Nominal Pipe Size

Nominal Pipe Size (NPS) is a North American set of standard sizes for pipes used for high or low pressures and temperatures.[1] Pipe size is specified with two

non-dimensional numbers: a nominal pipe size (NPS) based on inches, and a schedule (Sched. or Sch.). NPS is often incorrectly called National Pipe Size, due to

confusion with national pipe thread (NPT). For other pipe size standards, see pipe (material) - sizes. The European designation equivalent to NPS is DN (diamètre

nominal/nominal diameter), in which sizes are measured in millimetres.[2] The term NB (nominal bore) is also frequently used interchangeably with NPS.

History

In March 1927, the American Standards Association authorized a committee to standardize the dimensions of wrought steel and wrought iron pipe and tubing. At

that time only a small selection of wall thicknesses were in use: standard weight (STD), extra-strong (XS), and double extra-strong (XXS), based on the iron pipe

size (IPS)system of the day. However these three sizes did not fit all applications. The committee surveyed the industry and created a system of schedule

numbers that designated wall thicknesses based on smaller steps between sizes,[3] although IPS and NPS numbers remain equivalent.

The original intent was that each schedule would relate to a given pressure rating, however the numbers deviated so far from wall thicknesses in common use that

this original intent could not be accomplished.[3][4] Also, in 1939, it was hoped that the designations of STD, XS, and XXS would be phased out by schedule

numbers, however those original terms are still in common use today (although sometimes referred to as standard, extra-heavy (XH), and double extra-heavy

(XXH), respectively). Since the original schedules were created, there have been many revisions and additions to the tables of pipe sizes based on industry use

and on standards from API, ASTM, and others.[3]

Stainless steel pipes, which were coming into more common use in the mid 20th century, permitted the use of thinner pipe walls with much less risk of failure due

to corrosion. By 1949 thinner schedules 5S and 10S, which were based on the pressure requirements modified to the nearest BWG number, had been created,

and other "S" sizes followed later. Due to their thin walls, the smaller "S" sizes can not be threaded together according to ASME code, but must be fusion welded.[5]

Application

Based on the NPS and schedule of a pipe, the pipe outside diameter (OD) and wall thickness can be obtained from reference tables such as those below, which

are based on ASME standards B36.10M and B36.19M. For example, NPS 14 Sch 40 has an OD of 14 inches and a wall thickness of 0.437 inches. However the

NPS and OD values are not always equal, which can create confusion.

 For NPS ⅛ to 12 inches, the NPS and OD values are different. For example, the OD of an NPS 12 pipe is actually 12.75 inches. To find the actual OD for

each NPS value, refer to the tables below. (Note that for tubing, the size is always the actual OD.)

 For NPS 14 inches and up, the NPS and OD values are equal. In other words, an NPS 14 pipe is actually 14 inches OD.

The reason for the discrepancy for NPS ⅛ to 12 inches is that these NPS values were originally set to give the same inside diameter (ID) based on wall

thicknesses standard at the time. However, as the set of available wall thicknesses evolved, the ID changed and NPS became only indirectly related to ID and OD.

For a given NPS, the OD stays fixed and the wall thickness increases with schedule. For a given schedule, the OD increases with NPS while the wall thickness

stays constant or increases. Using equations and rules in ASME B31.3 Process Piping, it can be shown that pressure rating decreases with increasing NPS and

constant schedule.[4]
Some specifications use pipe schedules called standard wall (STD), extra strong (XS), and double extra strong (XXS), although these actually belong to an older

system called iron pipe size (IPS). The IPS number is the same as the NPS number. STD is identical to SCH 40S, and 40S is identical to 40 for NPS 1/8 to NPS

10, inclusive. XS is identical to SCH 80S, and 80S is identical to 80 for NPS 1/8 to NPS 8, inclusive. Different definitions exist for XXS, but it is generally thicker

than schedule 160.

