A pipe is a tubular section or hollow cylinder , usually but not necessarily of circular cross-section , used mainly to convey substances which can flow — liquids and gases ( fluids ), slurries , powders and masses of small solids. It can also be used for structural applications; a hollow pipe is far stiffer per unit weight than the solid members.
126-425: A hydraulic power network is a system of interconnected pipes carrying pressurized liquid used to transmit mechanical power from a power source, like a pump , to hydraulic equipment like lifts or motors . The system is analogous to an electrical grid transmitting power from a generating station to end-users. Only a few hydraulic power transmission networks are still in use; modern hydraulic equipment has
252-431: A Mill Test Report (MTR). These tests can be used to prove that the alloy conforms to various specifications (e.g. 316 SS ). The tests are stamped by the mill's QA/QC department and can be used to trace the material back to the mill by future users, such as piping and fitting manufacturers. Maintaining the traceability between the alloy material and associated MTR is an important quality assurance issue. QA often requires
378-429: A bar code and the ends are capped (plastic) for protection. The pipe and pipe spools are delivered to a warehouse on a large commercial/industrial job and they may be held indoors or in a gridded laydown yard. The pipe or pipe spool is retrieved, staged, rigged, and then lifted into place. On large process jobs the lift is made using cranes and hoist and other material lifts. They are typically temporarily supported in
504-500: A 10-inch (250 mm) piston and a stroke of 15 feet (4.6 m), which enabled pressures of 600 pounds per square inch (41 bar) to be achieved. Compared to the 80 psi (5.5 bar) of the Newcastle scheme, this increased pressure significantly reduced the volumes of water used. Cranes were not the only application, with hydraulic operation of the dock gates at Swansea reducing the operating time from 15 to two minutes, and
630-519: A 300 hp (220 kW) steam engine installed at the Pont de la Machine to pump water from Lake Geneva, which provided drinking water and a pressurized water supply for the city. The water power was used by about a hundred small workshops having Schmid-type water engines installed. The power of the engines was between 1 and 4 hp (0.75 and 2.98 kW) and the water was supplied at a pressure of 2 to 3 bars (29 to 44 psi). Due to increased demand,
756-501: A cost advantage over LSAW pipes, as the process uses coils rather than steel plates. As such, in applications where spiral-weld is acceptable, SSAW pipes may be preferred over LSAW pipes. Both LSAW pipes and SSAW pipes compete against ERW pipes and seamless pipes in the diameter ranges of 16”-24”. Tubing for flow, either metal or plastic, is generally extruded . Pipe is made out of many types of material including ceramic , glass , fiberglass , many metals , concrete and plastic . In
882-517: A demonstration of the crane's versatility, given by the crane driver John Thorburn, known locally as "Hydraulic Jack". While the Newcastle system ran on water from the public water supply, the crane installed by Armstrong at Burntisland was not located where such an option was possible, and so he built a 180-foot (55 m) tower, with a water tank at the top, which was filled by a 6 hp (4.5 kW) steam engine. At Elswick in Glasgow, charges by
1008-435: A downward force on the piston and thereby pressurizes the fluid in the cylinder. In contrast to compressed gas and spring accumulators, this type delivers a nearly constant pressure, regardless of the volume of fluid in the cylinder, until it is empty. (The pressure will decline somewhat as the cylinder is emptied due to the decline in weight of the remaining fluid.) A working example of this type of accumulator may be found at
1134-501: A fluidized bed reactor) or from a natural phenomenon such as an earthquake (design basis event or DBE). Pipe hanger assembles are usually attached with pipe clamps. Possible exposure to high temperatures and heavy loads should be included when specifying which clamps are needed. Pipes are commonly joined by welding , using threaded pipe and fittings; sealing the connection with a pipe thread compound, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Thread seal tape , oakum , or PTFE string, or by using
1260-446: A large aircraft, that require a considerable volume of fluid can also benefit from one or more accumulators. These are often placed close to the demand to help overcome restrictions and drag from long pipework runs. The outflow of energy from a discharging accumulator is much greater, for a short time, than even large pumps could generate. An accumulator can maintain the pressure in a system for periods when there are slight leaks without
1386-472: A larger display about hydraulic power. The pumps were made by the Manchester firm of Galloways. Geneva still has its Jet d'Eau fountain, but since 1951 it has been powered by a partially submerged pumping station, which uses water from the lake rather than the city water supply. Two Sulzer pumps, named Jura and Salève, create a fountain which rises to a height of 460 feet (140 m) above the surface of
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#17327733711881512-460: A larger portion of the accumulator volume being used. If the pressure does not vary over a very wide range this can be a cost effective way to reduce the size of the accumulator needed. If the accumulator is not of the piston type care must be taken that the bladder or membrane will not be damaged in any expected over-pressure situation, many bladder-type accumulators cannot tolerate the bladder being crushed under pressure. A compressed gas accumulator
1638-481: A little odd. For example, Sch 20 pipe is even thinner than Sch 40, but same OD. And while these pipes are based on old steel pipe sizes, there is other pipe, like cpvc for heated water, that uses pipe sizes, inside and out, based on old copper pipe size standards instead of steel. Many different standards exist for pipe sizes, and their prevalence varies depending on industry and geographical area. The pipe size designation generally includes two numbers; one that indicates
1764-430: A maximum power of 600 hp (450 kW). The generators were driven by a water turbine supplied from the hydraulic power network. The hydraulic power network was not in competition with the electric power supply, but was seen as a supplement to it, and continued to supply power to many customer until the economic crisis of the 1930s, when the demand for pressurized water as an energy source declined. The last water engine
1890-547: A mechanical coupling. Process piping is usually joined by welding using a TIG or MIG process. The most common process pipe joint is the butt weld. The ends of pipe to be welded must have a certain weld preparation called an End Weld Prep (EWP) which is typically at an angle of 37.5 degrees to accommodate the filler weld metal. The most common pipe thread in North America is the National Pipe Thread (NPT) or
