Estudo comparativo entre projetos hidráulicos utilizando PVC e PEX em edifício residencial multifamiliar

Abstract

The biggest advance in hydrosanitary installations over the years was the replacement of iron pipes to plastic pipes. In the mid-1990s, Random Copolymer Polypropylene (PPR) and Reticulated Polychloride (PEX) arrived on the market. The PEX emerges as a viable alternative for enterprises that, besides cold water, also use hot water, offering greater productivity, agile assembly, reduction in the number of parts, cost savings of labor and lower rate of post-work maintenance. However, despite the advantages, it is noted the little use of this technology in everyday construction. In this sense, this work seeks to contribute to the understanding of the possible hurdles that this material encounters for a better diffusion of its use. Therefore, this study presents a comparison between PVC and PEX pipes, with the objective that the advantages resulting from the use of PEX pipes provide greater visibility of the product in the market as an alternative for predial hydraulic systems. For this, the methodology makes use of the project's conception and the sizing of the PVC and PEX pipes to analyze and compare the results, besides the quantitative survey to obtain the best budget. The layout present in the preliminary project was the same for both systems, due to the presence of shafts expected in the building's structure, besides facilitating the sizing and the quantitative survey. It is worth noting that the PEX presents a reduction in the number of items present in the project when compared to the conventional system, due to the non-need of some connections, resulting in 122 fewer pieces. Although it presents a higher cost of materials, the PEX system presents a considerable reduction in the total loss of load about PVC, consequently conceding a higher residual available pressure for the consumption points.