What is a Concrete Pipe? Types and Applications of Concrete Pipes

Written by Anup Kumar Dey in Engineering Materials,Piping Design Basics

Concrete pipes are pipes made from concrete. They provide various advantages including, easy installation, superior corrosion resistance, highly durable, environmentally friendly, sustainable, custom-designed fittings, high strength, and low maintenance costs. Because of all these benefits, concrete pipes have become a popular choice for Storm Sewers, Culverts, Underground Detention and Retention Systems, Sanitary sewers, and sometimes water pipelines. In this article, we will discuss concrete pipes, their types, and their applications.

What is a Concrete Pipe?

Concrete pipe is a rigid pipe having very good strength and high longevity (life in the range of 70 to 100 years). They are suitable for various loading conditions and are designed and manufactured based on ASTM C-76, AWWA, and AASHTO M 170. Concrete pipes are being used for a long time mainly in the water and wastewater industries. The oldest known concrete pipe used in a sanitary sewer in the United States (Mohawk, New York) is a 6-inch diameter pipe that is still operating successfully (Reference: https://www.rinkerpipe.com/TechnicalInfo/files/InfoBriefs/IB1003LifeConcretePipe.pdf).

Types of Concrete Pipes

There are four types of concrete pressure pipes found in industries. they are:

Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP)
Reinforced Concrete Cylinder Pipe
Reinforced Concrete Non-Cylinder Pipe
Pretensioned Concrete Cylinder Pipe

Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP)

Prestressed concrete cylinder pipes have a structural, high-strength concrete core, a steel cylinder with steel joint rings welded at each end providing water-tightness, steel prestressing wire, and a portland cement-rich mortar coating. They are usually manufactured in the range of NPS 16 to NPS 144.

This is the most widely used type of concrete pressure pipe for the transport of water and wastewater in the world. Their typical use includes

Water distribution systems,
Raw and potable water transmission lines,
Gravity and pressure sewers,
Industrial process lines,
Power plant cooling systems,
Water and wastewater treatment plant process lines,
Impoundment spillway conduits
Sewer outfalls,
Raw water intakes, etc

PCCP is suitable for both freshwater and seawater and can be installed in the normal direct-buried condition; as an aerial crossing over canals, rivers, and other obstacles. AWWA C301/C304 provides the design and manufacturing reference for PCCP.

Reinforced Concrete Cylinder Pipes (RCP)

Reinforced concrete pipes are widely used in roadway and site development for transferring a large volume of liquid. They are produced in the size range of 12″ to 144″. Typical applications of reinforced concrete pipes include:

Irrigation Industry
The construction industry for the transfer of non-potable water underground.
City waters in a Storm drain, flooding situation, monsoon water.

In general, reinforced pipes are precast. AWWA Standard C300 provides the design and manufacturing guidelines for RCP pipes.

Reinforced Concrete Noncylinder Pipes

AWWA Standard C302 provides the reference for reinforced concrete non-cylinder pipes. AWWA Manual M9 provides the design guidelines for this type of concrete pipe. One or more reinforcing cages are used along with steel joint rings to manufacture reinforced concrete non-cylinder pipes. They are generally used for a working pressure of up to 380 KPa. These concrete pipes are widely found in tunnel applications, wastewater treatment plants, irrigation industries, combined sewer overflow, underground detention tanks, etc.

Pretensioned Concrete Cylinder Pipe

AWWA Standard C303 provides the reference of Pretensioned Concrete Cylinder Pipes. They are also known as bar-wrapped concrete cylinder pipes. The interior of the pipe is provided with centrifugally applied mortar or concrete lining. Around the outside of the cylinder, a steel bar is helically wound tightly and securely welded to the steel joint rings. Next, a cement-rich dense mortar coating is applied to the cylinder and bar wrap. These types of concrete pipes are used in cooling water system pipelines, distribution pipelines, open-cut tunnels, sanitary main and trunk gravity lines, wastewater intake lines, etc.

Advantages of Concrete Pipes

As already mentioned, concrete pipes are highly durable and strong pipes. Other benefits of using concrete piping are:

Non-flammable
Highly resilient
Low cost
Easy installation
Design and Construction flexibility
Weather resistant.
Corrosion resistant.
Can resist both tensile and compressive stress.
Can be cast in situ.
Suitable for all types of water.

However, concrete pipes can be corroded at the crown by the bacterial decomposition of organic matter present in sewage. Also, they are heavy and transportation and installation costs may be a bit higher.

