Piping

Piping orthometric drawing (Ortho)

A two-dimensional drawing of a three-dimensional object, using two or more additional drawings to show additional views of the object. Drawing is to scale, including representation of piping and components.

Brass

Family of alloys of copper (60%-90%) and zinc (remaining portion)

Nominal Pipe Size (NPS)

North American set of standard sizes for pipes used for high or low pressures and temperatures.

Bonding

Physical connection of two objects by a copper wire to prevent fire hazards.

Austenitic Stainless Steel

Steel with 18 % chromium and 8% nickel that is resistance to both rusting and corrosion.

Manway

The opening to vessel, used as an access point for inspection or performing maintenance.

Double block and bleed

Two-valve system with vent to atmosphere to stop flow.

Alloy

material consisting of two or more metals or a metal and a nonmetal.

Cupronickel

70% copper, 30% nickel

Pipe hanger

: A bracket, clamp, clip, or loop used to suspend or support pipes by transferring the load of the pipe and conveyed material to a supporting structure.

Male pipe thread

A National Pipe Thread Taper (NPT) subset, is inserted into a receiving tapered threaded connection.

Female pipe thread

A National Pipe Thread Taper (NPT) subset, receives another tapered threaded connection.

Sockolet

A branch connection fitting, which utilizes the basic weldolet design configuration with a socket weld outlet.

Pipe nipple

A fitting, consisting of a short piece of pipe of small diameter, usually provided with a male pipe thread at each end, for connecting two other fittings.

Hastaloy

A group of corrosion-resistant nickel alloys, characterized by high resistance to hydrochloric, sulfuric, phosphoric, acetic, and formic acids, to media containing ions of chlorine and fluorine, and to many organic media.

Monel

A group of nickel alloys, primarily composed of nickel (up to 67%) and copper, with small amounts of iron, manganese, carbon, and silicon. Stronger than pure nickel and resistant to corrosion by many agents, including rapidly flowing seawater.

Cast iron pipe

A hard, relatively brittle alloy with a higher proportion of carbon than steel has, cast in a mold and used for conveying nonflammable fluids.

Pipe fitting

A joint or connector, as an elbow, union, or tee, used to connect two or more pipes in a pipe system.

Ductility

A measure of a material's ability to undergo permanent deformation before breaking (e.g., stretching metal into a wire).

Coefficient of expansion

A measure of a materials change in length or volume with temperature.

Strength

A measure of the maximum load that a material can take before it permanently deforms or breaks.

Gasket

A mechanical seal which fills the space between two "less-than-perfect" mating surfaces by filling irregularities, generally to prevent leakage from or into the joined objects, often made from rubber or plastic.

Figure-eight (spectacle) blind

A permanent open spacer installed between two flanges connected to a thick plate of metal that can be rotated to stop piping flow.

Olet

A physical object that has a self-reinforced end intended to be welded onto a hole in the wall of a pipe or a piping component. The other end is to be connected to another pipe or piping component.

Piping isometric drawing (Iso)

A pictorial representation of a piping system in three dimensions. Drawing is not to Scale, does not show size of piping or components.

Nozzle

A stub-pipe that is shop-welded to a vessel to facilitate welding a connecting pipe in the field.

Gauge pressure

Additional pressure in a system relative to atmospheric pressure. It is a convenient pressure measurement for most practical applications. Often expressed in units of psig.

Low alloy

An alloy with a relatively small amount of the secondary material (e.g., carbon-, moly-, and chrome alloys).

Carbon steel piping

Constitutes most piping in process units because it is economical and has a wide temperature range. Made from low-carbon steel.

ASME Code Section VIII

Design code that governs vessels with pressures higher than 15 psig

Orifice plate

Device used for measuring flow rate, for reducing pressure or for restricting flow (in the latter two cases it is often called a restriction plate.

Flange

Disc, collar, or ring that attaches to pipe with the purpose of providing increased support for strength, blocking off a pipeline, or implementing the attachment of more items.

Corrosion

Electrochemical reaction between metal surfaces and fluids that results in the gradual wearing away of the metal.

Copper Alloys

Family of alloys that contains copper and zinc.

Nickel Alloys

Group of alloys that contains large amounts of nickel and is used around chemical plant where stainless steel is unsatisfactory.

Sacrificial anode

Highly active metals used to prevent a less active material surface from corroding, created from a metal alloy with a more negative electrochemical potential than the other metal it will be used to protect (e.g., zinc, magnesium, or aluminum alloys).

Cathode

In a galvanic cell, the location of the positive pole to allow the circuit to be completed. In cathodic protection, this is the protected metal.

I.D.

Inside diameter

Hammer testing

Inspection method that uses tapping to determine metal thickness by sound and feel.

