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Steel pipe elbow plays a key role in the pipe fittings, which frequently used in different application and available in various shapes and sizes. It connects two pipes with same or different nominal diameters, and to make the pipe turn to a certain direction of 45 degree, 90 degree or 180 degree.

Butt Weld 90 Degree Elbow

It is very common degree in the elbow fittings, and commonly used to change the fluid direction by 90 degree. There are two types that long radius and short radius.

Long Radius 90 Degree Elbow

We usually see them in the description of elbow as LR or 1.5D. That means LR = 1.5D and D is outside diameter.

Short Radius 90 Degree Elbow

They are named as SR or 1D in the description of elbow which mentioned above. So the bending radius is same as the outside diameter.

Butt Weld 45 Degree Elbow

45 degree elbow are most same as 90 degree elbow which mentioned as above. Except the angle, there is another difference of bending radius. 45 degree elbow just has long radius type.

180 Degree Steel Pipe Elbow

We also call 180 Degree elbow as return elbow. It helps change direction at 180 degrees. Its application is limited to minimal deposition and low turbulence system.

How to Process the Carbon Steel Pipe Elbow?

We usually process the pipe elbow by hot forming which have two methods. One is hot pushing pipe elbow and the other is hot heating bending elbow. Here is the manufacturing process as following.

According to the processing technology, it is divided into three categories, butt welded pipe elbow (weld and seamless two types), socket welding elbow and threaded pipe elbow. 

Butt Weld Pipe Elbow

BW elbow is a formed by hot forming. It connect the steel pipe or other pipe fittings by butt welding process. According to the technical process, there are two types that seamless and welded elbow.

Supply Range
Size: NPS 1/2 to 48 / DN15 to 1200
Thickness: Sch 10S, 20, 40, STD, XS, 80, 160 and XXS.

90 Degree & 45 Degree Elbow Dimensions

Nominal Size		Outside Diameter at Bevel	Center to End
			90°  Elbows		45°  Elbows
DN	NPS	OD	A		B
			LR	SR	LR
15	1/2	21.3	38		16
20	3/4	26.7	38		19
25	1	33.4	38	25	22
32	1 1/4	42.2	48	32	25
40	1 1/2	48.3	57	38	29
50	2	60.3	76	51	35
65	2 1/2	73.0	95	64	44
80	3	88.9	114	76	51
90	3 1/2	101.6	133	4、89	57
100	4	114.3	152	102	64
125	5	141.3	190	127	79
150	6	168.3	229	152	95
200	8	219.1	305	203	127
250	10	273.0	381	254	159
300	12	323.8	457	305	190
350	14	355.6	533	356	222
400	16	406.4	610	406	254
450	18	457.0	686	457	286
500	20	508.0	762	508	318
550	22	559.0	838	559	343
600	24	610.0	914	610	381
650	26	660.0	991	660	406
700	28	711.0	1067	711	438
750	30	762.0	1143	762	470
800	32	813.0	1219	813	502
850	34	864.0	1295	864	533
900	36	914.0	1372	914	565
950	38	965.0	1448	965	600
1000	40	1016.0	1524	1016	632
1050	42	1067.0	1600	1067	660
1100	44	1118.0	1676	1118	695
1150	46	1168.0	1753	1168	727
1200	48	1219.0	1829	1219	759

Weight Chart of 90 Degree Long Radius Elbow

90°LR ELBOW WEIGHT
DN	NPS	10S	20	STD	40	XS	80	160	XXS
15	1/2	0.06		0.08	0.08	0.1	0.1
20	3/4	0.08		0.11	0.11	0.13	0.13
25	1	0.13		0.15	0.15	0.21	0.21	0.25	0.26
32	11/4	0.21		0.25	0.25	0.36	0.36	0.42	0.64
40	11/2	0.3		0.39	0.39	0.52	0.52	0.65	0.93
50	2	0.47		0.66	0.66	0.96	0.96	1.33	1.61
65	21/2	0.79		1.37	1.37	1.8	1.8	2.33	3.43
80	3	1.16		2.19	2.19	2.87	2.87	3.83	5.25
90	31/2	1.55		2.96	2.96	4.06	4.06
100	4	2.02		4.13	4.13	5.6	5.6	8.03	10.2
125	5	3.46		6.89	6.89	9.62	9.62	14.7	17.6
150	6	4.98		10.7	10.7	16.5	16.5	24.2	23.1
200	8	9.57	16.5	21.6	21.6	31.6	31.6	53.3	51.7
250	10	16.7	25.8	37	37	49.9	60.7	103	92.8
300	12	25.9	36.1	56	61	71.6	97.4	171	134
350	14	34.7	60.2	71.4	85.1	92	139	236
400	16	45.4	78	93.6	121	121	200	350
450	18	56.2	87.7	119	176	153	287	440	495
500	20	82.2	147	147	232	190	396	676
550	22	99.6	178	178		230	515	886
600	24	136	212	212	377	275	635	1160

Socket Weld Steel Pipe Elbow

Take a pipe insert into a recessed area of elbow, and then welding, that is called socket weld elbow. In contrast to buttweld elbow, Socket Weld elbow are mainly used for small pipe diameters (Small Bore Piping) whose nominal diameter is NPS 4 or smaller. There are two angles that socket weld 90 degree elbow and socket weld 45 degree elbow.

