Three component Polyethylene systems- epoxy, adhesive, polyethylene compound - have been used for steel pipe protection with an impressive track record in and outside Europe since the 1970's. More recently in Europe, we have seen the emergence of a new generation of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) system and this is quickly becoming the reference for the most demanding domestic and international projects.
This paper covers the technical aspects of such advanced new solutions, with comparisons with more traditional solutions, e.g. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Three-component system commonly used in Europe. Keywords: External pipe coating, Three-component Polyethylene System, High Density Polyethylene, Europe, gas transmission pipeline, Bi-modal PE.