Types of Pipe Fittings Used in Piping

Building Design & Construction
Types of Pipe Fittings Used in Piping
What is Pipe Fittings?
Pipe Fittings Are Piping component that helps in Changes the direction of the flow such
as elbows, tees. Changes the size of the pipe such as reducers, reducing tees. Connect
different components such as couplings and stop the flows such as Caps.
There are different types of pipe fitting used in piping. Pipe Fittings used in piping work
are mainly Elbow, Tee, Reducer, Union, Coupling, Cross, Cap, Swage Nipple, Plug, Bush,
Expansion Joint, Adapters, Olet (Weldolet, Sockolet, Elbowlet, Thredolet, Nipolet,
Letrolet, Swepolet), Steam Traps, Long Radius Bend, Flanges and Valve.
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You can see the chart above that list most widely used standard pipe fittings. These
standard fittings are either forging or wrought. Only seamless pipes are used to produce
wrought fittings. Large diameter welded fittings are manufactured from the plate.
These Fittings are available in different type of end connections.
Pipe Elbow
The Elbow is used more than any other pipe fittings. It Provides flexibility to change
the pipe direction. Elbow mainly available in two standard types 90° and 45°. However,
it Can be cut to any other degree. Elbows are available in two radius types, Short radius
(1D) and Long radius (1.5D).
90 Degree Elbow Pipe
90 Degree elbow is installed between the pipe to change the direction of the pipe by
90 Degree. Available in long and short radius form.
45 Degree Elbow
45 Degree elbow is installed between the pipe to change the direction of the pipe by
45 Degree.
Long Radius Elbow
In long radius elbow, centerline radius is 1.5 times the nominal size of the pipe or you
can say 1.5 times the diameter of the pipe. Normally long radius elbows are used in
piping as pressure loss is less as compared to short radius elbow. It required more space
than short radius elbow.
Short Radius Elbow
In short radius elbow, centerline radius is same as the nominal size of the pipe or you
can say one times the diameter of the pipe. Short radius elbows are used under limited
space application. However, it has a high-pressure drop due to a sudden change in the
direction of flow.
Reducing Elbow
The 90 reducing elbow is designed to change direction as well as reduce the size of pipe
within a piping system. The reducing elbow eliminates one pipe fitting and reduces the
welding by more than one-third. Also, the gradual reduction in diameter throughout
the arc of the reducing elbow provides lower resistance to flow and reduces the effect
of stream turbulence and potential internal erosion. These features prevent sizeable
pressure drops in the line.
Pipe Bend
Long radius pipeline bends are used in fluid transportation line which required pigging.
Due to their long radius and smooth change of direction, pipe bend has very less
pressure drop, and smooth flow of fluid & pig is possible. 3D and 5D Pipe bends are
commonly available. Here, D is the pipe size.
Miter Bend
Miter bends are not standard pipe fittings they are fabricated from pipes. Usually, they
are preferred for size 10” & above because large size elbow is expensive. Use of miter
bend is restricted to the low-pressure water line. Miter bend can be fabricated in 2, 3,
& 5 pieces.
Returns – 180 Degree Elbow
Returning elbows are used to make a 180º change in direction. Available in short & long
pattern. Returns are used in the heating coil, heat exchanger, tank vent etc.
Pipe Tee
Pipe tee is used for distributing or collecting the fluid from the run pipe. It is a short
piece of pipe with a 90-degree branch at center. There are two types of Tee used in
piping, Equal / Straight Tee and Reducing / Unequal Tee.
Straight Tee
In straight tee, the diameter of the branch is same as the diameter of the Run (Header)
Pipe.
Reducing Tee
In reducing tee, diameter of the branch size is smaller than the diameter of the Run
(Header) Pipe
Barred Tee
A barred tee which is also known as a scrapper tee is used in pipelines that are pigged.
The branch of the tee has a restriction bar welded internally to prevent the pig or
scrapper to enter the branch. The bars are welded in the branch in a way that it will
allow restriction free passage of the pig from the run pipe.
Wye Tee / Lateral
It is a type of Tee which has the branch at a 45° angle, or an angle other than 90°. Wye
tee allows one pipe to be joined to another at a 45° angle. This type of tee reduces
friction and turbulence that could hamper the flow. Wye tee is also known as a lateral.
Cross
Cross is also known as four-way pipe fitting. A cross has one inlet and three outlets (or
vice versa). Generally, crosses are not used in process piping to transport fluid. But
forged crosses are common in the fire water sprinkler line.
Pipe Reducers
A pipe reducer changes the size of the pipe. There are two types of reducer used in
piping Concentric & Eccentric.
Concentric Pipe Reducer or Conical Reducer
In Concentric reducer which is also known as a conical reducer, the center of both the
ends is on the same axis. It maintains the centerline elevation of the pipeline. When
the center lines of the larger pipe and smaller pipe are to be maintained same, then
concentric reducers are used.
Eccentric Reducer
In Eccentric reducer, the center of both the ends is on different axis as shown in the
image. It maintains BOP (bottom of pipe) elevation of the pipeline. When one of the
outside surfaces of the pipeline is to be maintained same, eccentric reducers are
required.
Offset = (Larger ID – Smaller ID) / 2
Swage Reducer
The swage is like reducers but small in size and used to connect pipes to smaller
screwed or socket welded pipes. Like reducers, they are also available in concentric &
eccentric type. Swages are available in different end types. Such as both plain ends or
one plain and one threaded end.
Pipe Caps
The cap covers the end of a pipe. Pipe caps are used at the dead end of the piping
system. It is also used in piping headers for future connections.
Stub Ends
Stub ends are used with lap joint flange. In this type of flange, the stub is butt welded
to the pipe, whereas flange is freely moved over the stub end. It is basically flange part
but covered under ASME B16.9 that is why it is considered as pipe fittings.
Piping Union
Unions are used as an alternative to flanges connection in low-pressure small bore

