What You Need To Know About Bleed Rings

By Roxanne Cruz


Bleed rings derive their name mainly because of their use. When put between certain sections of pipe they allow the user to drain liquid or gases from the pipe itself. This is especially useful if someone needs to get details of the pressure in a pipe or wants to relieve pressure. Additionally, they can use them to obtain samples of substances that come out of the pipe.

They don't have a huge range of uses, but one which some people are unaware of is their use in place of the orifice flange union.It's been stated that it's easier to use the ring in certain situations, like brown field applications, than the orifice flange. Part of the reason it's used perhaps more often is because it's cheaper.

There primary use is to bleed liquid or gas from a pipeline. As such they're most often used by gas companies, oil companies, water companies and any firm that produces a gas or liquid substance from pipes. They're manufactured in a wide range of materials, and whichever one is used usually depends on the type of pipe that it's going to be attached to. For instance, a carbon steel ring will most likely be used with a carbon steel pipe and a PVC ring will probably be attached to a PVC pipe.

Because they contain small holes, they're ideal for draining purposes and for attaching things, such as instruments. When bleeding a valve they are of great use. One way to use them is with a blind flange, which allows you to relieve the pressure on the pipe, especially if a valve is leaking.

They can actually be bought in singles or in bulk. The standard sizes vary but what usually remains constant is the threaded or socket-weld cap size, the cap which attaches to the ring. They're normally around 1/2 and inch or 3/4 of an inch. The retailer can often provide these on request but what must be borne in mind is that the thickness of the ring could be affected if ordering larger socket-weld caps.

The standards of manufacture are set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Their job is to lay down voluntary standards which manufacturers adhere to. They're a non-profit private group that also oversee standards in services, processes, employees and products.

When calibrating instruments it's also possible to use the ring. They're specially helpful in places where space or weight is a problem. That's one of the reason they're used on offshore oil rigs.

When buying bleed rings it's important to make sure you know exactly what you're after. It's also advisable to look around and perhaps buy not just from the nearest outlet, but from an actual pipe fitting manufacturer, one who will probably be able to supply rings that fit the ANSI guidelines.




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