Supply Range
Size: NPS 1/8 to 4 / DN 6 to 100
Pressure: 3000LB, 6000LB, 9000LB.

Dimensions & Weight of Socket Weld Elbow

Nominal Diameter		Depth of Socket	Dimension of Socket	Wall Thickness Cmin			Center to Bottom of Socket A			Weight inkg
DN	NPS	Jmin		3000	6000	9000	3000	6000	9000	3000	6000	9000
6	1/8	10	10.7	3.2	3.5		11	11		0.09	0.15
8	1/4	10	14.1	3.3	4		11	15		0.09	0.15
10	3/8	10	17.5	3.5	4.4		13	15		0.12	0.32
15	1/2	10	21.8	4.1	5.2	82	16	19	25	0.26	0.40	0.85
20	3/4	13	27.4	4.3	6.1	8.6	19	22	28	0.35	0.65	1.48
25	1	13	34.2	5	7	10	22	27	32	0.49	1.25	2.20
32	11/4	13	42.9	5.3	7	10.6	27	32	35	0.85	1.40	2.90
40	11/2	13	48.3	5.6	7.8	11.2	32	38	38	1.05	2.45	3.80
50	2	16	61.1	6.1	9.5	12.2	38	41	41	1.75	2.76	6.35
65	21/2	16	76.9	7.7	12.5		41	57		3.80	4.80
80	3	16	89.8	8.3	13.8		57	64		5.20	8.85
100	4	19	115.5	9.4			66			7.00

Threaded Steel Pipe Elbow

Both socket weld fittings and threaded pipe fittings are belong to forged steel fittings. It connect the steel pipes or fittings by screw, the common thread type is NPT, BSPP and BSPT. They also have types that threaded 90 degree elbow and threaded 45 degree elbow.

Supply Range
Size: NPS 1/8 to 4 / DN 6 to 100
Pressure: 2000LB, 3000LB, 6000LB

Dimensions & Weight of Threaded Elbow

Nominal Diameter		Center to End						Outside Diameter			Wall Thickness			Length of Thread		Weight in kg
		A						D			C min
		90 Elbow			45 Elbow
DN	NPS	2000	3000	6000	2000	3000	6000	2000	3000	6000	2000	3000	6000	NPT	RC	2000	3000	6000
6	1/8	21	21	25	17	17	19	22	22	25	3	3	6.5	6.5	6.5	0.08	0.10	0.18
8	1/4	21	25	29	17	19	22	22	25	33	3	3.5	6.5	8	10	0.08	0.15	0.30
10	3/8	25	29	33	19	22	25	25	33	38	3	3.5	7	9	10.5	0.13	0.30	0.45
15	1/2	29	33	38	22	25	29	33	38	46	3	4	8	11	13.5	0.22	0.45	0.72
20	3/4	33	38	44	25	29	33	38	46	56	3	4.5	8.5	12.5	14	0.32	0.70	1.20
25	1	38	44	51	29	33	35	46	56	62	35	5	10	14.5	17.5	0.50	1.21	1.65
32	11/4	44	51	60	33	35	43	56	62	75	4	5.5	10.5	17	18	0.80	1.47	2.70
40	11/2	51	60	64	35	43	44	62	75	84	4	5.5	11	18	18.5	0.93	2.60	3.30
50	2	60	64	83	43	45	52	75	84	102	4.5	7	12	19	19	1.60	3.05	6.05
65	21/2	76	83	95	52	52	64	92	102	121	5.5	7.5	15.5	23.5	29	2.95	5.80	9.88
80	3	86	96	106	64	64	79	110	121	146	6	9	16.5	26	30.5	5.60	8.85	16.4
100	4	106	114	114	79	79	79	146	152	152	6.5	11	18.5	27.5	33	10.5	13.5	23.5

Material & Grades for Steel Pipe Elbows

Carbon Steel Elbow Fitting

ASTM A105, A350 LF2, LF3, A694 F52, F60, F65, F70
ASTM A234 WPB, A860 WPHY42, 52, 60, 65, 70, A420 WPL 3 / 6 / 9

Stainless Steel Elbow Fitting

ASTM A403 WP304/304L/304H, WP316/316L, WP310, WP317, WP321, WP347
ASTM A182 F304/304L/304H, F316/316L, F310, F317, F321, F309, F347, F904L

Alloy Steel Elbow Fitting

ASTM A182 F1, F5, F9, F11, F12, F22, F91
ASTM A234 WP1, WP5, WP9, WP11, WP12, WP22, WP91

Duplex Steel Pipe Fittings

ASTM A182 F51, F53, F55, F56,F57, A815 UNS S 31803, 32205, 32550, 32750, 32760

Steel Pipe Bend vs Elbow

Elbow is a standard pipe fitting but pipe bends are custom fabricated. Bend pipe fittings have a larger radius then elbows. Generally the most basic difference is the radius of curvature.

24 7 月, 2025