VITRIFIED CLAY PIPE

Your partner for high-quality Vitrified Clay Pipe solutions

NUTEC Bickley and the Vitrified Clay Pipe Industry

NUTEC Bickley has extensive experience designing and manufacturing tunnel and shuttle kilns for the Vitrified Clay Pipe industry. Vitrified clay pipe (VCP) is a very natural product that has been around for over 2,000 years. The main benefit over concrete or plastic pipe is their long life and resistance to corrosive conditions. Many architects and planners specify them as the best option.

There are different types of VCP, depending on the connection methods, which usually combine the formed shape as well as plastic or rubber seals. Fired tolerances should be tight in order to obtain a good pipe-to-pipe fit and this is achieved with very consistent firing conditions.

Our kilns use the latest Ecombustion and control technology to fire clay pipes with optimal temperature uniformity and atmosphere conditions to ensure consistent products with tight dimensional tolerances. Special attention is paid to the cycle segments where organics are burnt out.

Our kilns for firing VCPs are used by some of the largest and smallest clay pipe producers in the world. Multiple installations for many customers demonstrate the exceptional performance of the kiln range.

NUTEC Bickley supplies tunnel kilns and shuttle kilns with the latest Ecombustion technology to fire VCPs.

Key Features

Excellent temperature uniformity

Ecombustion control system

Fiber-lined sections using our patented Jointless® system – completely free of joints; reduced maintenance and shrinkage

SCADA systems for ease of operation and product quality management

Integrated car handling systems

Power failure protection system

Energy recovery systems to ensure the lowest fuel consumption

Processes

Single Fire: Most vitrified clay pipe is fired in a single process; so the piece is extruded, dried, glazed (where necessary) and fired just once, creating a finished, fully vitrified piece. This can be carried out in tunnel kilns or shuttle kilns, but most large producers use a tunnel kiln as it is more fuel efficient.

Technology

SCADA

With our SCADA systems, kilns operators are able to have complete control of their firing process, enhancing efficiency and productivity.

IMPS™

NUTEC Bickley’s unique firing and cooling pulsing control system provides a perfect solution in relation to temperature uniformity as well as fuel efficiency.