2016-564: A metric Diameter Nominal (DN) instead of the imperial NPS. For NPS larger than 14, the DN is equal to the NPS multiplied by 25. (Not 25.4) This is documented by EN 10255 (formerly DIN 2448 and BS 1387) and ISO 65:1981, and it is often called DIN or ISO pipe. Japan has its own set of standard pipe sizes, often called JIS pipe. The Iron pipe size (IPS) is an older system still used by some manufacturers and legacy drawings and equipment. The IPS number
2142-496: A new pumping plant was installed, which started operation in 1886. The pumps were driven by Jonval turbines using the water power of the river Rhône . This structure was called Usine des Forces Motrices and was one of the largest structures for generation and distribution of power at the time of construction. By 1897 a total of 18 turbines had been installed, with a combined rating of 3.3MW. The distribution network used three different pressure levels. The drinking water supply used
2268-400: A number of pipes together, and for other purposes. A broad variety of standardized pipe fittings are available; they are generally broken down into either a tee, an elbow, a branch, a reducer/enlarger, or a wye. Valves control fluid flow and regulate pressure. The piping and plumbing fittings and valves articles discuss them further. Hydraulic accumulator A hydraulic accumulator
2394-411: A number of processes that may be used to produce ERW pipes. Each of these processes leads to coalescence or merging of steel components into pipes. Electric current is passed through the surfaces that have to be welded together; as the components being welded together resist the electric current, heat is generated which forms the weld. Pools of molten metal are formed where the two surfaces are connected as
2520-619: A number of standards, including API 5L, ANSI / ASME B36.10M (Table 1) in the US, and BS 1600 and BS 1387 in the United Kingdom. Typically the pipe wall thickness is the controlled variable, and the Inside Diameter (I.D.) is allowed to vary. The pipe wall thickness has a variance of approximately 12.5 percent. In the rest of Europe pressure piping uses the same pipe IDs and wall thicknesses as Nominal Pipe Size , but labels them with
2646-477: A pump built into the machine. In the late 19th century, a hydraulic network might have been used in a factory, with a central steam engine or water turbine driving a pump and a system of high-pressure pipes transmitting power to various machines. The idea of a public hydraulic power network was suggested by Joseph Bramah in a patent obtained in 1812. William Armstrong began installing systems in England from
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#17327733711882772-548: A stroke of 20 feet (6.1 m) and each loaded with a 93-tonne weight. The gas engines were started by a small hydraulic engine, which used the hydraulic energy stored in the accumulators, and all equipment was supplied by Ellington's company. Very few documents describing the details of the system are known to exist. The final two public systems in Britain were in Manchester , commissioned in 1894, and Glasgow , commissioned
2898-416: A strong electric current is passed through the metal; these pools of molten metal form the weld that binds the two abutted components. ERW pipes are manufactured from the longitudinal welding of steel. The welding process for ERW pipes is continuous, as opposed to welding of distinct sections at intervals. ERW process uses steel coil as feedstock. The High Frequency Induction Technology (HFI) welding process
3024-571: A tall accumulator tower to be built. By the time Grimsby was opened, it was already obsolete as Armstrong had developed the more complex, but much smaller, weighted accumulator for use at New Holland. In 1892 the original Grimsby tower's function was replaced, on Fowler's advice, by a smaller weighted accumulator on an adjacent dock, although the tower remains to this day as a well-known landmark. Other surviving towers include one adjacent to East Float in Birkenhead , England, and another located at
3150-401: A test of chemical composition and a series of mechanical strength tests for each heat of pipe. A heat of pipe is all forged from the same cast ingot, and therefore had the same chemical composition. Mechanical tests may be associated to a lot of pipe, which would be all from the same heat and have been through the same heat treatment processes. The manufacturer performs these tests and reports
3276-414: A total length of 58 miles (93 km). It was used to power 207 turbines and motors, as well as elevator drives, and had a gross power of 3,000 hp (2,200 kW). Many turbines were used for driving generators for electric lighting. In 1887 an electricity generation plant was built next to the powerhouse, which generated 110 V DC with a maximum power of 800 hp (600 kW) and an AC network with
3402-421: A totally enclosed bladder, or a floating piston. One chamber contains the fluid and is connected to the hydraulic line. The other chamber contains an inert gas (typically nitrogen ), usually under pressure, that provides the compressive force on the hydraulic fluid. Inert gas is used because oxygen and oil can form an explosive mixture when combined under high pressure. As the volume of the compressed gas changes,
3528-432: A variety of other useful purposes, to which the same has never before been so applied". Major components of the system were a ring main, into which a number of pumping stations would pump the water, with pressure being regulated by several air vessels or loaded pistons. Pressure relief valves would protect the system, which he believed could deliver water at a pressure of "a great plurality of atmospheres", and in concept, this
3654-680: Is grade II* listed because of its completeness. In Manchester, the Water Street pumping station, built in Baroque style between 1907 and 1909, was used as workshops for the City College, but has formed part of the People's History Museum since 1994. One of the pumping sets has been moved to the Museum of Science and Industry , where it has been restored to working order and forms part of
3780-441: Is a pressure storage reservoir in which an incompressible hydraulic fluid is held under pressure that is applied by an external source of mechanical energy . The external source can be an engine, a spring , a raised weight , or a compressed gas . An accumulator enables a hydraulic system to cope with extremes of demand using a less powerful pump, to respond more quickly to a temporary demand, and to smooth out pulsations. It
3906-423: Is a gasket style where the flanges of the adjoining pipes are bolted together, compressing the gasket into a space between the pipe. Mechanical grooved couplings or Victaulic joints are also frequently used for frequent disassembly and assembly. Developed in the 1920s, these mechanical grooved couplings can operate up to 120 pounds per square inch (830 kPa) working pressures and available in materials to match
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4032-437: Is a type of energy storage device. Compressed gas accumulators, also called hydro-pneumatic accumulators, are by far the most common type. The first accumulators for William Armstrong 's hydraulic dock machinery were simple raised water towers . Water was pumped to a tank at the top of these towers by steam pumps. When dock machinery required hydraulic power, the hydrostatic head of the water's height above ground provided
