Tee

Pipe Tee, Tee Fittings

A tee is also called a triplet, three way and "T" pieces, and it can be used to either combine or split a fluid flow. Most common are tees with the same inlet and outlet sizes, but 'reducing' tees are available as well. It means the one or two ends are different in dimension. Due to thisdimension differ, it makes the tee fittings with the capacity to control the volume when required.

A steel pipe tee has three branches that can change fluid direction. It has T-shaped or Y-shaped and includes Equal Tee and Reducing Tee (Reducer Tee). Steel tee is widely used in pipe networks for conveying liquids and gases.

Types of steel pipe tee：

According to branch diameters and functions, there are:

Equal Tee

Reducing Tee (Reducer Tee).

According to connection types are:

Butt Weld Tee

Socket Weld Tee

Threaded Tee.

According to material types, there are:

Carbon Steel Pipe Tee

Alloy Steel Tee

Steel Equal Tee

Equal tee: Three branches of the tee have the same diameters. Also named as Straight Tee.

Steel Equal Tee Description usually as below:

Eg: 6'' Tee ASME B16.9 BW Wrought

Standard ASTM A234 GR. WPB SMLS

Wall thickness Schedule STD

Steel Reducing Tee (Reducer Tee)

Reducing tee (Reducer Tee): The branch diameter is smaller than the main diameter. The reducing tee is usually described as NPS diameters in 4” x 4” x 3”,  where 4” is the main line pipe diameter, and 3” is the reducing branch.

Butt Weld Tee

Butt weld tee is widely used in petroleum, aerospace, pharmacy, chemical industry, metallurgy, electric power, military industry, engineering support, and other industrial pipelines.

Ends are plain or beveled, connected by the butt welding process. It can withstand higher pressure than other types. The size of a butt weld tee should be specified in pipe NPS (DN) and thickness in schedule, where the socket weld tee or thread tee thickness should be specified in the pressure level.

Butt weld tee is divided into seamless cold-drawn tee and seam welding tee in the production process.

Socket Weld Tee

Socket weld tee is a kind of high-pressure pipe connection fitting. Like the other fittings, it has a trapezoidal area where the pipe can be inserted into the tee branch and welded together. It is commonly used in small diameter systems.

Socket weld tee is described as NPS and Pressure ratings 3000#, 6000# and 9000#, same as threaded tee.

Threaded Tee

In the manufacturing process, a threaded pipe tee has a forging and casing process. Forging is formed by heating the forging with ingots or round bars, then turning on a lathe to process threads. Casting means that the ingot is melted and poured into the tee mold after it is cooled.

Based on the socket tee form, the branch end can be threaded male or female. So there are male tees and female tees, and if the tube has male NPT threads, then the tee shall have female NPT threads.

Pipe tees have three female openings in a T-shape.

There are straight pipe tees which have the same size openings.

Reducing pipe tees have one opening of different size and two openings of the same size.

There are sanitary pipe tees which are used in waste lines. These kinds of pipe tees have a curved branch which is designed for a clean-out plug. They are used to prevent obstruction of waste.

A compression pipe tee uses compression fittings on two or more ends.

A test pipe tee has a threaded opening. This opening is used in conjunction with a threaded plug for a clean-out opening on a drain pipe.