Contents
In industrial plants, office complexes, hotels or hospitals, pipes are used wherever water is needed for drinking water supply, heating, cooling and industrial processes. However, many pipe installations face a danger that often goes undetected: deposits inside the pipes, known as incrustation.
This can lead to pipes becoming completely blocked and cause costly damage, up to and including pipe bursts. The more advanced the incrustation, the harder it is to remove. The damage is foreseeable. It is therefore important to check pipe systems regularly and, if necessary, replace them before it is too late.
Incrustation refers to deposits that form inside water pipes. Metallic pipe systems are more affected because their surface properties make them more susceptible to deposits. These deposits can remain unnoticed for a long time and then cause pipe fractures or leaks due to increased pressure in the pipe system. In the worst case, this damage can bring production in industrial plants to a complete standstill and operations in hotels, hospitals or other large buildings to a halt.
How does incrustation form in water pipes?
The formation of incrustation is complex and depends on several factors. The most common cause is minerals in the water such as magnesium and calcium. Water hardness varies by region depending on limestone, dolomite or gypsum formations. As long as the deposit remains thin, like a layer of limescale on the pipe wall, there is no danger. However, if incrustation in the pipe increases unnoticed over a long period, costly damage can occur.
If there is a constant pressure drop in systems or at consumers, incrustation may be the cause. Limescale deposits at tap points can also be an indication that the pipes are calcified.
Why are plastic pipes hardly affected by incrustation?
Thanks to their smooth surface and chemical resistance, plastic pipes are hardly susceptible to deposits or incrustation compared with metal pipes. The smooth surface minimises the adhesion of particles, preventing deposits in the pipes. In addition, because plastics do not conduct electricity, they do not incrust, so ions or particles dissolved in the water do not adhere to the pipe wall.
Another advantage of plastic pipes is that they are resistant to corrosion. In metallic systems, corrosion damage can occur in connection with deposits. Plastic pipes are also more resistant to chemical agents that can be used, for example, for hygienic pipe cleaning without damaging the pipe wall.
An example from practice
The steel pipes of an industrial company had been damaged by incrustation and sludge formation. Inside, a crystalline crust had formed which, as a result of corrosion, gradually caused the inner diameter of the pipes to change drastically. The inner diameter of the DN 100 steel pipes was reduced by almost half. The pipes were replaced with aquatherm products. Thanks to the plastic polypropylene, they became resistant to corrosion and incrustation. aquatherm develops and produces innovative polypropylene materials under the name fusiolen®. Among other properties, these are characterised by particular high heat and extraction stability. The physical and chemical properties are tailored to the specific requirements of the respective field of application. Thanks to good welding properties, pipe and fitting combine into a homogeneous, materially bonded unit.
Author
Selda Kul
Pump Valve and Systems MagazinePompa Vana · September-October 2026Read the latest issue free →