4158-415: Is an enclosed volume, filled with air. A vertical section of pipe, often enlarged diameter, may be enough and fills itself with air, trapped as the pipework fills. Such accumulators typically do not have enough capacity to be useful for storing significant power since they cannot be pre-charged with high pressure gas, but they can act as a buffer to absorb fluctuations in pressure. They are used to smooth out
4284-418: Is formed by rolling plate and welding the seam (usually by Electric resistance welding ("ERW"), or Electric Fusion Welding ("EFW")). The weld flash can be removed from both inner and outer surfaces using a scarfing blade. The weld zone can also be heat-treated to make the seam less visible. Welded pipe often has tighter dimensional tolerances than the seamless type, and can be cheaper to manufacture. There are
4410-516: Is generally available in diameters of 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 inches (15, 20, 25, 30, 38, 46, 53, and 61 cm). The manufacture and installation of pressure piping is tightly regulated by the ASME "B31" code series such as B31.1 or B31.3 which have their basis in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) . This code has
4536-490: Is incompatible with the service fluid or where weight is a concern; aluminum is also used for heat transfer tubing such as in refrigerant systems. Copper tubing is popular for domestic water (potable) plumbing systems; copper may be used where heat transfer is desirable (i.e. radiators or heat exchangers). Inconel , chrome moly , and titanium steel alloys are used in high temperature and pressure piping in process and power facilities. When specifying alloys for new processes,
4662-414: Is neither the inside nor outside diameter. Plastic tubing, such as PVC and CPVC, for plumbing applications also has different sizing standards . Agricultural applications use PIP sizes, which stands for Plastic Irrigation Pipe . PIP comes in pressure ratings of 22 psi (150 kPa), 50 psi (340 kPa), 80 psi (550 kPa), 100 psi (690 kPa), and 125 psi (860 kPa) and
4788-577: Is never the same as SCH 160. XXS is in fact thicker than SCH 160 for NPS 1/8" to 6" inclusive, whereas SCH 160 is thicker than XXS for NPS 8" and larger. Another old system is the Ductile Iron Pipe Size (DIPS), which generally has larger ODs than IPS. Copper plumbing tube for residential plumbing follows an entirely different size system in America, often called Copper Tube Size (CTS); see domestic water system . Its nominal size
4914-413: Is often used in the gravity-flow transport of storm water. Usually such pipe will have a receiving bell or a stepped fitting, with various sealing methods applied at installation. When the alloys for piping are forged, metallurgical tests are performed to determine material composition by % of each chemical element in the piping, and the results are recorded in a material test report, also known as
5040-467: Is placed in the ideal location to absorb pulsations of energy from the multi-piston pump . It also helps protect the system from fluid hammer . This protects system components, particularly pipework, from both potentially destructive forces. An additional benefit is the additional energy that can be stored while the pump is subject to low demand. The designer can use a smaller-capacity pump. The large excursions of system components, such as landing gear on
5166-414: Is spectrographically analyzed. Pipe sizes can be confusing because the terminology may relate to historical dimensions. For example, a half-inch iron pipe does not have any dimension that is a half inch. Initially, a half inch pipe did have an inner diameter of 1 ⁄ 2 inch (13 mm)—but it also had thick walls. As technology improved, thinner walls became possible, but the outside diameter stayed
Hydraulic power network - Misplaced Pages Continue
5292-418: Is the same as the NPS number, but the schedules were limited to Standard Wall (STD), Extra Strong (XS), and Double Extra Strong (XXS). STD is identical to SCH 40 for NPS 1/8 to NPS 10, inclusive, and indicates .375" wall thickness for NPS 12 and larger. XS is identical to SCH 80 for NPS 1/8 to NPS 8, inclusive, and indicates .500" wall thickness for NPS 8 and larger. Different definitions exist for XXS, however it
5418-606: Is used for manufacturing ERW pipes. In this process, the current to weld the pipe is applied by means of an induction coil around the tube. HFI is generally considered to be technically superior to "ordinary" ERW when manufacturing pipes for critical applications, such as for usage in the energy sector, in addition to other uses in line pipe applications, as well as for casing and tubing. Large-diameter pipe (25 centimetres (10 in) or greater) may be ERW, EFW, or Submerged Arc Welded ("SAW") pipe. There are two technologies that can be used to manufacture steel pipes of sizes larger than
5544-507: Is usually delivered to a customer or jobsite as either "sticks" or lengths of pipe (typically 20 feet (6.1 m), called single random length) or they are prefabricated with elbows, tees and valves into a prefabricated pipe spool [A pipe spool is a piece of pre-assembled pipe and fittings, usually prepared in a shop so that installation on the construction site can be more efficient.]. Typically, pipe smaller than 2 inches (5.1 cm) are not pre-fabricated. The pipe spools are usually tagged with
5670-808: The Albert Dock (1869), and Alexandra Dock (1885) installed hydraulic generating stations and accumulators. The best-known public hydraulic network was the citywide network of the London Hydraulic Power Company . This was formed in 1882, as the General Hydraulic Power Company, with Ellington as the consulting engineer. By the following year another enterprise, the Wharves and Warehouses Steam Power and Hydraulic Pressure Company, had begun to operate, with 7 miles (11 km) of pressure mains on both sides of
5796-686: The Dryseal (NPTF) version. Other pipe threads include the British Standard Pipe Thread (BSPT), the garden hose thread (GHT), and the fire hose coupling (NST). Copper pipes are typically joined by soldering , brazing , compression fittings , flaring , or crimping . Plastic pipes may be joined by solvent welding , heat fusion , or elastomeric sealing. If frequent disconnection will be required, gasketed pipe flanges or union fittings provide better reliability than threads. Some thin-walled pipes of ductile material, such as
5922-582: The River Thames . These supplied cranes, dock gates, and other heavy machinery. Under the terms of an Act of Parliament obtained in 1884, the two companies amalgamated to become the London Hydraulic Power Company. Initially supplying 17.75 million gallons (80.7 megalitres) of high-pressure water each day, this had risen to 1,650 million gallons (7,500 megalitres) by 1927, when the company was powering around 8,000 machines from
6048-594: The Spencer Street power station , which thus supplied both electric power and hydraulic power to the city. The hydraulic system continued to operate under municipal ownership until December 1967. In January 1891, a system in Sydney came on-line, having been authorised by act of Parliament in 1888. George Swinburne was again the engineer, and the system was supplying power to around 200 machines by 1894, which included 149 lifts and 20 dock cranes. The operating company
