Lateral Tee

A tee is a pipe fitting that is shaped like a T. These items have 3 female openings which combine or divide the flow of gases or fluids within the system. They are designed to combine pipes of various diameters and shapes in the run. The items in this range are available with equal and unequal openings. They are also available in special diverters, crosses, and lateral and other configurations, which enables them to have a designated supply function and specific flow characteristics.

What is lateral tee?

A lateral tee is a fitting, which has a branch outlet opening at a 45 degrees angle. The item is similar to a pipe tee but, its branch direction is different. The lateral component possesses a pipe direction, which is along 90 degrees to the run of the pipe. These components are available either as an equal or reducing module. While welding this item, it is important to note down the direction of flow. As the main run pipe is at 45 degrees, and the branch pipe is at 135 degrees. This is why the item is made using two separate pieces of pipe, which are welded together.

How does a lateral differ from a true Wye?

Both these modules have the ability to divide a flowing pipe into two branches each, in a 45 degrees direction. This infers that both of them are identical. So why are they named differently, and why do engineers utilize one of these specific designs while designing a pipeline.

Analyzing the shape of these components it is notable that a lateral tee divides the two branch pipes. One of them is in the same direction as the flowing pipe, while the other is at an angle of 45 degrees. The Wye has both the branch pipes at 45 degrees. The angle between the branch pipes makes it symmetrical to the centreline, which means that they are at 222.5 degrees to the inflow direction. This is why applications requiring vertical inflow characteristics use Wye for better support, while for horizontal inflow, the lateral cross-section is preferred.

What is the purpose of the lateral tee fitting?

The modules in this range have three opening ends, which allow them to influence the characteristics of the flow of fluids or gases. They can easily divert or combine the flow to certain regions of the system. It is widely used in systems when the flow is horizontal to the inflow pipe direction. This gives the system proper support and provides stability in the pipeline. These components are highly versatile and durable. They are widely used in chemical processing, refineries, petrochemicals, fertilizer industry, power plants, nuclear power generation, oil and gas, breweries, paper mills, etc.

Extruded vs fabricated lateral tee

In an extruded system, the components are produced by the hot rolling procedures. The process doesn’t require welding or branching connection to the pipe. They have a simplified design with less weight on the line. The items have higher load carrying capacity and require less material for their overall process. Apart from this, they don’t require special inspection protocols.

In the fabrication system, the components are produced by welding the branches and the inflow pipe precisely. The weld quality and strength have to be checked to prevent any failures. It requires a lot of labour and components to fully produce the item. It has a lower external load rating and requires mandatory inspections.

Finishes and Coating on Lateral Tee

All piping items can be coated or finished with components to give them enhanced tolerances and protection against different elements. The items can also be readily quenched and tempered to give them additional strength and protection. They are normally coated with a three-layer polyethylene coating of thicknesses between 2mm to 4.5mm. The items can be also varnished with 1 or 2 layers of black paint or brushed with oil. Apart from this, the modules can be easily galvanized.

Specifications

Packaging