HVACR216 - Hydronics

Fittings and Pipe Support 1

Copper tubing

• Copper tubing was developed in the 1920s to provide an alternative to iron piping in a variety of uses.

2

Desirable features

• Good pressure and temperature rating for typical hydronic applications.

• Good resistance to corrosion from water based system fluids.

• Smooth inner walls that offer low flow resistance 3

Desirable features

• Lighter than steel or iron piping of equivalent size.

• Ability to be joined by the well-known technique of soft soldering 4

Copper pipe size

• Copper pipe is available in a wide range of sizes and wall thicknesses.

• The type of tubing used in

hydronic heating

is known as

water tube.

• In the United States, copper water tube is manufactured according to strict standards.

5

ASTM B88

• This standard is known as

ASTM

B88.

•

American Society for Testing and Materials

6

ASTM B88

• According to ASTMB88, the copper water pipe size refers to the nominal inside diameter of the pipe.

• The word “

nominal

” means that the measured

inside diameter

is

approximately

equal to the stated pipe size.

7

Copper tube sizing

• The outside diameter of copper water tubing is always 1/8 ” inch larger than the nominal inside diameter.

• For example, the outside diameter (O.D.) of ¾ ” inch type M copper tubing is .875 inches • This is exactly 7/8 ” inches, or 1/8 than the nominal pipe size.

” inch larger 8

Copper tubing wall thickness

• Copper water tube is available in three wall thicknesses designated as type K, L, and M in order of decreasing wall thicknesses.

• The

outside diameter identical

. of K, L and M tubing are • This allows all three types of tubing to be compatible with the same

fittings

and valves .

9

Copper tubing

• The three types of copper tubing are easily identified by color code printing along the tube.

• Type M copper tube = Red • Type L copper tube = Blue • Type K copper tube = Green 10

Copper M tubing

• Because operating pressures of residential and light commercial

hydronic heating

systems are relatively low, the thinnest wall copper tube (

type M

) is most often used.

• This wall thickness provides several times the pressure rating of other common hydronic system components.

11

Hard Drawn Tubing

• Two common hardness grades of copper water tube are available.

•

Hard drawn tubing

is supplied in straight, rigid lengths of 10 and 20 feet.

• Because of its straightness and strength,

hard drawn tubing

is the most commonly used type of copper tubing in hydronic systems .

12

Hard drawn copper Tubing

13

Soft Copper Tubing

• So-called

soft drawn tubing

is annealed during manufacturing to allow it to be formed with simple bending tools.

• It is useful in situations where awkward angles do not allow proper tubing alignment with standard fittings.

14

Annealing

• In the cases of copper this process is performed by substantially heating the material (generally until glowing) for a while and allowing it to cool.

15 • Unlike ferrous metals which must be cooled slowly to anneal, copper can be cooled slowly in air or quickly by quenching in water. • In this fashion the metal is softened and prepared for further work such as shaping, stamping, or forming.

Annealed copper tubing

16

Hard drawn copper tubing support

•

Horizontal

runs of copper hard drawn tubing must be supported at a maximum of every

12

’

.

•

Vertical

runs of copper hard drawn tubing must be supported at a maximum of every

10

’

.

•

Always refer to local code for proper spacing

17

Hard drawn copper tubing support

• These support spacings do not include any allowances for the extra weight of other system components such as circulators or expansion tanks. 18 • When such components are present, the piping should be supported immediately adjacent to the component.

Soft drawn copper tubing support

• Copper soft drawn tubing 1 ¼ horizontal run must be supported at a maximum of every 6 ’ .

” and smaller on a 19 • Copper soft drawn tubing 1 ½ ”” and larger on a horizontal run must be supported at a maximum of every 10 ’ .

• Vertical spacing for all sizes is 10 ’

Pipe support materials

• A number of different types and styles of supports are available for copper tubing.

20

Split rings Adjustable strap 2 hole pipe strap 21 J hook Clevis hanger Bell hanger

Two hole plastic strap Pipe insulator Copper strap Strut cushion clamp Vertical pipe support 22

Common pipe fittings

• Many of the pipe fittings used in hydronic systems are the same as used in conventional water supply systems.

23

Couplings: (standard and reducing)

24 Standard Reducer coupling

Elbows: 90 degree and 45 degree

25 90 degree 45 degree

Street elbows: (90 and 45 degrees)

26 Street 90 Street 45

Tees: (Standard and reducing)

Standard Reducing Tee 27

Threaded adapters: (Male and female)

28 Male adapter Female adapter

Unions

29

Ball valves

Sweat ball valve NPT ball valve 30

Gate valve

31

Boiler drain valve

32

Boiler Drain T

33

Baseboard Tee

34