What is DN and PN Number for Pipes? Pipe Class Rating vs PN Numbers

Written by Anup Kumar Dey in Pipeline,Piping Design Basics

The terms “DN (Diameter Nominal)” and “PN (Pressure Nominal)” are frequently found in the piping engineering literature. These are very important terms related to piping system design. In this article, we will discuss the meaning and significance of DN and PN.

What is DN in Pipes?

“DN” is an abbreviated form of Diameter Nominal (DN). It is a dimensionless number that denotes the pipe size in the metric unit system. The DN pipe size designator is developed by the International Standards Organization or ISO and is widely found in Europe and other metric-based countries.

The DN value does not provide actual physical pipe dimensions but is used as a reference number that indicates the size of a pipe or fitting. The pipe sizes are designated by DN followed by a number to indicate standard pipe size. For example, DN50 indicates a 2″ NPS pipe; Similarly, DN80 indicates a 3″ NPS pipe. The pipe manufacturers print the DN number on the pipe surface which makes the identification easier. DN is measured in millimeters which is an approximate internal diameter of the pipe.

DN vs NPS

NPS or Nominal pipe size is also a dimensionless pipe size designator and is widely used in North America. A specific pipe size is indicated by NPS followed by a number. For example, NPS 2 indicates a pipe having an outside diameter of 2.375 inches. The pipe outside diameter is more than its NPS designator for NPS 12 and smaller pipes. However, NPS 14 and larger pipes have the same pipe OD in inches as the NPS designator. This means an NPS 24 pipe has an OD of 24 inches. NPS is associated with the ASME B36.10 and ASME B36.19 standards.

So, the main difference between DN and NPS is that DN indicates the approximate pipe dimensions in mm whereas the NPS indicates the pipe dimension in inches. For pipes larger than NPS 3.5, the DN number is calculated by multiplying the NPS size designation number by 25. For example, NPS 4 is the same as DN 100.

Table 1 below provides typical co-relations between NPS and DN pipe size designations.

NPS	1/8	1/4	1/2	3/4	1	1-1/4	1.5	2	2.5	3	3.5	4	X (>4)
DN	6	8	15	20	25	32	40	50	65	80	90	100	25X

Table 1: DN vs. NPS Pipe Size Designation

What is the PN Rating Number?

Pipes are usually classified based on the pressure-temperature rating system used for flange classification. The PN number system is a similar pressure rating designator. “PN” stands for the French term Pression Nominal which means pressure nominal. The PN number is indicated by the term PN followed by a designation number. For example, PN 10, PN 50, etc. The value that follows the term PN indicates the approximate pressure rating in bars. Note that the PN rating does not provide a proportional relationship between different PN numbers.

PN basically represents the maximum virtual pressure that a pipe or tube can withstand under standard operating conditions. The piping components are designed based on the reference PN number value. The PN rating number is most widely used for Plastic pipes, HDPE, PVC, and PE pipes. PN is generally used in the European standards BS, DIN, EN, ISO, and so on. Different PN rating indicates different pipe thickness for the same pipe DN.

ISO 7268 standard defines PN as follows:

PN is an alphanumeric designation used for reference purposes, comprising the letters PN followed by a dimensionless number relating to component pressure/temperature capability, taking into account component material mechanical properties and component dimensional characteristics.

What is PN in HDPE Pipe?

The PN abbreviation for pressure nominal in Polyethylene pipes indicates the maximum pressure that the pipe can withstand without failure at a specified temperature range. For example, PN 16 pipe means the pipe can withstand a pressure of 16 bar without failure. Similarly, PN 20 pipe means the pipe is designed to withstand a pressure of 20 bar at the maximum design temperature.

For PE/HDPE pipes the PN rating pressure usually denotes the pressure capability at a temperature of 20°C. PN values are generally mentioned in the Pipe Diameter, Thickness, and Weight chart for HDPE/PE pipes. With an increase in PN number the pipe thickness increases.

Pipe Class Rating vs. PN Numbers

Piping Class Ratings are based on the ASME B16.5 or ASME B16.47 standard whereas The PN rating is based on ISO 7005 standard. Table 2 below provides a cross-reference for the PN rating and ASME Class rating.

