BlackMax® Drainage Pipes and Fittings

Polypropylene drainage pipes are inherently resistant to a wide range of chemicals such as acids, alkalis, salts, wetting agents and alcohols. It is however attacked by oxidising acids such as fuming nitric acid or hot concentrated sulphuric acid, neither of which should be encountered in a drain. Polypropylene is swollen and softened by halogenated solvents (for example, trichlorethylene) and hydro-carbon solvents such as xylene and benzene. However, the effect is not immediate and the occasional contact with solvents such as petrol or diesel is acceptable for PP pipes used for drainage and sewerage applications.

SBR seals are also resistant to a wide range of chemicals such as salt solutions, alkalis, glycols and some alcohols. SBR is swollen by a number of organic solvents, however, the seals are encapsulated in the pipe profile and to a large extent, isolated from the contents of the pipe. As only a small part of the seal surface is in contact with liquid in the pipeline, any occasional spillages or illegal dumping of chemicals should have a minimal effect.

Iplex Chemical Resistant Tool

Iplex BlackMax^® pipes and fittings are manufactured to the Australian Product Standard under third-party accredited quality assurance system conforming to ISO 9001.

BlackMax^® pipes have ISO Type 5 third-party StandardsMark™ Certification, License number SMKP20603; in accordance with AS/NZS 5065 “Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) pipes and fittings for drainage and sewerage applications”.

BlackMax^® pipes and fittings have been appraised by Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) for performance compliance with AS/NZS 5065 (WSAA Appraisal 03/05).

View Iplex Product Certifications

Iplex have published verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) on our range of Polypropylene pipes. EPDs are third-party certified documents based on ISO 14025 and EN 15804 Standards that communicate transparent and comparable information about the life-cycle environmental impact of a product or service. Specifically, product declarations include information on the environmental impact of raw material acquisition, energy use and efficiency, the composition of materials and chemical substances, emissions to air, soil and water and waste generation.

View Iplex’s BackMax® and SewerMax® polypropylene drainage pipes EPD

BlackMax^® pipes are available in diameters ranging from DN225 through to DN1200 in SN8*.

*DN1000 to DN1200 coming soon.

Iplex BlackMax Product Range Dimensions Jan 25

We have a wide range of standard fittings for BlackMax^® drainage and culvert pipes, including bends, tees, junctions, closed ends, couplings, plugs, reducers, saddles and adaptors. These drainage pipe fittings are manufactured for use with BlackMax^® and SewerMax^® pipes. Fittings can be fabricated from BlackMax^® or SewerMax^® pipe sections, PVC pipe sections, GRP / PVC and GRP / VC composite materials.

BlackMax^® drainage pipe fittings in sizes DN225, DN300 and DN375 are generally fabricated from PVC pipe sections with moulded socketed ends for connection to BlackMax^® pipe spigots. The use of PVC in these sizes provides improved manufacturing efficiencies and reduced costs compared with the PP fabrication process. The PVC BlackMax^® range of fittings complies with Australian Standard AS/NZS 1260: “PVC-U pipes and fittings for drain waste and vent applications”.

BlackMax^® stormwater drainage fittings in sizes DN450, DN525 and DN600 are fabricated from BlackMax^® (PP) pipe sections and are generally supplied with socketed ends suitable for rubber ring jointing. Other configurations, such as all spigot ends, are also available on request with separate pipe couplings for jointing. DN100 and DN150 components are supplied with either PVC (RRJ or SWJ sockets) or standard solid wall polypropylene plain-ended spigots (110mm OD) and (160mm OD), allowing lateral side connections such as property branch connections. BlackMax^® (PP) fittings comply with Australian Standard AS/NZS5065 “Polyethylene and polypropylene pipes & fittings for drainage and sewerage applications”.

GRP, GRP/PVC and GRP/VC composite fittings are manufactured specifically for use with SewerMax^® pipes with socketed ends for connection to SewerMax^® pipe spigots. GRP fittings are also available with PVC or VC socket or spigot ends for lateral connections to incoming PVC or VC sewer pipes. GRP SewerMax^® fittings comply with Australian Standard Revision AS3571 “Glass reinforced thermosetting plastics (GRP) pipes – Polyester based – Water supply, sewerage and drainage applications”.

To view the full range of fittings and dimensions please view the BlackMax^® and SewerMax^® product range.

BlackMax^® pipelines fall into the smooth polymer pipe category of AS2200 “Design charts for water supply and sewerage’’ and provide exceptionally good hydraulic performance. However, these may in some instances be affected by various adverse service factors including:

• Growth of slime (varies with the age of the pipeline and available nutrient in the water)
• Siltation or settlement of suspended particulate matter
• Fitting types and configurations

For comprehensive details on hydraulic design, please refer to the BlackMax Technical Guide. 

In engineering terminology, BlackMax pipes are flexible pipes. They are designed to deform or deflect diametrically within
specified limits without structural damage after installation.

External soil and live loads on buried flexible pipes will cause a small decrease in vertical diameter and simultaneously an
increase in the horizontal diameter. The horizontal movement of the pipe walls into the soil material at the sides develops a
passive resistance within the soil to support the external load. The soil type and density and height of water table (if present),
all influence structural performance. The greater the effective soil modulus, the less the pipe will deflect and structural stability
against buckling is also enhanced.

Refer to the BlackMax Technical Guide for detailed information on appropriate structural design methods.