Made: Juan Guilanyà Riba Rev: 0 Date: 03/01/2007

Pipe fittings and valves

Rules for its relative orientation in the installation

The velocity profile of a liquid flowing in a pipe is symmetrical with respect to the axis,
only if the straight length requirements are met. To be strict: those are up to 50 times
the diameter for carbon steel pipe (which walls become very rough when it is
corroded).

The effect of the presence of elbows or other accessories in a pipeline is to offset the
velocity profile with respect to the axis at the output, causing a greater head loss and
other effects in the next fitting.

So the assembler has to be careful with the relative orientation of successive fittings.

He must follow the principle that the plane of symmetry of a first element (pump
impeller, elbow, tee, etc) must be the same that the plane of symmetry of the next
element, (eccentric reducer, butterfly valve, check valve, insertion flowmeter, etc.)

The velocity profile out of an elbow, for example, is asymmetrical and very similar to
the ditto out of the discharge of a centrifugal pump; then apply the same rules in terms
of use of eccentric reducers and the orientation of swing check valves, double swing (at
90 ° with respect to the previous one), butterfly valves and any other fitting that may
have a plane of symmetry.

Failure to observe the above, i.e. the crossing of symmetry planes; in addition to
generating a substantial increase in the head loss, induces a rotation in the fluid; and
weird effects, when there is presence of gases, such as that the gas flows through the
axis while the liquid, twisting, flows near wall.

In some cases, the intersection of the planes of symmetry that mean the rotation of the
liquid, do not define the direction of the twist, which is fixed by another well defined
disturbance.

Then on successive crossings, the rotations can be coupled and leave a unique
rotation along the entire pipe.