Guide for the Selection, Installation and Maintenance ‘ Of Pipe Line Strainers Prepared by Pipe Line Strainer, Separator and Filter Section Fluid Controls Institute Inc. ie Contents 1-Pipe Line Strainers — Definition, Purpose and Types ‘ 2 End Connections | 3 ~ Materials of Construction { 4-Corrosion Resistance — Selection of Materials 5 Perforations and Mesh 6 - Capacity 7 - Pressure Loss 8 - Specifications and Testing 9-Shock — Hydraulic and Thermal 10- Conchusion Preface \ ExpeRIENcE hes proven the need for strainers in the protec- tion of pumps, meters. autome- tic. valves, traps and. similar equipment ‘A serious need for some plain talk on how best to speci- fy and utilize strainers does ex- ist, and it is the purpose of this Buide to shed light in this area. ‘The Pipe Line Strainer. Sep- arator and Filter Section of the Fluid Controls Institute Inc. has undertaken the task of preparing this guide. and it gratefully appreciates the assis- tance of those people who have made it possible, nd ANotes Definition “A pipe line strainer isa device stich, when installed ia pipe line, provides a means of mechan- iealy’ removing solids from flowing faid or gos by utiaing a perforated or mesh staining ele- Purpose Strainers are generally em- ployed in pipe lines to protect any piece of mechanical equipment ‘such as: condensers, heat exchan- gers, pumps, meters, spray noz~ ales, turbines, traps, etc. from the derrimental effect of sediment, rust, pipe scale or other extrane: ous debris. ‘Types of Strainers Two of the more common strainers are the “Y" and the "basket" types (see Figure 1). Vertical piping, frequently found at pump inlets, necessitates the use of a “Y” strainer with the screen located in the downward position to trap the sediment in the debris collection chamber. ‘A. basket strainer is intended for horizontal or slightly inclined piping. The “Y" type may aloo be ‘ued. in the horizontal position. However, those having a bolted cover, and for use in water ser- vice, should be specified when ‘used in the vertical position so that the cover flange may: be r0- tated by the manufacturer, bring- ing the drain (blowof) con- nection into its lowest position (note arrangement in Figure 2). “Y"-type strainers are often referred to as self-cleaning strainers since when fitted with a blowof valve (Figure 3) the screen can be flushed out by opening and closing the blowoft valve without shutting down the flow of disassembling the strainer in any way. Figure 1-F — Basket-type strainer, 0p ‘ea.Figure 2 — Typieal bank of pumps showing “Y serainers Installed fn ver~ tical pasion af etetion, Note rotated cover" anges to. provide dain at lowest point. oe Figure 3 — Selt-cleaning “strainer ‘ited with 3 blowolt valve. In sizes above 4”, a single bas- eet strainer will generally create less pressure drop than a “Y" type. Inasmuch as it usually costs about the same, its use is recom mended, particularly in the suc- tion piping of a pump where pres- sure loss may be an important factor. In addition, because the basket strainer will be installed in horizontal pipe and the cover over the basket is at the top, cleaning of the strainer is easier and no draining is required. In larger “Y" strainers — 12” and over — covers become extremely heavy, cumbersome and dificult to handle. Cover flanges for bas- ket strainers are relatively easy to remove and servicing is sim- plified. Replacement of covers on "Y"-type strainers is facilitated by some manufacturers through the ‘use of studs, rather than” bolts, which help to align the cover during the replacement oper- ation. Hinged covers and screen locking devices can also make servicing easier. ‘There seems to be a general misconception among engineers and. contractors that only a “Y" strainer should be used on steam service. However, in certain in- stances a basket strainer wil per- form as well, if not beter. It is essential in ordering basket sainers for steam service that the manufacturer be so advised ‘The basket may then be furnished ‘without 2 bottom, allowing the accumulated debris 10 be blown out by opening the blowdown vahe. Baskst strainers are not normally constructed for. pres- sures above 1,500 psi, but “Y" strainers are readily available for working pressures up £0 6,000 psi and higher. a addition to “Y" and basket types, other strainers are avail- abie ‘such as angle, offset, dic plex /twin, temporary conical, plate or expanded cross section type, scraper, automatic self- cleaning, jacketed and magnetic Screed types. Descriptions of these follow. Duplex /Twin Strainers For applications where contin uous operation is required and ‘where the line cannot be shut down for cleanout, duplex or twin basket strainers can be used. Examples are fuel oil strainers for industrial or marine oil bur- ners; lubricating lines on board ships: cooling towers; continuous Jy running chemical operations; and many industrial water intake and service lines. ‘When one basket becomes full, the flow is switched to the other basket. The first basket is re- moved, cleaned and replaced. For ‘smaller sizes the “plug”-type du- plex basket strainer (Figure 4) is generally used since it is less cost- Iy to make and simpler to operate and maintain. It is basically a plug valve with two integral bas- ket ells into which flow can be divered by rotating the plug Figure 5). Tn lerger sizes the plug design becomes unwieldy, and an ind? vidual valving arrangement is used (Figures 6 & 7). Here, flow is shifted from one basket to the other by integral sliding gate valves. They are frequently fur- nished with an interlocking chain- drive mechanism so the two ‘valves work in unison (one basket compartment opens while the other is being valved off). This prevents accidental shutoff of the Tine. ‘This type strainer can be fur- nished with individual globe valves instead of gate valves, They give more positive shutof? but, since these strainers are rarely ‘used for high pressures they are generally not necded. The plobe- valvesype twin basket strainer is usually more expensive than the gnte-valve type. NotesNotes and downstream sides and oper- ation of the strainer valve is facil inated, This is similar to the prac tice used with large pipeline, valves. ‘Where continuous operation is required, a duplex strainer is gen- erally preferable to two single basket strainers connected in par- allel with individual control valves (Figure 8). It occupies less space and isa“ one-piece unit.” Because of the more circuitous path the liguid must take through a duplex strainer, pressure drop is higher than through the equivalent size single basket strainer. ‘igure 5 — Phug valve fited with two Integral basket ‘wells into which ow ‘an be diverted by rotating the plu. ‘High-Capacity Basket Strainers (Figure 9) fc These strainers are designed — for viscous fuids, gasoline and fuel oil service where fine strain- jing has to be combined with a large basket which will not clog after extended periods, A ga leted seat or close tolerance met talto-metal fit for the baskets in- sures that no bypassing of fine Figure 6 — Sliding gatesype duplex particles will occur. tet ier cae Washdown, Manual, Fixed or Rotary Spray, Back- Flushing Seainers (Figures 108 11) “These seraners are fitted with side inlets of other devices forthe inrodustion of high velocity lige uid Che same as being seained — usually in water). The turbu- lence created tack-eshes the strainer basket and) opening Grain valve evacuate the debris Offset and Angle Strainers ‘igure 7 — Duplex/twin strainer. (Figure 12) In some cases a strainer is re It is sometimes difficult to open quired at the inlet of a pump or 2 large gatewalve-type duplex meter which is extremely close to strainer where relatively high the ground. An offsel strainer pressure is present. In these cases, with a high inlet and low outlet itis common practice to install 1 will satisfy this need. Other de- bypass around the strainer or an signe. are simplified by using an~ ‘equalizing ine with integral Grain gle auainer which slo repeat and equalizing vaives. The bypass an clbow. sem requires the opening ef & : bypass valve. (which has a small Inline Cletnable Strainers strainer in its line). The pressure Special fabricated — strainers is equalized between the upstream (Figure 13) are available whereNotes space considerations are _impor- ~ tant, Their generally low cost can ‘also make them attractive. This ~ strainer can usually be cleaned ‘without shutting down the flow. Figure 9 — High-capacity basket arainer. Figure 11-4 — Wasilown, mansal fied or rotary spray backsnhing ‘arainer.Notes ‘Reducing Strainers (Figure 14) Quite frequently line sizes are reduced following a strainer