Definitions and basic concepts

Mechanical tee is a kind of pipe fitting for pipe connection, which is mainly used to connect branch pipes on the main pipe to realize the diverting function of the pipeline system. It is usually composed of a main part and a branch interface part, the main part is used to connect with the main pipe, and the branch interface part is used to connect the branch pipe. The appearance of mechanical tees makes the layout of the pipeline system more flexible, and it is not necessary to weld the branch joints in advance when the pipeline is installed like the traditional tee pipe fitting.

Structural characteristics

Material structure: Mechanical tee material variety, common cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel and plastic. For example, in the fire sprinkler system, galvanized carbon steel mechanical tee is often used, because carbon steel material strength is high, galvanized treatment can also enhance its corrosion resistance; In some chemical liquid transportation pipelines, stainless steel mechanical tees may be used to resist the corrosion of chemical media.

Connection mode Related structure: Mechanical tee is generally connected by mechanical connection, such as clamp connection, when connecting the main pipe and branch pipe. It has a special card slot or interface to match the use of the clamp. The main part is usually a tubular structure that can be tightly fitted to the outer surface of the main pipe. The branch interface section is generally a short pipe perpendicular to the direction of the main pipe, and has a precise dimensional design at the interface to ensure a good connection with the branch pipe.
Working principle

When the mechanical tee is installed, the main part is first installed on the main pipe, and it is fixed in the predetermined position of the main pipe by a fastening device (such as a clamp). The clamp will exert a certain pressure to make the mechanical tee in close contact with the main pipe to prevent leakage. The branch pipe is then inserted into the branch interface part of the mechanical tee, and the sealing gasket and fastening device can also be used to ensure the sealing and connection stability between the branch pipe and the mechanical tee. For example, in a water supply and drainage system, water flows from the main pipe into the branch pipe through the branch interface of the mechanical tee, and the sealing properties of the mechanical tee ensure that the water does not leak at the connection.

advantage

Ease of installation: One of the biggest advantages of the mechanical tee is the ease of installation. Compared with the traditional welding tee, it does not require hot operation, which is very important in some places with high safety requirements (such as petrochemical enterprises, flammable and explosive gas environments, etc.). Moreover, the installation process is relatively simple, no professional welding technicians are required, and ordinary pipe installation workers can be installed after simple training, which greatly improves the efficiency of pipe installation.
Flexibility: The mechanical tee can be connected to the branch pipe on the already installed main pipe, which makes the later transformation and expansion of the pipe system easier. For example, in the water supply and drainage system of a building, if a new water point is needed, the mechanical tee can be easily connected to the branch pipe in the main water supply pipe, without the need for large-scale transformation of the entire pipe system.

Maintainability: Because the mechanical tee is fixed by mechanical connection, it is easy to remove when the branch pipe needs to be repaired or replaced. Only by loosening the fastening device such as the clamp, the branch pipe can be removed from the mechanical tee without affecting the normal use of the main pipe.

Application field

Fire fighting system: In the fire sprinkler system, mechanical tee is widely used. It can easily connect each spray branch pipe in the main water supply pipe to ensure that the fire can be quickly and effectively sprayed in the event of fire. And the fire protection system has high requirements for the reliability and installation efficiency of the pipeline, and the mechanical tee just meets these requirements.

Water supply and drainage system: Whether it is the city's water supply and drainage network or the water supply and drainage system inside the building, the mechanical tee can play a role. It can be used to connect the branch pipes of different water points such as toilets and kitchens to achieve reasonable distribution and transportation of water.

Industrial pipeline system: In the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and other industrial fields, mechanical tee is used to transport a variety of fluid media pipeline system. For example, in chemical production, it can connect branch pipes on the main raw material delivery pipeline for adding auxiliary raw materials or for sampling and other operations.