SMARTFLEX USA newsletter Issue #1

Travel Plaza over 30gpm per nozzle… Performance and Safety

Travel plazas owners and operators are constantly looking for better ways to win their customer preference. Remodeling or building new “ground ups” is a challenging commitment: based on what they choose today they’ll have to deal with it for long time…

Well, Nupi Americas has seen that the flow rate is one major concern these days. Aiming at serving the trucker as quickly as possible, a 30gpm per nozzle, which means 60gpm per lane, seams to become a “must” among the operators. Here then the questions: “How can I make sure I get the flow rate I need at the nozzle?” and more: ”Would my 4 or 5HP submersible pump be enough?”. Lots of the design factors affect the end result. More important than ever is achieving the flow SAFELY! A large majority of our customers were not aware of how critical are the pipe size and layout design to avoid the risk of electro-static electricity buildup. Nupi Americas, Inc. has successfully assisted engineering firms in drafting layouts and providing the appropriate calculation criteria to select their piping solutions granting the flow requirements without neglecting SAFETY.

Tech Insides

Recent travel plaza projects have been successfully installed using SMARTFLEX 3” double wall diesel lines. Testing revealed a total flow of 65gpm per lane (master and satellite nozzles combined). Each 3” line is proven to convey 272gpm
of diesel serving simultaneously 4 dispensing lanes (#8 master/satellite nozzles), maintaining a max speed of 12.88
ft/sec thru a 2.97” ID pipe section. Assisted by an extreme ID pipe surface smoothness the SMARTFLEX piping system is
proven to be the most efficient solution with less head loss and no electrostatic charge generation.

SMARTFLEX - The Safest and Most Efficient Fuel Piping System

One of the most concerning issue in conveying fuel is how to manage electrostatic electricity within dispensing equipment. Since this is a safety related matter, the best approach is to reduce the risk limiting its generation. In the effort to break the explanations down to easy words, we can say that whenever there is “energy” such as friction (rubbing) there is the possibility to generate electrostatic electricity. The deal is then controlling safely the “discharge” of this build up preventing sparks to happen especially in presence of fuel vapors. In the case of fuel flowing thru a pipe section there is a friction situation. The smoother is the pipe the less is the friction. But careful: the less is the friction the smaller is the possibility to generate electrostatic electricity. SMARTFLEX Piping System has been tested and rated by the Wolfoson Electrostatics (UK) as the safest fuel piping systems due to few factors: extreme ID smoothness (very close to the one of glass), larger primary bore lower fuel speed) and very limited joints along the fuel line runs thanks to the use of coils. Nupi Americas, Inc developed a simple and easy to use software to calculate pressure head loss, flow characteristics and simulate all kind of scenarios you might have on a gas station.

For more info contact us:
smartflex@nupiamericas.com

SMARTFLEX
Piping at Its Best…
SMARTFLEX by Nupi is a semi-rigid piping system made using HDPE lined with PVDF.
SMARTFLEX features electro-fusion fittings that allow durable and reliable joins without harmful chemicals and unwanted curing time.

It’s UL971 listed product and it’s specifically designed for underground and above water
applications.

30 years product warranty with up to 10yrs labor warranty available!!!

Nupigeco S.p.a. and Nupi Americas, Inc are proud manufacturers of hydrocarbons conveyance thermoplastic piping systems. Call to schedule a visit to our new Houston TX plant: we’ll be glad to show how a proven quality pipe it’s done!