Domestic Plumbing – JSS 3 – Basic Technology

BASIC TECHNOLOGY JSS 3

DOMESTIC PLUMBING AND PIPE FITTING
Plumbing is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids.
A complex arrangement of rigid steel piping and stop valves regulate flow to various parts of the building, with an evident preference for right-angle pipe bends and orthogonal pipe routes

THE MAJOR CATEGORIES OF PLUMBING SYSTEMS OR SUBSYSTEMS
1. Potable cold and hot tap water supply
2. Plumbing drainage venting
3. Sewage systems and septic systems with or without hot water heat recycling and gray water recovery and treatment systems
4. Rainwater, surface, and subsurface water drainage
5. Fuel gas piping

Water pipes
A water pipe is a pipe or tube, frequently made of plastic or metal that carries pressurized and treated fresh water to a building (as part of a municipal water system), as well as inside the building.

EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS
Applications of Pipe Fittings
Pipe Fittings are defined as the piping components that help in pipe routing for directional changes, size changes, and branch connections. Piping Elbows, Piping Reducers, Tee Connections, Olet Connections, Caps, Crosses, etc are pipe fittings and widely used in both piping and plumbing industry. Different pipe fittings serve different functions as per layout or process requirements. Pipe fittings are manufactured as a separate item and procured separately. Pipe fittings are connected to piping using various end connections. Pipe fittings play an important role in the proper functioning of pipes and tubes in various applications. In this article, we will study the overview of different types of pipe fittings used in piping, pipeline, and plumbing industry.

TYPES OF PIPE FITTINGS
Various types of pipe fitting are used in piping, plumbing, and pipeline industries. Common Pipe Fittings that are widely used in industries are listed below.
Piping Elbow, 90degree Elbow, 45degree Elbow, Long Radius Elbow, Short Radius Elbow, Tee-Connection, Equal Tee, Reducing Tee, Barred Tee, Reducer, Concentric Reducer, Eccentric Reducer, Unions, Coupling, Half Coupling, Full Coupling, Reducing Coupling, Adapters, Olet-Connections, Weldolet, Sockolet, Elbowlet, Thredolet, Nipolet, Latrolet, Sweepolet, Flageolet, Piping Valves, Gate Valve, Ball Valve, Check valve, Plug Valve, Needle Valve, Butterfly Valve, Globe Valve, Cross, Equal Cross, Reducing Cross, Wyes, Cap, Nipples, Plug, Bushing, Pipe Flanges, Expansion Joint, Steam Traps, Long Radius Bend, 3-D Bends, 5-D Bends, Barb, Locknut, Miter Bend, e.t.c.

PIPE FITTINGS FOR PIPING AND PLUMBING INDUSTRIES
Pipe Union is a special type of pipe fitting that unites two pipes and can be easily detached without any deformation to the pipes. They provide a positive seal and easy assembly as well as disassembly. In pipe fitting application, They are widely used mainly for small bore piping and plumbing industries. Pipe unions are made of Carbon steel, Stainless steel, Cast iron, Copper, Nichet, Aluminum, Plastic, Alloy materials depending on temperature, and service requirements.

1. A pipe union has three parts: A male end, A nut, and a female end. The female end has threads on the inside whereas threads are outside on the male end part. The nut provides the necessary pressure and seals the joint.

2. Pipe Adapters: Adapters as pipe fittings are used to connect dissimilar pipes. Pipe adapters are available in various types for different applications. So care must be exercised while ordering to get the right type. They are classified as: Locking Pipe Adapter, Offset Pipe Adapter, Male Pipe Adapter, Female pipe Adapter, Straight Thread adapters, etc. They find their majority of applications in sanitary pipes for plumbing applications. Normally they are made of Steel, Cast iron, Polymer, Brass, Aluminum, Bronze and copper materials.

3. Pipe Olet Connections: Piping Olet is a self-reinforced branch connection used to connect small pipe branches from larger size main pipes. This is an alternative to a pipe to pipe branching. They are specially designed by a company called Bonney Forge. In places where the reducing tee is not available, piping olets are widely used. Piping olets are designed based on MSS SP-97 or ASME B 31.3. Different types of piping olets are available. Widely used piping olets are:

4. Weldolet: It’s a 90degree branch connection and available for 2″ and more sizes. Weldolet pipe fittings are suitable for high temperature and pressure classes and widely used in the piping industry. Weldolets are available in two sizes; full size and reducing size. However, Reducing size is the most widely used weldolet.

5. Sockolet: Sockolets are also 90degree branch connections but they are used to connect small-bore socket-welded piping to larger size Butt-welded Piping Header. Similar to weldolet, they too, come in full size and reducing size constructions.

6. Thredolet: Threadolets are 90degree pipe fitting suitable to connect small-bore threaded fittings to Buttwelding Piping Connections.
Similarly there are other pipe olet fittings like Elbolet, Nipolet, Latrolet, Flexolet, Flangolet, Sweepolet, and Coupolet.

7. Piping Cross: Piping cross is also popular as four-way pipe fitting as it consists of one inlet and three outlet connections or vice versa. They are not that popular in oil and gas industries and seldom used. They are used in fire sprinkler systems. In piping crosses, four piping connections meet at one common point.

8. Wyes: Wye pipe fittings are also called lateral connections. the name wye came because it resembles the letter Y. Such type of pipe fittings are used in drainage systems and have a branch line at 45 degrees to keep the flow of water smooth. This kind of pipe fitting has a low frictional loss and very low turbulence.

9. Caps and Plugs: Caps and Plugs are pipe fittings that are used to close the piping ends. They cover the piping ends and provides a tight seal. They are widely used in pipe dead ends or at future connections.

10. Bushing: Bushings as pipe fittings combine different pipe sizes together. They decrease the larger size to the size of the smaller pipe. In comparison to a union or coupling, Bushings occupy very little space.

11. Long Radius Bend: Long radius pipe bends are used in fluid transportation pipelines requiring pigging. Such pipe fittings has very less pressure drop and smooth flow due to their long radius and smooth direction change. Common long radius pipe bends are 3D and 5D Pipe bends where D is the pipe size.

12. Barb: A barb is a useful pipe fitting used in the plumbing system. Barbs connect the flexible tubing to pipes. They have a male-threaded end on one side and the other end has a single or a multi-barbed tube that is inserted in the flexible tubing.