6174-410: The heat number to be written on the pipe. Precautions must also be taken to prevent the introduction of counterfeit materials. As a backup to etching/labeling of the material identification on the pipe, positive material identification (PMI) is performed using a handheld device; the device scans the pipe material using an emitted electromagnetic wave ( x-ray fluorescence/XRF ) and receives a reply that
6300-478: The hydraulic engine house, Bristol Harbour . The original 1887 accumulator is in place in its tower, an external accumulator was added in 1954 and this system was used until 2010 to power the Cumberland Basin (Bristol) lock gates. The water is pumped from the harbour into a header tank and then fed by gravity to the pumps. The working pressure is 750 psi (5.2 MPa , or 52 bar ) which was used to power
6426-467: The 1840s, using low-pressure water, but a breakthrough occurred in 1850 with the introduction of the hydraulic accumulator , which allowed much higher pressures to be used. The first public network, supplying many companies, was constructed in Kingston upon Hull , England. The Hull Hydraulic Power Company began operation in 1877, with Edward B. Ellington as its engineer. Ellington was involved in most of
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#17327733711886552-416: The 1870s ), until by the early 1930s these methods were replaced by welding , which is still widely used today. There are three processes for metallic pipe manufacture. Centrifugal casting of hot alloyed metal is one of the most prominent process. Ductile iron pipes are generally manufactured in such a fashion. Seamless pipe (SMLS) is formed by drawing a solid billet over a piercing rod to create
6678-713: The 1940s, when the systematic bombing of the city during the Second World War led to the destruction of much of the infrastructure, and the company was wound up in 1947, when Mr F J Haswell, who had been the manager and engineer since 1904, retired. The man responsible for the Hull system was Edward B. Ellington , who had risen to become the managing director of the Hydraulic Engineering Company, based in Chester, since first joining it in 1869. At
6804-480: The Bramley-Moore Dock, Liverpool, England. The latter tower is to be renovated as part of plans for the proposed development of the area associated with the construction of a new football stadium for Everton F.C. A raised weight accumulator consists of a vertical cylinder containing fluid connected to the hydraulic line. The cylinder is closed by a piston on which a series of weights are placed that exert
6930-518: The British networks, and some further afield. Public networks were constructed in Britain at London, Liverpool , Birmingham , Manchester and Glasgow . There were similar networks in Antwerp , Melbourne , Sydney , Buenos Aires and Geneva . All of the public networks had ceased to operate by the mid-1970s, but Bristol Harbour still has an operational system, with an accumulator situated outside
7056-499: The Corporation Water Department for the water used persuaded the owners that the use of a steam-powered crane would be cheaper. Bramah's concept of "loaded pistons" was introduced in 1850, when the first hydraulic accumulator was installed as part of a scheme for cranes for the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway . A scheme for cranes at Paddington the following year specified an accumulator with
7182-461: The OD and wall thickness, but may be specified by any two of OD, inside diameter (ID), and wall thickness. Pipe is generally manufactured to one of several international and national industrial standards. While similar standards exist for specific industry application tubing, tube is often made to custom sizes and a broader range of diameters and tolerances. Many industrial and government standards exist for
7308-458: The Second World War, due to the destruction of customers' machinery and premises. Following the hostilities, large areas of London were reconstructed, and the re-routing of pressure mains was much more difficult than the provision of an electric supply, so that by 1954 the number of machines had fallen to 4,286. The company was wound up in 1977. A system began operating in Liverpool in 1888. It
7434-402: The US, BS 1600 and BS EN 10255 in the United Kingdom and Europe. There are two common methods for designating pipe outside diameter (OD). The North American method is called NPS (" Nominal Pipe Size ") and is based on inches (also frequently referred to as NB ("Nominal Bore")). The European version is called DN ("Diametre Nominal" / "Nominal Diameter") and is based on millimetres. Designating
7560-590: The Victorian Parliament passed in December 1887, and construction of the system began, with Coates & Co. acting as consulting engineers, and George Swinburne working as engineering manager. The steam pumping plant was supplied by Abbot & Co. from England. Expansion was rapid, with around 70 machines, mainly hydraulic lifts, connected to the system by the end of 1889, and a third steam engine had to be installed in mid-1890, which more than doubled
7686-422: The basin and on both the afternoons of London Open House Weekend , held on the third weekend of September each year. London had an extensive public hydraulic power system from the mid-nineteenth century finally closing in the 1970s with 5 hydraulic power stations, operated by the London Hydraulic Power Company . Railway goods yards and docks often had their own separate system. A simple form of accumulator
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#17327733711887812-557: The capacity of the system. A fourth pumping engine was added in 1891, by which time there were 100 customers connected to the mains. The mains were a mixture of 4-inch (100 mm) and 6-inch (150 mm) pipes. The water was extracted from the Yarra River until 1893, after which it was drawn from the Public Works Department's supply. There were some 16 miles (26 km) of mains by 1897. A second pumping station
7938-500: The composition in a mill traceability report and the mechanical tests in a material test report , both of which are referred to by the acronym MTR. Material with these associated test reports is called traceable . For critical applications, third party verification of these tests may be required; in this case an independent lab will produce a certified material test report (CMTR), and the material will be called certified . Some widely used pipe standards or piping classes are: API 5L
8064-482: The cranes on the quay should be converted to hydraulic power. He was required to carry out the work at his own expense, but would be rewarded if the conversion was a success. It was, and he set up the Newcastle Cranage Company, which received an order for the conversion of the other four cranes. Further work followed, with the engineer from Liverpool Docks visiting Newcastle and being impressed by
