Aluminum Grey Pipe for Compressed Air by Prevost (10ft to 18ft)

Prevost PPS GTU Grey Aluminum Compressed Air Pipe, 1/2 to 6 Inch

PPS GTU grey pipe is the pipe half of the Prevost Piping System. It is extruded, calibrated aluminum (EN AW 6060 T6 and 6063 T6), treated inside and out against corrosion and finished in grey electrostatic paint, sold in 10 ft (9.84 ft) and 18 ft sticks from 1/2 inch to 6 inch outside diameter. It is rated 232 PSI from -4 F to 176 F, holds vacuum to 29 inHg, and is listed for compressed air, vacuum and neutral gases. Prevost holds the ASME QPS supplier certification and guarantees PPS pipe and fittings for 10 years. Grey is the color Prevost uses for vacuum and inert gas lines, and some plants pick it simply to match an existing grey header; it is the same alloy and the same rating as the blue PPS compressed air pipe and takes the same fittings.

Why aluminum instead of black iron or copper

A stick of 2 inch aluminum weighs a fraction of the steel equivalent, so one person can hang it. There is no threading, no welding, no solder and no pipe dope on the joints: cut the pipe square, deburr and chamfer the end, mark the insertion depth, push it into the PPS fitting and tighten the nut. The bore stays smooth for the life of the system, so pressure drop does not creep up the way it does as black iron rusts, and the scale that wrecks tools and solenoid valves never forms. The Viton seals and the alloy are compatible with compressor oils. When the shop changes, you unscrew the nut and move the drop.

Choosing the diameter

Size the main for the compressor you will own in five years, not the one you have, because the pipe is cheap next to the compressor and a loop main at the next size up costs almost nothing in pressure drop. As a rule, 3/4 and 1 inch cover drops and small shop loops, 1 1/2 and 2 inch are mains for 10 to 50 HP, 2 1/2 to 4 inch are plant headers, and 6 inch is for central plants. The sizing table on our Prevost aluminum air pipe page gives flow by diameter and run length, and the aluminum compressed air pipe page compares Prevost with AIRnet and RapidAir if you are still deciding on a system. If you would rather have the layout done for you, send the floor plan, compressor size and drop locations through our piping plan request and we will draw it and quote the material list.

What goes with the pipe

Every joint between two sticks takes an aluminum union; the fittings carry their own compression ends, so a run is pipe, union, pipe, then a 90 degree elbow or 45 degree elbow at the corner. Hang the pipe on Prevost support brackets at the spacing on that page and leave the brackets loose enough for the pipe to move with temperature. Put a compression ball valve at the compressor, at each branch and at any drop you will want to isolate. Drops come off the top of the main through a tapping flange so condensate stays in the main and goes to a drain leg at the low point.

Shipping

18 ft sticks always ship LTL freight in Prevost's custom containers, which are built to keep the pipe straight and the paint unmarked. 10 ft sticks of 1/2 to 1 inch can sometimes go by ground parcel; ask us before you order if that matters for the delivery. Freight is quoted to your dock with the order, and a forklift or two people are needed to unload the long crates.

Available Variants and SKUs

All variants and part numbers for this product are listed below for easy reference and ordering. Every size is rated 232 PSI, -4 F to 176 F, for compressed air, vacuum and neutral gases.