Types of elbow fittings in piping

Elbow fittings are used to change the direction of flow between two pipes. Pipe elbows are available in a variety of angles, including 45°, 90° and 180°. If the pipe diameters are the same, use ordinary elbows; otherwise, reducer elbows need to be used.

Elbow fittings are used more frequently than any other fitting and allow you to easily modify the direction of your pipes. The two most common elbows are 90° and 45°. However, it can be pruned to any extent. Elbow fittings are available in a variety of materials, such as carbon steel, stainless steel, and alloy steel. Hunan Standard Steel Co., Ltd is a leading manufacturer and supplier of carbon steel and stainless steel elbow fittings in China.

Types of elbow fittings in piping:

There are many types of elbows, mainly including the following classification methods:

1. Classification according to angle

Elbows can be divided into 45° elbows, 90° elbows and 180° elbows according to their angles. Among them, 90° elbow is the most commonly used type, used to connect different pipes at pipe turns or used at pipe turns. 45° elbows are suitable for smaller corners, while 180° elbows are generally not used for pipeline connections, but are only used to connect straight sections of pipelines to connect upstream and downstream equipment or pipe mouths.

2. Classification according to material
Elbows can be divided into carbon steel elbows, stainless steel elbows, alloy steel elbows, etc. according to the material. Carbon steel elbows have the characteristics of good corrosion resistance and high strength, and have a wide range of applications; stainless steel elbows are resistant to corrosion, oxidation, and not easy to rust, and are suitable for food, pharmaceutical, chemical and other industries; alloy steel elbows can be used in high temperature, Used in high-pressure environments, it has the characteristics of good wear resistance and strong corrosion resistance. ‌

3. Classification according to bending radius
Elbows can also be divided according to the bending radius: short radius elbow (1D) and long radius elbow (1.5D) (2D). The radius of curvature of the short-radius elbow is equal to the pipe diameter (i.e. R=1.0D), which is suitable for occasions with sharp bends and fast flow rates; the radius of curvature of the long-radius elbow is greater than or equal to 1.5 times the pipe diameter (i.e. R=1.5D) , suitable for large flow occasions such as pumping stations and water treatment. (D is the elbow diameter, R is the radius of curvature).

4. Classification according to production process
The production process of elbows includes welded elbows, stamped elbows, pushed elbows, cast elbows, etc. Welded elbows are the most commonly used method and are suitable for most application scenarios; stamped elbows are made by hot pressing or forging, and are suitable for occasions requiring higher strength and corrosion resistance; pushed elbows are made by the push process , has the characteristics of easy forming and is suitable for elbows of special shapes and sizes.

5. Classify according to different shapes and uses
According to different shapes and uses, they are mainly divided into grooved elbows, ferrule elbows, double-bearing elbows, flange elbows, reducing elbows, seated elbows, internal and external tooth elbows, stamping elbows, and push elbows. Manufactured elbows, socket elbows, butt welding elbows, internal wire elbows, etc.

6. Classification according to manufacturing standards
According to the manufacturing standard classification, it is mainly divided into national standard, electric standard, ship standard, chemical standard, water standard, American standard, German standard, Japanese standard, Russian standard and other categories.

7. Other categories
In addition, elbows can also be classified according to pressure levels. For example, according to the American pipe standard, the pressure levels include Sch5s, Sch10s, Sch10, Sch20, Sch30, Sch40s, STD, Sch40, Sch60, Sch80s, XS; Sch80 elbow, SCH100, Sch120, Sch140 , Sch160, XXS; the most commonly used ones are STD and XS. There are also some special elbows, such as 60° elbows, etc., which can be specially customized according to project needs.

Conclusion:

There are various types of pipe elbows, which can meet various engineering needs according to different classification methods.

Go here to learn more: Stainless steel pipe fittings vs Carbon steel pipe fittings