8190-426: The cranes, bridges and locks of Bristol Harbour . The original operating mechanism of Tower Bridge , London , also used this type of accumulator. Although no longer in use, two of the six accumulators may still be seen in situ in the bridge's museum. Regent's Canal Dock, now named Limehouse Basin has the remains of a hydraulic accumulator, dating from 1869, a fragment of the oldest remaining such facility in
8316-408: The delivery from piston pumps. Another use is as a shock absorber to damp out water hammer ; this application is an integral part of most ram pumps . Loss of air will result in loss of effectiveness. If air is lost over time, the design must include some way to replenish the accumulator. A compressed gas accumulator consists of a cylinder with two chambers that are separated by an elastic diaphragm,
8442-412: The entrance to Queens Dock. By 1895, pumps rated at 250 hp (190 kW) pumped some 500,000 imperial gallons (2,300 m) of water into the system each week, and 58 machines were connected to it. The working pressure was 700 psi (48 bar), and the water was used to operate cranes, dock gates, and a variety of other machinery connected with ships and shipbuilding. The Hull system lasted until
8568-411: The following year. Both were equipped by Ellington's company, and used the higher pressure of 1,120 psi (77 bar). This was maintained by six sets of triple-expansion steam engines, rated at 200 hp (150 kW) each. Two accumulators with pistons of 18-inch (460 mm) diameter, a stroke of 23 feet (7.0 m), and loaded with 127 tonnes were installed. In Manchester, the hydraulic station
8694-413: The force it exerts on the fluid is increased linearly. The metal bellows accumulators function similarly to the compressed gas type, except that the elastic diaphragm or floating piston is replaced by a hermetically sealed welded metal bellows . Fluid may be internal or external to the bellows. The advantages to the metal bellows type include exceptionally low spring rate, allowing the gas charge to do all
8820-481: The force of law in Canada and the US. Europe and the rest of the world has an equivalent system of codes. Pressure piping is generally pipe that must carry pressures greater than 10 to 25 atmospheres, although definitions vary. To ensure safe operation of the system, the manufacture, storage, welding, testing, etc. of pressure piping must meet stringent quality standards. Manufacturing standards for pipes commonly require
8946-497: The hollow shell in a process called rotary piercing . As the manufacturing process does not include any welding, seamless pipes are perceived to be stronger and more reliable. Historically, seamless pipe was regarded as withstanding pressure better than other types, and was often more available than welded pipe. Advances since the 1970s, in materials, process control, and non-destructive testing, allow correctly specified welded pipe to replace seamless in many applications. Welded pipe
9072-467: The hydraulic accumulator. A second accumulator was fitted outside the building (dated 1954) which enables the operation of the system to be more easily visualised. A number of artefacts, including the buildings used as pumping stations, have survived the demise of public hydraulic power networks. In Hull, the Machell Street pumping station has been reused as a workshop. The building still supports
9198-535: The hydraulic network. Two systems were built in New Zealand . The Thames Water Race was built in 1876 to supply water to the Thames goldfields powering stamper batteries, pumps and mine-head lifting equipment. Later, electricity was supplied to the residents of Thames in 1914, and when goldmining ceased the following year, a Francis Turbine and generator made use of the surplus water to generate more electricity for
9324-399: The known issues of creep and sensitization effect must be taken into account. Lead piping is still found in old domestic and other water distribution systems , but is no longer permitted for new potable water piping installations due to its toxicity . Many building codes now require that lead piping in residential or institutional installations be replaced with non-toxic piping or that
9450-415: The lake. Pipe (fluid conveyance) In common usage the words pipe and tube are usually interchangeable, but in industry and engineering, the terms are uniquely defined. Depending on the applicable standard to which it is manufactured, pipe is generally specified by a nominal diameter with a constant outside diameter (OD) and a schedule that defines the thickness. Tube is most often specified by
9576-441: The lowest pressure, while the intermediate and the high pressure mains served as hydraulic power networks. The intermediate pressure mains operated at 6.5 bars (94 psi) and by 1896 some 51 miles (82 km) of pipework had been installed. It was used for powering 130 Schmid type water engines with a gross power of 230 hp (170 kW). The high pressure network had an operating pressure of 14 bars (200 psi) bar and had
9702-574: The main pumphouse, enabling its operation to be easily visualised. Joseph Bramah , an inventor and locksmith living in London, registered a patent at the London Patent Office on 29 April 1812, which was principally about a provision of a public water supply network, but included a secondary concept for the provision of a high-pressure water main, which would enable workshops to operate machinery. The high-pressure water would be applied "to
9828-439: The necessary pressure. These simple accumulators were extremely tall. For instance, Grimsby Dock Tower , built in 1852, is 309 feet (94 m) tall. Because of their size, they were costly, and so were constructed for less than a decade. Around the same time, John Fowler was working on the construction of the ferry quay at nearby New Holland but could not use similar hydraulic power as the poor ground conditions did not permit
9954-441: The need for a filtration plant. At this time two pumpsets were in use, and a third was being installed. Pressure was maintained by two accumulators, each with an 18-inch (460 mm) diameter piston with a stroke of 20 feet (6.1 m). The Practical Engineer quoted the pressure as 75 pounds per square inch (5.2 bar), but this is unlikely to be correct by comparison with other systems. A second pumping station at Grafton Street
10080-477: The number of men required to operate them from twelve to four. Each of these schemes was for a single customer, and the application of hydraulic power more generally required a new model. The first practical installation which supplied hydraulic power to the public was in Kingston upon Hull , in England. The Hull Hydraulic Power Company began operation in 1876. They had 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of pipes, which were up to 6 inches (150 mm) in diameter, and ran along
10206-410: The outage. After the pipe is installed it will be tested for leaks. Before testing it may need to be cleaned by blowing air or steam or flushing with a liquid. Pipes are usually either supported from below or hung from above (but may also be supported from the side), using devices called pipe supports. Supports may be as simple as a pipe "shoe" which is akin to a half of an I-beam welded to the bottom of
