Systems for Conveying Fluids

Systems for Conveying Fluids: A Summary

• Plumbing is a system that conveys fluids through pipes, valves, and other apparatuses for various applications such as heating and cooling, waste removal, and water delivery.

• Plumbing infrastructure is crucial for public health and sanitation in developed countries.

• Boilermakers and pipefitters work with piping but are not plumbers.

• Plumbing originated in ancient civilizations as public baths were developed and potable water and wastewater removal were needed.

• The first clay sewer pipes were introduced by the Mesopotamians around 4000 BCE, while copper piping appeared in Egypt around 2400 BCE.

• Plumbing reached its apex in ancient Rome with the introduction of expansive aqueducts, tile wastewater removal, and widespread use of lead pipes.

• Plumbing stagnated after the fall of Rome until the growth of modern cities in the 1800s when public health authorities began pushing for better waste disposal systems.

• Most large cities today pipe solid wastes to sewage treatment plants for partial purification before emptying into water bodies.

• Galvanized iron piping was commonplace in the US until 1960, after which copper piping became a safer alternative to lead pipes.

• Water pipes are made of plastic or metal and carry pressurized and treated fresh water to buildings.

• Plumbing materials include steel, copper, plastic, and cast iron with each having its advantages and disadvantages.

• Plumbing fixtures are exchangeable devices that use water and include water closets, urinals, showers, bathtubs, sinks, and fountains.Plumbing Tools, Problems, Regulations, and Standards: A Summary

• Plumbers require specialized tools for complex jobs, such as pipe wrenches, flaring pliers, pipe vise, pipe bending machine, pipe cutter, dies, and joining tools.

• New tools, such as video cameras for inspections, hydro jets, and high-pressure hydraulic pumps, help plumbers fix problems more efficiently.

• Flooding from excessive rain or clogged sewers may require specialized equipment, such as a heavy-duty pumper truck designed to vacuum raw sewage.

• Bacteria can live in "premises plumbing systems", which refer to the "pipes and fixtures within a building that transport water to taps after it is delivered by the utility".

• Legionella pneumophila, Mycobacterium avium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most commonly tracked bacteria, which people with depressed immunity can inhale or ingest and become infected with.

• Plumbing work in populated areas is regulated by government or quasi-government agencies to ensure safe, quality construction and protect public health, safety, and welfare.

• In Australia, the national governing body for plumbing regulation is the Australian Building Codes Board, responsible for the creation of the National Construction Code.

• In Norway, new domestic plumbing installed since 1997 must be easily accessible for replacement after installation, leading to the development of the pipe-in-pipe system.

• In the UK, the professional body is the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering; the trade remains virtually ungoverned, and no systems are in place to monitor or control the activities of unqualified plumbers.

• In the US, plumbing codes and licensing are generally controlled by state and local governments, and the Environmental Protection Agency has set guidelines about what constitutes lead-free plumbing fittings and pipes.

• Some widely used plumbing standards in the US are the Uniform Plumbing Code, International Plumbing Code, and National Standard Plumbing Code.

• Health Aspects of Plumbing (HAP) published jointly by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Plumbing Council (WPC) addresses health and safety issues related to plumbing.