prior to temperature control valves or heating and cooling coils. This is usually accompanied with an ec- centric reducer, ‘A reducing strainer eliminates joints, reduces pressure loss, and still provides the same offset produced by the reducer. Of course, the reducer is also elimi- sated. ‘Temporary Conical Strainers (Figure 15) Where cost is of prime impor- tance and pressure loss is of little significance, a temporary conical strainer may be installed between anges in a pipe line. There are some serious disadvantages to this type strainer, however: (1) they have an extremely low straining ratio, (2) the pipe line must be disassembled to inspect, clean or remove the strainer, (3) struc- tural strength is "difficult to achieve inasmuch as the screen is welded to the ring, and as the materials are relatively thin, only light welds may be utilized, par- Uieularly in the case of wire mesh. Plate or Expanded Cross Section Strainers (Figure 16) Where short face-to-face di- mensions are essential, the. plate strainer may be used. Again, only low straining ratios are availabe. Scraper Strainers (Figures 17 & 18) For systems that require con- timuous operation, and/or where large quantities ' of extraneous matter are contained in the matter, scraper strainers are quite effec ‘ive, This type of strainer bas ei- ther a blade or brush-type rotor ‘that can be hand-operated or mo- tordriven, The scraper strainer can be equipped to accomplish ‘automatic lowdown of refuse rejected by the screen rotor com bination.‘Almost any steel or stainless steel strainer may be fitted with a fabricated outer jacket which is provided with connections for the Introduction of steam or other heating or cooling medium. These find their application mainly in process piping where the liquid handled ‘must te maintained at other than ambient temperatures. Magnetic Strainers (Figure 20) Probably the biggest single an- wer to the problem of excessive and premature wear of pump seals and wear rings has been the magnetic screen assembly. A standard strainer is fitted with magnets which are removable for cleaning. These magnets are so spaced and arranged as to create 2 contiauous magnetic field around the interior of the screen and attract any fine ferrous parti- cle which would damage the pump. Many leading engineers have specified this type of strainer in pilot jobs and, after evaluation, have standardized on this specific cation for all pump strainers Micronic Strainers Sainers are available with ex- tuemely fine stainless steel or ‘monel wire mesh which will re- move particles as fine as 5 mi crons. These strainers, though ex- pensive, are more "economical than the disposable cartridge-type filters in that the basket can be cleaned and reused. Corrosion. re- sistance is also better in most cases. Baskets must be supplied with a gasket, “O” ring, or close Tolerance metal seal to eliminate bypassing, Oil separation can be accomplished with cotton or fiber-flled screens. Bronze or stainless steel wool-packed bas- ‘kets also serve certain filtering re- quirements High Differential Strainers ‘There is an increasing demand for strainers with screeas which Figure 20 — Magnetic screen asem- ty. can withstand full line pressure when clogged. These screens are frequently constructed of very hheavy wire mesh or heavy plate ‘with each hole drilled, Seams are ‘butt welded to insure complete structural integrity. A few manu- facturers can supply these strainers regardless of the pres- sure requirements. Quick-Opening Covers (igure 21) Suainers are available with many types of quick-opening cov ers to reduce the length of time involved in cleaning operations. Among these are swing eye bolts, yoke covers, pinwheel covers and SC™ washers, where a quarter ‘tum of the mut releases the wash- cer which will then slide out, the cover then lifts over the studs While the nut is stil in place. ‘The variety of closures are too ‘numerous to mention, but consid~ eration should be given to them where reduction of down time is important. Additionally, many of these closures canbe operated without the use of tools, which enables operators to service the surainer where Union contracts probibit any but maintenance personnel to use tools. ‘Combination Strainers Many items of mechanical ‘equipment incorporate a strainer im the body. This can be economi- cal