What Is Process Piping? Process Piping vs. Plumbing

Industrial companies often need plumbing and process piping systems for their industrial infrastructure. These systems are vital for moving materials within industrial production environments. Let’s take a closer look at each of these systems to help you better understand their functions and complexities.

What Is Plumbing?

While plumbing is often associated with residential or commercial settings, it is also important in industrial environments. Industrial plumbing systems might include components like water supply lines and drainage systems. They might also include fixtures, pumps and water treatment systems, falling under the utility piping category.

Plumbing must follow various codes and regulations, and a contractor would need the proper permitting to install an entire plumbing system. Depending on the application and industry, plumbing fixtures may need to be constructed of certain materials, such as copper.

What Is Process Piping?

Process piping is a complex network of interconnected pipes. Designers create it to transport raw materials within industrial settings. These materials may include unrefined foods, liquids, gasses, chemicals and other substances. Process piping is an internal network that’s essential to manufacturing processes.

Each industrial facility has unique requirements. Process piping systems are highly complex — they are an assembly of process pipes and other components, such as:

-Valves

-Fittings

-Instruments

-Control systems

-Gauges

-Flanges

-Strainers

-Pressure hoses

-Tubing

Together, parts facilitate the controlled movement of materials. Process piping adheres to strict parameters like pressure, temperature and flow rate, depending on the materials it is transferring.

Installation, maintenance and repair of process piping require specialized expertise. This work demands in-depth knowledge of industrial systems and materials. It is crucial to ensure the proper functioning of process piping to maintain the efficiency, safety and reliability of industrial operations while following relevant industry regulations.

Because process piping does not need to be sanitary, it can be made of stainless steel, carbon steel or copper.

Process Piping vs. Plumbing

One key difference between plumbing and process piping is the materials they transfer. Plumbing is largely meant for water transfer and drainage, which is an inert material with consistent boiling and freezing points. Process piping moves any variety of materials, depending on the industry it’s used in. Those materials will have different boiling and freezing points to understand and accommodate with different piping solutions. Because of that variation, process piping is more complex, requiring advanced knowledge and experience.

Industry Applications of Plumbing vs. Process Piping

Both plumbing and process piping are essential for industrial facilities, but because of the different materials they handle, they suit different industrial applications:

-Plumbing: These pipes largely move water and sanitary waste or service drains and vents. Plumbing is responsible for delivering water to faucets, allowing facility workers to maintain hygiene and clean up from certain spills. Plumbing keeps any restrooms in your facilities functioning, meeting sanitation requirements to keep employees comfortable and safe.

-Process piping: These pipes transfer the raw materials your facility uses in its unique operations, forming an interconnected network within your facility. A food processing plant might be unloading unrefined beans from delivery trucks or trains via process piping to machinery in its facility.

Choose Foss General Contractors as Your Plumbing and Process Piping Solution

Foss General Contractors offers specialized expertise in plumbing utility piping and process piping in Orange County, California. We offer industries such as raw material processing, food processing and others these benefits:

-Quick issue resolution: We’ll respond quickly to plumbing or piping issues you’re facing to reduce disruptions and minimize downtime.

-Safety-first approach: We strictly follow all applicable building codes and safety standards to complete work correctly and safely.

-Efficient planning: We’ll plan our schedules to suit your timetable so you won’t miss previously scheduled deliveries or other obligations, further reducing downtime.

-Variety of experience: We prove our expertise and dedication to delivering exceptional results through a diverse range of completed projects. You can see them in our portfolio.

Contact Foss General Contractors for Plumbing and Process Piping Services

Investing in professional services ensures efficient repairs and minimal disruptions. At Foss General Contractors, we provide emergency industrial pipe repair services. We focus on your operational continuity and strive to be a reliable partner, offering specialized expertise in plumbing and process piping in Orange County, California. We ensure the smooth conveyance of materials in industrial settings — trust our expertise to maintain the smooth operation of your facilities.

Contact us by phone or email to request a proposal or schedule an on-site walk to personalize your proposal.