Copper pipe fittings are a valuable resource and can be used with copper and other pipes for various purposes. They are highly versatile and are uniquely suited to dealing with the transfer of liquids, air, steam, and even solids. They are used in piping systems across various industries, including chemical, petrochemical, marine and dredging, food and beverage, sanitation, process instrumentation, and construction.
Copper pipe fittings are available in numerous shapes, sizes, and styles. They are extremely resistant to corrosion and there is no risk of contaminating the water supply. The global copper pipes and tubes market was valued at US$32.1Bn in 2021.
Joining Copper pipes
Copper pipes are most commonly joined using soldering or brazing. Alternative methods include the use of flare connections or compression connections. Copper pipe connectors are also an increasingly popular choice.
What are they made from?
Copper pipe fittings are usually made from either soft or rigid copper.
Soft copper is malleable and can be easily bent if it needs to avoid obstacles that are in the path of the tubing or piping. Soft copper is suitable for flare connections, and is often the preferred choice for refrigerant lines found within heat pumps or air conditioners.
Rigid Copper is a popular choice for water pipelines in particular. These pipes cannot be bent due to their rigidity, so elbow fittings or similar are usually used in order to navigate corners or go around obstacles.
If you are looking for copper pipe fittings such as elbows or copper pipe connectors, you may decide to review online resources from expert firms such as the examples seen here watkinspowis.co.uk/products/copper-pipe-fittings-and-press-systems prior to making a purchase.
Copper pipe fitting categories
Copper pipe fittings are usually divided into three categories:
The first category includes pipe fittings that are used to make bends or turns in the piping in changing its direction. The most common one here is the ‘elbow’. The elbow is used to change the direction of flow and can connect two pipes of the same or different diameters. The most common elbows are 45, 90, and 180 degrees, although some specialists offer 60 or 120 degree elbows.
The second category covers pipe fittings that connect/branch two or more pipes. This includes reducers, connectors, and bushings.
The third category covers fittings that extend or terminate piping runs and includes couplings, slip couplings, pipe adapters, caps and plugs.