10332-540: The outside (OD) or nominal diameter, and the other that indicates the wall thickness. In the early twentieth century, American pipe was sized by inside diameter. This practice was abandoned to improve compatibility with pipe fittings that must usually fit the OD of the pipe, but it has had a lasting impact on modern standards around the world. In North America and the UK, pressure piping is usually specified by Nominal Pipe Size (NPS) and schedule (SCH). Pipe sizes are documented by
10458-640: The outside diameter allows pipes of the same size to be fit together no matter what the wall thickness. Since the outside diameter is fixed for a given pipe size, the inside diameter will vary depending on the wall thickness of the pipe. For example, 2" Schedule 80 pipe has thicker walls and therefore a smaller inside diameter than 2" Schedule 40 pipe. Steel pipe has been produced for about 150 years. The pipe sizes that are in use today in PVC and galvanized were originally designed years ago for steel pipe. The number system, like Sch 40, 80, 160, were set long ago and seem
10584-431: The past, wood and lead ( Latin plumbum , from which comes the word ' plumbing ') were commonly used. Typically metallic piping is made of steel or iron, such as unfinished, black (lacquer) steel, carbon steel , stainless steel , galvanized steel , brass , and ductile iron . Iron based piping is subject to corrosion if used within a highly oxygenated water stream. Aluminum pipe or tubing may be utilized where iron
10710-491: The pipe grade. Another type of mechanical coupling is a flareless tube fitting (Major brands include Swagelok, Ham-Let, Parker); this type of compression fitting is typically used on small tubing under 2 inches (51 mm) in diameter. When pipes join in chambers where other components are needed for the management of the network (such as valves or gauges), dismantling joints are generally used, in order to make mounting/dismounting easier. Fittings are also used to split or join
10836-400: The pipe. Under buried conditions, gasket-joint pipes allow for lateral movement due to soil shifting as well as expansion/contraction due to temperature differentials. Plastic MDPE and HDPE gas and water pipes are also often joined with Electrofusion fittings. Large above ground pipe typically uses a flanged joint, which is generally available in ductile iron pipe and some others. It
10962-641: The pipe; they may be "hung" using a clevis , or with trapeze type of devices called pipe hangers. Pipe supports of any kind may incorporate springs, snubbers, dampers, or combinations of these devices to compensate for thermal expansion , or to provide vibration isolation, shock control, or reduced vibration excitation of the pipe due to earthquake motion. Some dampers are simply fluid dashpots, but other dampers may be active hydraulic devices that have sophisticated systems that act to dampen peak displacements due to externally imposed vibrations or mechanical shocks. The undesired motions may be process derived (such as in
11088-401: The preferred item is a gas charged accumulator, but simple systems may be spring-loaded. There may be more than one accumulator in a system. The exact type and placement of each may be a compromise due to its effects and the costs of manufacture. An accumulator is placed close to the pump with a non-return valve preventing flow back to the pump. In the case of piston-type pumps this accumulator
11214-557: The pressure and flow, rather than storing power. While the network supplied lifts, cranes and dockgates, it also powered the cabaret platform at the Savoy Hotel, and from 1937, the 720-tonne three-section central floor at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre , which could be raised or lowered relative to the main floor to convert between a swimming pool and an exhibition hall. The London system contracted during
11340-401: The pressure of the gas (and the pressure on the fluid) changes inversely. For low pressure water system use the water usually fills a rubber bladder within the tank (pictured), preventing contact with the tank which would otherwise need to be corrosion resistant. Units designed for high-pressure applications such as hydraulic systems are usually pre-charged to a very high pressure (approaching
11466-511: The production of pipe and tubing. The term "tube" is also commonly applied to non-cylindrical sections, i.e., square or rectangular tubing. In general, "pipe" is the more common term in most of the world, whereas "tube" is more widely used in the United States. Both "pipe" and "tube" imply a level of rigidity and permanence, whereas a hose (or hosepipe) is usually portable and flexible. Pipe assemblies are almost always constructed with
11592-402: The pump being cycled on and off constantly. When temperature changes cause pressure excursions the accumulator helps absorb them. Its size helps absorb fluid that might otherwise be locked in a small fixed system with no room for expansion due to valve arrangement. The gas precharge in an accumulator is set so that the separating bladder, diaphragm or piston does not reach or strike either end of
11718-493: The residents of the town. It was eventually decommissioned in 1946. The Oamaru Borough Water Race was designed by Donald McLeod (b.1835). It opened in 1880 after 3 years of construction. With water sourced from the Waitaki River , the race stretched nearly 50 km and comprised an intake structure, a stilling pond, 19 aqueducts and six tunnels. The spare horsepower generated water motors, water engines and turbines in
11844-399: The same so it could mate with existing older pipe, increasing the inner diameter beyond half an inch. The history of copper pipe is similar. In the 1930s, the pipe was designated by its internal diameter and a 1 ⁄ 16 -inch (1.6 mm) wall thickness. Consequently, a 1-inch (25 mm) copper pipe had a 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 -inch (28.58 mm) outside diameter. The outside diameter
11970-489: The sectional cast-iron roof tank used to allow the silt-laden water of the River Hull to settle, and is marked by a Blue plaque , to commemorate its importance. In London, Bermondsey pumping station, built in 1902, is in use as an engineering works, but retains its chimney and accumulator tower, while the station at Wapping is virtually complete, retaining all of its equipment, which is still in working order. The building
12096-413: The smaller copper or flexible plastic water pipes found in homes for ice makers and humidifiers, for example, may be joined with compression fittings . Underground pipe typically uses a "push-on" gasket style of pipe that compresses a gasket into a space formed between the two adjoining pieces. Push-on joints are available on most types of pipe. A pipe joint lubricant must be used in the assembly of
12222-526: The steel pipes that can be produced by seamless and ERW processes. The two types of pipes produced through these technologies are longitudinal-submerged arc-welded (LSAW) and spiral-submerged arc-welded (SSAW) pipes. LSAW are made by bending and welding wide steel plates and most commonly used in oil and gas industry applications. Due to their high cost, LSAW pipes are seldom used in lower value non-energy applications such as water pipelines. SSAW pipes are produced by spiral (helicoidal) welding of steel coil and have
