While spectators probably won’t see it, one US-based company expects the debut of its technology in China will make a splash at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Lubrizol Advanced Materials has provided the piping that will support the water treatment system at the giant Water Cube Olympic pool complex.

Senior sales engineer at Lubrizol’s plumbing division, Qiang Yan, said: “The application of [chlorinated] PVC piping in the Olympic pool project is expected to bring new recognition for this high-performance polymer in a country exploding with growth.”

The Corzan CPVC piping system, along with its fittings, is highly resistant to the corrosive chemicals being used in the filtration system, including chlorine and sodium hypochlorite.

Qiang said the material is also highly impact-resistant and needs little maintenance compared to metal-based systems. He added: “There was a rigorous evaluation process for the materials used in this project.”

CPVC’s track record, which spans nearly 50 years, helped convince authorities that the material could stand the test of time.

The material also passed the time test in terms of installation. The system needed to be in place months before the start of the Olympics to ensure there were no unforeseen problems in the design or operation of the pool.

Qiang said: “A fast and easy solvent cement joining system saved countless hours compared to the soldering required on metallic systems.”

He added: “In addition, CPVC is lightweight, which makes it easier to maneuver on the job site. Depending on the diameter of the pipe, CPVC is between one-sixth and one-eighth the weight of metal.”

As a result more than 1,300 metres of CPVC in various diameters was installed in less than six months. The total cost of the pipes and fittings used in the pool reached around US$500,000 (3.41 million yuan), a price tag significantly lower than its metal counterparts. CPVC also requires less energy to produce than other materials that were under consideration.

The pipe itself was manufactured by the Hershey Valve, a Corzan-licensed manufacturer based in Taiwan. The manufacturer is helping the company fill a growing demand for Corzan in the region. In addition to two other large pools in China, the material is filling a range of industrial needs.

Qiang said: “Corzan materials are currently being used in various industrial applications in China, including the steel, chemical, chlor-alkali, paper-making and metallurgy industries”

He added: “Its usage has increased significantly throughout the country, especially in the past decade, for numerous residential, commercial and industrial projects.”

Lubrizol Advanced Materials of Cleveland, Ohio, is a business segment of Wickliffe, Ohio-based specialty chemical company Lubrizol Corp.