and can reduce pipe com aections and labor (Figure 22). ‘A new type of “Y strainerNotes (Figure 23) illustrates a unit which cle, using some of the Suid incorporates 8 shutoff valve. flowing through the strainer to This very economical arrange- _ush_ out the collected debris, ~ ment saves on installation labor. with little or no attention by the. Cleaning is accomplished by plant personnel. There are au closing the valve, siding off hand- merous styles’ of automatic wheel and cover, then pulling strainers produced and each has cout the screen, its desirable features: however, no attempts will be made in this arti le to discuss these differences, Figures 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 are examples of basic types of automatic self-cleaning strainers Automatic strainers are normally more expensive than the manually cleaned units but their extra cost can often be justified for one or more of the following reasons: 1. The frequency of cleaning of a manual unit and the cost of labor for doing this may often Offset the extra cost of the auto- ‘matic strainer. 2. If there is any danger that the strsiner or the equipment that it is protecting may be damaged by the strainer not being cleaned ‘when required. ‘3. The strainer is necessarily located in a piace where it is not readily accessible for cleaning, ‘4. Plugging of the-strainer is unpredictable due to a variable - loading rate such that manual leaning cannot be properly scheduled 5. Insufficient available per- sonnel to perform the manual cleaning. There are many types of auto~ matic controls for the strainer ‘and among these are 1. Pressure differential switch which senses the pressure drop through the strainer and initiates a cleaning cycle at preset pressure ifferential 2. Timer which initiates clean- ing cycle of strainer at preset in- tervals or times. 3. Pushbutton start for which fan operator pushes a button to initiate a cleaning cycle. 4. Differential pressure switch valve” (patent peading). Requires no ‘separate valving to stop flow so sereen fan be cleaned. To operate: tighten dows handwheel, ben remove Ihandiwheel and sereem retaining cover. ‘Screen cam then be removed for clean ‘age Automatic Self-Cleaning Strainers ‘An automatic self-cleaning strainer is a unit which goes through a complete cleaning cy-alarms which signal the operator that the strainer needs cleaning. \ 5. Any combination of _ above comtrois. the All of the above control sys- tems are normally used with ssainers that clean intermittently. Some automatic strainers alse clean continuously so that con- ‘sol 0 initiate the cleaning cycle 3 not required. For intermittent cleaning strainers, the pressure differential ‘switch control is normally pre- ferred, since it will initiate a cleaning cycle when required re- gardless of strainer plugging rate Ifa fairly constant strainer plug- ding rate occurs, the timer con- trol can be utilized. Also, if the srainer may go through long periods of slow plugging during ‘which it may not clean. a timer control may be desired t0 make sure the strainer operates period’ cally t keep it from binding. Normally, because of its automat: ie cleaning characteristic. sm au- tomatic strainer can have a smaller open area ratio than & ‘manually cleaned strainer. Figure 283° — Automatic sl deaning strainer. When used in process of in- plant service water systems, itis fot sormally necessary 10 presereen the liquids handled by Self-leaning strainers. Iti essexNotes Figwe 29 — Automatic selfcteaning tial, however, that any self cleaning strainer be protected from logs, long sticks, and heavy concentrations of large fish when the strainer is installed in intake systems where water is being tak- em from a river, lake or other ‘surface water source, When very fine process straining is desired, two self-cleaning strainers in series — one coarse and one fine should be considered. "Automatic strainers “are most commonly used on water service, the primary reason being. the dificulty of disposing of the uid ‘which flushes the debris fom the ftrainer. Homever, most automat- ie suing can ‘ork on other uids if the fluid can be disposed of satisfactory, and many’ suc- cessful applications have” been made with such fuids as black liquor, white water, starch, fuel oil (including Bunker C), iubrica tung oils, gasoline, ammonia