Cast iron pipe
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Cast iron pipe is a historical pipe which found widespread use as a pressure pipe for transmission of water, gas and sewage, and as a water drainage pipe, during the 19th and 20th centuries. It comprises predominantly a gray cast iron tube and was frequently used uncoated, although later developments did result in various coatings and linings to reduce corrosion and improve hydraulics. Cast iron pipe was gradually superseded by ductile iron pipe, which is a direct development, with most existing manufacturing plants transitioning to the new material during the 1970s and 1980s. There is currently almost no new manufacture of cast iron pipe.
Contents
History
Early Use
The first use of cast iron pipe is not recorded. Cast iron tubes were first manufactured in the 14th century in Europe for cannon and it is presumed that similar tubes would have found use as water pipes at the same time, however, it was not until 1455 in Siegerland that the first officially recorded cast iron water pipe was produced for use in Dillenburg Castle (since destroyed).
The oldest extant water pipes date from the 17th century and were installed to distribute water throughout the gardens of the Chateau de Versailles. These amount to some 35 km of pipe, typically 1m lengths with flanged joints. The extreme age of these pipes make them of considerable historical value. Following extensive refurbishment in 2008 by Saint-Gobain PAM, 80% remain original.
Manufacture
Vertically Cast
The first cast iron pipe was produced in horizontal molds which resulted in an uneven distribution of metal around the pipe circumference. In 1845, the first pipe was cast vertically and by the turn of the century, all pipe was manufactured to this method.
Centrifugally Cast
Subsequent to its invention by Dimitri Sensaud deLavaud, a French-Brazilian, in 1918, much cast iron pipe manufacture shifted to the dramatically different technique of centrifugal casting. Modern ductile iron pipe production continues to use this method of casting.
Standardization
The first standardization of cast iron water pipes in Britain occurred in 1917 with the publishing of BS 78. This standard specified a dimensionless nominal size, which approximately corresponded with the internal diameter in inches of the pipe, and four pressure classes, Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D, each with a specified wall thickness and outer diameter. It is noted that the outer diameter is identical between classes with the exception of sizes 12 to 27, where Classes A and B share one diameter and Classes C and D have another, larger diameter.
| Nominal Size | Class | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A & B | A | B | C & D | C | D | |||||
| Outer Diameter [in (mm)] |
Wall Thickness [in (mm)] |
Internal Diameter [in (mm)] |
Wall Thickness [in (mm)] |
Internal Diameter [in (mm)] |
Outer Diameter [in (mm)] |
Wall Thickness [in (mm)] |
Internal Diameter [in (mm)] |
Wall Thickness [in (mm)] |
Internal Diameter [in (mm)] | |
| 3 | 3.76 (95.504) | 0.38 (9.652) | 3.00 (76.200) | 0.38 (9.652) | 3.00 (76.200) | 3.76 (95.504) | 0.38 (9.652) | 3.00 (76.200) | 0.40 (10.160) | 2.96 (75.184) |
| 4 | 4.80 (121.920) | 0.39 (9.906) | 4.02 (102.108) | 0.39 (9.906) | 4.02 (102.108) | 4.80 (121.920) | 0.40 (10.160) | 4.00 (101.600) | 0.46 (11.684) | 3.88 (98.552) |
| 5 | 5.90 (149.860) | 0.41 (10.414) | 5.08 (129.032) | 0.41 (10.414) | 5.08 (129.032) | 5.90 (149.860) | 0.45 (11.430) | 5.00 (127.000) | 0.52 (13.208) | 4.86 (123.444) |
| 6 | 6.98 (177.292) | 0.43 (10.922) | 6.12 (155.448) | 0.43 (10.922) | 6.12 (155.448) | 6.98 (177.292) | 0.49 (12.446) | 6.00 (152.400) | 0.57 (14.478) | 5.84 (148.336) |
| 7 | 8.06 (204.724) | 0.45 (11.430) | 7.16 (181.864) | 0.45 (11.430) | 7.16 (181.864) | 8.06 (204.724) | 0.53 (13.462) | 7.00 (177.800) | 0.61 (15.494) | 6.84 (173.736) |
