Technology - PVC pipe

PVC piping was chosen as the most logical material for building this buoy because it is cheap and easy to use. However before making a final decision, I had to do some mathematical equations to ensure this material would be strong enough to support the systems that will be used in the final product. First, I had to learn the differences between different PVC pipes.
The two main types of PVC pipe are schedule 40 and schedule 80. The term “schedule” refers to the thickness of the pipe’s wall, not its diameter. This in turn refers to how much pressure the pipe will hold. After doing some research, I discovered that schedule 40 PVC pipe is most often used in aquaculture applications. This is because it is not only cheap and easy to come by, but it is also so strong that it will not be distorted even when being walked on by a person. After deciding to use PVC schedule 40 pipe due to all the recommendations I had found online, I thought it would be important to research the amount of pressure it can withstand. The minimum amount of pressure required to make the pipes burst is 890 psi. The maximum operating pressure of the pipe is 166 psi. In the image, you can see a chart representing the bursting pressure and maximum operating pressure for PVC schedule 40 pipe, indicated in red (engineeringtoolbox.com). Although schedule 80 piping can obviously withstand more pressure, ocean pressure is very small at the surface, so these pipes will work just perfectly. Also, it is highly recommended that a person using PVC pipes for aquaculture purposes use schedule 40 PVC pipe.