The "S" designation, for example "NPS Sch 10S", most often indicates stainless steel pipes. However some stainless steel pipes are available in steel

designations, so strictly speaking the "S" designation only differentiates B36.19M pipe from B36.10M pipe.[1]

Both polyvinyl chloride pipe (PVC) and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride pipe (CPVC) are made in NPS sizes.

NPS tables for selected sizes

NPS ⅛ to NPS 3½
OD Wall Thickness
DN inches (millimeters)
NPS[6] inches
mm
(millimeters) SCH 5 SCH 10 SCH 30 SCH 40 SCH 80 SCH 120 SCH 160 XXS
0.405 in 0.035 in 0.049 in 0.057 in 0.068 in 0.095 in
⅛ 6 --- --- ---
(10.29 mm) (0.889 mm) (1.245 mm) (1.448 mm) (1.727 mm) (2.413 mm)
0.540 in 0.049 in 0.065 in 0.073 in 0.088 in 0.119 in
¼ 8 --- --- ---
(13.72 mm) (1.245 mm) (1.651 mm) (1.854 mm) (2.235 mm) (3.023 mm)
0.675 in 0.049 in 0.065 in 0.073 in 0.091 in 0.126 in
⅜ 10 --- --- ---
(17.15 mm) (1.245 mm) (1.651 mm) (1.854 mm) (2.311 mm) (3.200 mm)
0.840 in 0.065 in 0.083 in 0.109 in 0.147 in 0.294 in
½ 15 --- --- ---
(21.34 mm) (1.651 mm) (2.108 mm) (2.769 mm) (3.734 mm) (7.468 mm)
1.050 in 0.065 in 0.083 in 0.113 in 0.154 in 0.308 in
¾ 20 --- --- ---
(26.67 mm) (1.651 mm) (2.108 mm) (2.870 mm) (3.912 mm) (7.823 mm)
1.315 in 0.065 in 0.109 in 0.133 in 0.179 in 0.358 in
1 25 --- --- ---
(33.40 mm) (1.651 mm) (2.769 mm) (3.378 mm) (4.547 mm) (9.093 mm)
1.660 in 0.065 in 0.109 in 0.117 in 0.140 in 0.191 in 0.382 in
1¼ 32 --- ---
(42.16 mm) (1.651 mm) (2.769 mm) (2.972 mm) (3.556 mm) (4.851 mm) (9.703 mm)
1.900 in 0.065 in 0.109 in 0.125 in 0.145 in 0.200 in 0.400 in
1½ 40 --- ---
(48.26 mm) (1.651 mm) (2.769 mm) (3.175 mm) (3.683 mm) (5.080 mm) (10.160 mm)
2.375 in 0.065 in 0.109 in 0.125 in 0.154 in 0.218 in 0.250 in 0.436 in
2 50 ---
(60.33 mm) (1.651 mm) (2.769 mm) (3.175 mm) (3.912 mm) (5.537 mm) (6.350 mm) (11.074 mm)
2.875 in 0.083 in 0.120 in 0.188 in 0.203 in 0.276 in 0.300 in 0.552 in
2½ 65 ---
(73.02 mm) (2.108 mm) (3.048 mm) (4.775 mm) (5.156 mm) (7.010 mm) (7.620 mm) (14.021 mm)
3.500 in 0.083 in 0.120 in 0.188 in 0.216 in 0.300 in 0.350 in 0.438 in 0.600 in
3 80
(88.90 mm) (2.108 mm) (3.048 mm) (4.775 mm) (5.486 mm) (7.620 mm) (8.890 mm) (11.125 mm) (15.240 mm)
4.000 in 0.083 in 0.120 in 0.188 in 0.226 in 0.318 in 0.636 in
3½ 90 --- ---
(101.60 mm) (2.108 mm) (3.048 mm) (4.775 mm) (5.740 mm) (8.077 mm) (16.154 mm)
NPS 4 to NPS 9
Wall Thickness
OD inches (millimeters)
DN
NPS[6] inches
mm SCH
(millimeters) SCH 5 SCH 10 SCH 20 SCH 30 SCH 60 SCH 80 SCH 100 SCH 120 SCH 140 SCH 160
40/STD
4.500 in 0.083 in 0.120 in 0.188 in 0.237 in 0.281 in 0.337 in 0.437 in 0.531 in
4 100 --- --- ---
(114.30 mm) (2.108 mm) (3.048 mm) (4.775 mm) (6.020 mm) (7.137 mm) (8.560 mm) (11.100 mm) (13.487 mm)
5.000 in 0.247 in 0.355 in
4½ 115 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
(127.00 mm) (6.274 mm) (9.017 mm)
5.563 in 0.109 in 0.134 in 0.258 in 0.375 in 0.500 in 0.625 in
5 125 --- --- --- --- ---
(141.30 mm) (2.769 mm) (3.404 mm) (6.553 mm) (9.525 mm) (12.700 mm) (15.875 mm)
6.625 in 0.109 in 0.134 in 0.280 in 0.432 in 0.562 in 0.719 in
6 150 --- --- --- --- ---
(168.27 mm) (2.769 mm) (3.404 mm) (7.112 mm) (10.973 mm) (14.275 mm) (18.263 mm)
8.625 in 0.109 in 0.148 in 0.250 in 0.277 in 0.322 in 0.406 in 0.500 in 0.593 in 0.718 in 0.812 in 0.906 in
8 200
(219.08 mm) (2.769 mm) (3.759 mm) (6.350 mm) (7.036 mm) (8.179 mm) (10.312 mm) (12.700 mm) (15.062 mm) (18.237 mm) (20.625 mm) (23.012 mm)

