Long Sweep fittings

[Ben A]

Does anyone know the origin of Long Sweep fittings? I've asked around my company and no one seems to know where they originate from.

Long Radius, Short Radius, 3D etc. are all defined somewhere or other (B16.9, MSS-SP75 etc) in terms of dimensions and bend radius and what not. There seems to be a similar 'standard' for Long Sweep fittings, in that every stockist/manufacturer seems to quote the same size and radius info, but I've no idea where it comes from.

Can anyone help, or is it just one of those things that someone worked out many moons ago and everyone stuck with it?

 

[LittleInch]

Api 6a.

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Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Ben A]

I've had a look through API 6A but can't see anything in there that details sizes/bend radii etc for fittings

 

[LittleInch]

Apologies, I said 6A based on what various websites were saying but didn't have my copy of 6A available.

TBH I had to go look up what these long sweep things were, but seem to be wellhead mud manifold API 6A rating and sizes from what I could see.

It may just be lost in time as I can't see or find a reference.

Drilling being drilling it may just be everyone just knows what a "long sweep" fitting is....


Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Ben A]

That's the consensus here, too. Would love to know the origin though as it's bugging me!

 

[Ben A]

To add:
I think you're probably on the right tracks with 6A, our customers don't always tell us what the fittings are for, but generally long sweep fittings have quite a bit of meat on the bone to cope with erosion and what not. We also do double-backed fittings for similar situations.

 

[pennpiper]

Long Sweep Fittings????
In my past, I never saw that term. I worked on a number of Projects over the years where "Long Radius Elbows" were required.
The "pipe" was sometimes Aluminum and some time Stainless Steel
The Bends Or Elbows were 3-diameter radius to 10-Diameter radius depending on the product.
The medium (product) was Dry and either "Powder" or very small "Pellets"
The manner of motivation was high pressure/velocity air (Pneumatic)



Sometimes its possible to do all the right things and still get bad results

 

[LittleInch]

I'm glad it wasn't just me - it looks like these are high pressure mud systems on oil wellhead equipment.

They are around 3-4 D but are strangely sized

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Ben A]

There doesn't seem to be any specific relationship between OD and bend radius, but everyone seems to use the same sizes. One firm that trades them lists the various dimensions on their wesbite, but we manufacture them for various people all pretty much to the same spec. It's very strange in an industry where just about every last detail is nailed down in a standard somewhere. I'll maybe do some more digging in manifold specifications and see if I can turn anything up.

https://metalisenergy.com/wellhead-drilling/long-sweep-manifold-fittings