fush- ing. liquor, caustic solution ond cooking oils. "Automatic units are generally rated on the basis of @ 2-pai clean pressure drop and a flow Fate of & to 15 fect per second. Higher pressure’ drops are sometimes practical where the solids load to bbe removed is light. Where the solids lead is heavy of fine screen ing it desired, may be necessary wo reduce the flow Tate to 5 t0 8 feet per second or put two or rote strainers in series. Chapter 2 End Connections Strainers are available in a variety of end connections. There are four basic groups, however, and these are listed below: A— Threaded B— Flan C= Welded or Soidered D— Special" (Vietulic, Union End. ete) Tron triers are almost ak ways furnished in either threaded or Banged ends. Stee, ‘stainless feel and bronze are usualy rup- plied in any" of the above end fypes. A brief description follows of the various end connections Av Threaded: usualy a ta- ered female pipe thread. B— Flanged: ANSI (formerly ASA) standard ratings 125, 150, 250, 300, 400, 600, 900, 1,506 and) 2,500. The, MSS. sandard sometimes supplied in bronze of ainess sainer, in this standard, all dimensions are the same except the Bange thickness is reduced. The US. Navy alo as some ange stan- dards ‘which are quite diferent fom the commercial standards. Among these are B-176, B-177, MIL-F-20082C, and” special ange arrangements, lke ring- type joint and tongue and groove, are also available. (C — Weld ends: batt weld end strainers are generally available in all sizes, and although many forms of this end are used, the standard 3714" beveled end is most common. Most common types of weld preparations are illustrated in ASA-B-16. It is very important that the purchaser specify the bore of pipe he is using so that the manufac- turer can provide a matching bore in the strainer. Socket weld end strainers are ‘usually available in sizes through 3”, and again, it is desirable to specify the bore of the pipe used. In ordering weld end strainers of any type, consider whether you ~ also desire a welded blowof. D— Special ends: victualic or ~ grooved ends are available on many strainers, and a detail of this end should’ be supplied to the manufacturer. Other special ends such as “O" ring and union endsare also available on special of- ~er, and complete details should ‘be furnished. ‘Nore: Most “Y"-type and cer- tain other types of small strainers sre designed according 10 the fitting standards for pressure ra tings and therefore can be sub- Jected to higher working pressures at low temperatures. It should be clearly understood, however, that all of the larger types and many ‘of the smaller strainers are de- signed for the working pressure stated and cannot safely be oper- ated above that pressure at aay temperature. It should also be noted that the flange rating is not necessarily the same as the pressure rating of the vessel. Fabricated strainers, for example, may be operated at 40 si, designed, for 100 psi, and have 150-Ib ANSI anges. The ‘maximum safe pressure at any temperature is 100 psi. Improper pressure ratings can be avoided ‘by indicating the ange desired, ‘working pressure, design pressure and shock conditions. Chapter 3 Materials of Construction Mest strainers are composed of a body, cover, screen, gasket and cover fasteners. Listed below are _/some materials of construction {or these components. Generally, not all these materials would be standard with a manufacturer, Dut they are listed in an effort to provide complete information, A— Body and cover MATES Desctnfon asta Iron lamtatee! 21265 of ASTHAITEIO tren igh sree) nae, Dette om OAGNE ASS & 40452 ASE lromAstentie Net) mae Carbon Steel newes Sern test dalewea Cerben Steal ‘£7 Grade 70.40 Cor SH. Febvcted Pipe ATO or Als Gar. SH Pate i's a0, 282 & 295 ar St Pate CRs Atos Carbon St Forged) H105 Grade 2 (Carbon Maly airwel Carbon Maly ‘Carbon Maly flow Temp Carbon Maly low Teo) Screen heby ow Te Chrome May (1/4172) ‘rome Maly 21/41) ‘Creme Moly (51/21 Girone Moly (1 304Steiles Stel 30 Staten Sen! 316Stinem Stet 30LLStoinie Soot 21edStenlen Steet ‘Alay 20. Steins Stool 317-Shinlens Steel, 3u7-Stobles Stee erin Bronco 85559) Breeze" Rete) a1z.Wer or Ma? hares paren Term wed by some manvfoderers to desrbe 31,200 ps en, gray eas kon. NotesB—sarten C— Gaskets D— Fasteners a Sot kaltaner Carton See ms cept ee sync or a ote Sete