Pipe Manifolds
General Features Of Irrigation Craft Manifolds
Methods
1. Standard manifolds are made from hot-dip galvanized schedule 40 steel pipe. Alternate materials are available.
2. Pipe fittings larger than 1-1/2" are roll grooved or flanged. Only small items have threaded connections (i.e. pressure gauges, tube fittings, hose bibs).
3. All pump connections are flanged or grooved. There are two exceptions to this rule; small self priming pumps and turbine pumps. Turbine pumps are not available except with threaded connections. All centrifugal pumps used for jockey service are flange or groove connected regardless of size or horsepower.
5. All grooved couplings use a full vacuum rated gasket rated. Competitors often use stock gaskets that are vulnerable to air leaks on intake lines.
4. We manufacture our own "weld then dip" flange assemblies. Schedule 40 steel pipe is welded into the flange, then the assembly is hot dip galvanized. The main advantages to this method are:
a) Grooved flange adapters have gaskets unsuitable for vacuum service. Welded flange assemblies allow the use of flange gaskets to ensure a tight seal and prevent air from leaking into the pump intake line.
b) Welded flange assemblies are rigid, grooved flange adapters are not.
c) The hot dip galvanizing process provides superior corrosion resistance compared to painted steel. This is especially important on high velocity systems where the velocity degrades the pipe quickly. Pump intake and discharge connections normally have higher velocities resulting in failures of painted steel pipe connections to pump intakes and discharges.
User Friendly
No pipe wrenches are required. The only tools required to work on the manifold are ratchets with sockets, open end wrenches, box wrenches, or even Adjustable Spanner Wrenches (slang - Crescent Wrench).
Flow Runs For Pump Intake Connections
A flow run will be provided on the pump intake line for every end suction centrifugal pump. The flow run is a straight run of pipe the same diameter of the pump inlet connection. This flow run ensures that the fluid enters the eye of the impeller smoothly to reduce vibration, increase efficiency, and reduce the possibility of cavitation.
Not every pump installation will have problems without the intake flow run, but it is not practically possible to predict when there will be a problem. Many pump station manufacturers will not adhere to this practice and in fact bolt check valves, ells, and reducers directly to the pump or close to the pump. Irrigation Craft spends a great deal of money on larger enclosures and skids to ensure that every end suction pump has a proper intake flow run.
See fascinating Photographs and a Video showing the problems
Flow Runs For Flow Meters
Irrigation Craft provides a flow run for every insertion type flow meter. Again, many manufacturers will not provide this because it would not fit into their pump skid or station enclosure. All insertion type flow meters require a flow run to ensure that the flow meter will read accurately. The flow run establishes laminar flow which is required by insertion flow meters to achieve accuracy.
Optional materials are available as follows:
· Schedule 80 PVC
· Schedule 80 CPVC
· Type 316 Stainless Steel
· Copper
Learn Why Irrigation Craft uses the Mechanical Pipe System
