Why use stub ends?

Commercial benefits

Commercial advantages are that the stub end,it must be made of a grade of material that meets the process design and service conditions of the pipeline. However, the Lap Flange is un-wetted and it can be made of a lower grade of material as long as it meets the mechanical strength requirements of the piping systems.

ASTM A403 Grade 316 MSS SP-43 lap joint stub end Type B finished in Haihao Group

This means that instead of:

• Duplex Stub End and a Duplex Lap Joint, you could have Duplex Stub End and Carbon Steel Lap Flange.
• Or you could have Stainless Stub End and Carbon Steel Lap Flange. There are other bimetallic combinations that result in a flange assembly that is commercially cheaper.

During recent years the price differential between duplex/stainless steel and carbon steel has narrowed and this practice on large projects has become less common, however a cost difference always exists (the higher the NPS and the length of the pipeline / piping system, the higher the saving). On the other hand, the warehousing cost of one single component, i.e. a weld neck flange, requires less shelf space than the cost of warehousing a Lap Joint and a stub end. End users and Contractors shall determine the actual convenience of using stub ends, considering all these factors and generally the commercial advantage is still valid and it may suit certain situation, especially in “brownfield” modifications.

Installation benefits

The “loose” Flange concept of a Lap Joint, is very beneficial during field installation of piping systems. If two spools are to be mated up in the field, having one Flange that can be rotated is very advantageous when aligning the bolt holes, prior to the introduction of the Stub bolt and the accompanying nuts. The facility of easier orientation and alignment of bolt holes, is of particular use it there is a spool that has to be removed frequently, if positive isolation is a process requirement.

If you need stub ends,don’t hesitate to contact Haihao Group for more information.Email:sales@haihaogroup.com