Difference Between 3PE and FBE Epoxy Anti-corrosion Coated Pipe

When people purchase steel pipe for use in piping systems, we always see that the pipe is required to have an epoxy coating, such as 3PE or FBE.
So what do you know about epoxy coated (3PE or FBE) pipe? Under what circumstances should it be used and what is the cost of 3PE, FBE anti-corrosion processing?
Here are the simple answers:
FBE pipe is coated with an epoxy coating. That's why we say fusion bonded epoxy pipe.
3PE pipe is coated with epoxy resin on the inside, an adhesive layer in the middle and polyethylene on the outside.

Uses of epoxy coated pipe
3PE and FBE epoxy coated/coated steel pipes are widely used in pipeline systems for the transportation of oil, gas, water and other fluids. They are extremely resistant to chemicals, moisture, harmful environments and other corrosive properties.

What kind of pipe can be coated with 3PE or FBE?
Almost any type of steel pipe can be epoxy coated, such as

Stainless steel pipe

ASTM A312, ASTM A269 stainless steel pipe

Carbon steel from Grade B to Grade 80 API 5L line pipe
ASTM A53 pipe 
ASTM A106 pipe
ASTM A252 pipe
ASTM A134 and A135
ASTM A333

Alloy Steel Pipe
ASTM A335

Nickel Alloy Pipe

CRA Composite or Lined Pipe

What is FBE (bonded epoxy) coated steel pipe?
FBE coated pipe is fusion bonded epoxy coated steel pipe. It is an externally heated resin used for piping. It is applied to the heated surface of the pipe in the form of a dry powder with a thickness of 400-600 microns. Once the FBE is applied to the pipe surface, the FBE film provides a very hard surface with good adhesion to the pipe surface.The FBE layer is homogeneous and has good resistance to chemical reactions.

Characteristics of FBE epoxy coated pipe

The advantages of FBE coated pipes are easy spraying, no pollution, high temperature resistance (-40°C to 85°C);
High strength and resistance to bending;
Strong adhesion, good integrity and resistance to soil stress and abrasion.
FBE coated steel pipes are usually buried in soil at temperatures from -40 to 85°C and underwater.

On the other hand, the drawback of FBE pipe is that it does not have good resistance to mechanical properties and wet conditions.

How many types of FBE epoxy coated pipe are there?
It was developed from the 1950s to industrialization in the 1960s.There are two types of FBE pipe: one-layer and two-layer pipe. FBE two-layer coated pipe is recommended for offshore pipelines and piping systems operating in harsh environments, where it offers high performance in terms of impact resistance and flexibility. Provide proper protection to the coating from damage during transportation and construction.

FBE single-layer coated pipe is the general type of FBE coated pipe. It provides a rough, non-slip surface for pipes that require a concrete coating. A special fusion-bonded epoxy powder, mixed with solid epoxy resins and other adhesive materials, helps adhere to the pipe surface.

What is 3PE epoxy coated pipe?
3PE epoxy coated steel pipe has 3 layers of coating, the first one is FBE coating, the middle one is adhesive layer and the outside one is polyethylene layer.3PE coated pipe is another new product developed since 1980's on the basis of FBE coating, which contains adhesive and PE (polyethylene) layer.3PE can enhance the mechanical properties of the pipe, high electrical resistance, waterproofing, abrasion resistance and aging resistance.

It protects the pipe from the loss of heat which only accounts for 1/4 of the pipe.

3PE epoxy coated pipe consists of 3 layers:
For the first layer is melt-bonded epoxy resin, whose thickness is more than 100μm.(FBE>100μm)

The second layer is an adhesive, whose function is to bond the epoxy resin and PE layer. (AD: 170 to 250μm)

The third layer is PE layer, which is polyethylene with the advantages of water resistance, electrical resistance and mechanical damage resistance. (φ20-φ3600mm)

Therefore, 3PE coated pipe has the advantages of FBE and PE. It is increasingly used for water, gas and oil transportation in underground pipelines.

In the case of manufacturing equipment, 3PE coated steel pipe manufacturers can also do FBE coated pipe.

Features and benefits of 3PE epoxy coated pipe
Let's see why 3PE coated pipes have advantages over FBE coated pipes.

Long service life
3PE epoxy coated steel pipe has good stability and anti-aging performance under normal working temperature and pressure conditions, so the service life can be extended to more than 50 years.

Corrosion resistance
Due to the high structural stability of PE elements, it can resist the corrosion of natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, man-made gases and other chemicals without the need for secondary anti-corrosion equipment. Soil chemicals do not have any effect on the pipe.

Flexibility
3PE is a flexible material that can be extended five times in length and then broken. At the same time it is easy to bend without damage.3PE coated steel pipe can bypass objects and reduce installation costs.

Good impact and shock resistance
Polyethylene is not fragile at low temperatures, so it can be used safely in the temperature range of -60℃~60℃. So it can adapt to pipe drop and work in winter. Due to the good impact performance, PE pipe will not break easily.

Excellent abrasion resistance
Experiments show that the abrasion resistance of PE pipe is 4 times of that of pipeline. Especially in the field of mud transportation. Compared with painted pipes, PE coated pipes have better abrasion resistance.

3PE has a smooth surface with a color matching coefficient of 0.009. 3PE coated steel pipes have a higher transport capacity and reduce pressure loss and water transport due to their smooth inner surface and non-stick properties. Low water permeability properties improve isolation from seawater compared to other coating systems and FBE pipes.

Good environmental performance
3PE coated steel pipeline will not add heavy metal stabilizers in the manufacturing process, PE material is non-toxic and harmless, it is a green material, itself can be recycled, will not cause pollution to the environment.

Excellent resistance, anti-static properties.
These properties make PE pipes suitable for flammable and explosive conditions.

Safe and reliable connection
3PE coated steel pipe mainly adopts heat fusion and heat fusion connection to keep the interface and the pipe connected as a whole. No water and gas leakage.

Light weight, easy to move and easy to construct
The weight of 3PE is only 1/8 of that of steel pipe, and it is easy and quick to move, bend and weld the process, and the whole project is inexpensive with obvious economic benefits.

Since 3PE and FBE coatings can extend the life of the same steel pipe from a few years to a few decades, the demand for pipeline projects in recent years is more than that. Due to steel pipe corrosion, the average loss worldwide is about 3% of the global Latest data shows that the annual GDP in 2015 was about 2.2 trillion dollars. Out of this, the oil, gas and petroleum industry accounted for about 45% of the 1 trillion dollars lost in 2015. According to the data, more than 70% of the oil fields are vulnerable to corruption. For example, losses in the United States have amounted to 26 percent of direct economic losses, while China accounts for 10 percent.