Pipe Class	150	300	400	600	900	1500	2500
Pipe Pressure Nominal (PN)	20	50	68	110	150	260	420

Table 2: Piping Class rating vs. PN rating

Differences Between DN, PN, and NPS

Here’s a tabular comparison of DN, PN, and NPS with respect to piping design:

Parameter	DN (Diameter Nominal)	PN (Pressure Nominal)	NPS (Nominal Pipe Size)
Definition	Nominal diameter of pipes, valves, and fittings, typically used in metric systems.	The nominal pressure rating of a pipe system is used to indicate the pressure capability of a component.	Nominal size of a pipe in inches, typically used in imperial systems.
Units	Millimeters (mm)	Pressure in bars (e.g., PN 16 means 16 bars)	Inches (in) for NPS; OD (outside diameter) varies with schedule.
System of Measure	Metric	Metric	Imperial
Usage	Commonly used in European countries and countries using the metric system.	Used globally in conjunction with DN, particularly in Europe.	Commonly used in the United States, Canada, and other countries using the imperial system.
Pipe Diameter Relation	DN gives a rough estimate of the internal diameter of a pipe. It doesn’t directly correlate to the actual OD or ID but is close to ID for larger pipes.	Not directly related to pipe diameter but is an indicator of pressure handling capability.	NPS is roughly equal to the pipe’s OD for NPS 14 and above; for smaller sizes, NPS is not equal to OD.
Pressure Rating	Does not indicate pressure rating.	Directly indicates pressure handling capability, e.g., PN 10 means the pipe can handle 10 bars of pressure.	Does not indicate pressure rating. Pressure capacity is usually defined by the schedule.
Typical Range	DN 6 to DN 2000	PN 2.5 to PN 100	NPS 1/8 to NPS 80 (or larger)
Schedule Relation	DN is independent of the pipe schedule.	PN is independent of the pipe schedule.	NPS must be paired with a schedule to determine pipe wall thickness and pressure rating.
Examples	DN 50 (approximately 50 mm ID)	PN 16 (can handle 16 bars pressure)	NPS 2 (approximately 2.375 inches OD)

Table 3: Differences between DN, PN, and NPS

DN-NPS Size Chart

The following table provides a DN-NPS size chart:

DN-NPS CHART – DIMENSIONS IN MILLIMETRES (MM)
DIAMETERS			SCHEDULES
DN in mm	NPS (Inches)	OD	5	5s	10	10s	20	30	40	40s	Std	60	80	80s	XS	100	120	140	160	XXS	DN in mm
6	1/8	10.3			1.24	1.24			1.73	1.73	1.73		2.41	2.41	2.41						6
8	1/4	13.7			1.65	1.65			2.24	224	2.24		3.02	3.02	3.02						8
10	3/8	17.1			1.65	1.65		1.85	2.31	231	2.31		3.20	3.20	3.20						10
15	1/2	21.3	1.65	1.65	2.11	2.11		2.41	2.77	2.77	2.77		3.73	3.73	3.73				4.78	7.47	15
20	3/4	26.7	1.65	1.65	2.11	2.11		2.41	2.87	287	2.87		3.91	3.91	3.91				5.56	7.82	20
25	1	33.4	1.65	1.65	2.77	2.77		2.90	3.38	338	3.38		4.55	4.55	4.55				6.35	9.09	25
32	1 1/4	42.2	1.65	1.65	2.77	2.77		2.97	3.56	356	3.56		4.85	4.85	4.85				6.35	9.70	32
40	1 1/2	48.3	1.65	1.65	2.77	2.77		3.18	3.68	368	3.68		5.08	5.08	5.08				7.14	10.16	40
50	2	60.3	1.65	1.65	2.77	2.77		3.18	3.91	391	3.91		5.54	5.54	5.54				8.74	11.07	50
65	2 1/2	73	2.11	2.11	3.05	3.05		4.78	5.16	5.16	5.16		7.01	7.01	7.01				9.53	14.02	65
80	3	88.9	2.11	2.11	3.05	3.05		4.78	5.49	5.49	5.49		7.62	7.62	7.62				11.13	15.24	80
90	3 1/2	101.6	2.11	2.11	3.05	3.05		4.78	5.74	5.74	5.74		8.08	8.08	8.08					16.15	90
100	4	114.3	2.11	2.11	3.05	3.05		4.78	6.02	602	6.02		8.56	8.56	8.56		11.13		13.49	17.12	100
125	5	141.3	2.77	2.77	3.40	3.40			6.55	655	6.55		9.53	9.53	9.53		12.70		15.88	19.05	125
150	6	168.3	2.77	2.77	3.40	3.40			7.11	7.11	7.11		10.97	1,097	10.97		1,427		18.26	21.95	150
200	8	219.1	2.77	2.77	3.76	3.76	6.35	7.04	8.18	8.18	8.18	10.31	12.70	12.70	12.70	15.09	1,826	20.62	23.01	22.23	200
250	10	273	3.40	3.40	4.19	4.19	6.35	7.80	9.27	9.27	9.27	12.70	15.09	12.70	12.70	18.26	21.44	25.40	28.58	25.40	250
300	12	323.8	3.96	3.96	4.57	4.57	6.35	8.38	10.31	953	9.53	14.27	17.48	12.70	12.70	21.44	25.40	28.58	33.32	25.40	300
350	14	355.6	3.96	3.96	6.35	4.78	7.92	9.53	11.13	953	9.53	15.09	19.05	12.70	12.70	23.83	27.79	31.75	35.71		350
400	16	406.4	4.19	4.19	6.35	4.78	7.92	9.53	12.70	953	9.53	16.66	21.44	12.70	12.70	26.19	3,096	36.53	40.49		400
450	18	457	4.19	4.19	6.35	4.78	7.92	11.13	14.27	953	9.53	19.05	23.83	12.70	12.70	29.36	3,493	39.67	45.24		450
500	20	508	4.78	4.78	6.35	5.54	9.53	12.70	15.09	953	9.53	20.62	26.19	12.70	12.70	32.54	38.10	44.45	50.01		500
550	22	559	4.78	4.78	6.35	5.54	9.53	12.70			9.53	22.23	28.58		12.70	34.93	4,128	47.63	53.98		550
600	24	610	5.54	5.54	6.35	6.35	9.53	14.27	17.48	953	9.53	24.61	30.96	12.70	12.70	38.89	4,602	52.37	59.54		600
650	26	660			7.92		12.70				9.53				12.70						650
700	28	711			7.92		12.70	15.88			9.53				12.70						700
750	30	762	6.35	6.35	7.92	7.92	12.70	15.88			9.53				12.70						750
800	32	813			7.92		12.70	15.88	17.48		9.53				12.70						800
850	34	864			7.92		12.70	15.88	17.48		9.53				12.70						850
900	36	914			7.92		12.70	15.88	19.05		9.53				12.70						900
950	38	965									9.53				12.70						950
1000	40	1016									9.53				12.70						1000
1050	42	1067									9.53				12.70						1050
1100	44	1118									9.53				12.70						1100
1150	46	1168									9.53				12.70						1150
1200	48	1219									9.53				12.70						1200