| 8 | 9.14 (232.156) | 0.47 (11.938) | 8.20 (208.280) | 0.47 (11.938) | 8.20 (208.280) | 9.14 (232.156) | 0.57 (14.478) | 8.00 (203.200) | 0.65 (16.510) | 7.84 (199.136) |
| 9 | 10.20 (259.080) | 0.48 (12.192) | 9.22 (234.188) | 0.49 (12.446) | 9.22 (234.188) | 10.20 (259.080) | 0.60 (15.240) | 9.00 (228.600) | 0.69 (17.526) | 8.82 (224.028) |
| 10 | 11.26 (286.004) | 0.52 (13.208) | 10.22 (259.588) | 0.52 (13.208) | 10.22 (259.588) | 11.26 (286.004) | 0.63 (16.002) | 10.00 (254.000) | 0.73 (18.542) | 9.80 (248.920) |
| 12 | 13.14 (333.756) | 0.55 (13.970) | 12.04 (305.816) | 0.57 (14.478) | 12.00 (304.800) | 13.60 (345.440) | 0.69 (17.526) | 12.22 (310.388) | 0.80 (20.320) | 12.00 (304.800) |
| 14 | 15.22 (386.588) | 0.57 (14.478) | 14.08 (357.632) | 0.61 (15.494) | 14.00 (355.600) | 15.72 (399.288) | 0.75 (19.050) | 14.22 (361.188) | 0.86 (21.844) | 14.00 (355.600) |
| 15 | 16.26 (413.004) | 0.59 (14.986) | 15.08 (383.032) | 0.63 (16.002) | 15.00 (381.000) | 16.78 (426.212) | 0.77 (19.558) | 15.24 (387.096) | 0.89 (22.606) | 15.00 (381.000) |
| 16 | 17.30 (439.420) | 0.60 (15.240) | 16.10 (408.940) | 0.65 (16.510) | 16.00 (406.400) | 17.84 (453.136) | 0.80 (20.320) | 16.24 (412.496) | 0.92 (23.368) | 16.00 (406.400) |
| 18 | 19.38 (492.252) | 0.63 (16.002) | 18.12 (460.248) | 0.69 (17.526) | 18.00 (457.200) | 19.96 (506.984) | 0.85 (21.590) | 18.26 (463.804) | 0.98 (24.892) | 18.00 (457.200) |
| 20 | 21.46 (545.084) | 0.65 (16.510) | 20.16 (512.064) | 0.73 (18.542) | 20.00 (508.000) | 22.06 (560.324) | 0.89 (22.606) | 20.28 (515.112) | 1.03 (26.162) | 20.00 (508.000) |
| 21 | 22.50 (571.500) | 0.67 (17.018) | 21.16 (537.464) | 0.75 (19.050) | 21.00 (533.400) | 23.12 (587.248) | 0.92 (23.368) | 21.28 (540.512) | 1.03 (26.162) | 21.00 (533.400) |
| 24 | 25.60 (650.240) | 0.71 (18.034) | 24.18 (614.172) | 0.80 (20.320) | 24.00 (609.600) | 26.26 (667.004) | 0.98 (24.892) | 24.30 (617.220) | 1.13 (28.702) | 24.00 (609.600) |
| 27 | 28.70 (728.980) | 0.75 (19.050) | 27.20 (690.880) | 0.85 (21.590) | 27.00 (685.800) | 29.40 (746.760) | 1.04 (26.416) | 27.32 (693.928) | 1.20 (30.480) | 27.00 (685.800) |
| 30 | 32.52 (826.008) | 0.79 (20.066) | 30.94 (785.876) | 0.89 (22.606) | 30.74 (780.796) | 32.52 (826.008) | 1.09 (27.686) | 30.34 (770.636) | 1.26 (32.004) | 30.00 (762.000) |
| 33 | 35.66 (905.764) | 0.83 (21.082) | 34.00 (863.600) | 0.94 (23.876) | 33.78 (858.012) | 35.66 (905.764) | 1.15 (29.210) | 33.36 (847.344) | 1.33 (33.782) | 33.00 (838.200) |
| 36 | 38.76 (984.504) | 0.87 (22.098) | 37.02 (940.308) | 0.98 (24.892) | 36.80 (934.720) | 38.76 (984.504) | 1.20 (30.480) | 36.36 (923.544) | 1.38 (35.052) | 36.00 (914.400) |
| 40 | 42.92 (1,090.168) | 0.92 (23.368) | 41.08 (1,043.432) | 1.03 (26.162) | 40.86 (1,037.844) | 42.92 (1,090.168) | 1.26 (32.004) | 40.40 (1,026.160) | 1.46 (37.084) | 40.00 (1,016.000) |
| 42 | 45.00 (1,143.000) | 0.95 (24.130) | 43.10 (1,094.740) | 1.06 (26.924) | 42.88 (1,089.152) | 45.00 (1,143.000) | 1.30 (33.020) | 42.40 (1,076.960) | 1.50 (38.100) | 42.00 (1,066.800) |
| 45 | 48.10 (1,221.740) | 0.99 (25.146) | 46.12 (1,171.448) | 1.09 (27.686) | 45.92 (1,166.368) | 48.10 (1,221.740) | 1.35 (34.290) | 45.40 (1,153.160) | 1.55 (39.370) | 45.00 (1,143.000) |
| 48 | 51.20 (1,300.480) | 1.03 (26.162) | 49.14 (1,248.156) | 1.13 (28.702) | 48.94 (1,243.076) | 51.20 (1,300.480) | 1.38 (35.052) | 48.44 (1,230.376) | 1.68 (42.672) | 47.84 (1,215.136) |
BS 78 was finally superseded when the U.K. harmonised with incompatible European standards, however, the specified outer dimensions continue to remain in effect (albeit in metric form) as the standard pipe outer diameter for ductile iron pipe in Australia and New Zealand through the descendant specification, AS/NZS 2280.
External links
- Notes on Pipe -- Cast Iron Pipe
- Alloy Steel Pipe Manufacturer -- Alloy Steel Pipe
