How resistant are plastic pipes to cleaning processes?

Plastic pipes have become indispensable in modern pipeline construction—whether in drinking water supply, wastewater disposal, or industrial applications. However, during their use, they are regularly exposed to cleaning and flushing processes that place stress on both the pipe material and the connection technology.

But how resistant are plastic pipe systems actually to these mechanical stresses?

The SKZ Plastics Center is investigating this question in a practical test project together with its partners: Kanal Türpe GmbH, an experienced service provider for pipe and sewer cleaning, and USBDÜSEN GmbH, a leading manufacturer of high-performance cleaning nozzles.

“We simulate the use of modern pipe cleaning technology in plastic pipes under realistic conditions. The aim is to make reliable statements about the long-term durability and tightness of pipe systems after repeated stress,” explains Stefan Weippert, group leader for pressure testing at SKZ.

The tests are carried out either according to specific customer requirements or on the basis of established technical regulations – such as DIN EN 12056-2, DWA-TR 14920 or the QPLUS requirements. This provides pipe manufacturers, network operators and service providers with a reliable basis for decision-making in order to specifically qualify their systems and operate them safely in the long term.

Manuel Schwab, Sales Manager at USBDÜSEN GmbH, emphasizes the benefits for the industry: “Our cleaning nozzles generate enormous forces, so it is crucial that the pipe material withstands these forces not only in the short term, but over many years. Joint testing with SKZ builds trust among our customers and helps to identify potential risks at an early stage.”

Close cooperation with Kanal Türpe GmbH enables realistic cleaning processes to be simulated. This allows the durability of plastic pipes to be evaluated under realistic conditions – for well-founded and application-oriented test results.