12348-462: The steel structure using beam clamps, straps, and small hoists until the pipe supports are attached or otherwise secured. An example of a tool used for installation for a small plumbing pipe (threaded ends) is the pipe wrench . Small pipe is typically not heavy and can be lifted into place by the installation craft laborer. However, during a plant outage or shutdown, the small (small bore) pipe may also be pre-fabricated to expedite installation during
12474-656: The supply. They maintained 184 miles (296 km) of mains at 700 psi (48 bar), which covered an area reaching Pentonville in the north, Limehouse in the east, Nine Elms and Bermondsey in the south and Earls Court and Notting Hill in the west. Five pumping stations kept the mains pressurised, assisted by accumulators. The original station was at Falcon Wharf, Bankside, but this was replaced by four stations at Wapping, Rotherhithe, Grosvenor Road in Pimlico and City Road in Clerkenwell. A fifth station at East India Docks
12600-406: The system operating pressure) and are designed to prevent the bladder or membrane being damaged by this internal pressure when the system pressure is low. For bladder types this generally requires the bladder to be filled with the gas so that when system pressure is zero the bladder is fully expanded rather than being crushed by the gas charge. To prevent the bladder being forced out of the device when
12726-417: The system pressure is low there is typically either an anti-extrusion plate attached to the bladder that presses against and seals the entrance, or a spring-loaded plate on the entrance that closes when the bladder presses against it. It is possible to increase the gas volume of the accumulator by coupling a gas bottle to the gas side of the accumulator. For the same swing in system pressure this will result in
12852-427: The system, and to adjust the supply of pressurized water to match the actual demand. The tall fountain was visible from a great distance and became a landmark in the city. When an engineering solution was found which made the fountain redundant, there was an outcry, and in 1891 it was moved to its current location in the lake, where it operated solely as a tourist attraction, although the water to create it still came from
12978-795: The time of its installation, such a scheme seemed like "a leap in the dark", according to R. H. Tweddell writing in 1895, but despite a lack of enthusiasm for the scheme, Ellington pushed ahead and used it as a test bed for both the mechanical and the commercial aspects of the idea. He was eventually involved on some level in most of the hydraulic power networks of Britain. The success of such systems led to them being installed in places as far away as Antwerp in Belgium, Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, and Buenos Aires in Argentina. Independent hydraulic power networks were also installed at Hull's docks - both
13104-412: The town of Oamaru for decades and operated for 103 years. Much of the race and its components can still be seen today. Bristol Harbour still has a working system, the pumping machinery of which was supplied by Fullerton, Hodgart and Barclay of Paisley , Scotland in 1907. The engine house is a grade II* listed building, constructed in 1887, fully commissioned by 1888, with a tower at one end to house
13230-643: The tubes' interiors be treated with phosphoric acid . According to a senior researcher and lead expert with the Canadian Environmental Law Association , "[...] there is no safe level of lead [for human exposure]". In 1991 the US EPA issued the Lead and Copper Rule , a federal regulation which limits the concentration of lead and copper allowed in public drinking water, as well as the permissible amount of pipe corrosion occurring due to
13356-545: The use of fittings such as elbows, tees, and so on, while tube may be formed or bent into custom configurations. For materials that are inflexible, cannot be formed, or where construction is governed by codes or standards, tube assemblies are also constructed with the use of tube fittings. Additionally, pipes are used for many purposes that do not involve conveying fluid. Handrails , scaffolding, and support structures are often constructed from structural pipes, especially in an industrial environment. The first known use of pipes
13482-1139: The water itself. In the US it is estimated that 6.5 million lead service lines (pipes that connect water mains to home plumbing) installed before the 1930s are still in use. Plastic tubing is widely used for its light weight, chemical resistance, non-corrosive properties, and ease of making connections. Plastic materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), fibre reinforced plastic (FRP), reinforced polymer mortar (RPMP), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), cross-linked high-density polyethylene (PEX), polybutylene (PB), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), for example. In many countries, PVC pipes account for most pipe materials used in buried municipal applications for drinking water distribution and wastewater mains. Pipe may be made from concrete or ceramic , usually for low-pressure applications such as gravity flow or drainage. Pipes for sewage are still predominantly made from concrete or vitrified clay . Reinforced concrete can be used for large-diameter concrete pipes. This pipe material can be used in many types of construction, and
13608-591: The west bank of the River Hull from Sculcoates bridge to its junction with the Humber . The pumping station was near the north end of the pipeline, on Machell Street, near the disused Scott Street bascule bridge, which was powered hydraulically. There was an accumulator at Machell Street, and another one much nearer the Humber, on the corner of Grimsby Lane. Special provision was made where the pressure main passed under
13734-790: The work with little change in pressure from full to empty, a long stroke that allows efficient usage of the casing volume, and the bellows can be built to be resistant to overpressure that would crush a bladder-type separator. The welded metal bellows accumulator provides an exceptionally high level of accumulator performance, and can be produced with a broad spectrum of alloys, resulting in a broad range of fluid compatibility. Other advantages to this type are that it does not face issues with high pressure operation, may be built to be resistant to very high or low temperatures or certain aggressive chemicals, and may be longer lasting in some situations. Metal bellows tend to be much more costly to produce than other common types. In modern, often mobile, hydraulic systems
13860-586: The world, the second at the dock, which was installed later than that at Poplar Dock , originally listed incorrectly as a signalbox for the London and Blackwall Railway , when correctly identified, it was restored as a tourist attraction by the now defunct London Docklands Development Corporation . Now owned by the Canal & River Trust , it is open for large groups on application to the Dockmaster's Office at
