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Introduction
Butt welded equal pipe tees are fundamental fittings that create a three-way branch connection in piping systems, where the run and branch have the same nominal diameter. In wholesale quantities, these tees serve industries ranging from oil and gas to water treatment, HVAC, chemical processing, and beyond. Hebei Longrun Pipeline Group Company is an established supplier of butt welded equal pipe tees in China, offering a comprehensive range of sizes, materials, and schedules at competitive wholesale pricing. This article provides an in-depth overview of equal pipe tees, their manufacturing processes, applications, dimensions, and advantages of purchasing in bulk.
Function and Design Basics
An equal tee features a T-shaped profile with two run ends aligned along the main pipeline axis and a branch at 90° to the run, all with identical nominal pipe diameters (NPS/DN). The primary benefits of equal tees include:
Uniform Flow Distribution: Splitting flow equally into two branches or merging two flows into a single run without diameter change ensures balanced fluid distribution.
Simplified Fabrication: Using equal diameters reduces complexity in piping layouts, as matching weld preparations and support requirements are consistent across all three ends.
Ease of Maintenance: Standardized dimensions allow for interchangeable spools or replacement components without requiring special spools or adaptors.
Material Grades and Standards
Hebei Longrun offers butt welded equal pipe tees fabricated from various materials to suit specific service requirements:
Carbon Steel (ASTM A234 WPB / GB/T 12459)
Standard material choice for water, oil, and steam services. Temperature range from –45 °C to 400 °C.
Low-Alloy Steel (ASTM A234 WP11, WP22 / GB/T 8163)
Designed for higher-temperature processes (up to 450 °C), such as superheated steam lines in power plants.
Stainless Steel (ASTM A403 WP304/304L/316/316L / GB/T 8163)
Used for corrosive, sanitary, or food-grade applications with temperature range from cryogenic (–196 °C) to 800 °C.
Duplex and Super Duplex (ASTM A815)
High-strength, corrosion-resistant alloys for chloride-bearing or offshore environments.
High-Nickel Alloys (Inconel, Monel, Hastelloy)
Specialty materials for extremely corrosive or high-temperature (≥800 °C) applications.
Dimensional Range and Configurations
Nominal Diameter (NPS / DN):
Hebei Longrun stocks equal tees in diameters from NPS ½″ (DN15) up to NPS 48″ (DN1200). Custom sizes beyond this range can be produced upon request.
Wall Thickness / Schedule:
Available in Sch 10S, Sch 40S, Sch 80S, Sch 160, and Sch XXS. The schedule selection depends on design pressures and temperature requirements.
Center-to-End and Overall Length:
Face-to-face (FTF) dimensions are manufactured per ASME B16.9. For example:
NPS 2″, Sch 40: FTF = 100 mm (run-to-run), branch-to-run centerline = 50 mm.
NPS 12″, Sch 80: FTF = 312 mm (run-to-run), branch-to-run centerline = 156 mm.
Custom face-to-face or centerline offsets can be produced to match existing piping layouts.
Manufacturing Process
Raw Material Inspection
Plate or pipe blanks (depending on diameter and wall thickness) are sourced with mill test certificates verifying chemical composition and mechanical properties.
Forming and Welding Methods
Forged Tees (Small Diameters, DN15–DN50): Manufactured by forming a T-shaped blank in a forging press, followed by machining of the boss. This yields seamless tee bodies with uniform grain structure.
Miter-Welded Tees (DN65 and Above, Larger Wall Thicknesses):
Cutting: Pipe sections are cut at 45° angles (mitered) to create the run and branch pieces.
Fit-Up: Pieces are aligned in a fixture to ensure precise angles and uniform root gaps (usually 1–2 mm).
Welding: Multi-pass SAW (Submerged Arc Welding) or SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) is performed, with preheat and interpass temperature controls as required by material grade.
Laser or Plasma Welding: For certain stainless steel tees requiring minimal heat input and reduced distortion.
Heat Treatment
Normalizing or Quench & Temper: Carbon steel (WPB) may be normalized to refine grain structure. Low-alloy grades (WP11, WP22) undergo quench and temper cycles to achieve specified mechanical properties.
Solution Annealing + Quenching: Stainless steel tees (304, 316) are solution-annealed at ~1,050 °C, reducing sensitization and restoring corrosion resistance. Duplex grades receive solution treatment at ~1,050 °C, followed by rapid quenching to maintain desired microstructure.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
Ultrasonic Testing (UT): 100% of weld joints scanned to detect lamination or inclusions.
Radiographic Testing (RT): Spot radiography on critical joints (e.g., weld between run and branch boss) to ensure weld integrity.
Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI): Surface crack detection for carbon and low-alloy steel tees.
Dye Penetrant Inspection (DPI): Surface flaw detection on stainless steel welds.
Dimensional and Visual Inspection
Measurements for face-to-face, centerline offsets, wall thickness, and branch-to-run angles are verified within ±1% tolerance.
Visual inspection confirms no cracks, undercuts, blowholes, or unacceptable weld bead profiles.
Surface Treatment
Carbon Steel Tees: Shot blasted to Sa2.5 level of cleanliness. A primer (zinc epoxy) or a two-coat paint system (primer + finish) can be applied per client requirements.
Stainless Steel Tees: Pickled and passivated to remove iron contamination and restore corrosion resistance.
Marking and Packaging
Each tee is tagged with heat number, material grade, size (NPS/DN), schedule, manufacturing standard, and the Hebei Longrun Pipeline Group Company name.
For wholesale orders, tees are packed in crates or stacked on pallets with protective steel or wooden supports to prevent deformation during transit.
Wholesale Advantages
Volume Discounts
Purchasing in wholesale quantities (e.g., ≥500 pieces per size) allows customers to benefit from tiered pricing, with discounts of up to 20% compared to single-piece retail pricing.
Reduced Lead Times
Large production runs optimize furnace schedules, welding lines, and finishing processes, shortening manufacturing cycles.
Standard sizes are often available from finished goods inventory for immediate shipment.
Consistent Quality
Batch production ensures consistent application of welding parameters, heat treatment cycles, and NDT procedures, delivering uniform quality across the entire order.
Simplified Procurement
One-stop ordering for multiple sizes and schedules reduces administrative overhead, streamlines customs clearance, and lowers logistics costs when shipping multiple components.
Logistics Efficiency
Palletized or containerized shipments of bulk tees reduce per-unit freight costs.Hebei Longrun’s partnerships with major shipping lines and freight forwarders enable competitive FOB and CIF rates.
Conclusion
Purchasing butt welded equal pipe tees on a wholesale basis offers significant advantages in cost savings, consistent quality, and streamlined logistics. Hebei Longrun Pipeline Group Company combines extensive manufacturing capabilities, stringent quality control, and competitive pricing to serve industries ranging from oil and gas to water treatment and HVAC. By leveraging bulk purchasing and specifying standards-aligned materials and dimensions, clients can optimize project budgets while ensuring long-lasting, reliable piping installations. For assistance with sizing, material selection, or custom configurations, Hebei Longrun’s engineering and sales teams remain ready to support your project requirements.
