Sweepolet
Sweepolet
INSERT REINFORCEMENT
BUTT-WELD
Background
The piping industry has retained the theory of "area replacement" for adequate and acceptable branch pipe reinforcement. Area
replacement has been the only premise outlined by ASME piping codes for adequate reinforcment, standards have not considered
the shape of the reinforcement. Some shapes are more efficient than others, and as a result, more replacement area with a poor
shape may be less satisfactory than less area with an appropriate shape.
The basic methods of lap type reinforcement outlined in the piping codes are known to have serious drawbacks, namely, that
the geometry creats areas of high stress concentrations. They have an inherent crack at the inside edge of the fillet weld as well as
points of high stress where the pad joins the run pipe and where the nozzle intersects the pad or run.
These drawbacks are of increasing concern when high yield pipe is used and for other critical service applications such as nu-
clear. On softer materials such as A106 Gr. A or Gr. B pipe, the localized areas of high stress tend to be relieved by local yielding
and generally do not adversely affect the serviceability of the joint unless cyclic loading is involved or there is a propensity for
brittle fracture.
Design
The Sweepolet concept evolved from two premises, namely reinforcement must be sufficient to limit deformations and that an
efficient branch construction would result from controlling the geometry of the intersection on all planes.
A Sweepolet provides the required stiffening (reinforcement at the most critical point, the juncture of the branch and header)
with essentially no peak stresses. Owing to the aesthetic proportions of a Sweepolet, designers intuitlvely know that it is an effi-
cient branch outlet construction - and tests have proved it.
As a result of experimental stress analyses from brittle lacquer to sophisticated and accurate 3D photoelasticity, it has been
shown that the Sweepolet embodies quanitatively all desirable features in their optimum relationship.
Code Compliance
The ASME code committees anticipated the development of such fittings and approves their use.