Glass lined pipes and fittings are widely used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry for their chemical and physical properties.
The excellent chemical resistance of glass against acid, basic and neutral organics allows a wide range of applications. The very smooth surface of glass (Ra 0.05) facilitates cleaning of systems. The hardness of the glass surface (600 Vickers) is a good protection in case of abrasive mediums.
Advantages of Glass-Lined Piping
- Glass is non-permeable.
- Strong oxidizers, gases and chemicals cannot permeate the hard glass layer, so the steel is protected against corrosion from the inside.
- Tough glass lining is not subject to "liner collapse due to full vacuum at high temperatures.
- Glass provides an extremely broad range of corrosion resistance and resists almost all acid solutions in all concentrations, exceptions being aqueous solution containing fluorides, hot concentrated phosphoric acid and hydrofluoric acid.
- Smooth "non-stick" lining provides a very low coefficient of friction, making it ideal for handling sticky, viscous products that could adhere to other linings.
- Glass-lined steel pipe and fittings are inert to many corrosive chemicals and hence are ideal for preventing contamination in the handling of ultra-pure products. Additionally, it does not adversely affect flavor or color, which is of extreme importance in food and drug industry where purity is essential.
- Its high degree of surface smoothness makes it easy to clean using non-corrosive, low pressure cleaning systems. The smooth surface of glass-lined steel also resists the build-up of viscous or sticky products, which means less frequent cleaning.
Applicable Codes and Standards
- DIN 2873 - Flanged fitting pipes and flanged steel glass lined - PN 10 AND PN 25.
- DIN EN ISO 28721-1 - Vitreous and porcelain enamels. Glass-lined apparatus for process plants. Quality requirements for apparatus, components, appliances and accessories.
- DIN EN ISO 28721-2 - Vitreous and porcelain enamels. Glass-lined apparatus for process plants. Designation and specification of resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock.
- DIN EN ISO 28721-3 - Vitreous and porcelain enamels - Glass-lined apparatus for process plants - Part 3: Thermal shock resistance.
- DIN EN ISO 28721-4 - Vitreous and porcelain enamels. Glass-lined apparatus for process plants. Quality requirements for glass-lined flanged steel pipes and flanged steel fittings.
- DIN EN ISO 28721-5 - Vitreous and porcelain enamels - Glass-lined apparatus for process plants - Part 5: Presentation and characterization of defects.