sent eno Se1Se a Seccseises'St Nee Besa See Hesinnew Snel” Safniehiaated Aber Ha RecSeties Se Species acta Mopar fat Shen etl ta Wins Atatoe Siena Sees Sicoen seer St iho! oa era Behe ance fovea i Secon, Chapter 4 Corrosion Resistance — Selection ot Materials Almost every strainer _oper- ating in a pipeline is subject to some degree of corrosion or ero sion. Jt is therefore very impor ‘ant that this is considered when selecting materials and/or coatings. The selection of the ma- terial or coating used is usually ‘based on economic considerations and should be made by the cus- tomer after some discusion with the strainer manulacturer. Tt is important that the type of mown. Corrosion resistance charts offer some assistance in the selection of materials or coatings. Electrolytic corrosion is also a consideration in some services and the manufacturer should be advised. Sometimes the inclusion fof magnesium or zinc-consumable bars in the body will retard this ‘action. o Most types of strainers can be lined with various coatings to re- tard corrosion, and some of these are listed below: fi, te pranie tel apes any Agi ture conditions, type of adjacent [veal cor Piping dened sevice ise nnd, Be cisomers prior expeieace emetic ith ‘Sila fold condos be ea eh Chapter 5 Perforations and Mesh ‘An extremely important con sideration in the selection of @ strainer is the size of the perfor- ations or mesh used in the making of the sereen. A tendency exists to select smalier holes than those actually needed, leading to to0- frequent cleaning, excessive pres- sure drops, and screens construct ed of thinner metal which will ‘withstand less pressure differential Generally, stainless steel per- forated metal can only be ob- tained in a thickness which is one- half the diameter of the punched hholes, Brass can be obtained in the same thickness as the bole diameter. Obviously, a 1/64" di ameter perforated stainless steel screen in a 16” strainer would be impractical, as the screen would tbe about 17” in diameter and caly.007" thick. The most common way to ac- complish fine straining in large strainers is by mesh lining a large hole, “heavy gauge perforated screen. ‘The following table Mlustrates recommended perforations and ‘mesh for verious services. How- fever, the smallest orifice in a sys-~ tem must also be considered — such as in spray nozzles. ‘The following charts ilustrate some of the various perforations and meshes which are avail. able. ‘See charts on next page)ie Pert ere aa Chapter 6 ober als tent Pa fae" a8 WHEE — Capac reels ae yes waa Capacity, or “ratio” as it is Bs Q ; oer fit) more property called, is the yard Bea sick for detemining. the enghh i ayant of ie a suiner ‘wil operste aia Svienout cleaning or undue’ ‘ree- Ve Sure loss Ratio i the relationship 3 between the intemal cross set va tional area of the inlet pipe and ae the net effective open area of we, the opening inthe screen. th “A iaot uo would. give an 8 unrestricted flow while clean, but “ 2 clogging osairs flow would be sTese inhibited, A 2io-1 Tuo woud PES cad chs hou ew eons sillprovde fallow, even aftr the Noreen dereen berame 30% clogged. A ile Stout rato ls « good sandard nen EES? weg icon : SS 2 ‘or om rato would be more epproprate : on for vscous hiss or other fevers i noe sere. 4 a7 063 Fuel oils, for example, are gen- i : yaa nally srained toa fine degree 1 ~ ia ous protec. mpallocflet ta baraet > tos oes odes and this requires « foe 3 an woven wire met which paced "o om as Inne 2 reinforcing cage of per t aoe forated metal Due 10 the fact 8 foo thet the perforated ‘metal my Pi an havea 609% open area and the meth ts cu ote 0%, the reaultant combined open 2 a air area is only 24%, This, of couse, 20 4 O16 — means that to have a ratio of » 020 a3 a3 even 2.5-to-l, a high capacity, “40 ms a0 mm large bodied, strainer is neces- 2 pitt coor aaa +0 007 007 = ‘This same strainer, using only = cor S03 Hake perforated metal str, mens ‘oss would fave rato more. tan ca oss ous Twice at great Sole may be seen is ‘ous “soar teat in Soy gen strainer body, sont “ous the mato ay be waded by tng te oat 2008 warious.periorstions or. meshes jxme having diferent open areas. Thus, te ‘eat som it i exential to specty ot only namo ee the ratio desired, but the perfor z= fem oom tion sie. 2 Seas “be Tt should be noted that am au- x20 ea tomatie