piping where dismantling of the pipe is required more often. Unions can be threaded
end or socket weld ends. There are three pieces in a union, a nut, a female end, and a
male end. When the female and male ends are joined, the nuts provide the necessary
pressure to seal the joint.
Pipe Coupling
There are three types of coupling available;
 Full Coupling
 Half Coupling
 Reducing Coupling
Full Coupling
Full Coupling is used for connecting small bore pipes. It used to connect pipe to pipe or
pipe to swage or nipple. It can be threaded or socket ends types.
Half Coupling
Half Coupling is used for small bore branching from a vessel or large pipe. It can be
threaded or socket type. It has a socket or thread end on only one side.
Reducing Coupling
Reducing coupling is used to connect two different sizes of pipe. It is like concentric
reducer that maintains a center line of the pipe but small in size.
Pipe Nipple
Nipple is a short stub of pipe which has a male pipe thread at each end or at one end.
It used for connecting two other fittings. Nipples are used for connecting pipe, hoses,
and valves. Pipe nipples are used in low-pressure piping.
Socket weld and Threaded Pipe Fittings
Socket weld and Threaded Pipe Fittings are forged product and classified based on its
pressure-temperature rating. Socket weld & Threaded end fittings are available from
NPS 1/8” to 4”. These fittings are available in four pressure-temperature rating class.
 2000 class fittings are available in only in threaded type.

 3000 & 6000 class fittings are available in both Threaded and Socket Weld types.
 9000 class fittings are available in only socket weld type.
Socket and threaded fittings are used for small bore and low-pressure piping.
Socket Weld Elbow
Socket Weld Tee and Cross
Threaded Pipe Fittings
Pipe Fittings Dimension of the fittings must meet the requirements of the standard,
 For Wrought Product (WP) Dimension is covered in

 ASME B16.9- which is standard for Factory-made Wrought Butt-welding Fittings for
size NPS 1⁄₂ to NPS 48” and
 And B16.28- which is standard for Wrought Steel Butt-Welding Short Radius Elbows
and Returns for size NPS 1⁄₂ to NPS 24”
 For Forged Fittings Dimension are covered in
 ASME B16.11- a standard for Forged Steel Fittings that covers Socket Welding and
Threaded fittings

Types of Pipe Fittings Used in Piping

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Types of Pipe Fittings Used in Piping

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Building Design & Construction

Types of Pipe Fittings Used in Piping

What is Pipe Fittings?

These Fittings are available in different type of end connections.

90 Degree Elbow Pipe

Long Radius Elbow

Short Radius Elbow

Returns – 180 Degree Elbow

Wye Tee / Lateral

Concentric Pipe Reducer or Conical Reducer

Offset = (Larger ID – Smaller ID) / 2

Unions are used as an alternative to flanges connection in low-pressure small bore

There are three types of coupling available;

Socket weld and Threaded Pipe Fittings

 2000 class fittings are available in only in threaded type.

Socket Weld Elbow

Socket Weld Tee and Cross

Threaded Pipe Fittings

 For Wrought Product (WP) Dimension is covered in

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