Pipe fittings

A pipeline including a least two polyethylene pipes having opposed ends which are coupled together by at least one pipe fitting wherein the pipe fitting includes:

• an annular body having an inner cylindrical surface of plastics material surrounding a cylindrical cavity for receiving opposed ends of the two plastics pipes to be coupled together, an electrically conductive coil provided in said inner cylindrical surface and surrounding the cylindrical cavity, the coil having opposed ends, a pair of terminals each connected to a respective end of the coil and provided on the body for connection to a source of controlled electrical power, and an annular reinforcing member disposed in the body and surrounding the coil, the annular reinforcing member having a grooved surface which interfaces the annular body, the grooved surface defining a plurality of axially facing surfaces;
• wherein
• the inner cylindrical surface of the annular body is fusion welded to an outer cylindrical surface of each pipe end, wherein the annular body is composed of polyethylene and the annular reinforcing member has at least the same tensile strength in a hoop direction as that of the polyethylene pipes;
• and wherein
• the pipes are selected from multilayer pipes and reinforced pipes and the pipeline has a maximum pressure of greater than 25 bar.