sifceaning strainer wil ara ‘persis quite well wiih a smaller = out 201s ido, ais automate cleaning ms m7 bo pte can keep 100% flow sree re cos | 2010 ‘pen atall dines, fxm “ola "128 x 600 “Hes 2200 ves 100 200 sate ox at0 2a x00 msxn00 420 x 2600Notes Chapter 7 Pressure Loss Because strainers are made with various dimensions and configurations, most reputable manufacturers have tested and published pressure drop results ‘Most pump installations de~ signed for reasonable velocities will permit approximately a I-psi drop across the strainer, When a sereen becomes 50% clogged, the pressure drop will usually double. While some manufacturers specu late as to the change in head loss at differeat percentages of blin- ding, it should be recognized that this type of testing is very difficult to relate to actual in the line per- formance. This is because of differences in sereen blinding characteristics and solids characteristics — a 1/4" perforated basket two-thirds fall of 1/2” stones will probably be less affected than a small amount of fine leaves on a 100-mesh basket. If large amouats of solids are expected, use a strainer with a high open area ratio (screen open at ca/pipeline internal area). slogged, the pressure drop across the screen increases very rapidly. Most standard screens can ‘vith stand a 30psig differential (al- though some manufacturers de- sign for higher differentials), From the foregoing, it will be obvious that periodic ‘cleaning is essential in any strainer installa- fion. Once the rate of clogging is established, cleaning schedule can be set up. Pressure gauges on each side of the strain- ercanbevaluabletodetermine when a screen requires cleaning. Pres- sure differential switches Gan be set up to operate warning Lights or alarms if so desired. Some manufacturers have related their strainers’ pressure Grop to equivalent feet of pipe at various flow rates, and this can simplify the computation of head Joss for an entire system. In addi- tion, when operating with vis. ous fiuids, a reasonably accurate pressure Grop for the strainer can _ bbe estimated by multiplying its “equivalent feet" by the loss per~— foot of the viscous fuid, This in- formation is readily "available ‘Arssseentecomer 0% or80% trom hycnulc handbooks Chapter 8 ‘Specifications and Manufacturer 6, Temperature rating (design/ ‘Testing operas) Needless to say, the more in- formation provided to the manu- fncturer when ordering strainers, the better the chance of obtaining a strainer which is perfectly suited for a particular job. It is for this reason that considerable space is devoted to the prepara- ton of specifications. Specification To allow the manufacturer 10 make selection or recommenda- tions for @ particular strainer, as much as possible of the following information should be provided: A— Physical characteristics, 1. Pipe size. 2. Type required, 3. End connections. 4, Material (body, screen, souds, gaskets). ‘5. Pressure rating (design/op- crating — including shock). a () Volume. (hinged cover, vent tapping, jack- ole oo ——— = ——— strainers, specify the following: (3) Voltage and brace bas are a enclosure required. == a leer et eesogee ¢ teagan ) £ —Concentration (if acid Seater oa) 2 Gax OT pate ot tow — sae seein pee sate (scfm) b — Specific gravity. ¢ — Temperature. 3 — Steam: ‘a — Flow-pounds per hour. b— Temperature. ¢ — Pressure. C — Solids to be removed: Expressed in parts per mil- ion (ppm) or per cent by volume of cubic inches per hour or per cent by weight. Specify also the nature and relative size of the sed ment. Nore: If strainer isto be steam jacketed, the following informa tion for the heat transfer fluid or steam must be given: a— Type of uid. b— Rate of flow. © — Temperature. 4 — Pressure. e— Type and size con nections desired. f—Material for jacket construction. g—Whether strainer end flanges are oversized 10 match jacketed pipe. D — Allowable pressure drop (psi 1 — Clean. 2.— 50% clogged. Manufacturer Testing A — Hydrostatic: Most common test — usu- aly 1 1/2 times working pressure to determine that a strainer body, cover gas kets, ete. are sound. 