When piping systems are designed, they are intended to satisfy a specific flow rate and pressure at crucial junctions within the application. That means that the engineers who create piping systems have to account for the pressure drop that occurs within the system. Pressure drop happens due to a resistance in the flow of fluid at junctions (like wye strainers). The specific pressure drop of wye strainers depends on the brand and type that is used.
In the graphs and charts below you can see the changes in pressure drop of four of our most commonly used brands of wye strainers:
- Titan Flow Control
- Eaton Filtration
- Hayward Flow Control
- Spears Manufacturing
Titan Flow Control
For more information on Titan’s wye strainers (seen here), click the image above.
Eaton Filtration
For more information on Eaton’s Model 85 wye strainer, such as the one sold in our store, select the image above.
Hayward Flow Control
If you’d like to learn more about Hayward Flow Control’s YS Series, such as the ones found on our site, click on the graph above.
Spears Manufacturing
Do you need information on Spears’ wye strainers after perusing our selection? Select the table of their socket y-strainer dimensions and weights above. This data has been pulled from their y-strainer informational document.
What is Pressure Drop?
Pressure drop is a result of the frictional forces that are exerted on the fluid that is flowing through a piping system. The resistance to the flow causes the system’s pumps to have to work harder to compensate for the slower flow. This requires more energy and can lead to greater operating costs.
It’s important to understand that there are various factors that affect pressure loss in piping systems. Some of those factors can vary over time. In fact, sometimes, special design considerations have to be made up front to anticipate influences that may not surface for several years.
The factors that influence pressure drop include:
- Friction loss – Every type of piping used throughout a piping system has a measure of roughness, or friction coefficient, which can slow the flow of fluid.
- Pipe fitting loss – This type of loss occurs as the fluid flows throughout the piping system passing valves, fittings, bends, joints, or other direction changes.
- Pipe component loss – Some components found in the piping system (like a chiller or heat exchanger) can cause the pressure to drop when the fluid passes through the component.
- Change in elevation – Gravity will cause pressure changes when pipes in the piping system aren’t leveled horizontally.
- Pump head – This factor can cause a pressure gain as a result of any fluid head that is added by a pump.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Wye Strainer
Wye strainers have design parameters that will impact how they work in particular applications. It’s important to be sure that you know the application specifics so you can choose the brand of wye strainer that will give you the desired performance for the piping system it will be part of. One of the biggest factors to consider is the flow rate, including its pressure drop.
Pressure drop calculations can be complicated, but the data retrieved from those calculations are important in determining which brand of wye strainer to choose.