ASTM International Committee F17 on Plastic Piping Systems has recently approved a new standard and is currently working on two proposed new standards. The following describes these standards activities.

Plastic Piping Systems Committee Completes Latest Standard in Polyamide-11 Series

The use of polyamide-11 (PA-11) thermoplastic pipe to distribute natural gas at pressures up to 200 psig can provide gas distribution companies with a safer, cost-effective option to using steel piping for this application. In order to facilitate the use of PA-11 piping, ASTM International Committee F17 on Plastic Piping Systems has developed a new standard, F 2600, Specification for Electrofusion Type Polyamide-11 Fittings for Outside Diameter Controlled Polyamide-11 Pipe and Tubing. The new standard is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee F17.60 on Gas.
 
Specification F 2600 includes requirements for materials, workmanship and testing performance for PA-11 fittings for use with outside diameter-controlled PA-11 pipe, which is covered by ASTM International standard D 2513, Specification for Thermoplastic Gas Pressure Pipe, Tubing and Fittings.
 
Frank Volgstadt, president, Volgstadt and Associates, Inc., says that F 2600 is one of a series of standards that have either been revised or developed by the subcommittee over the last 10 years to provide users with a complete PA-11 piping system. Two standards that have been revised to include this information are D 2513, Specification for Thermoplastic Gas Pressure Pipe, Tubing and Fittings, and F 1973, Specification for Factory Assembled Anodeless Risers and Transition Fittings in Polyethylene (PE) and Polyamide 11 (PA-11) Fuel Gas Distribution Systems. Other new standards, aside from F 2600, that have been developed as part of this work are F 1733, Specification for Butt Heat Fusion Polyamide (PA) Plastic Fitting for Polyamide (PA) Plastic Pipe and Tubing, and F 2145, Specification for Polyamide 11 (PA-11) Mechanical Fittings for Use on Outside Diameter Controlled Polyamide 11 Pipe and Tubing.
 
According to Volgstadt, Specification F 2600 and the other PA-11 standards will be of particular interest to gas distribution companies that are interested in using PA-11 electrofusion fittings in PA-11 piping systems operating at pressures up to 200 psig in their distribution and transmission systems.
 
ASTM International standards are available from Customer Service (phone: 610/832-9585; https://www.astm.org/contact/) or at www.astm.org. For further technical information, contact: Frank R. Volgstadt, Volgstadt and Associates, Inc., Madison, Ohio (phone: 440/428-0827; FVolgst376@aol.com).

Proposed ASTM Excess Flow Valve Standard Will Provide Home Protection

Excess flow valves are important safety devices that can protect homes from unattended pipe disconnections and ruptures. A proposed new ASTM International standard, WK12961, Specification for Excess Flow Valves for Fuel Gas Systems, will cover minimum requirements for excess flow valves that are used in low-pressure applications downstream of a gas utility meter. Current standard F 2138, Specifications for Excess Flow Valves for Natural Gas Service, along with its corresponding test method, F 1802, Test Method for Performance Testing of Excess Flow Valves, serve as baseline standards for the proposed specification.
 
WK12961 is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee F17.60 on Gas, which is part of ASTM International Committee F17 on Plastic Piping Systems.
 
According to Sidney Cavanaugh, Subcommittee F17.60 member, WK12961 will be useful to engineers, code officials and manufacturers of excess flow valves. “Additionally, because EFVs are safety devices meant to protect homes, the proposed standard will also provide necessary technical information for professionals who would consider using these devices in their specifications,” says Cavanaugh. “In this manner, consumers will receive benefits by having new levels of safety protection specified in future homes.”
 
Because low-pressure excess flow valves are used in many applications, WK12961 will provide a benchmark so that products that are installed can be certified to a consensus standard. WK12961 will also allow greater usage of EFV technology by providing a basis for future recognition in model codes and local jurisdictions. The current UPC code recognizes EFVs and the proposed new standard will be cited in future revisions of the code.
 
Subcommittee F17.60 invites participation from all interested parties in its standards developing activities. “There is always a need for regulatory interests, such as plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas system inspectors, as well as building officials,” says Cavanaugh. For further technical information, contact Sidney Cavanaugh, Cavanaugh Consulting, Burbank, Calif. (phone: 408/957-8452; sidneycavanaugh@sbcglobal.net).

Polyethylene Pipe Butt Fusion Standard Under Development by ASTM Plastic Piping Committee

A proposed new ASTM International standard will be useful to gas companies, utilities and pipe manufacturers in qualifying parameters and procedures for new polyethylene pipe material, as well as existing material. The proposed standard, WK12986, Test Methods for Qualifying Polyethylene Pipe Butt Fusion Joining Parameters and Procedures, is being developed by Subcommittee F17.40 on Test Methods, which is part of ASTM International Committee F17 on Plastic Piping Systems.

“If a pipe manufacturer, municipality, utility or end user wants to verify that their butt fusion parameters and procedures make quality butt fusion joints using commercially available polyethylene pipe, or new classifications of PE pipe, they will now have a standard testing method to verify that,” says Jim Craig, P.E., Industry Relations Manager, McElroy Manufacturing, Inc. “As new PE products are developed, such as PE 4710, these tests can be used to verify that specific butt fusion parameters and procedures make joints that are as strong as the pipe.”

According to Craig, WK12986 will cover both short-term tests of butt fusion joints (for example, high speed tensile impact tests), as well as long term testing (elevated temperature, sustained pressure testing per ASTM standard D 3035, Specification for Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Pipe (DR-PR) Based on Controlled Outside Diameter).
 
Craig invites polyethylene pipe and fitting manufacturers and testing laboratories to participate in the ongoing development of WK12986. For further technical information, contact Jim Craig, P.E., McElroy Manufacturing, Inc., Tulsa, Okla. (phone: 918/831-9263; jcraig@mcelroy.com).

Committee F17 meets Nov. 13-16 during the November Committee Week in Atlanta, Ga. For membership or meeting information, contact Robert Morgan, manager, Technical Committee Operations, ASTM International (phone: 610/832-9732; rmorgan@astm.org).

Release #7554