The world's largest diameter ductile iron pipes officially rolled off the production line recently.
They are produced by Huangshi XinXing Pipes Co., Ltd., a holding subsidiary of Xinxing Ductile Iron Pipes Co., Ltd. under XinXing Cathay International Group.
The ductile iron pipe has a diameter of three meters and a weight of 15 tons, equivalent to the weight of 10 family cars. It marks a significant technological breakthrough in China's major water conservancy infrastructure sector.
The 3-meter-diameter ductile iron pipes, produced by Huangshi XinXing Pipes Co., Ltd., roll off the production line. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
China is a country with an uneven distribution of water resources. Large-diameter pipelines are needed to transport water from water-rich areas to water-scarce regions. Additionally, with the intensive development of cities, the water supply volume continues to rise. Without large-diameter pipes to ensure adequate water supply, two or more parallel pipelines would need to be constructed, bringing such challenges as increased construction volume, larger land occupation, and higher overall costs.
Large-diameter ductile iron pipes not only possess a greater ability to withstand ground settlement but also significantly reduce material consumption. In comparison to the commonly used 1-meter-diameter pipes, the diameter of the 3-meter-diameter ductile iron pipe has increased by two times, resulting in a 20-fold increase in water delivery capacity, while material consumption has also decreased by 19 percent.
For example, if one were to drain the West Lake, it would take 104 days with 1-meter-diameter pipes, but it would only take five days with the current 3-meter-diameter pipes.
The 3-meter-diameter ductile iron pipes, produced by Huangshi XinXing Pipes Co., Ltd., roll off the production line. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
In addition, the ductile iron pipes are known for their strength, toughness, and long service life, often surpassing the service life of traditional steel pipe fittings by two to three times. However, as the diameter of pipes gets larger, the production difficulty increases exponentially.
These ductile iron pipes, as the first DN3000 ductile iron pipes in the world, have stringent requirements on process parameters and equipment stability. Height differences in production equipment along the longitudinal, transverse, and planar directions must be controlled within 0.1 millimeters, with precision requirements exceeding 10 times that of small-diameter cast pipes.
Currently, China is the only country capable of producing ductile iron pipes with a diameter of 2.6 meters or more.
In recent years, with the successful development of ultra-large diameter ductile iron pipes and other products, China's ductile iron pipe manufacturing technology has been leading the industry.
During the research and development of this ductile iron pipe, XinXing Ductile Iron Pipes Co., Ltd. took the lead in formulating four international standards, revising 16 international standards, and establishing 17 domestic standards and more than 50 industry standards.
"We conducted all-round independent research and development of product equipment, processes, and production. Technological advancements have brought vast market prospects and economic benefits," said the project manager of the 3-meter-diameter ductile iron pipe project at Huangshi XinXing Pipes Co., Ltd.
(Executive editor: Xie Yunxiao)
