National pipe thread

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Threaded pipe and elbow. The pipe has a male NPT thread, while
the elbow's is female.

National Pipe Thread Taper (NPT) is a U.S. standard

for tapered threads used on threaded pipes and fittings. In
contrast to straight threads that are found on a bolt, a taper
thread will pull tight and therefore make a fluid-tight seal. In
America, William Sellers set the standard for nuts, bolts, and
screws which became the National Pipe Tapered Thread
(NPT) in 1864.[1]
Contents
[hide]

1 Usage
2 Specifications
o 2.1 Thread form
o 2.2 NPTF
3 Informal Subsets

o 3.1 MPT
o 3.2 FPT
4 Table of standard sizes
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links

Usage[edit]
Threaded pipes can provide an effective seal for pipes
transporting liquids, gases, steam, and hydraulic fluid.
These threads are now used in materials other than steel
and brass, includingPTFE,[2] PVC, nylon, bronze, and cast
iron.
The taper on NPT threads allows them to form a seal when
torqued as the flanks of the threads compress against each
other, as opposed to parallel/straight thread fittings
or compression fittings in which the threads merely hold the
pieces together and do not provide the seal. As the thread
body is tapered (0.75 in/ft or 62.5 mm/m) a larger diameter
keeps compressing into a smaller diameter and finally forms
a seal (no clearance remains between the crests and roots
of the threads because of the taper). This means that NPT
fittings should be burr-free and lubricated using a lubricating
material like lubricating paste or tape. The use of tape also

helps to limit corrosion on the threads, which otherwise can

make future disassembly nearly impossible.
Commonly used sizes are 18, 14, 38, 12, 34, 1, 1 14, 1 12, and
2 inch, appearing on pipes and fittings by most U.S.
suppliers. Sizes smaller than 18 inch are occasionally used
for compressed air, while sizes larger than 2 inches are
uncommon, due to the use of alternative methods of joining
that are used with these larger sizes.

Specifications[edit]
NPT is defined by ANSI/ASME standard B1.20.1.[3]
Pipe threads are different from machine-screw and bolt
threads. Those are designated NC (national coarse) and NF
(national fine.) The biggest difference is the taper on pipe
threads.
The taper rate for all NPT threads is 1 in 16 (34 inch per foot
or 62.5 millimeters per meter) measured by the change of
diameter (of the pipe thread) over distance. The angle
between the taper and the center axis of the pipe is tan1(132)
= 1.7899 = 1 47 24.
Nominal Pipe Size (NPS) is loosely related to the inside
diameter of Schedule 40 pipe. Because of the pipe wall
thickness, the actual diameter of the threads is larger than
the NPS, considerably so for small NPS. Pipe of other
schedules with a certain NPS has different wall thickness,
but the same outside diameter and thread profile as
Schedule 40, so the inside diameter of the pipe is therefore
different from the NPS.

Thread form[edit]

NPTE and NPS threads have a 60 included angle and

have a Sellers thread form (flattened peaks and valleys).

NPTF[edit]
A semi-compatible variant called National Pipe Taper
Fuel (NPTF), also called Dryseal American National
Standard Taper Pipe Thread, defined by ASME B1.20.3, is
designed to provide a more leak-free seal without the use of
teflon tape or other sealant compound. NPTF threads are
the same basic shape but with crest and root heights
adjusted for an interference fit, eliminating the spiral leakage
path.

Informal Subsets[edit]
MPT[edit]
MPT can mean Male Pipe Thread or Mechanical Pipe
Thread (a non-tapered variety) and is a subset of NPT for
male connections.

FPT[edit]
FPT means Female Pipe Thread and is a subset of NPT for
female connections.

Table of standard sizes[edit]

NPT American Standard Pipe Thread Taper[4]

Pip
e
size
(inc
hes)

16

Appro Appro
TPI
ximate ximate
Thr
Pitch length numbe
ead
(inches
of
r of
s
or
thread thread
per
mm) (inche s turns
Inc
s or
to be
h
mm)
cut

27

0.0370
3704 i
n or

Appro
ximate
total
thread
makeu
p,
hand
and w
rench
(inche
s or
mm)

Nominal
outside
Tap
pipe dia drill
meter O (inche
D
s or
(inches
mm)
or mm)

