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In this part of the Full Fire Fighting and Fire Protection series, we will learn about the Connection of Fire Fighting Pipes.
Connection of Fire Fighting Pipes
A pipe connection between two firefighting pipes is a single piece of equipment that connects two sets of firefighting pipes together. These connections allow water to flow freely back and forth between both pieces of equipment. These connections are commonly seen at the end of each individual fire hose reel on a fire truck. However, they are also utilized in many industrial applications, where these connections are often referred to as couplings. A coupling is any device that joins two objects together. In some cases, couplings connect two tubes together, while in others, couplings connect two pipes together. Most often, these connections are made out of metal, plastic or rubber materials.
Fire Fighting Steel pipes are connected by three types of connections :
* Threaded Connections
* Welded Connections and
* Grooved Coupling Connection (This is the most costliest connection)
Threaded Connection
Firefighting pipes are threaded together using a special wrench called a “fireman’s wrench”. If you don't have these tools at home, then you might have to use a drill. After installing it, make sure to tighten the nuts down tightly so that they won't loosen over time.
The threaded connection of firefighting pipes is a threaded fitting, designed specifically to connect two firehose sections together at right angles. These fittings have been developed over several decades to provide the highest level of performance. The design of these connections was originally intended to eliminate any chance of water leakage between the two pipe ends. Over time they have evolved to accommodate a variety of applications and are now used around the world in many different industries including aerospace, chemical processing, power generation, oil & gas, food, construction, and utilities.
What Is Threaded Connection Of Fire Protection Pipes?
This is a type of connection for fire protection pipes. These connections are placed between the nozzle and the discharge pipe to create a seal around the nozzle outlet. When water flows through the nozzle it meets resistance inside this seal. Thus preventing any leaks and ensuring continuous flow.
Welded Connections
The welding connection is a pipe fitting designed to connect two pieces of piping together at a 90 degree angle. A welded connection connects two pipes together to prevent leakage and to ensure a continuous flow of water.
welding connection of fire fighting pipes is a kind of pipe fittings mainly designed for fire fighting and water supply service. It is composed of copper alloy materials and aluminum alloy materials. As a special material of fire fighting pipes, its good thermal conductivity makes it widely used in many industries.
A welded connection is a type of jointing technique used to join two piping components together. A welding connection consists of three parts; the female section (also known as the union), the male connector, and the seal. A female section is a piece of pipe that connects to another piece of pipe via a male connector. The female section forms a complete circle around the male connector. When both sections are fully connected, they create a fluid-tight seal. You'll need to ensure that you have a good quality female section before you connect them together. Also, make sure that you leave enough space between the female and male connectors to allow for heat expansion. If you don't leave sufficient room, then the resulting connections may not be as strong as they could be.
The male connector is simply the connecting piece between the female section and the seal. The male connector is typically formed from copper. However, stainless steel and titanium are also commonly used. When you want to use a copper male connector, you need to drill out the hole in the female section. Then, you need to file down the edges of the hole until it's smooth. Next, you need to grind down the inside of the female section to make sure that it creates a clean fit with the male connector. Finally, you need to apply some sort of lubrication to the fitting to help reduce friction.
You need to ensure that you get a high-quality seal when using a welded connection. Typically, a welded connection seals well if the male connector is properly aligned and pressed tightly against the female section. There are several different types of seals available for welding connections. One of these includes a packing gland. Packing glands are typically made from rubber or silicone and help seal against leaks in the welded connection.
Welded connections work best when the male connector can move freely relative to the female section while making contact. It's critical that the male connector is held firmly in place while you're welding the connection. Otherwise, the male connector might slip off the female section due to the pressure being exerted on the components.
Grooved Coupling Connection
Grooved coupling connection of fire fighting pipes consist of two flanges, one male and one female, which are connected together using a groove. Such couplings have been widely used for connecting various kinds of piping, tubes, and conduits (see the image). A grooved coupling comprises a central bore having a tapered end portion terminating in a shoulder at its inner periphery. One flange has a radially outwardly extending annular step formed therein which abuts the shoulder. The second flange is provided with a complementary stepped recess which receives the shoulders upon assembly of the coupling. In conventional practice, each of the two mating surfaces forms a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, the planes being spaced apart slightly less than the diameter of the pipe.
The present invention relates to a grooved coupling connection of fire-fighting pipes comprising a central bore having a cross sectional shape including a pair of diametrically opposed and axially aligned grooves of equal length and width, each groove forming a radial wall of the central bore; wherein the groove wall defines a first surface facing towards a first direction and a second surface facing away from a second direction along at least a portion of the length of the bore; whereby the first and second surfaces define the first and second planes orthogonally disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of said bore; and wherein the grooves are arranged symmetrically about the centerline of the bore.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for installing a grooved coupling connection between two fire-fighting pipes using a self-aligning tool comprising the steps of: providing a first fire-fighting pipe having a first outer circumference and a first inner diameter, the first pipe having a first transverse dimension perpendicular to a longitudinal axis thereof, and further having a first circular opening; providing a second fire-fighting pipe having an outer circumference and a second inner diameter, the second pipe having a second transverse dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof, and a second circular opening; positioning the first pipe over the second pipe so that the first outer circumference engages the second inner diameter while maintaining the first inner diameter substantially concentric with the second inner diameter; removing the first pipe from engagement with the second fire-fighting pipe; engaging the first and second openings with a tool such that a first plane defined by the first transverse dimension of the first pipe is positioned at right angles to a second plane defined by the second transverse dimension of the second fire-fighting pipes.
Groove coupling connection was developed in 1970's by the Fire Protection Engineering Group at the University of Texas. It provides a robust attachment between two conduits, usually pipe fittings, commonly used in fire protection applications.
The grooves provide a seal around the joint where it meets the conduit, preventing water ingress and preventing leakage. It is designed to be installed using hand tools only. A tool-free installation method reduces labour cost and makes it easier to install.
In the case of Groove couplings, they are installed by simply pushing them together instead of twisting the ends of the two pieces. Groove couplings have a smaller diameter than compression fittings, making them lighter and less expensive to manufacture.
The design of grooved connections prevents the risk of over tightening, which would lead to crushing and possible damage or even failure of the fitting. It also ensures that the union does not loosen under pressure.
They are suitable for use in wet environments (i.e., sprinkler systems).
There are different types of grooved couplings based on the material of the conduit: steel, PVC, rubber, brass and fiberglass. Different materials have their own advantages and disadvantages. Steel couplings are considered to be the benchmark in terms of strength and durability, though it is heavier than many other materials.
PVC couplings tend to be much cheaper to make, and are often recommended for low temperature installations. Rubber couplings are widely used for high temperature applications since they do not melt or burn under extreme conditions. Brass couplings are commonly used for air conditioning systems. Fiberglass is used in some commercial buildings due to its long service life, however, it tends to be heavier than other materials.
Access all the previous parts of this full fire fighting series by clicking the links provided below:
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