NPS 10 to NPS 24
Wall Thickness
DN OD inches (millimeters)
NPS[6]
mm inches (millimeters)
SCH 5s SCH 5 SCH 10s SCH 10 SCH 20 SCH 30
10 250 10.75 in (273.05 mm) 0.134 in (3.404 mm) 0.134 in (3.404 mm) 0.165 in (4.191 mm) 0.165 in (4.191 mm) 0.250 in (6.350 mm) 0.307 in (7.798 mm)

12 300 12.75 in (323.85 mm) 0.156 in (3.962 mm) 0.165 in (4.191 mm) 0.180 in (4.572 mm) 0.180 in (4.572 mm) 0.250 in (6.350 mm) 0.330 in (8.382 mm)

14 350 14.00 in (355.60 mm) 0.156 in (3.962 mm) 0.156 in (3.962 mm) 0.188 in (4.775 mm) 0.250 in (6.350 mm) 0.312 in (7.925 mm) 0.375 in (9.525 mm)

16 400 16.00 in (406.40 mm) 0.165 in (4.191 mm) 0.165 in (4.191 mm) 0.188 in (4.775 mm) 0.250 in (6.350 mm) 0.312 in (7.925 mm) 0.375 in (9.525 mm)

18 450 18.00 in (457.20 mm) 0.165 in (4.191 mm) 0.165 in (4.191 mm) 0.188 in (4.775 mm) 0.250 in (6.350 mm) 0.312 in (7.925 mm) 0.437 in (11.100 mm)
 20 500 20.00 in (508.00 mm) 0.188 in (4.775 mm) 0.188 in (4.775 mm) 0.218 in (5.537 mm) 0.250 in (6.350 mm) 0.375 in (9.525 mm) 0.500 in (12.700 mm)

24 600 24.00 in (609.60 mm) 0.218 in (5.537 mm) 0.218 in (5.537 mm) 0.250 in (6.350 mm) 0.250 in (6.350 mm) 0.375 in (9.525 mm) 0.562 in (14.275 mm)