0.313 in
or
7.950 m

0.9407
mm

0.0370
3704 i 38 in or
27
n or 9.525
0.9407
mm
mm

0.0555 5
8 in or
in or
18
15.875
1.4097
mm
mm

18

0.0555
5555 i 58 in or
n or 15.875
1.4111
mm
mm

10

R
0.405
in
1
4 in or
0.339 i
or
6.350
n or
10.287 m
mm
8.6106
m
mm
0.540 in 716 in
8 in or
or
or
9.525
13.716 m 11.113
mm
m
mm

11

11

0.675 in 3764 in
8 in or
or
or
9.525
17.145 m 14.684
mm
m
mm

0.0714
2857 i 34 in or
14
n or 19.050
1.8143 0 mm
mm

10

16 in 0.840 in 2332 in
or
or
or
11.112 21.3360 18.256
5 mm
mm
3 mm

14

10

0.0714 34 in or
2857 i 19.050

2 in or
12.700
1

1.050 in
or

59

64 in
or

n or
1.8143
mm

0 mm

0.0869
5652 i 78 in or
11n or 22.225
1/2
2.2087 0 mm
mm

1 14

0.0869
5652 i 1 in or
11n or 25.400
1/2
2.2087 0 mm
mm

1 12

0.0869
5652 i 1 in or
11n or 25.400
1/2
2.2087 0 mm
mm

0.0869
5652 i 1 in or
11n or 25.400
1/2
2.2087 0 mm
mm

0 mm

26.6700
mm

23.415
6 mm

10

16 in 1.315 in 1 532 in
or
or
or
14.287 33.4010 29.368
5 mm
mm
8 mm

11

16 in 1.660 in 1 12 in
or
or
or
14.287 42.1640 38.100
5 mm
mm
0 mm

11

16 in 1.900 in 1 4764 in
or
or
or
14.287 48.2600 44.053
5 mm
mm
1 mm

11

2.375 in 2 732 in
8 in or
or
or
15.875
60.3250 56.356
0 mm
mm
3 mm

0.125 i 1 12 in
n or
or
3.1750 38.100
mm
0 mm

0.125 i 1 12 in
n or
or
3.1750 38.100
mm
0 mm

0.125 i 158 in
n or
or
3.1750 15.875
mm
0 mm

0.125 i 1 58 in
n or
or
3.1750 41.275
mm
0 mm

4 12

0.125 i
n or
3.1750
mm

2 12

3 12

0.125 i 1 34 in
n or
or
3.1750 44.450

12

2.875 in 2 58 in
8 in or
or
or
22.225
73.0250 66.675
0 mm
mm
0 mm

12

3.500 in 3 14 in
1 in or
or
or
25.400
88.9000 82.550
0 mm
mm
0 mm

13

1 116 in 4.000 in 3 34 in
or
or
or
26.987 101.6000 95.250
5 mm
mm
0 mm

13

1 116 in 4.500 in 4 14 in
or
or
or
26.987 114.3000 107.95
5 mm
mm
00 mm

5.000 in 4 34 in
or
or
127.0000 120.65
mm
00 mm
14

1 316 in 5.563 in 5 932 in

or
or
or
30.162 141.3002 134.14

mm

10

12

14

0 mm

0.125 i 1 34 in
n or
or
3.1750 44.450
mm
0 mm

0.125 i 1 78 in
n or
or
3.1750 47.625
mm
0 mm

0.125 i
2 in or
n or
50.800
3.1750
0 mm
mm

0.125 i 2 18 in
n or
or
3.1750 53.975
mm
0 mm

0.125 i
n or
3.1750
mm

5 mm

mm

38 mm

14

1 316 in 6.625 in 6 1132 in

or
or
or
30.162 168.2750 161.13
5 mm
mm
13 mm

15

1 516 in 8.625 in
or
or
33.337 219.0750
5 mm
mm

16

1 12 in 10.750 in
or
or
38.100 273.0500
0 mm
mm

17

1 58 in 12.750 in
or
or
41.275 323.8500
0 mm
mm
14.000 in
or
355.6000
mm

16

18

20

24

0.125 i
n or
3.1750
mm

16.000 in
or
406.4000
mm

0.125 i
n or
3.1750
mm

18.000 in
(457.200
0 mm)

0.125 i
n or
3.1750
mm

20.000 in
(508.000
0 mm)

0.125 i
n or
3.1750
mm

24.000 in
(609.600
0 mm)