Pipe Adapter Fittings

PIPE ADAPTER FITTINGS

Adapter fittings are fitting tools that provide a connection when a piping system needs to be extended or terminated. They are also used for connection when there’s no availability of standard alternatives like various threads or size reduction mechanisms. It is mainly used for pipes termed as big jumped size, pipes with scarce size range on both ends.

The materials used in producing adapter fittings are Carbon steel (A105) and Stainless Steel (SS316). The sizes produced are in different ranges from 1/8” to 2”. Majorly, adapter fittings are used when there’s a need for a quick solution to installing piping systems. Adapter fittings have a maximum working pressure of 420 Bars and connection ends of Threaded BSPP or Threaded NPT.

Material Specification	Carbon Steel A105 Stainless Steel SS316
Connection Type	Threaded BSPP Threaded NPT
Size	1/8” to 2”
Working Pressure	Up to 420 Bars

1. What are Female Adapter Fittings?

BSPP Male Thread x BSPP Female Thread c/w ED Seal Adapter

Adapters are very important fittings used in a piping system. Sometimes, dissimilar pipes are needed to be used in creating a piping system and this may pose a problem getting the right flange, valve, or connecting device to use. In this case, adapter fittings come to the rescue. They fit perfectly for pipe ends especially for pipes with different ends or odd sizes.

For example, a pipe with a male end of 1/2” and female end of 1” may be difficult connecting together. However, an adapter with 1/2” and 1” can be customized and used to create the piping system and enable the smooth flow running.

2. What materials are Adapter Fittings made of?

Adapter fittings are generally made of two materials – Carbon steel and Stainless Steel.

The table below shows the chemical composition of carbon steel (A105):

Elements	Composition (%)
Sulfur (S)	≤ 0.40
Carbon (C)	≤ 0.35
Phosphorus (P)	≤ 0.35
Silicon (Si)	0.10 – 0.35
Vanadium (V)	≤ 0.08
Copper (Cu)	≤ 0.40
Molybdenum (Mo)	≤ 0.12
Nickel (Ni)	≤ 0.40
Manganese (Mn)	0.60 – 1.05
Chromium (Cr)	≤ 0.30

The table below shows the chemical composition for Stainless Steel (SS316):

Elements	Composition (%)
Sulfur (S)	0.03
Carbon (C)	0.08
Phosphorus (P)	0.045
Silicon (Si)	1.00
Vanadium (V)	≤ 0.08
Copper (Cu)	≤ 0.40
Molybdenum (Mo)	2.0/3.0
Nickel (Ni)	10/14
Manganese (Mn)	2.00
Chromium (Cr)	23/26

Adapter fittings are produced in straight and non-straight types. A straight adapter is produced from cold down bars that are in line with ASTM standards. For the non-straight fittings like a 3-way tee or 90-degree elbow, they are produced from close grain forging. Additionally, each material has a temperature range it can withstand. For instance, a stainless steel (SS316) material can withstand a maximum temperature of 537⁰C (1000⁰F).

The table below shows the temperature level for brass, carbon, and stainless steel materials:

Material	Forgings	Maximum Temperature Rating ⁰C (⁰F)	Bar Stock
Brass	ASTM B283 C37700 JIS H3250 C3771	190 (375)	ASTM B16 C36000 JIS H3250 C3604
Carbon Steel	ASTM A105 JIS G3201 SF440A	204 (400)	ASTM A108 JIS G4051 S20C-S45C
Stainless Steel	ASTM A182 F316	537 (1000)	ASTM A479 Type 316 ASTM A276 Type 316

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3. What is the difference between coupling and an Adapter Fitting?

A coupling is a type of connecting device that allows the flow of fluid at an equal rate in a single direction. For the pipes where they are of different sizes, a reducing coupling is a tool that joins a larger pipe to a smaller size pipe to minimize the flow. The coupling is produced in both female and male ends.

The adapter fittings are made in varying sizes. The sizes available are between 1/8” to 2”. The sizes are given using two measurements, metric size (mm) and inch outer diameter (OD). The metric size for adapter fittings is 3mm to 50mm. Despite this standard size range, adapters can also be customized to suitable sizes to fit in upon request. A hex bush fitting threaded end connection has a male size bigger than the female size. Adapter size can have a bigger female size or equal sizes of both male and female threads.

NPT x BSPP Male Thread Hex Nipple

4. How can I connect two pipes to the same size?

Allan Key Head Plug c/w ED Seal

An adapter is a fitting designed to connect two pipes. The connection types for adapter fittings are available in threaded connections of BSPP and NPT. The connection threads are hex nipple, plug, and male by a female adapter.

The pressure rating for adapter fitting is a maximum of 420 Bar. Pressure ratings for the fittings are measured under a surrounding temperature of 100⁰F (37⁰C). The pressure ratings are based on factors like temperature de-rating factor, O-ring seal material, and flow rate.

The table below shows the Gasket and O-ring Material Temperature:

Components	Material	Temperature Min ⁰F (⁰C)	Temperature Max ⁰F (⁰C)
Bonded Seal Gasket	NBR	-25 (-13)	230 (110)
SAE O-rings	FKM	-20 (-28)	400 (204)
Copper Gasket	COPPER	-325 (-198)	400 (204)
Bonded Seal Gasket	FKM	-5 (-15)	400 (204)

The next table shows the temperature de-rating factor for the materials:

Temperature (⁰C)	38	93	149	204	260	316	371	427	482	537
Temperature (⁰F)	100	200	300	400	500	600	700	800	900	1000
Stainless Steel 316	1.000	1.000	1.000	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Carbon Steel	1.000	0.940	0.900	0.860	-	-	-	-	-	-
Brass	1.000	0.780	0.690	0.130	-	-	-	-	-	-
Carbon Steel	1.000	0.940	0.900	0.860	-	-	-	-	-	-

From the table, an example can be cited. For a stainless steel adapter fitting A, the maximum working pressure will be 420 Bars under a normal system environment. However, when the fitting working environment temperature changes to 400⁰C, the pressure drops to 331 bars. This is calculated as the working pressure (420 bar) multiplied by the de-rating factor (0.79).

The temperature of 400⁰C for stainless steel is not suitable for adapter fittings of carbon steel and brass. The maximum temperature for these materials is 204⁰C.

Adapter fittings use the connection types threaded BSPP and threaded NPT. NPT stands for National type tapered threads. They are also called ANSI/ASME B1.20.1 pipe threads. This thread connection provides an effective sealing of pipes and tubes installed in hydraulic systems. The NPT sizes are available in a range of 1/8” to 2”.

British Standard Parallel Pipe (BSPP) is another connection type used in adapter fittings. It is used in connecting tubes and pipes in hydraulics together. They are also referred to as Whitworth threads. The BSPP adapters are designed to work under high pressure PSI and temperatures. They are available in various sizes and very easy to install.

Adapter Bushing c/w ED Seal

5. What are the uses of Adapter Fittings?

NPT x BSPP Male Thread Hex Nipple

Adapter fittings are connectors that can provide an instant solution for easy transfer of flow from one direction to the other. The renowned brand of adapter fittings available in the market is Parker, United States.

The advantages of using adapter fittings are:

There’s a variety of choices for connections and configurations available for use.
There’s plastic cap protection given for the male thread connections.
Adapter fittings are suitable to be used in high pressure machines.
The threads are designed to provide high reliability and avoid any form of leakage.