Header Details

ASTM A312 TP 316L

MOC                   

6
NPD                          

                                                                                                                           
Sch 40S
Wall Thickness

Corrosion
Allowance 
MM 0

12.5
Mill Tolerence %

Seamless
Construction               

Branch Details

ASTM A312 TP 316L

MOC                   

4
NPD                          

Wall Thickness                                                                                                                            
 Sch 40S

Corrosion
Allowance 
MM 0

12.5
Mill Tolerence %

Seamless
Construction               

Common Details

Bar 1
Design Pressure                     

Deg. C 65
Design Temperature                 

90
Branch Angle <= 90

MM 0
Minimum R-Pad Thk* 

*Start with 0 to check if No-Reinforcement is OK. Then increase gradually to make available area slightly
more than required reinforcement area

MM 0
Available R-Pad Thk* 

*Enter Thickness of Plate/Pipe available to use as Reinforcement. Must be more than Minimum R-Pad
Thickness entered above.

Branch Reinforcement Check as per ASME B31.3

Summary
1. A1 : Required Reinforcement Area (Sq.mm) = 6.33
2. A2+A3+A4 : Area available for reinforcement (sq.mm) = 802.68
There is no requirement of Reinforcement

Header Input Values

1. Material of Construction = ASTM A312 Grade 316
2. NPD = 6
3. Pipe Thickness = S40
4. Corrosion Allowance = 0 mm
5. Mill Tolerence = 12.5%
Branch Input Values
1. Material of Construction = ASTM A312 Grade 316
2. NPD = 4
3. Pipe Thickness = S40
4. Corrosion Allowance = 0 mm
5. Mill Tolerence = 12.5%

Common Input
1. Design Temperature = 65 C
2. Design Pressure = 1 bar
3. Branch Angle = 90 Degree
4. Trial Thickness = 0 mm

Header Pressure Design Thickness

1. Pipe Outside Diameter (MM) = 168.3
2. Allowable Stress From Table A-1 (Ksi) = 20
3. Allowable Stress (Mpa)= 137.8
4. E : quality factor from Table A-1A or A-1B = 1
5. Y : coefficient from Table 304.1.1 = 0.4
6. W : weld joint strength reduction factor per para. 302.3.5(e) = 1
Design Thickness Calculated = 0.06

Branch Pressure Design Thickness

1. Pipe Outside Diameter (MM) = 114.3
2. Allowable Stress From Table A-1 (Ksi) = 16
3. Allowable Stress (Mpa)= 110.24
4. E : quality factor from Table A-1A or A-1B = 1
5. Y : coefficient from Table 304.1.1 = 0.4
6. W : weld joint strength reduction factor per para. 302.3.5(e) = 1
Design Thickness Calculated = 0.05

Intermediate Calculations
1. d1 : effective length removed from pipe at branch (mm) = 103.77
2. d2 : half width of re-inforcing zone (mm) = 103.77
3. L4 : height of reinforcement zone outside of run (mm) = 13.17
4. A2 : Area resulting from excess thickness in the run pipe wall (sq.mm) = 639.21
5. A3 : Area resulting from excess thickness in the branch pipe wall (sq.mm) = 137.37
6. A4 : Area resulting reinforcement and welds (sq.mm) = 26.1

Working
Specify minimum R-pad thickness. Start with 0 to check if reinforcement is required. If
available reinforcement area A2+A3+A4 is less than required reinforcement area, increase
size of minimum R-pad thickness gradually. Near exact size can be guessed by trial and
error method when available area becomes slightly more than required area.
Then specify actual available plate/pipe thickness just more than minimum required R-
pad thickness, to get width of Reinforcement Pad for the branch.
Theory

Components of Nominal Pipe Thickness

Nominal Pipe Thickness specified in Dimensional Standards such as ASME B36.10M
and ASME B36.19M includes following components :

1. Pressure design thickness of pipe as calculated for the given pipe material, design temperature
and pressure. (‘th‘ for header and ‘tb‘ for branch). Yellow highlighted in above sketch.
2. Corrosion allowance based on fluid and pipe material chemistry at particular temperature.
3. Mechanical allowance for threading, grooving etc. As in this case, we are welding pipes to
each other, no mechanical allowance is considered.
4. Negative Mill Tolerance. After subtracting mill tolerance from nominal pipe thickness, we
get minimum thickness per purchase specification. Green highlighted in above sketch.
5. Extra thickness as pipe thickness of exact required thickness is never available. Only standard
pipe sizes are available and we have to use next higher thickness pipe. (Blue highlighted in
above sketch). This extra thickness of pipe for both header and branch acts as added
reinforcement for branch connections.

Calculations
1. t : Based on header and branch pipe inputs, pressure design thickness of header and branch
pipes is calculated as per ASME B31.3 Section 304.1.1 For more details, see Pipe Thickness
Calculation as per ASME B31.3 (‘th‘ for header and ‘tb‘ for branch).
2. For explanation of all dimensions in Branch Reinforcement zone, see Figure 304.3.3 from
ASME B31.3.
3. d1 = effective length removed from pipe at branch. For branch intersections where the
branch opening is a projection of the branch pipe inside diameter (e.g., pipe-to-pipe fabricated
branch), d1 = [Db – 2(Tb – c)]/sin ß
4. d2 = “half width” of reinforcement zone = d1 or (Tb – c) + (Th – c) + d1/2, whichever is greater,
but in any case not more than Dh.
5. L4 = height of reinforcement zone outside of run = 2.5(Th – c) or 2.5(Tb – c) + Tr  whichever is
less.
6. Tb = branch pipe thickness (measured or minimum per purchase specification) which excludes
mill tolerence.
7. Th = Header pipe thickness ( (measured or minimum per purchase specification) which
excludes mill tolerence.
8. Tr  =  minimum thickness of reinforcing ring or saddle made from pipe. (Use nominal
thickness if made from plate.). = O, if there is no reinforcing ring or saddle.
9. ß = smaller angle between axes of branch and run.
10. A1 : Required Reinforcement Area for branch under internal pressure : A1 = th X d1 (2-Sin ß).
11. Actual available area is calculated as sum of three parts A2, A3 and A4. It must be more than
required reinforcement area A1.  i.e. A2+A3+A4 >= A1.
12. Area A2 is the area resulting from excess thickness in the run pipe wall :  A2 = (2d2 – d 1 )
(Th – th – C ).
13. Area A3 is the area resulting from excess thickness in the branch pipe wall: A3 = 2L4(Tb-
tb-c)/sin ß.
14. Area A4 : Area A4 is the area of other metal provided by welds and properly attached
reinforcement.
Calculation of Area A4
Area A4 consists of extra reinforcement provided by reinforcement pad, and its
associated welds.
1. Weld between branch and header/reinforcement pad.
2. Weld between reinforcing pad and header pipe.
3. Reinforcing pad cross section area.