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Understanding Pipe Thread Standards

Pipe threads are spiral ridges on pipes that allow pipes to connect. Male threads are on the outside of pipes and female on the inside. Rotating the male thread into the female connects the pipes. There are two main standards - British Standard Pipe thread and American National Pipe Thread. Both have parallel and tapered threads, with tapered providing a seal and parallel only a connection. The British standard was developed in 1841 and the American in 1864, both using different thread angles and shapes.

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61 views2 pages

Understanding Pipe Thread Standards

Pipe threads are spiral ridges on pipes that allow pipes to connect. Male threads are on the outside of pipes and female on the inside. Rotating the male thread into the female connects the pipes. There are two main standards - British Standard Pipe thread and American National Pipe Thread. Both have parallel and tapered threads, with tapered providing a seal and parallel only a connection. The British standard was developed in 1841 and the American in 1864, both using different thread angles and shapes.

Uploaded by

sushant shirsat
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Pipe Threads

A pipe thread is a spiral ridge on the end of a pipe that enables pipes to be joined together. For male
fittings, pipe thread appears on the outer diameter of the pipe; if female, the pipe thread appears on the
inner diameter. By rotating a male pipe end into a female pipe thread, the two fittings become joined.
Since male and female pipe thread must align successfully to form a connection, manufacturers follow
pipe thread industry standards.

The two main pipe thread standards are as follows:

 · The British Standard Pipe thread (BSP)


 · The American National Pipe Thread (NPT)

Types of Pipe Threads Pipe threads are used to make not only a mechanical joint but
also a leakproof liquid seal. This is accomplished by machining the thread form on a
taper and using pipe sealant to fill any voids between the two threads which could
cause a spiral leak.

In both thread standards there are 2 different types of threads:

 · Parallel ('straight') threads, BSPP (British Standard Pipe Parallel Thread), which have a
constant diameter; denoted by the letter G.
 · Taper threads, BSPT (British Standard Pipe Taper Thread), whose diameter increases or
decreases along the length of the thread; denoted by the letter R.

A parallel pipe thread only forms a mechanical seal and is not used for liquid seal
applications. While a tapered pipe thread that can make a close-fitting wet seal.

Pipe threads used for liquid joints can be divided into two types:

 · Jointing threads: These are pipe threads where pressure-tightness is made through the
mating of two threads together. They always use a taper male thread, but can have either parallel or taper
female threads and the seal is usually secured with a sealant compound.
 · Fastening threads: These are parallel pipe threads used where a pressure-tight joint is
achieved by the compression of a soft material (such as an o-ring seal, gasket or a washer) between the
end face of the male thread and a socket or nipple face, with the tightening of a backnut.

British Standard Pipe (BSP) Thread

In the nineteenth century, many different types of screw threads were required for
hydraulic and pneumatic circuits as well as fastening components. As a result,
manufacturers started to devise their own fastening systems. This resulted in
compatibility problems. The English mechanical engineer and inventor, Sir Joseph
Whitworth devised a uniform threading system in 1841 to address the incompatibility
problem. The Whitworth thread form is based on a 55 degree thread angle with rounded
roots and crests. The joint is made self sealing by cutting at least one of the threads on
a taper (usually the male thread). This became known as the British Standard Pipe
thread has been adopted internationally for interconnecting and sealing pipe ends. The
image below shows a BSPT (BSP Taper) male thread sealing in BSPP (BSP Parallel)
female coupling. To achieve the taper the bottoms of the threads aren't on a cylinder,
but on a cone; with a taper which is 1⁄16 inch in an inch, which is the same as 3/4 inch
in a foot. The taper divided by a centre line yields an angle 1° 47' 24" or 1.7899° as
measured from the centre axis. Commonly-used sizes are ⅛, ¼, ⅜, ½, ¾, 1, 1¼, 1½,
and 2”, available at most suppliers. Larger sizes are used less frequently because other
methods of joining are more practical for 3” and above in most applications. The most
important point to understand about pipe threads is that their size refers to the diameter
of the hole going through the fitting (i.e. where the media travels such as air or oil, etc),
and not the diameter of the thread itself

National Pipe Thread (NPT)

In America, William Sellers set the standard for nuts, bolts, and screws which became
the National Pipe Tapered Thread (NPT) in 1864. His 60 degree thread angle with flat
crests and roots is the American standard for tapered threads used to join pipes and
fittings. The ANSI/ASME standard B1.20.1 covers threads of 60-degree form in sizes
from 1/16” to 24” Nominal Pipe Size (NPS).

