What is Strainer?
Strainers (or filters) arrest debris such as scale, rust, jointing compound and weld metal in pipelines, protecting equipment and processes. A strainer is a device that provides a means of mechanically removing solids from a flowing fluid or gas in a pipeline by utilizing a perforated or mesh straining element. The following figure shows various types of strainers normally used in Pump Suction lines in the process piping industry.
To ensure against the untimely shutdown of equipment, strainers should be installed ahead of pumps, loading valves, control valves, meters, steam traps, turbines, compressors, solenoid valves, nozzles, pressure regulators, burners, unit heaters, and other sensitive equipment. The most common range of strainer particle retention is 1 inch to 40 microns (0.00156 inches ).
Sensitive Static Equipment
Even though static equipment is normally not considered as that sensitive, still sometimes strainers are installed near the following equipment.
- Heat exchanger
- Meters
- Steam trap
- Spray nozzles
Sensitive Dynamic Equipment
For the following sensitive and vibration-prone equipment use of strainer is a must.
- Pumps
- Compressors
- Turbines
Basic Strainer Types?
Permanent Strainers
This strainer will be installed permanently in the piping system.
- Y type (Fig. 2)
- Basket Type( Simplex & Duplex construction) (Fig. 3)
- T type
Temporary Strainers
- Cone type
- Truncated Cone type
Design Codes for Strainers
Strainers or filters are normally designed following the below mentioned International Standards:
- ANSI B 16.34
- PED 97/23/EC: Pressure equipment design
- BPV: ASME Boiler & Pressure vessel code, Section-VIII Div.1
Materials of Construction of Strainers:
Body
- Forged
- Casting( but flanges shall be an integral part of the body)
- Fabricated
Internals
- Stainless steel
- Special care shall be taken for Produced water service
End connections
- Flanged
- SW or Threaded
Construction terminology
Two types of screens used in strainers :
- Perforated screens
- Mesh screens
Perforated screens
These are formed by punching a large number of holes in a flat sheet of the required material using multiple punches. These are relatively coarse screens and hole sizes typically range from 0.8 mm to 3.2 mm
Mesh screens
Fine wire is formed into a grid or mesh arrangement. This is then commonly layered over a perforated screen, which acts as a support cage for the mesh.
- Mesh Screen terminology: e.g. 3 mesh screen
- We shall always ask the process to give Max.allowable pressure drop at % clogged condition.
- Mesh screens are usually specified in terms of ‘mesh’; which represents the number of openings per linear inch of screen, measured from the center line of the wire.
- Mesh is not the only thing to be asked for but hole size is also important.
- Corresponding hole size in the mesh screen is determined from knowledge of the wire diameter and the mesh size
Strainer options
- Magnetic inserts
- Self-cleaning strainers
- Mechanical type self-cleaning strainers
- Backwashing type strainers
- Temporary strainers
Temporary strainers (Fig. 5)
Y type strainer on various fluid (Fig. 6)
Few more Resources for you..
Piping Design and Layout
Piping Stress Analysis
Piping Interface
Piping Materials
It’s really interesting how much variety you can find in strainer baskets. I would imagine that the hole size of the mesh you use should be determined by the location in the pipe. It would need to be small enough to catch any unwanted debris, while also not disrupting the flow of the pipe. Are there different types of strainers for fluid and gas pipelines?
Very knowledgeable post. This website is very good for knowledge related to oil and gas .
As explained in the post, there are two elements: the First one is perforated plate and the second one is the Mess.
Now as per post, the Mess will be wrapped around the perforated plate. And perforated plate will provide support to the mesh.
While purchasing the Strainers, I always came across the term “Perforation Ratio”.
Can the Author or any other member of the portal explain the term “Perforation Ratio”?
Post talk about the different types of Strainers.
Can anybody explain:
# Where to use “T- Type Strainers”?
# Where to use “Y- Type of Strainers”?
# Where to use “Basket Type Strainers”?
# Where to use “Temporary Strainers”?
Author presents exemplary outlook of the subject matter. expertise. no single stone is left to present its case.
i was looking for selection criteria for different types of strainers.