Thermal characterization of the end-forming process of PVC pipes: influence of the number of lamps on critical angular velocities

The end-forming, or belling, of plastic pipes allows them to be joined together to form longer ducts. The first stage of the process entails softening the pipe wall through heating, and defines the properties of the final product. Because of the very low value of thermal conductivity of plastics and to speed heating up, the pipes are placed in ovens whose walls are lined with infra-red short-wave (SW) lamps. The radiation emitted partly penetrates the pipe wall, quickening the process. The heating elements have a straight configuration, and can only be laid axially flush over the oven’s wall, the pipes, therefore, must rotate to obtain a circumferentially uniform heating and avoid damage. The threshold speed to avoid scorching while exceeding a desired temperature over the thickness of the pipe wall is defined as ”critical angular velocity” and is strictly dependent on pipe geometry and oven characteristics such as the number and layout of lamps. The Authors have already investigated the problem extensively, as is well documented in the literature, yet one aspect still remains to be studied, namely the influence of the number of lamps on the heat flux distribution over the pipe’s perimeter and on the critical velocity. In this work, the issue is investigated thoroughly using the same approach previously adopted and recalled in its main aspects in the paper. It is found that even a significant reduction in the number of lamps does not increase threshold velocities to technically unfeasible values. A non-negligible reduction in costs can therefore be achieved without significant impact on the process outcomes