The taper rate for NPT threads is the same as BSPT (3/4” per foot) measured by the
change of diameter (of the pipe thread) over distance. Sometimes NPT threads are
referred to as MPT ('Male Pipe Thread'), MNPT, or NPT(M) for male (external) threads;
and FPT ('Female Pipe Thread'), FNPT, or NPT(F) for female (internal) threads.

Sealing a Tapered Thread

Because of the taper, a pipe thread can only screw into a fitting a certain distance
before it jams. The standard specifies this distance as the length of hand tight
engagement, the distance the pipe thread can be screwed in by hand. It also specifies
another distance – the effective thread, this is the length of the thread which makes the
seal on a conventional machined pipe thread. For pipefitters, instead of these distances,
it is more convenient to know how many turns to make by hand and how many with a
wrench. A simple rule of thumb for installing tapered pipe threads, both metal and
plastic, is finger tight plus one to two turns with a wrench. Torque installation values can
be determined per application, but due to the variations involved in pipe joints such as
disimiliar materials of male and female threads, type of sealants used, and internal
variations in product wall thickness, a standard torque specification cannot be
generically applied. The table below compares the critical dimensions of BSP and NPT
threads and gives the number of turns to hand tighten.

Common questions

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BSP threads use a 55-degree angle with rounded roots and crests and are used internationally for interconnecting and sealing pipe ends. They rely on a taper on the male threads to achieve a self-sealing joint . NPT, on the other hand, uses a 60-degree angle with flat crests and roots and follows the ANSI/ASME standard B1.20.1, covering sizes from 1/16” to 24” nominal pipe size (NPS). NPT threads taper at the same rate as BSPT, but the standard specifies different hand-tight and effective engagement lengths .

The tapering of pipe threads allows for a tighter fit which is crucial for achieving a leakproof seal. In BSP and NPT, as the taper forces the threads together, the resulting deformation provides a mechanical seal which can be enhanced with a sealant . The tapering means that a pipe can only screw into a fitting a certain distance, at which point it jams, creating a seal .

Larger pipe sizes greater than 3 inches are less commonly used with threaded joints because other methods of joining are usually more practical for such applications. For instance, welding or flange connections are often preferred as they can offer better structural integrity and simpler maintenance without the complexity of ensuring proper thread engagement and sealing .

Installing pipe threads in joints made of dissimilar materials presents challenges due to varying material properties, such as hardness or thermal expansion rates. These differences can affect the thread engagement and the seal's integrity, making it difficult to apply a standardized torque specification. As such, torque values must be determined per application while considering the material properties and type of sealants used .

The need for a uniform threading system arose in the 19th century due to compatibility issues among various screw threads used in hydraulic, pneumatic circuits, and fastening components. Sir Joseph Whitworth, an English mechanical engineer and inventor, developed a standard threading system in 1841 to resolve these issues. His system standardized the thread form to a 55-degree thread angle with rounded roots and crests, which became the British Standard Pipe thread. This standardization facilitated the interconnection and sealing of pipe ends internationally .

Fastening threads are parallel pipe threads used to create pressure-tight joints through the compression of a soft material, such as an o-ring or gasket, between the male thread end and a socket or nipple face. This is achieved via a backnut's tightening. In contrast, jointing threads rely on the mating of taper male threads with either parallel or taper female threads, using sealant to secure the seal .

The specification 'hand tight plus one to two turns with a wrench' provides a practical guideline ensuring that tapered pipe threads are adequately engaged to form a tight seal. It accommodates variations in manufacturing and material without requiring precise torque measurements, simplifying the installation process for pipefitters and enhancing sealing effectiveness in common installations .

Sealant fills voids between threads that could cause spiral leaks, making tapered pipe threads leakproof when combined with rotational pressure. In jointing threads, especially taper types, sealants are used to enhance pressure-tightness. Parallel threads, which only provide a mechanical seal, require additional sealing at the joint face, usually with a gasket or o-ring, to ensure leakproofness .

William Sellers developed the National Pipe Tapered Thread (NPT) standard in 1864 by setting the thread angle at 60 degrees, with flat crests and roots. This standard offered a rigorous and consistent approach to joining pipes and fittings, meeting the industry's need for standardized connections that could ensure pressure integrity and ease of assembly across different hardware components .

The taper rate was crucial in the American standardization of NPT threads, as it determined how the threads fit into each other, impacting seal quality. The NPT taper rate is 3/4 inch per foot, or equivalently, 1.7899° from the center axis, similar to BSPT threads. This measurement ensures a consistent and reliable seal across different pipe systems .

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