Table 4: DN-NPS Size Chart

What is a Boom Lift? Applications, Sizes, and Types of Boom lifts

Written by Anup Kumar Dey in Construction,Maintenance

Boom lifts are essential equipment in various industries, allowing workers to reach high elevations safely and efficiently. Whether you’re in construction, maintenance, or any field requiring aerial access, understanding boom lifts is crucial. This comprehensive guide will explore everything you need to know about boom lifts, including types, uses, safety measures, maintenance, and best practices.

What is a Boom Lift?

A boom lift is a type of aerial work platform that provides a platform for workers to reach elevated areas. It consists of a platform attached to a long arm, or “boom,” which can extend and articulate to access hard-to-reach locations. Boom lifts are versatile and can be used in various settings, including construction sites, warehouses, and outdoor environments.

A boom lift is a piece of widely used construction equipment. They allow for both horizontal and vertical lift. For outdoor jobs, construction projects, and industrial tasks boom lifts are proven to be very helpful in reaching difficult places and heights. Boom lifts provide a secure workspace for working at greater elevations. They have a platform or bucket with a hydraulic arm to carry people and material and a movable grounded base.

Key Components of Boom Lifts

A boom lift usually have the following components

Boom: The arm that extends from the base and supports the platform.
Platform: The area where workers stand while operating at height.
Base: The stabilizing structure that supports the boom and platform.
Controls: The mechanisms for operating the lift, typically located on the platform and at the base.

Applications of Boom Lift

Boom lifts are essential for projects involving work at elevated heights as they provide increased stability, easy mobility, higher capability, and overall safety of workers. So, they find a range of applications in various projects. Some of the common uses of boom lifts are:

Painting walls and ceilings
Erecting scaffolding
Fruit picking on farms
Hanging signs
Utility work
Lighting work
Piping work
Industry maintenance
Exterior cleaning
Pruning and removing trees safely from above.
Providing aerial shots and lighting setups.
Performing electrical work, HVAC installations, and cleaning high windows.

