The specialised conduit is designed specifically for underground mines and other hazardous areas, and represents a considerable safety advantage over the conventional PVC conduit.
It is made from a halogen-free, flame-retardant polymer which has been formulated as an alternative to PVC and importantly contains no known toxins.
The conduit has been released by New South Wales specialist Albatech, and the range of conduit is called Evcco.
Currently, four types of Australian-manufactured conduit are used to carry electrical cabling in surface and sub-surface applications. The new Evcco range comprises:
- ENVIRO Medium Duty (HF) halogen-free;
- STD Medium Duty (HFFR) halogen-free, flame-retardant;
- Hi-Po Heavy Duty (HFFR) halogen-free, flame-retardant with high impact resistance; and
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FRAS Heavy Duty (HFFR) halogen-free, flame-retardant, anti-static with high impact resistance. FRAS conduit is used where static electricity may be an issue, such as computer installations, grain silos, coal storage, petrochemical plants, solvent and paint manufacturing and gas processing.
Similar conduit is also used within safety equipment such as aspiration systems and air sampling systems for protection against smoke and toxicity.
All are lighter and easier to install than metal and PVC conduits but do not contain safety and environmental hazards that can be released into the air by fire or leached into soil, according to Albatech.
“This is a product whose time has come as the mining and all world-class industries are being called upon to demonstrate environmental concern and long-term sustainability,” an Albatech spokesperson told ingNewsPremium.net
“The Evcco range is specifically designed to meet the expanding needs of industrial markets seeking products that assist in their environmental responsibility and risk management.”
He told MNP the Evcco product was developed as a response to concerns about materials such as PVC and designed to offer an alternative that contains no known toxins.
“The manufacturing challenge was to produce an environmentally friendly product that still retained strong performance in areas such as impact resistance, long life with UV protection, low smoke emissions (in the case of STD, Hi-Po and FRAS products) and fire resistant anti-static performance in the case of the FRAS product,” he said.
The products are available in sizes ranging from 20mm to 110mm (outside diameter) and there is also a range of compatible junction boxes, inspection elbows and tees, bends and adaptors available.
Albatech said the new, specialised conduit has been designed for applications ranging from gas and petroleum processing, mineral processing, coal washing and underground mines, to primary product processing plants and computer installations.
The company said the polymer in the new conduit produces no corrosive or toxic flue gases when it is burnt, and therefore is particularly suitable for areas such as underground mines, where there are high concentrations of people, high concentrations of assets, or risk of high costs due to production interruption.
It has also been designed to easily follow the contours of tunnels, trenches and structures – rather than being bent or welded into shape.