13986-549: Was added in 1901, and in 1902, 102 million gallons (454 megalitres) of pressurised water were used by customers. The system was operated as a commercial enterprise until 1925, after which the business and its assets reverted to the City of Melbourne, as specified by the original act. One of the early improvements made by the City Council was to consolidate the system. The steam pumps were replaced by new electric pumps, located in
14112-657: Was an economical use of hydraulic power, although tests conducted at his works at Chester in October 1894 showed that efficiencies of 59 per cent could be achieved using a Pelton wheel directly coupled to a dynamo. Two major systems were built in Australia. The first was in Melbourne , where the Melbourne Hydraulic Power Company began operating in July 1889. The company was authorised by an Act of
14238-580: Was an offshoot of the London-based General Hydraulic Power Company, and was authorised by acts of Parliament obtained in 1884 and 1887. By 1890, some 16 miles (26 km) of mains had been installed, supplied by a pumping station at Athol Street, on the bank of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal . Although water was originally taken from the canal, cleaner water supplied by Liverpool Corporation was in use by 1890, removing
14364-474: Was built on the east side of Gloucester Street, by Manchester Oxford Road railway station . It was later supplemented by stations at Water Street and Pott Street, the latter now under the car parks of the Central Retail Park. At its peak in the 1930s, the system consisted on 35 miles (56 km) of pipes, which were connected to 2,400 machines, most of which were used for baling cotton. The system
14490-462: Was changed in the second half of 2008 to edition 44 from edition 43 to make it identical to ISO 3183. It is important to note that the change has created the requirement that sour service, ERW pipe, pass a hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) test per NACE TM0284 in order to be used for sour service. Pipe installation is often more expensive than the material and a variety of specialized tools, techniques, and parts have been developed to assist this. Pipe
14616-451: Was decommissioned in 1958. In order to avoid excessive pressure build-up in the hydraulic power network, a release valve was fitted beside the main hall of the powerhouse. A tall water fountain, the Jet d'Eau , was ejected by the device whenever it was activated. This typically happened at the end of the day when the factories switched off their machines, making it hard to control the pressure in
14742-578: Was how later hydraulic power systems worked. In Newcastle upon Tyne , a solicitor called William Armstrong , who had been experimenting with water-powered machines, was working for a firm of solicitors who were appointed to act on behalf of the Whittle Dene Water Company. The water company had been set up to supply Newcastle with drinking water, and Armstrong was appointed secretary at the first meeting of shareholders. Soon afterwards, he wrote to Newcastle Town Council, suggesting that
14868-839: Was in Ancient Egypt . The Pyramid of Sahure , completed around the 25th century BC, included a temple with an elaborate drainage system including more than 380 m (1,247 ft) of copper piping. During the Napoleonic Wars Birmingham gunmakers tried to use rolling mills to make iron musket barrels. One of them, Henry Osborne, developed a relatively effective process in 1817 with which he started to make iron gas tubes ca. 1820, selling some to gas lighting pioneer Samuel Clegg . When steel pipes were introduced in 19th century, they initially were riveted, and later clamped with H-shaped bars (even though methods for making weldless steel tubes were known already in
14994-404: Was invented by Jean Mercier for use in variable-pitch propellers . A spring type accumulator is similar in operation to the gas-charged accumulator above, except that a heavy spring (or springs) is used to provide the compressive force. According to Hooke's law the magnitude of the force exerted by a spring is linearly proportional to its change of length. Therefore, as the spring compresses,
15120-600: Was operational by 1909. The system ceased operation in 1971. Birmingham obtained its system in 1891, when the Dalton Street hydraulic station opened. In an unusual move, J. W. Gray, the Water Department engineer for the city, had been laying pressure mains beneath the streets for some years, anticipating the need for such a system. The hydraulic station used Otto 'Silent' type gas engines, and had two accumulators, with an 18-inch (460 mm) diameter piston,
15246-449: Was originally operated by the Port of London Authority , but was taken over and connected to the system. The stations used steam engines until 1953, when Grosvenor Road station was converted to use electric motors, and following the success of this project, the other four were also converted. The electric motors allowed much smaller accumulators to be used, since they were then only controlling
15372-520: Was shut down in 1964. All of the British systems were designed to provide power for intermittent processes, such as the operation of dock gates or cranes. The system installed at Antwerp was somewhat different, in that its primary purpose was the production of electricity for lighting. It was commissioned in 1894, and used pumping engines producing a total of 1,000 hp (750 kW) to supply water at 750 psi (52 bar). Ellington, writing in 1895, stated that he found it difficult to see that this
15498-428: Was shut down in 1972. In Glasgow, the pumping station was at the junction of High Street and Rottenrow. By 1899, it was supplying power to 348 machines, and another 39 were in the process of being completed. The pipes were 7 inches (180 mm) in diameter, and there were around 30 miles (48 km) of them by 1909, when 202,141 imperial gallons (918.95 m) of high pressure water were supplied to customers. The system
15624-554: Was situated in the Darling Harbour district, and the original steam engines were replaced by three electric motors driving centrifugal pumps in 1952. The scheme remained in private ownership until its demise in 1975, and the pumping station has since been re-used as a tavern. Ellington's system in Buenos Aires was designed to operate a sewage pumping scheme in the city. Geneva created a public system in 1879, using
15750-604: Was the Sydney and Suburbs Hydraulic Power Company, later shortened to the Sydney Hydraulic Power Company. Pressure mains were either of 4-inch (100 mm) or 6-inch (150 mm) diameter, and at its peak, there were around 50 miles (80 km) of mains, covering an area between Pyrmont , Woolloomooloo , and Broadway . In 1919, most of the 2369 lifts in the metropolitan area were hydraulically operated. The pumping station, together with two accumulators,
15876-545: Was the important dimension for mating with fittings. The wall thickness on modern copper is usually thinner than 1 ⁄ 16 -inch (1.6 mm), so the internal diameter is only "nominal" rather than a controlling dimension. Newer pipe technologies sometimes adopted a sizing system as its own. PVC pipe uses the Nominal Pipe Size . Pipe sizes are specified by a number of national and international standards, including API 5L, ANSI / ASME B36.10M and B36.19M in
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