Dye penetrant testing

Inspection method to identify cracks or imperfections, which show up as a bright red line.

Magnetic particle inspection

Inspection method used to detect surface or near surface flaws by dusting iron powder over an induced magnetic field, and defects become outlined by the iron powder.

Radiographic (x-ray) testing

Inspection method used to find defects in plates and welds and determine pipe and tube wall thickness.

Oxidation

Interaction between oxygen molecules and other substances (e.g., metal). With iron, this process causes rust.

Embrittlement

Loss of ductility of a material, making it brittle.

Ductile

Materials that can be easily molded or shaped without breaking or losing toughness (e.g., copper, iron or gold).

Brittle

Materials with hardness but little tensile strength, which break without significant deformation (e.g., ceramics and glass)

Nominal

Means "in name only".

Hardness

Measure of how resistant a material is to permanent deformation. Test readings indicate strength and ductility.

Stress-corrosion cracking

Mechanical-chemical type of deterioration.

Nonferrous Alloys

Metal that contains little or no iron (e.g., nickel alloys, copper alloys).

O.D.

Outside diameter

Elbow

Pipe fitting that looks like an "L" or partial "C" and used to route piping around bends.

Tee

Pipe fitting that looks like the letter "T", used to make branch connections.

Raised face flange

Pipe fitting used to join pipe to other flanged equipment, pipe, etc. and has a gasket that fits inside the bolted area.

Ring joint flange

Pipe fitting used to join pipe to other flanged equipment, pipe, etc. that uses a metal ring as a gasket.

Flat face flange

Pipe fitting used to mate against cast equipment using a gasket that covers the entire flange face.

Blind

Plate for covering or closing the end of a pipe to gain a complete shutoff in piping.

Pipe spool

Prefabricated components of a piping system, including the pipes, flanges and fittings, fabricated before they are delivered to the construction area. Prefabrication allows more rapid field pipe assembly.

Grounding

Procedure to connect an object to the earth using a copper wire and connected to a grounding rod or grounding device.

Low-Carbon Steel

Relatively inexpensive material that is low in carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus and used for most plant applications.

e.g.

Short for the Latin phrase exempli gratia—means "for example." An easy way to remember is to treat it as an abbreviation of "example given".

Fitting pressure ratings

Specified using pound ratings (or lb. ratings) - 150, 300, 600, 900, 1500 and 2500, which refers to the maximum allowable non-shock pressure (psig).

STD

Standard (pipe schedule)

Spheroidal tank

Storage vessel shaped like an ellipsoid, commonly seen in water towers.

Spherical tank

Storage vessel used for high-pressure fluids or compressed gases with a very strong structure and no weak points. Shaped like a large ball.

Caustic

Substance with a high pH (>7) capable of burning or corroding by chemical action

Acid

Substance with a low pH (<7) capable of burning or corroding by chemical action

Piping

System of pipes used to convey all kinds of fluid materials (liquids and gases).

Cathodic Protection

Technique used to control the corrosion of a metal surface by making it the cathode of an electrochemical cell.

Pipe size

The approximate diameter of a pipe, specified using nominal size.

Pipe external surface area

The area of the outside of the pipe, expressed in square feet per foot of pipe.

Shell

The exterior wall of a vessel.

Design pressure

The maximum pressure that the system that can be exposed to and sets the system relief valve at the same pressure.

Pipe wall thickness

The thickness of the pipe wall, measured in inches, or similar unit, generally specified by pipe schedule.

Paddle blind

Thick piece of metal inserted between flanges to stop piping flow.

High-Alloy Steels

Type of alloy steel that has larger quantities of secondary metals (10% or more) to produce a steel that is satisfactory for most services.

Low-Alloy Steels

Type of alloy steel that provides better mechanical properties or greater resistance to corrosion than carbon steel through the inclusion of small quantities of secondary metals (less than 10%).

Socket-welded piping

Type of piping connection in which a pipe is inserted into a larger fitting before being welded with a fillet weld.

Butt-welded piping

Type of piping connection in which the parts to be joined are beveled and welded together.

Jacketed piping

Type of piping to keep the conveyed fluid hot in which the fluid is conveyed through the inner pipe and a heating medium is conveyed through the jacket (the outer pipe).

Gutted piping

Type of piping to keep the conveyed fluid hot in which the fluid is conveyed through the outer pipe and the heating medium is conveyed through the inner pipe.

Chromium Steels

Type of steel that has a certain quantity of chromium, which withstands corrosion very well.

Pipe weight

Weight of pipe in pounds per foot (or similar unit).

Pipe water weight

Weight of water that could fit inside one foot of pipe, expressed in pounds per foot (or similar unit).

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