Types of Boom Lifts

Boom lifts come in various types, each designed for specific tasks and environments. Depending on the configuration, there are broadly three types of boom lifts that are found in the construction industry. They are;

Articulating boom lift
Bucket truck, and
Telescopic boom lift

Articulating Boom Lift

Articulating boom lifts have arms with multiple joints similar to a finger. This is the reason articulating boom lifts are often termed knuckle lifts. These joints help the workers to reach over and around obstacles in difficult locations. The bucket of this type of boom lift can easily move around the objects. Also known as a knuckle boom lift, an articulating boom lift is best suited for complex structures or in tight and crowded spaces.

Bucket Truck

A bucket truck is a heavy-duty wheeled vehicle used mainly for utility line maintenance. It consists of a railed aerial platform attached to a hydraulic crane. Also known as Towable boom lifts or trailer-mounted lifts, they can be towed by a vehicle. They are lightweight and easy to transport, making them ideal for smaller jobs or sites with limited access. They combine the benefits of both articulating and telescopic boom lifts but often have lower maximum heights.

Telescopic Boom Lift

Telescopic boom lifts have arms that extend and contract only in a straight line similar to a telescope. The arm of the telescopic boom lift is attached to a rotating turntable which can extend straight up or out at an angle. They have higher capacities than articulating boom lifts. Also known as a straight or stick boom lift, a telescopic boom lift is best suited for work in open spaces or on rectangular structures.

Selection of Boom Lifts

Boom lifts are used to reach difficult places and heights easily. In general, they are preferred when something higher than a forklift is required. As boom lifts come in a range of sizes, platform heights, and capacities, selecting the required boom lift sometimes becomes a difficult task. There are various parameters that should be known while selecting a boom lift. Some of these important factors are:

Height

Height is an important parameter for deciding the boom lift. Articulating boom lifts can serve for a height range of 30 to 150 ft; Bucket trucks for 30 to 160 ft and Telescopic boom lifts can reach the furthest; 30 to 210 ft.

Direction

The arm movement direction is the 2nd important factor in selecting the boom lift. Articulating boom lifts can extend their arms horizontally, vertically, and bend the bucket around obstacles; Whereas bucket trucks and telescopic boom lifts only in horizontal and vertical directions.

Load Capacity

Consider the total weight of the workers and materials that will be on the platform. Each boom lift has a maximum load capacity that must not be exceeded.

Terrain

Assess the terrain where the lift will be used. Some boom lifts are designed for rough terrains, while others are suitable for smooth, flat surfaces.

Other parameters are listed below:

Length and Width of Platform.
Jobsite condition; outdoor or indoor, flat and stable ground or uneven?
Available power source
Electric or diesel powered.
Presence of obstacles.
Budget

Boom Lift Sizes

Boom lift sizes basically refer to the required important dimensions of the boom lift. These are:

Height: The vertical length
Range: The horizontal reach
Weight: How much weight the platform can hold
Dimensions: The length and width of the platform

Knowing the above four parameters precisely will help the user to decide the exact boom lift size required for a particular job.

Advantages of Using Boom Lifts

Using boom lifts offers several advantages:

Enhanced Reach

Boom lifts allow workers to access high and hard-to-reach areas safely, reducing the need for scaffolding.

Increased Productivity

By enabling quick access to elevated workspaces, boom lifts can significantly enhance productivity, especially in construction and maintenance.

Versatility

Different types of boom lifts can cater to various tasks, making them suitable for a wide range of applications.

Safety

Modern boom lifts are equipped with safety features, such as harness anchor points, emergency descent systems, and stabilizers, which enhance worker safety at heights.

Boom Lift Manufacturers

There are various companies manufacturing boom lifts. However, the following companies are the most popular ones having a large user base:

JLG: Founded by John L. Grove in the 1970s, the company is producing Boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers, and trailers.
Skyjack: Founded in 1985, Skyjack produces scissor lifts, telehandlers, and boom lifts.
Genie: A brand under Terex, Genie was first founded in 1966. Genie manufactures all kinds of aerial lifts including man-lifts, stick boom and articulated boom lifts, telehandlers, light towers, and scissor lifts.
Snorkel: Founded by Art Moore in 1959, Snorkel produces boom lifts in their five manufacturing plants and is available in over 200 distribution locations in over 50 countries worldwide.

