District heating & pre-insulated pipe

What is district heating?

District Heating utilises pre-insulated pipe to transport hot water from the energy centre to provide the heat demand for a number of properties, residential, commercial or multi occupancy.

The Energy Centre can use a variety of heat sources such as fossil fuels (e.g. gas CHP), Energy from Waste, industrial waste heat or renewable energy sources such as heat pumps, biomass or anaerobic digestion to heat the water.

The hot water travels through an underground pre-insulated pipe network to a heat interface unit (HIU) located in each building, this provides heating and hot water to each building and allows individual temperature control to each building. The cold water then returns back to the energy centre to be heated and circulated again.

Trends in District Heating Pipework

This whitepaper aims to provide district heating specifiers and contractors with key considerations and technical points for the next generation of low carbon heat networks.

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Product range

RAUVIPEX pre-insulated PE-Xa pipe

The new standard in pre-insulated pipe for heat networks 20 - 140mm

Highly flexible PE-Xa pipe with bonded PUR foam
First district heating pipe range with SN8 ring-stiffness
First flexible PU foamed pipe to reach Class A watertightness under AGFW 420-1
Newly developed fine-poured PUR foam characterised by excellent insulation properties combined with outstanding flexibility
Available up to 140 UNO and 75 DUO

Find out more

RAUTHERMEX pre-insulated PE-Xa pipe

The efficient solution for heat networks 20 - 160mm

Excellent thermal insulation with PU foam and a best in class lambda value of 0.0199W/mK
140mm UNO is the largest polymer flexible district heating pipe on the market which can transport up to 2.5MW of heat at 80°C/50°C flow & return temperatures
Largest DUO pipe on the market (75 DUO)
RAUTHERMEX Plus available with thicker insulation for up to 20% lower heat losses
10 bar option available
No need to compensate for thermal expansion due to bonded foam structure

RAUVITHERM pre-insulated PE-Xa pipe

The flexible solution for heat networks in 25 - 160mm

Excellent flexibility and low weight due to corrugated outer jacket and closed cell PEX insulation
Long coils up to 330m possible which are 50% longer than similar flexible pipes
The only PE-Xa district heating pipe manufactured in the UK which saves an estimated 29% on CO₂ emissions annually.
RAUVITHERM 125mm UNO can transport up to 1.7MW of heat at 80^oC/50^oC flow & return temperatures
Outer layer of foam is bonded to the outer jacket

PP-R district heating pipes

REHAU now offer PP-R district heating pipes in 160-315mm (larger sizes available on request) to allow for a fully polymer heat network.

Up to 37% lighter than steel and easier to handle
No expansion bends - saving both installation and material costs
Up to 19% lower pressure losses than steel
Excellent corrosion resistance so no leak detection required
Can be combined easily with REHAU's PE-Xa for a fully polymer heat network
Over 50 year lifespan at 70^oC and 9.5 bar

A shroud revolution.

More universal. More flexible. More watertight.
Our new CLIP-FLEX shroud, universal for all REHAU district heating pipes.

Inspired by experience, optimised with passion: we have developed a ball joint function for our new CLIP-FLEX shroud that allows you to master even extreme angle deviations of up to 22.5°. Our integrated EPDM sealing system ensures that you can combine various REHAU pipe types and diameters extremely conveniently – without the need for separate sealing rings.

Discover our Clip-Flex shroud

RAUTHERMEX clip shrouds

2nd generation with improved sealing rings allowing up to 20^o bending of pipe
No hot works
Externally tested to 0.3 bar watertightness to EN 489
Uses high performance PU foam insulation

RAUVITHERM heat shrink shrouds

Can be used with RAUVITHERM or RAUTHERMEX, or to combine both pipes
Externally tested to 0.5 bar watertightness to EN 489
Uses high performance PU foam insulation

REHAU EVERLOC^TM jointing

Two component compression sleeve technology
No hot works
Over 1 billion joints installed worldwide
Up to 50% faster connections
Full range of tees and terminations
Minimal bore reduction

What used to be only possible for cold water, gas and steel pipe heating systems is now available for hot water: NEXUS, the first hot tapping system for PE-Xa district heating pipes.

Maximum reliability to 110^oC due to silicone safety (TUV certified)
Up to 80% faster to install than conventional methods *applies for d125, up to 50% at d63
Up to 50% cost savings

Modular Tees

Fabricated to the highest standards, these new Modular
Tees offer the greatest flexibility in design.

Uses the renowned Everloc fitting, over 1 billion joints made worldwide
No O-rings in joint making these quick and easy to install
Simple visual inspection of the joint
For pipe sizes 25mm - 110mm
Over 600 possible configurations
Fabricated to order and individually pressure tested at the factory

Download the flyer

FUSAPEX

Electric welding socket system used alongside RAUTHERMEX and RAUVITHERM.

Operating temperatures -40°C to +95 °C at max 6bar
No corrosion, good chemical resistance
Fully polymer system with high velocities
Cost saving

What we offer our customers

Providing service and design support for our customers is our priority - our UK sales, technical & design and production teams are available to ensure you have the right information to support you through your project. All our key designers are accredited CIBSE heat network consultants and are able to support you with pipe sizing & network routing, diversity and heat loss calculations, operating temperature choice, network optimisation and can provide you with BIM data.

We offer the largest UK stock available with a full cutting service, UK manufacturing and a sales and technical team on hand to assist on-site as well CPD presentations on heat networks. Find out more by taking a look at the videos below.

Our UK sales support

Our technical & design support

Our production

Our UK stock

Blogs

08.10.2024 Should I Install PE-Xa or Steel Piping in District Heating?

While opting for pipework that is thermally insulated with PUR foam should be key to minimising heat losses, understanding the variety of formats is critical.

11.07.2022 What Are the Latest Innovations in District Heating Networks?

Historically powered by gas or combined heat and power (CHP), district heating now benefits from a variety of renewable energy sources.

12.07.2022 Can Polymer Pipe Improve District Heating Sustainability?

As we move away from third generation heat networks powered by fossil fuels, fourth generation schemes offer a lower operating temperature for increased energy savings.

25.07.2022 District Heating Pipe Layout Patterns - The Benefits

There are a number of factors to take into account before installing a district heating network. One of the more important factors to consider is layout, as different selections lead to a variety of benefits.

Downloads

29.02.2024 District heating & pre-insulated pipe

Sales brochure