The size of the Elbow

Elbow is a common pipe component, mainly used to change the flow direction and layout of pipelines. Its essence is to make a certain Angle on the pipeline to enable the medium to turn smoothly. According to the Angle of the elbow, it can be classified into different angles such as 45°, 90°, and 180°. According to the bending radius, it can be further divided into long radius (LR) and short radius (SR). Elbows of different types and angles will have different dimensions and wall thicknesses. Here I will introduce to you the various sizes of elbows of different types and angles.

90-degree elbow

The 90-degree steel pipe elbow is the most common and widely used type among all elbows. Its function is to change the direction of the medium by 90 degrees and it is often called a vertical elbow.

Long radius 90-degree elbow: distance from center to end face  A = R  = 1.5 × D; It is often used for smooth fluid steering, low pressure loss and is recommended in situations where the space is relatively wide.
Short radius 90-degree elbow: distance from center to end face  A = R  = 1.0 × D; It is small in size but has a small turning radius, resulting in increased pressure loss and impact. It is suitable for situations where space is limited and pressure is allowed.

45-degree elbow

The 45-degree elbow is the second most common type of elbow, which changes the direction of the medium to 45 degrees.
Long radius 45-degree elbow: distance from center to end face  B ≈ R×tan(22.5°)≈0.62 × D; It is suitable for pipeline layout that requires small-angle deflection and fine-tuning of the flow direction.
Short radius 45-degree elbow: distance from center to end face  B ≈ R×tan(22.5°)≈0.41 × D; It is used for small-angle correction in fields with extremely limited space.

NominalPipe Size(NPS)	Outside Diameter at Bevel (OD)	Center to End
Long Radius Elbow	Short Radius Elbow
90 degree. A	45 degreeB	90 degreeA
1/2	21.3	38.1	15.7	-
3/4	26.7	38.1	19.1	-
1	33.4	38.1	22.4	25.4
1-1/4	42.2	47.8	25.4	31.8
1-1/2	48.3	57.2	28.4	38.1
2	60.3	76.2	35.1	50.8
2-1/2	73.0	95.2	44.4	63.5
3	88.9	114.3	50.8	76.2
3-1/2	101.6	133.4	57.2	88.9
4	114.3	152.4	63.5	101.6
5	141.3	190.5	79.2	127.0
6	168.3	228.6	95.2	152.4
8	219.1	304.8	127.0	203.2
10	273.1	381.0	158.8	254.0
12	323.9	457.2	190.5	304.8
14	355.6	533.4	222.2	355.6
16	406.4	609.6	254.0	406.4
18	457.2	685.8	285.8	457.2
20	508.0	762.0	317.5	508.0
22	558.8	838.2	342.9	558.8
24	609.6	914.4	381.0	609.6
26	660.4	990.6	406.4	660.4
28	711.2	1066.8	438.2	711.2
30	762.0	1143.0	469.9	762.0
32	812.8	1219.2	501.6	812.8
34	863.6	1295.4	533.4	863.6
36	914.4	1371.6	565.2	914.4
38	965.2	1447.8	599.9	-
40	1016.0	1524.0	632.0	1016.0
42	1066.8	1600.2	660.4	1066.8
44	1117.6	1676.4	695.5	1117.6
46	1168.4	1752.6	726.9	-
48	1219.2	1828.8	759.0	1219.2
52*	1320.8	-	-	1320.8
54*	1371.6	2057.4	852.2	1371.6
56*	1422.4	2133.6	883.8	1422.4
60*	1524.0	2286.0	946.9	1524.0
66*	1676.4	2514.6	1041.6	-
68*	1727.0	2591	1073	1727
72*	1829.0	2743	1137	1829
76*	1930.0	2896	1199	1930
80*	2032.0	3048	1263	2032

180-degree elbow

It changes the direction of the medium flow by 180 degrees.

Long radius 180-degree elbow: The distance from the center to the end face is  C ≈ 2×R = 3 × D, with a total deflection of 180°. It is often used in the return pipeline or to bypass obstacles.
Short radius 180-degree elbow: distance from center to end face  C ≈ 2×R = 2 × D; Achieve return in an extremely small space.

NominalPipe Size(NPS)	Outside Diameter at Bevel OD	Long Radius Elbow	Short Radius Elbow
Center to Center. P	Back to FaceK	Center to Center. P	Back to FaceK
1/2	21.3	76.2	47.8	-	-
3/4	26.7	76.2	50.8	-	-
1	33.4	76.2	55.6	50.8	41.1
1-1/4	42.2	95.2	69.8	63.5	52.3
1-1/2	48.3	114.3	82.6	76.2	62.0
2	60.3	152.4	106.4	101.6	81.0
2-1/2	73.0	109.5	131.8	127.0	100.1
3	88.9	228.6	158.8	152.4	120.7
3-1/2	101.6	266.7	184.2	177.8	139.7
4	114.3	304.8	209.6	203.2	158.8
5	141.3	381.0	261.9	254.0	196.9
6	168.3	457.2	312.7	304.8	236.5
8	219.1	609.6	414.3	406.4	312.7
10	273.1	762.0	517.7	508.0	390.7
12	323.9	914.4	619.3	609.6	466.9
14	355.6	1066.8	711.2	711.2	533.4
16	406.4	1219.2	812.8	812.8	609.6
18	457.2	1371.6	914.4	914.4	685.8
20	508.0	1524.0	1016.0	1016.0	762.0
22	558.8	1676.4	1117.6	1117.6	838.2
24	609.6	1828.8	1219.2	1219.2	914.4

Our elbow supply range

1. Butt-weld elbow

Applicable standards: ASTM A234, MSS  sp-75, ASTM A403
Manufacturing specifications: ASME B16.9, DIN 2615, JIS B2312
Angle types: 45°, 90°, 180°
Size range: ½ ", 1 ", 2 ", 3 ", 4 ", 6 ", 8 ", 10 ", 12 ", 16 ", 20 "to 48" (customization is also available upon customer request)
Wall thickness specifications: SCH 10, SCH 40, SCH 80
Surface treatment: Black paint, transparent anti-rust paint, epoxy coating, hot-dip galvanizing (or as per the customer's specified process)

2. Socket-weld and Threaded elbows

Applicable standards: ASTM A105, ASTM A182
Manufacturing specification: ASME B16.11
Size range: ½ ", 1 ", 2 ", 3 ", 4 "(customization is also available upon customer request)