'B — Radiographic examination: To determine if the casting or welded joint as any slag cor sand inclusions, gas pock ets or subsurface defects. This type of test is quite expensive and usually only specified for high pressure strainers. (C— Megnafiux: ‘A reasonably low cost ex- ‘amination to reveal subsur- face cracks, gas pockets, ete. Tron dust is sprinkled fon the surface of the cast- jing and a magnetic force is induced electrically, causing the dust to align over de- fects and cracks showing their location and size. Can bbe used only on iron and eel. D — Dye penetrant: ‘Used mainly with noomag- etc castings fo reveal abv ous surface dafects, cracks, depressions, ee E—Airtest ‘Bither under water or with part covered with soap 20- fon. ‘This “is a more seringent test than y= Grorttc, and. leaks often fe. mote obvious. Some- ae st doe, ue involve. F— Hrdeoaatis urs test Sometimes done 1 establish smaximum working presure rating, or at the toquest of purchaser. G — Shock: Usually a goverament re Gqirement where strainers Veil remain operative or i {act in the Crent of @ near Proximity explosion. Test onal conducted on 8 fmachine where "weighted hammer stnkes plate oa hich strainer is mounted H— Vibra Normally goverement re- quirement where stainers thas witistand a vibration test which involves. nom- ter of frequencies. ‘This Ssualy simulates shipboard vibration. 1 — Surge test ‘Av erainer is pressurized with water and’ a quick ‘opening vaive.on the cult flange is rapidly opened to determine that 10, damage is sustained by the basket Normally, a miltary. te. quirement. Hotiom leak test: ‘A very azingent test whore the suainer i pressurized vwith helium and leaks are Checked ith. sensitive in- Nore: Many “tests by their very nature can be more or less stringent. Acceptance standards should be included i any inquiry calling for such tests, Naturally, the more stringent the test re ‘quirements, the more costly the ultimate strainer becomes. NotesChapter 9 ‘Shock — Hydrautie and Thermal ‘Any liquid being transmitted in a pipeline possesses a certain ‘amount of energy (weight times velocity). A rapid change in velo city results in a momentary shock wave. in the case of a quick closing valve, the energy of the flowing uid must be used up in some way, and the resulting shock, or “water hammer,” is clearly audible. A pressure wave, in some cases, travels at over 3, (000 feet per second and traverses the pipeline in one direction, thea the other, until it dissipates. A theoretical figure of $4 psi for each foot per second that is stopped by the valve may be lused. A 12 foot per second velo- city, therefore, could produce a shock wave having a peak of 648 psi, A 1251b strainer rated for 175 psi WOG would certainly be 1 poor choice for a system of this ‘No attempt will be made here to go into the highly technical field of hydraulic shock, and it is ‘covered briefly to point out that even if your system can only produce a specific head, if the possiblity of shock is present, tremendous overpresures “may We are all familiar with the phenomenon of pouring hot tea into a glass and watching the glass crack. This is an example of thermal shock. Rapid changes of temperature in piping systems can have the same effect, and ia select- ing strainers consideration must be given to this possibility in improperly trapped steam lines, condensate can collect in low points and subsequently be- come a slug of water traveling at high velocity down the line. Al- ‘most all strainers cause a change in direction of flow due to their configuration, and the result can bbe obvious if the strainer cannot absorb this type of shock, In con- sidering this situation, it is impor tant to remember that steam ve- locities of 4,000 to 20,000 feet per minute are quite common, Chapter 10 ‘Conclusion Strainers are no longer confined 10 a simple cast body with a wire mesh screen, but fre- quently are a technical, highly refined, carefully designed piece of equipment. Sometimes they operate at 1,- 00°F and 10,000 psig or at cryo~ genie temperatures. They are modified with steam jackets, cov- er lifting davits, magnets, motor- ized cleaning devices and automa- tic vent valves. They are supplied with screwed, flanged, socket weld, butt weld, ring joint and silver brazing end connections. With a litle thought and con- sideration, however, you may se lect or use a strainer which is intended for the specific job, pro- tecting your equipment at a mod- est expense. Compiments of MUELLER STEAM SPECIALTY 0. Box 1560/901 Caroina ve TacorO7a8-261 (imberton, 0. 28388 “Woe 100591