Ultimate Guide to Pipe Sizes

OverviewPipe Sizes

Pipes Are Widely Used in Various Scenarios of Our Life. Such as Oil and Gas Pipelines, Water Pipelines, Wastewater Treatment Pipelines, They Play an Important Role. Balingsteel Is the World’s Leading Supplier of Steel Pipelines and We Will Inform You About Our 25 Years of Experience in Pipeline Sizing to Give You a Thorough Understanding of Pipeline Sizing.

Basic Parameters for Pipe Sizes

1.What Does OD Mean in Pipe Sizing?

Abbreviation for Pipe Outside Diameter, An Important and Common Data for Pipelines.

2.What Does ID Mean in Pipe Sizing?

Abbreviation for the Inside Diameter of a Pipe, Which Is the Distance from the Inside Wall of a Pipe to the Inside Wall.

3.What Does WT Mean in Pipe Sizing?

Abbreviation for Pipe Wall Thickness, Which Is the Thickness of a Pipe from the Inside Wall to the Outside Wall, And Is an Important Measurement of the Pipe.

Wall Thickness(t)=(OD−ID)/2 Or t=(NPS×Schedule)/1000​

4.What Does NPS Mean in Pipe Sizing?

Abbreviation for the Nominal Pipe Size of a Pipe,It Is a Standardized Size Used in North America

• NPS 1/8″ To 12″ Refers to the Inside Diameter of the Pipe, e.g., NPS 2″ Means That the Inside Diameter of the Pipe Is 2″, Which Is Approximately Equal to DN 50,
• For NPS Above 12″, Refers to the Outside Diameter of the Pipe, e.g., NPS 12″ Means That the Outside Diameter of the Pipe Is 12″ Which Is Approximately Equal to DN 300.

5.What Does Schedule (SCH) Mean in Pipe Sizing?

It Is Defining the Thickness of Different NPS Pipes and if the Value Is Higher Then It Represents a Higher Pressure Value. Commonly Used Are Sch 40 and Sch 80.

Schedule Number=(1000×P)/S

• P = Internal working pressure (psi)
• S = Allowable stress of the pipe material (psi)
• 1000 = A standard multiplier

6.What Does NB Mean in Pipe Sizing?

It Is a Common Standard in Europe and the United Kingdom, Such as NB 50, The Number 50 in Millimeters, Indicating That the Inner Bore Diameter of the Tube Is 50mm, Equivalent to NPS 2″.

7.What Does DN Mean in Pipe Sizing?

It’s an International Metric Pipe Size Designation.For Example, DN 50 Means That the Near-Sighted Internal Diameter of the Pipe Is 50 mm, DN 50 ≈ Nps 2″.

8.What Does PPF Mean in Pipe Sizing?

PPF Stands for Pounds per Foot and Is Commonly Used to Express the Meter Weight of Tubing, With 1 PPF Equating to Approximately 1.488 Kg/M.It’s Normally Using Steel Casing and Tubing.

Pipe Size Charts and Tables

Table of Standard NPS Sizes and Their Corresponding DN, OD, and ID(SCH 40&SCH 80)

Pipe Schedule Chart

Table of Inch and Their corresponding Millimeters

Table of PPF and KG/M

Choosing the Right Pipe Size

Choosing the Size of the Pipe Is a Complex Issue and We Should Have to Follow the Following Points:

• Choose the Caliber, Wall Thickness and Length According to the Application Scenario.
• If Replacement Is Required, The Thickness and Wall Thickness of the Previous Pipe Should Be Selected.
• Pipe Diameter and Wall Thickness According to the Budget of the Project.

At the Same Time, We Also Need to Choose the Standard of the Pipeline, The Following Standard Are Common:

• United States: ASME, ANSI, ASTM
• Europe: EN, DIN, ISO
• International: API (Oil & Gas), JIS (Japan), BS (British Standard)

If You Have Concerns About Pipe Sizing, Contact Us and Balingsteel Will Arrange for an Expert to Work with You!

How to Measure Pipe Size

When Inspecting Pipes, We Need to Control Three Dimensions, Namely Caliber, Wall Thickness and Length.

• To Measure the Outside Diameter We Mainly Use Vernier Calipers
• To Measure the Wall Thickness We Use Ultrasonic Thickness Gauges and Micrometers
• To Measure the Length We Mainly Use a Tape Measure

Please Note That All Measuring Tools Need to Have Calibration Certificates for the Measuring Instruments to Ensure That They Are Accurate. Balingsteel Will Provide Accurate Test Reports to Each Customer so That They Are Fully Aware of the Condition of Their Goods.

Conclusion

This Is All We Have to Say About Pipe Sizing, We Usually Tend to Confuse the Units and Confuse the Standards, Thus Leading to Deviations in the Sizes of the Steel Pipes We Purchase. Therefore, We Must Confirm the Wall Thickness, Caliber, Length and Material of the Steel Pipe Before Purchasing. If You Have Any Questions, Please Feel Free to Contact Us for Further Assistance!

FAQs

1.How to Accurately Describe Pipes to Get a Quote?

We Need to Know Your Caliber, Wall Thickness, Length, Material and Quantity.Such As:API 5L GR.B 2” SCH 40 12M 1000PCS=60.3*3.91MM*12000M*1000PCS

2.What Is the Regular Wall Thickness of Steel Pipe?

The Usual Wall Thicknesses of the Tubes Are Sch 40 and Sch 80, And Balingsteel Usually Has a Large Stock of These Sizes.

3.Is There a Difference Between Pipe and Tube Sizes?

Pipe and Tube Caliber, Inner Diameter and Wall Thickness Description and Standards to Maintain Consistency, Such as 2-Inch Pipe and 2-Inch Pipe Fittings Caliber Are 60.3mm.

4.What’s the Different Between ANSI B36.10M and ANSI B36.19M?

ANSI B36.10M is For Carbon Steel and Low-Alloy Steel Pipes,ANSI B36.19M is For Stainless Steel Pipes And SCH 5S, 10S, 40S, and 80S (the ‘S’ stands for Stainless Steel).