Safety Protocols for Boom Lift Operation

Boom lifts are an essential component for many construction projects. But as the lift takes the operator and worker high off the ground, it poses a substantial risk with the potential to cause serious harm. Therefore, proper safety protocols must be followed at all times during the boom lift operation. Some of the safety guidelines that will reduce the potential for accidents are:

The boom lift must be operated by trained professionals.
The base and entire circumference of the boom lift must be kept clear while operating.
Always wear safety gear/PPE while operating/working with boom lifts.
Take extra care from obstacles like overhead beams, ceilings, etc.
Use a boom lift only if the base is on even and stable ground
Never operate the boom lift beyond its weight capacity.
Never operate the boom lift during strong wind conditions.
Always be vigilant about the power lines.
Be safe from falling objects.
Take proper precautions from falling from heights.
Never operate a lift alone.
Never disable safety features.

Maintenance of Boom Lifts

Proper maintenance is essential to ensure the longevity and safety of boom lifts. Here are some maintenance tips:

Regular Inspections

Conduct routine inspections based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. Check hydraulic systems, brakes, tires, and safety devices.

Cleaning

Regularly clean the boom lift to prevent corrosion and mechanical issues. Pay attention to the platform, booms, and undercarriage.

Lubrication

Keep moving parts well-lubricated to ensure smooth operation and prevent wear and tear.

Battery Maintenance

For electric boom lifts, check battery levels and connections regularly. Replace batteries as needed to avoid downtime.

Boom lifts are indispensable tools in many industries, providing safe and efficient access to elevated work areas. Understanding the various types, uses, and safety measures associated with boom lifts is crucial for any organization looking to enhance productivity and ensure worker safety.

What is Chromoly or Chrome Moly? Characteristics and Applications of Chromoly

Written by Anup Kumar Dey in Engineering Materials

Chromoly or Chrome Moly is a type of low-alloy steel. The popularity of the name Chromoly or Chrome Moly is due to the presence of two major alloying elements in steel; Chromium and Molybdenum. When an increase in strength is required, Chromoly steel is one of the alternatives. They are designated as AISI 41XX. The most popular and widely used Chromoly steel is AISI 4130.

Chromoly AISI 4130

Chromoly AISI 4130 steel is the most common Chromoly steel. The designation is based on the widely accepted AISI 4-digit naming convention where 41 indicates low alloy steel with chromium and molybdenum. The digit “30” at the end denotes the carbon content; Here it shows an approximate carbon percentage by weight is 0.30%.

The addition of chromium and molybdenum as alloying elements provides the steel-added properties. The strength is significantly increased as compared to its mild steel counterpart, AISI 1030, having the same percentage of carbon. The strength can further be increased by employing a proper hardening procedure. Additionally, the hardenability and corrosion resistance properties are also increased in Chromoly steel. The molybdenum addition in Chromoly increases the toughness.

Annealed AISI 4130 has good formability, machinability, and weldability. For welding of Chromoly steel, preheating may be required.

Characteristics of Chromoly

The important characteristics of Chromoly are:

Easily hardenable
Case-hardenable
Weldable (MIG and TIG are normally used)
Annealed Chromoly has good machinability
More corrosion-resistant than normal steel.
Higher strength-to-weight ratio
Creep strength
Wear resistance
Rigidity
Good impact resistance
Ease of fabrication

Applications of Chromoly

A variety of industries use Chromoly Steel. They are most commonly found in bicycle, automotive, heavy equipment parts, oil & gas industry, forming equipment, nuclear industry, fossil fuel power stations, and metal production industries.

Some of the specific applications of Chromoly are:

Bicycle tubing
Roll cages for race cars
Molds
Clutch and flywheel
Tie rods
Pins
Machine shafts
Furnace equipment
Crankshafts
Conveyors
Chain links
Drill collars
Fuselages on small aircraft
Gas delivery tubing
Miscellaneous tooling

Is Chromoly Stronger than Steel?

Chromoly has more strength than normal mild steel. So, Chromoly is stronger than steel. Because of its high strength and higher strength-to-weight ratio, Chromoly steel is widely used in the automotive and aircraft industries. Additionally, Chromoly can be case hardened by carburization providing a hard outside surface to reduce wear and tear. Also, Chrome moly is stronger than standard stainless steel.

What is Chromoly Tube?

Chromoly tubing is the tubing made from low-alloy steel group Chromoly containing chromium and molybdenum as an alloying addition. The addition of chromium adds strength, hardenability, and a level of corrosion resistance to the Chromoly tubes. However, Chromoly tubing is not as corrosion-resistant as stainless steel. Chromoly tubes are heavier than aluminum alloy tubes.