Wall Thickness
NPS[6] inches (millimeters)
SCH 40s SCH 40 SCH 60 SCH 80s SCH 80 SCH 100 SCH 120 SCH 140 SCH 160
0.365 in 0.365 in 0.500 in 0.500 in 0.593 in 0.718 in 0.843 in 1.000 in 1.125 in
10
(9.271 mm) (9.271 mm) (12.700 mm) (12.700 mm) (15.062 mm) (18.237 mm) (21.412 mm) (25.400 mm) (28.575 mm)
0.375 in 0.406 in 0.500 in 0.500 in 0.687 in 0.843 in 1.000 in 1.125 in 1.312 in
12
(9.525 mm) (10.312 mm) (12.700 mm) (12.700 mm) (17.450 mm) (21.412 mm) (25.400 mm) (28.575 mm) (33.325 mm)
0.375 in 0.437 in 0.593 in 0.500 in 0.750 in 0.937 in 1.093 in 1.250 in 1.406 in
14
(9.525 mm) (11.100 mm) (15.062 mm) (12.700 mm) (19.050 mm) (23.800 mm) (27.762 mm) (31.750 mm) (35.712 mm)
0.375 in 0.500 in 0.656 in 0.500 in 0.843 in 1.031 in 1.218 in 1.437 in 1.593 in
16
(9.525 mm) (12.700 mm) (16.662 mm) (12.700 mm) (21.412 mm) (26.187 mm) (30.937 mm) (36.500 mm) (40.462 mm)
0.375 in 0.562 in 0.750 in 0.500 in 0.937 in 1.156 in 1.375 in 1.562 in 1.781 in
18
(9.525 mm) (14.275 mm) (19.050 mm) (12.700 mm) (23.800 mm) (29.362 mm) (34.925 mm) (39.675 mm) (45.237 mm)
0.375 in 0.593 in 0.812 in 0.500 in 1.031 in 1.280 in 1.500 in 1.750 in 1.968 in
20
(9.525 mm) (15.062 mm) (20.625 mm) (12.700 mm) (26.187 mm) (32.512 mm) (38.100 mm) (44.450 mm) (49.987 mm)
0.375 in 0.687 in 0.968 in 0.500 in 1.218 in 1.531 in 1.812 in 2.062 in 2.343 in
24
(9.525 mm) (17.450 mm) (24.587 mm) (12.700 mm) (30.937 mm) (38.887 mm) (46.025 mm) (52.375 mm) (59.512 mm)

Note: --- = size not designated.

See also

 British standard pipe thread sizes

 Pipe sizes
[edit]Sources

 Oberg, Erik; Franklin D. Jones, Holbrook L. Horton, and Henry H. Ryffel (2000). ed. Christopher J. McCauley, Riccardo Heald, and Muhammed Iqbal
Hussain. ed. Machinery's Handbook (26th Edition ed.). New York: Industrial Press Inc.. ISBN 0-8311-2635-3.

 Nayyar, P.E., Mohinder L. (2000). "A1". in Mohinder L. Nayyar, P.E.. Piping Handbook (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-047106-1.

 Engineering Department (1988). Flow of Fluids Through Valves, Fittings, and Pipe (Technical Paper No. 410) (25th Printing—1991 ed.). Joliet, IL:
Crane Co..

 ASME B36.10M - Welded and Seamless Wrought Steel Pipe.

 ANSI/ASME Standard 36.19M - Stainless Steel Pipe.

 ANSI/ASTM Reference R0036 - Stainless Steel Pipe.

References

1. ^ a b ASME B36.10M-2004, p. 1

2. ^ NPS - "Nominal Pipe Size" and DN - "Diamètre Nominale", EngineeringToolbox.com

3. ^ a b c ASME B36.10M-2004, p. iv

4. ^ a b This is contrary to the McGraw Hill Piping Handbook, which says that the schedule number can be converted to pressure by dividing the
schedule by 1000 and multiplying by the allowable stress of the material. [Nayyar and Mohinder, 2000.]

5. ^ ASME Standard 36.19M-2004, p. iv

6. ^ a b c d Table of Pipe Schedules from EngineersEdge.com. Table shows additional schedules, sizes and sizes greater than 24".