All About Pipes

 History of Pipe :

• Egyptian and Aztec civilizations made pipe from clay.
• The first metallic pipe were made by the greeks and romans from lead and bronze.
• The use of iron as a material to manufacture pipe came about with the invention of gun powder.
• Eventually exotic metals were developed and pipe became the highly specialized product it is today.

 What is Pipe :

A pipe is a tubular section or hollow cylinder, usually but not necessarily of circular cross-section, used mainly to convey substances which can flow liquid and gases, slurries, powders etc. it can be used for structural applications; Hollow pipe is far stiffer per unit weight than solid members.

The most important dimension for any pipe is the Inside Diameter (ID). The ID is expressed in "NPS" or "DN" (Nominal Pipe Size or Bore Size).

The Most important Mechanical parameters for pipes are the Pressure Rating, Yield Strength and Ductility.

The Standard combinations of  pipe nominal diameter and wall thickness (Schedule) are covered by the ASME B36.10 and ASME  B36.19 Specifications.

What is Tube :

Tube refers to round, square, rectangular and oval hollow sections used for pressure equipment, for mechanical applications and for instrumentation  systems.

Tubes are designated by their OD and Wall Thickness both measured in millimeters or inches.

The most important physical properties of tubes are Hardness, Tensile Strength and Low Manufacturing Tolerance.

In common usage the words pipe and tube are usually interchangeable, but in industry and engineering, the terms are uniquely defined.In general, "pipe" is the more common term in most of the world, whereas "tube" is more widely used in the United States.

A brief summary of pipes and tubes with differences is given here

Pipe sizing will be discussed later in this blog.

Application of Pipes :

• Plumbing
• Tap water
• Irrigation
• Pipelines transporting gas or liquid over long distances
• Compressed air systems
• Pipe bombs
• Casing for concrete pilings used in construction projects
• High-temperature or high-pressure manufacturing processes
• The petroleum industry:
  • Oil well casing
  • Oil refinery equipment
• Delivery of fluids, either gaseous or liquid, in a process plant from one point to another point in the process
• Delivery of bulk solids, in a food or process plant from one point to another point in the process
• The construction of high pressure storage vessels (note that large pressure vessels are constructed from plate, not pipe owing to their wall thickness and size).