What is a Manifold Valve? Types of Manifold Valves

Written by Anup Kumar Dey in Instrumentation,Piping Design Basics,Piping Interface

A manifold valve is an essential component of pressure and differential pressure transducers. The main function of a manifold valve is to block or isolate the fluid flow to isolate process media from pressure instrumentation. The inclusion of a valve manifold in a tool helps it to be replaced or calibrated without requiring a shutdown. In this article, we will learn about different types of manifold valves.

What is a Manifold Valve?

A valve manifold is a hydraulic system component that consists of one or more block or isolation valves. Common valves that form a valve manifold are ball, needle, bleed, and vent valves. A block and bleed system in the form of a manifold valve keeps the upstream fluid from coming into touch with the downstream components by separating the fluid flow in the system.

Types of Manifold Valves

Depending on the design configuration and the number of valves, manifold valves are classified as follows:

2-way valve manifolds,
3-way valve manifolds, and
5-way valve manifolds.

2-Way Valve Manifold

A 2-way manifold valve or 2-valve manifold is designed in a single block with a combination of an isolation valve and a calibration/vent (bleed) valve. They have a male or female screwed inlet and outlet ports. The block valve is designated with a blue handle, whereas the bleed valve is designated with a red handle.

They are usually produced in 316 stainless steel with standard PTFE valve packing. 2-way valves are available as in-line type, L-shaped, or Y-shaped configurations.

3-Way Manifold Valve

A 3-valve manifold or 3-way valve manifold consists of two block valves and one equalizing valve. Differential pressure transmitters are typical examples that use 3-way manifold valves. The block valves are identified with blue handles whereas the equalization valve is usually provided with a green handle. During normal operation, the block valves are open and the equalizing valve is closed.

The block valves in a 3-way manifold valve provide instrument isolation. The equalizing valve is positioned between the high and low process connections of the pressure instrument and it provides equal pressures on both sides.

The 3-valve manifold is rarely utilized in the oil and gas industry due to the lack of a test connection. Some 3-valve manifolds are provided with a blocked test connection.

5-Way Manifold Valve

A 5-way manifold valve or 5-valve manifold has two block valves, one equalizing valve, and two vent or test valves. The block valves on the high and low-pressure sides are designated with blue handles, the equalization valve in a green handle, and the bleed valves are designated with red handles.

During normal operation, the block valves remain open but the bleed and equalizing valves are kept closed. A typical example of the use of a 5-way manifold valve is a differential pressure transmitter. To test the transmitter’s zero, the block valve is closed and the equalizing valve is opened. To calibrate the transmitter for 3 or 5-point calibration, the test valve is connected to a pressure generator once the pressure has been equalized.

Characteristics of a Manifold Valve

The typical characteristic of a manifold valve are:

Anti-rotational thrust brush to provide pressure-tight sealing, consistent packing compression, and minimum cold flow channels.
Bonnet/body washer with on-site bonnet retrofitting with a 100% re-sealing guarantee.
T bar for ease of operation.
Dual cap.
Gland adjuster lock nut.
Adjustment of the gland packing to compensate for gland wear.
Anti-blowout spindle with high-quality micro mirror stem finishing to provide positive gland sealing.
Gland packing with the least amount of air adjustment for optimum sealing.
A bubble-tight shutoff spindle tip. It ensures leakage-free performance and downstream functional safety for the user.

Manifold Valve Body Type

Manifold valves are available in two basic body styles; horizontal style manifold and vertical style manifold. The actual orientation of the manifold valve’s main body is decided by these styles.

Mounting of Manifold valves

Manifold valves are mounted in two styles of manifold installation. they are

Direct mounting, and
Indirect mounting or distant mounting

Direct Mounting

In the direct mount style, the manifold valve is directly mounted to the pressure instruments. Flange and threaded connectors are generally used in direct-mount valves.

Direct Mount Manifold valve provides the following advantages:

Less expensive maintenance and installation
Fewer leak points
Integrated valves
The system is still hard piped

Indirect mounting or Distant Mounting

Also known as remote mounting manifold, indirect mounting allows the manifold valve installation away from the instruments using threaded connections. Flexible or rigid piping is generally used to connect a pressure instrument to the manifold.

The advantages that indirect mounting serves are:

Easier maintenance and installation
The piping is mounted to the transmitter
Uses standard instrument manifolds
Uses tubing and tube fittings

Benefits of Using a Valve Manifold

Valve manifolds find a range of applications, starting from small mobile devices to large industrial complexes. There are various advantages that manifold valve provides to the system. Some of the common benefits are:

Reduction of pressure and heat loss due to shorter flow pathways.
Increasing energy efficiency.
Compact installation.
Lower installation expenses.
The number of fluid connections is reduced.
Oil leaks and maintenance are reduced due to fewer connections.

