Nominal Pipe Size

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This article is about the U.S. standard for pipe sizes, abbreviated NPS. For the U.S. standard for
the straight thread form on pipe (also abbreviated NPS), see National Pipe Thread.
Nominal Pipe Size (NPS) is a North American set of standard sizes for pipes used for high or
low pressures and temperatures.[1] "Nominal" refers to pipe in non-specific terms and identifies
the diameter of the hole with a non-dimensional number (for example – 2-inch nominal steel
pipe" consists of many varieties of steel pipe with the only criterion being a 2.375-inch (60.3 mm)
outside diameter). Specific pipe is identified by pipe diameter and another non-dimensional
number for wall thickness referred to as the Schedule (Sched. or Sch., for example – "2-inch
diameter pipe, Schedule 40"). NPS is often incorrectly called National Pipe Size, due to
confusion with the American standard for pipe threads, "national pipe straight", which also
abbreviates as "NPS". The European and international designation equivalent to NPS
is DN (diamètre nominal/nominal diameter/Durchmesser nach Norm), in which sizes are
measured in millimetres, see ISO 6708.[2] The term NB (nominal bore) is also frequently used
interchangeably with DN.
In March 1927 the American Standards Association authorized a committee to standardize the
dimensions of wrought steel and wrought iron pipe and tubing. At that time only a small selection
of wall thicknesses were in use: standard weight (STD), extra-strong (XS), and double extra-
strong (XXS), based on the iron pipe size (IPS) system of the day. However these three sizes did
not fit all applications. Also, in 1939, it was hoped that the designations of STD, XS, and XXS
would be phased out by schedule numbers, however those original terms are still in common use
today (although sometimes referred to as standard, extra-heavy (XH), and double extra-heavy
(XXH), respectively). Since the original schedules were created, there have been many revisions
and additions to the tables of pipe sizes based on industry use and on standards
from API, ASTM, and others.[3]
Stainless steel pipes, which were coming into more common use in the mid 20th century,
permitted the use of thinner pipe walls with much less risk of failure due to corrosion. By 1949
thinner schedules 5S and 10S, which were based on the pressure requirements modified to the
nearest BWG number, had been created, and other "S" sizes followed later. Due to their thin
walls, the smaller "S" sizes can not be threaded together according to ASME code, but must
be fusion welded.[4]

Contents

 1Application
 2Blockage or ball test
 3NPS tables for selected sizes
o 3.1NPS ⅛ to NPS 3½
o 3.2NPS 4 to NPS 9
o 3.3NPS 10 to NPS 24
o 3.4NPS 26 to NPS 36
o 3.5Additional sizes (NPS)
 4See also
 5Notes
 6References
 7External links

Application[edit]
Based on the NPS and schedule of a pipe,[5] the pipe outside diameter (OD) and wall thickness
can be obtained from reference tables such as those below, which are based on ASME
standards B36.10M and B36.19M. For example, NPS 14 Sch 40 has an OD of 14 inches
(360 mm) and a wall thickness of 0.437 inches (11.1 mm). However the NPS and OD values are
not always equal, which can create confusion.

 For NPS ⅛ to 12, the NPS and OD values are different. For example, the OD of an NPS 12
pipe is actually 12.75 inches (324 mm). To find the actual OD for each NPS value, refer to
the tables below. (Note that for tubing, the size indicates actual dimensions, not nominal.)
 For NPS 14 and up, the NPS and OD values are equal. In other words, an NPS 14 pipe is
actually 14 inches (360 mm) OD.
The reason for the discrepancy for NPS ⅛ to 12 inches is that these NPS values were originally
set to give the same inside diameter (ID) based on wall thicknesses standard at the time.
However, as the set of available wall thicknesses evolved, the ID changed and NPS became only
indirectly related to ID and OD.
For a given NPS, the OD stays fixed and the wall thickness increases with schedule. For a given
schedule, the OD increases with NPS while the wall thickness stays constant or increases. Using
equations and rules in ASME B31.3 Process Piping, it can be shown that pressure rating
decreases with increasing NPS and constant schedule.[a]
Some specifications use pipe schedules called standard wall (STD), extra strong (XS), and
double extra strong (XXS), although these actually belong to an older system called iron pipe
size (IPS). The IPS number is the same as the NPS number. STD is identical to SCH 40S, and
40S is identical to 40 for NPS 1/8 to NPS 10, inclusive. XS is identical to SCH 80S, and 80S is
identical to 80 for NPS 1/8 to NPS 8, inclusive. XXS wall is thicker than schedule 160 from NPS
1/8 in to NPS 6 in inclusive, and schedule 160 is thicker than XXS wall for NPS 8 in and larger.