Education - Universities and High Schools

Offering process water and special waste solutions for Life Science innovations.

Revolutionize Your Research with Process Water Solutions

GF products deliver the highest purity water solutions essential for cutting-edge research in universities, and special waste piping/neutralization systems for both university and high school facilities. Our products ensure reliable and consistently safe conveyance and we offer top tier single wall and double wall solutions for special waste.

Success Story: Transforming Water Distribution

Rice University, United States of America

See how Rice University enhanced its water distribution with GF Piping Systems. Watch the video to see how the installation of 200+ AquaTap™ faucets and other advanced solutions by Wylie Engineering improved water quality, reduced costs, and boosted system efficiency.

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Applications

RO/DI Piping

GF provides polymer PVDF and PP solutions with advanced reverse osmosis deionized water systems. Our experts offer comprehensive technical assistance, addressing dead leg concerns and optimizing system design. We also provide the industry's most extensive on-site training and certification programs, prior to installation, ensuring proper performance and integrity for all systems.

Special Waste

GF offers top-tier single and double wall solutions for special waste. Our advanced neutralization, leak detection systems, Double Containment piping, and robust pressure-rated fittings ensure your operations are safe, efficient, and compliant. Benefit from our expert technical assistance and the industry's most comprehensive on-site training and certification programs. 

Neutralization

GF provides various treatment and monitoring solutions for facility special waste discharges to ensure regulatory compliance. Our design team collaborates with engineering or facilities management to outline system options based on waste flow parameters and chemistries, reviewing specifications and recommending the most suitable installation.

Pre-Insulated Piping Solutions

GF offers a wide range of factory insulated piping solutions with all types of carrier pipe, optimized insulation, numerous jacket materials and in-house design/supply of integral heat tracing. Process cooling, glycol secondary cooling loops, transport of high viscosity or high freezing temperate fluids, are some of the many applications we have been supplying for more than 50 years.

Specialized Solutions

Our technical support team is available to assist in all phases of system design and layout.

Success Story

two men discussing, one of them pointing at a plan

AquaTap in University Lab

Rice University, USA

The AquaTap™ Recirculating Faucets, designed and specified for installation within the Ralph S. O’Connor Building at Rice University required an advanced solution to minimize dead legs in its deionized (DI) water piping system. Dead legs, which occur when water stagnates in sections of the piping system, can lead to contamination and inefficiencies. Wylie Engineering and GF Piping Systems collaborated to address this challenge.

FAQs

Do I need PP or PVDF for my pure water system?

Selection of proper polymer material and pipe/fitting sizing should be based on the following system design criteria:

1.  Facility protocols on system sanitization

  • Perhaps the most important question to ask is the method of system sanitization. In  many cases this rules out certain polymer materials before any other system parameters are discussed. For instance, if the protocol calls for ozone sanitization, PP may** be ruled out and a PVDF system would be specified – before even investigating pressure, temperature, etc.
  • Most commonly used for sanitization/disinfection of polymer systems is peracetic acid solution (Minncare – Mar Cor), others are hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, and potentially hot water.

2.  Operating Pressure and Temperature
3.  Required Flow in GPM for Risers (Supply and Return) and Floor Loops
4.  Required Velocity in fps, typically 3-7 fps.
5  .Required Water Quality in megohm and TOC (Total Organic Carbon) level
6  Contaminant buildup concerns:

  • Is Socket Fused System acceptable?
  • Is IR (Infra Red) Fused System more desirable?
  • Is BCF (Bead and Crevice Free) Fused System required?
  • Absolutely NO potential for contaminant buildup allowed
  • System requires complete drain ability during sanitization

7.  Requirement for Valves, PRV’s, Rotameters, etc.
8  .Piping located within plenum?

** dependent upon levels of Ozone

Typical Water Purification Stages

Distribution Piping

The loop must maintain high purity water quality during periods of high usage as well as low usage and deliver the proper amount (flow) of water required to all use points at a constant pressure.  Water (flow) must be kept moving to maintain a turbulent flow. No Dead Legs.

Loop Segments

Feed Line:
Piping from final filters to point of use locations. Sized based on flow requirements. Water velocity must be sufficient to allow for turbulence within the line in order to control any possible bacteria buildup.

Point of Use:
Stations where the high purity water is used.

Return Line:

  • Delivers the water from points of use back to the storage tank
  • Usually about two-thirds to one-half of the circulating water returns to storage.
  • Return line may be smaller in diameter than the feed line. Flow rate is generally lower, and the smaller diameter will increase the water’s velocity thus increasing turbulence.

