ISO 22391-1:2009

Overview

ISO 22391-1:2009 - Plastics piping systems for hot and cold water installations - Polyethylene of raised temperature resistance (PE‑RT) - Part 1: General - is the System Standard that sets out the general characteristics for piping systems made from PE‑RT Type I and Type II. It applies to PE‑RT pipes, fittings and joints used within buildings for hot and cold water conveyance (domestic and heating systems), and defines the scope, terminology, service classes, design pressures and test parameters to be used alongside the more specific parts of the ISO 22391 series.

Key Topics

• Scope and application: Intended for hot and cold water installations in buildings; covers systems conveying water whether or not intended for human consumption. Not applicable beyond the design temperatures and pressures it specifies.
• Materials and material rules: Requirements for PE‑RT base polymers, use of reprocessable material, and provisions for pipes with thin barrier layers (to reduce gas diffusion/light transmission) where the base polymer meets design stress requirements.
• Classification of service conditions: Defines application classes (four classes referenced from ISO 10508) for typical fields of use with a design life guidance (50 years) and requires agreement between purchaser/specifier and supplier on class selection.
• Design pressures and temperatures: Systems are combined with selectable design pressures (e.g., 4, 6, 8 or 10 bar) and appropriate design/malfunction/maximum design temperature concepts are defined.
• Terminology and symbols: Standardizes geometric terms (DN, nominal outside diameter, wall thickness, pipe series S) and material-property terms (design stress, hydrostatic stress, lower confidence limit LPL, overall service coefficient C).
• Performance and testing: Specifies test parameters and references for evaluating system fitness and long‑term hydrostatic strength.

Applications and Users

ISO 22391-1 is aimed at:

• Manufacturers of PE‑RT pipes, fittings and joint components
• Product designers and engineering consultants specifying plumbing and heating systems
• Building services engineers and installers selecting materials for potable water or heating circuits
• Specifiers, procurement teams and regulators who set performance and safety requirements
• Testing laboratories applying harmonized test parameters and terminology

Use this standard when you need a consistent, internationally recognized baseline for specifying PE‑RT piping systems for hot and cold water in buildings.

Related Standards

• ISO 22391-2: Pipes
• ISO 22391-3: Fittings
• ISO 22391-5: Fitness for purpose of the system
• Other referenced standards: ISO 472, ISO 1043-1, ISO 4065

Keywords: ISO 22391-1, PE-RT, polyethylene of raised temperature resistance, hot and cold water installations, piping systems, pipes and fittings, design pressure, service classes, plumbing standard.