×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

(OP)
I m confused b/n these three terms but what I m sure of is these r not similar. My opinion is that pipe is specified only by its schedule, ND, whereas pipeline includes the fittings & flanges also. No clue abt line piping!!

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

In common useage the terms pipe, pipeline, tube, piping, line pipe are used interchangeably. There is no specific technical meaning applied to each.

Tube and pipe sometimes refers to the difference in manufacturing process, or to the use in equipment.

Pipe line, or line pipe, is a general term for piping running between processes. Yard piping is also a term to mean piping running in the open between buildings - and therefore in the yard.

Line is used to describe just that - a line drawn on a Piping Diagram to carry a fluid. By extension it applies to a pipe run on a layout, or out in the field.

English is a funny language. We are deliberately loose with our terms because it sounds funny, or it sound like we know lots.

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

Generally, linepipe is also used to refer to the steel pipe joints (tyipcally 12m long) you buy from the mills and subsequently weld together to build the pipeline. See for example the title of API 5L.
As you mention, these are all terms uite loosely in certain working environments

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

b3.3 300.2 definition
pipe pressure tight cyclinder used to convey fluid. Tube or tubing are treated as pipe if intended for pressure service.

piping assembkies of piping componenets used to convey, distribute, mix, etc fluid flow. It also included pipe support elements.

pipeline pipng transportng product between terminals/pumping ststion. B31.4 scope.

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

There is a slight difference in these terms depending on dimensional & manufacturing standards and the applications.

Pipe is a pressure containing component used in industry to transport fluid from one point to another. The pipe is designated by the Nominal Bore (NB). For pipes the OD is always kept constant for all the thicknesses. For the pipes with OD less than 14", the NB is the imaginery diameter in between the ID and OD of the pipe. For the pipes 14" and above the NB matches with the actual OD of the pipe.

Piping is a combination of pipe and fittings and generally in between two equipment within the unit.

Tube is also a pipe, but it is always designated by the OD and thickness. That means the designation of the tube gives you actual OF of the tube.

Pipeline consists of pipe and fittings which are used for long distance transportation of fluid. Generally this is in between either locations, industries, or units.

Line pipe is the term used when we follow the API code for the dimensional standard of the pipe. API 5L specifies the requirements for Line Pipes. Line pipes are either with seamless, ERW or SAW ends. Generally in offshore industry the line pipes are commonly used for general applications for piping and pipeline.

Regards,
Kaustubh

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

tube is not treated as pipe if its not intended for pressure service.

API 5L say gr-b is a pipe by b31 definition. maybe the gentlemen is referring to lined pipe and not line pipe. i subscribe to pipe line and gas mag by gulf publishing and has not come across the term line pipe.

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

Line pipe (or even linepipe) is used very commonly in the context of pipelines. As far as I am aware, the definition of this term is as described by joshikv (Kaustubh). Lined pipe is a different issue and API 5L does not deal with that.

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

Alaskan pipeline has never been referred to as alaskan linepipe and i can name a few more. in the pipeline industry, a pipeline is a pipeline. i still maintained that api 5L-grb is a pipe.

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

joshikv's answer is the most accurate.
Let me point some other facts:
TUBES are usually used for:
1.heat transfer
2.instrumentation
They are named by their Outside Diameter (OD) and the thickness (in) or gauge (BWG# - Birmingham Wire Gauge).
The TEMA Stds (Tubular Exchanger Manufacturer's Association) have tables with characteristic of tubing.

PIPES are named by the Nominal diameter and the Schedule, again the OD is constant and the ID varies with the wall thickness.

Piping is usually referred to as the arrangement of pipes within a plant or package, arranged in pipe-racks, trenches
etc

Pipeline I've found it referring to very long runs of pipe (e.g. gas pipeline, oil pipeline) between stations.

Linepipe: the piping used to build pipelines (usually large diameter >36in)

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

if mechengr interest in the difinition is because he's preparing a service contract or probably a purchse spec then its best to refer the defintiion to the industry Code and Std.
Pipe, piping, piping system are defined in B31. The Code has also make a qualification when tube is consider a pipe. The code of federal regulation 49CFR 195 has addressed extensively issues related to pipeline. I concede that API 5L 41st ed refer to line pipe (the api catalog list it under the "tubular goods" category).
 
i dont know abeltio, but to say its the "most accurate" maybe streching it too much. we're just dicussing issues here and giving an opinion because we enjoy it (im right and your wrong or my reply is better thatn yours to is me misplaced- disgreement would always arise but thats ok).

RE: Difference b/n pipe, pipeline & line pipe

ralphshare... I should have said the most accurate when compared to the bibliography I consulted regarding those definitions.
sorry, you are right.
a.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources