INVESTIGATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF PROCESS PARAMETERS OF PVC FITTINGS BY USING RECYCLED PVC

ABSTRACT A fitting is used in pipe systems to connect straight sections of pipe or tube, adapt to different sizes or shapes, and for other purposes such as regulating fluid flow. Poly vinyl chloride (PVC) is commonly used in many commercial products such as pipes, window profiles, rigid sheets, cables, etc. because of its unique properties up to 40% of polymer pipe and fitting market is occupied by PVC. Since PVC pipe fitting systems are recognized as low-cost applications, the variation of some key properties such as mechanical properties, lifetime, etc. has not been properly evaluated in the field. Impact tests are usually considered as one of efficient accelerated test, so there have been some efforts of the application of fatigue characteristics on PVC pipe fitting.The use of this recycled PVC pipe fittings are used to produce the products within the required limit. The produced are similar to the virgin product in visual. But these products differ in the strengths and thermal aspects. The procedures to be followed vary from virgin PVC fitting to a recycled PVC fitting. The effect of using pre-consumer PVC pipe fitting scraps on static and long-term mechanical properties will be studied. The degradation characteristics of mixing virgin PVC with crushed pre-consumer and PVC pipe fitting scraps are to be analyzed using various techniques. The variation of static mechanical properties as a function of adding pre-consumer PVC pipe fitting scraps is to be investigated using the degradation analyses of recycled PVC pipe fitting scraps. In addition, impact tests are to be executed to evaluate the long-term durability of blending virgin PVC pipe fitting scrap and recycled PVC pipe fitting scraps, and the fracture surface will be investigated in detail to reveal the variation of the fracture mechanisms. Keywords:Poly vinyl chloride (PVC), Recycle, Polymer, Impact test.