What is an IFD?

The IFD is the "engine" that creates a constant flow of water from the main line to the AquaTap faucet outlet.  The IFD is uniquely engineered by applying Bernoulli’s principle to create a differential pressure imbalance within the IFD which is the driving force for the water to circulate to faucet and back to the IFD.

Should I use a PRV on my RO/DI piping loop?

Yes, they offer the end user a true means for proper control of flow and pressure for all piping loops run off of the system "supply" and "return" risers.

How do I contain existing pipe in my facility?

With pipe split along its length, the GF Contain-It piping system can be installed over virtually any tested carrier system. The carrier system can be tested without interference from the containment piping. Any leaks found during testing can be easily repaired. Leak detection cable or low point leak detection stations can be installed as the split components are assembled.  Containment piping can be retrofitted over plastic and metallic systems above and below ground, protecting employees, equipment and the environment. Split pipe and fittings are available in 3”,  4" and 6“ sizes.  

Should I use PP pigmented (standard) or PP unpigmented (Natural) pipe?

  • PP NATURAL VS. PP PIGMENTED
  • Both natural and pigmented exceed stringent ASTM standards for DI and Ultrapure Water (both exceed ASTM Type E-1.2 by factors of 4-6 million)
  • Leaching analysis: PP Standard outperformed Natural in 9 categories (chloride, metals, anions and TOC)
  • Natural PP is translucent, allowing for light penetration that fuels microbial growth
  • IR fusion minimizes potential for bacterial growth at the joint.
  • PP-H is relatively stronger, and has more fittings and valves available in the product range

Should I use Socket, IR or BCF fusion method on my pure water system?

GF offers various welding methods for industrial applications:

Fusion Technology

Socket Fusion
PP, PE, PVDF, PB
DVS 2207

Conventional Butt Fusion
PP, PE, PVDF, PP Natural (PP-n)
DVS 2207

Infrared Fusion (IR)
PP-H, PVDF, PP-Natural (PP-n), PE100 (PFA, ECTFE)
DVS 2207-6

Bead and Crevice Free Fusion (BCF)
PVDF, PP-Natural (PP-n)

Quick reference for use of fusion methods:

Socket Fusion

  • Low water quality requirements
  • Teaching labs, animal feed water, point of use supply feedwater
  • Potential for interior blocakge of flow/fouling of pipe and fitting material
  • Unable to inspect inner joint

IR (Infrared) Fusion

  • Step up in water quality requirements
  • No potential for fouling of pipe/fitting material
  • Non-contact fusions
  • Interior weld bead conductive to flow
  • Repeatability of weld bead

BCF (Bead and Crevice Free) Fusion

  • Ultrapure water requirements in labs, pharma production, injection
  • No interior bead
  • When complete drain-ability is required via facility protocols

What are the advantages of an active neutralization system versus a passive system?

pH Neutralization – Advantages of Active System vs. Passive System

Why Neutralize and/or Monitor pH Within Special Waste Pipe Stream?

  • Sewer Authorities or other Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) set regulations for acceptable limits of certain discharges from a facility’s waste piping which must be met prior to tie-in to the municipal sanitary system.
  • For allowable pH discharge levels an acceptable range of the 0-14 scale is set forth in the facility’s sewer discharge permit. Example, a facility sewerage permit May carry an allowable discharge pH range between 5.5 – 10.00 pH

pH Neutralization – Advantages of Active System vs. Passive System (Based on 5.5 – 10.00 Discharge)

Passive Neutralization

  • Limestone Chip Tank(s)
  • ONLY Treats Acidic (Low pH) Waste Streams
  • Will not provide proper treatment to ensure effluent waste stream is within the permitted range for Caustic (High pH)
  • Limestone Chips require cleaning and replenishment on a  regular basis. Removal and disposal of used limestone chips may be costly.

Active Neutralization

  • Acid/Caustic Injection pH Neutralization Systems ensure compliance for the entire allowable pH discharge range for the facility
  • Reagent chemical tanks require occasional refills

Note: Whether Passive or Active systems are installed Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), require monitoring and recording of effluent pH levels. We would suggest that design engineers specify an active system when designing a project. It will be less costly for the client to change from Active to Passive under value engineering than to have to add it into the spec via addendum or RFI.

Georg Fischer Piping Systems Pvt. Ltd

96 Lal Bahadur Shastri Road

400083 Mumbai

India

GF logo on the headquarters building