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CPF Tech Tools
By Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company

CPF Tech Tools
By Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company

Charlotte Pipe Tech Tools Web Application provides simple, technical tools for the plumbing industry. Tools featured include an expansion and contraction calculator and a temperature de-rating calculator. Ideal for plumbing engineers, contractors, architects and other industry professionals.

Calculator Descriptions

Five different soil characteristics determine whether soil is corrosive to cast iron. Each characteristic is scored with a numerical value and then all five are totaled. If the total equals 10 or more points, then the soil is considered corrosive to cast iron soil pipe and a protective polyethylene wrap or special coating would be required. A qualified engineer or soil scientist should be utilized if there is any concern about corrosion and the use of cast iron DWV products in a given underground project.

The Expansion Calculator from Charlotte Pipe allows you to calculate general changes in length of PVC and CPVC as a result of temperature variations above and below the installation temperature. The extent of expansion and contraction is dependent upon the materials coefficient of linear expansion, the length of pipe between directional changes, and the temperature differential. Note: This application is not a complete engineering reference addressing all aspects of design and installation of thermal expansion in piping systems. Many excellent references are available on this topic. The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (www.ASPE.org) Data Book, Volume 4, 2008, Chapter 11 is an excellent resource for engineers on designing for thermal expansion.

The operating pressure of PVC and CPVC pipe will be reduced as the operating temperature increases above 73° F. The Pipe Temperature De-Rating Calculator from Charlotte Pipe allows users to quickly calculate this reduction.

The volume and weight calculator from Charlotte Pipe provides users with approximate volume, empty and water filled weight calculations for both cast iron and plastic piping systems. Water filled weight calculations assume the piping system to be 100% full.

Charlotte Pipe’s ChemGuide application contains chemical resistance recommendations for over 2300 chemical names or synonyms for ABS, PVC and CPVC thermoplastic piping materials and commonly used seal materials. Recommendations are based upon laboratory tests conducted by the manufacturers of the materials, and are intended to provide a general guideline on the resistance of these materials to various chemicals under specific conditions. ChemGuide is ideal for plumbing engineers, contractors, architects and other industry professionals.

Adequate support for any piping system is a matter of great importance. In practice, support spacing is a function of pipe size, operating temperatures and the mechanical properties of the pipe material. The Horizontal Support Spacing application provides general guidelines for support spacing under specific conditions. Always follow local code requirements for support spacing.

The Cast Iron DWV Minimum Slope application provides slopes of cast iron soil pipe systems required to obtain a self-cleansing velocities of 2.0 and 2.5 feet per second. Results are based on Manning’s Formula with N= .012.