Funded by the European Union and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the project enables the development of pipe extrusion process technology and a plastic-graphite compound for the production of a flexible plastic pipe with an increased thermal conductivity in the range of 2 - 5 W/mK (in radial direction).

A pilot pipe extrusion line is built up at IPE using process components from both institutes made it possible to produce highly thermally conductive plastic pipes for the first time in the middle of the project period. In the further course of the project, an innovative extrusion die is now to be used to specifically influence the particle orientation of graphite in an extruded pipe in order to achieve maximum thermal conductivity with the lowest possible filler content. But also having a look at required strength and bending stiffness. By orienting the filler particles in the heat-conducting direction (through the pipe wall), the required filler content should be significantly reduced, and the higher polymer content should ensure sufficient mechanical strength and formability of the pipe. As a result, efficiencies of pure polymer heat exchangers already in use can be significantly improved. Increased potential also lies in the area of applications in which heat transfer functions from liquid to liquid media are necessary and high corrosion resistance is required.