There are various ways which rodents and insects damage our polymer pipes. They enter in our premises through drainage pipes, sewer lines, cracks, holes, gable vent etc. and chew our gas pipes. Even if these rodents and insects damage our pipes they play a vital role in our ecosystem. Rodenticides and insecticides are not an option as such toxicants are likely to be dangerous if used incorrectly. Also they can harm target as well as non targeted species. Rodents can cope with poison and can survive, breed and pass on their resistance to their offspring. Rodenticides and insecticides are extremely unstable and can react with base polymer of the gas pipe. To overcome these problems there is a need of an ideal solution.
C Tech Corporation can offer a solution to overcome this problem. Our product Combirepel™ is an extremely low toxicity and extremely low hazard and eco-friendly rodent aversive. Combirepel™ is available in the form of solid masterbatches, liquid concentrate and in lacquer form. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. This product acts through a series of highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application.
The fencing and tree guards can be coated withCombirepel™ to protect the trees, shrubs etc. from the damage caused by the grey squirrels. The product can also be incorporated into agricultural films, greenhouse films, plastic mulches used on a large scale in the agriculture as well as horticulture sector in order to avoid damages caused by these squirrels to fruits and vegetables. Also, the products can be directly incorporated in the polymer matrix during processing of pipes and tubing. Combirepel™ does not leach out, thus there is no soil pollution. Groundwater reserves are also not polluted. Also the non-target beneficial species like earthworms, bees etc are not affected.
The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.
Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.
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