What is a 3D Point Cloud? Tools, Features, and Applications of Point Cloud

Written by Anup Kumar Dey in Piping Design Basics

A point cloud is a database of points that represent a digital 3D physical object or space in the 3D coordinate system. It consists of millions of individual measurement points with an x, y, and z coordinate. 3D Point cloud is a highly accurate digital record of an object. Point clouds are utilized to generate 3D meshes and other models for 3D modeling. Various engineering and medical fields including medical imaging, 3D printing, manufacturing, architecture, 3D gaming, and virtual reality (VR) applications make extensive use of 3D point clouds.

Based on the sensors used and the method to capture the cloud, each point can also include RGB color data or intensity information. These data reflect the return strength of the laser pulse that generated the point. Note that, points in each 3D point cloud are always located on the external surfaces of the visible objects. Ray of light from the scanner is reflected from the object to create these spots.

The denser the points in the point cloud, the more detailed is the object representation capturing even smaller details. The process by which these point cloud data are converted into a 3D model is known as point cloud processing. The time taken to create a point cloud depends on the number of required scans and the density of scanning. The normal mobile scanner takes much lesser time compared to advanced scanners.

Generation of a Point Cloud

A point cloud is usually captured using any of the following two tools:

Laser Scanners or
Photogrammetry

Laser Scanners for 3D Point Cloud

A laser scanner includes various sensors and advanced technologies to gather hundreds of thousands of extremely accurate measurements per second. They also include an RGB camera to add color to the point cloud, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). A variety of types of laser scanners are produced to meet a specific range of applications. A terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) provides the absolute highest accuracy. Accordingly, they are used for specialized applications like measuring beam deflection, capturing a single object like a car or machine, or analyzing floor flatness with extremely high accuracy.

Mobile laser scanners can also be used to capture point clouds with up to 4mm accuracy. For normal building documentation projects, mapping active sites like factories, etc where extreme accuracy is not desired these mobile scanners will serve the purpose. Usually, laser scanners provide higher accuracy data than photogrammetry.

Photogrammetry for 3D Point Cloud

Photogrammetry is basically a methodology to generate a point cloud. In this process, cameras are used to capture the space/object from all angles, and then process those images using specialized software to reconstruct the object/space in 3D. Drones are widely used to capture point clouds.

Features of the Point Cloud

The main technical characteristics of point clouds are:

The Point Cloud obtained after scanning usually contains many unwanted elements like shadow areas, scaffolding, steam clouds, work machinery, etc. These must be cleaned to avoid difficulties.
Point clouds in 3D only provide data concerning the position, measurements, and geometry of an object. However, they lack the rest of the object’s information which the user needs to establish.
The quality of the scanner is of utmost importance as the scan helps to locate, identify, and take references to objects in the obtained spherical photograph or bubble view.
The 3D Scanner tool is suitable for all existing work including overhauling, extensions, dismantling, etc.
A point cloud is a fundamental part of an “As-built”. The point cloud system complements traditional paper documents and material lists.
Point cloud systems generate the exact copy of something that already exists.
The formats used for point cloud generation must be exportable and manageable in different design and visualization programs like E3D, Smart Plant 3D, PDS, MicroStation, or Autocad.

Applications of Point Cloud

As point cloud provides an accurate, comprehensive, and precise digital picture of a real object, it provides huge value in a wide spectrum of applications. Some of the most common applications are:

Construction Progress Tracking: By regularly capturing the point cloud data, the construction progress of any plant can easily be measured.

Building Information Modeling (BIM): By processing the point cloud data in a specialized BIM modeling software, accurate and comprehensive models can be generated.

Floor Planning: Point cloud can easily be used to generate a floor plan for any structure.

Operational 3D Model Creation: Point clouds are extensively used to generate an operational 3D model of any asset.

As-Built: Point cloud software eliminates costly and time-consuming site visits and allows the designer/architect to visualize and convey new concepts. Point cloud has become popular for all design industries as it gives an instant virtual model to test ideas with.

Inspection and Measurement: Point clouds are also used to create 3D CAD models for manufactured parts, for metrology and quality inspection, and for a multitude of visualization, rendering, animation, and mass customization applications, check deformations over time, etc.

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