AISI 4130 long sweep
4130 long sweep fittings
Long sweep elbows turn a high-pressure line on a bend radius several times the bore, with a heavier body than the weld ends. Made in AISI 4130 and heat treated for 15,000 psi service.
A long sweep elbow turns a high-pressure line through 45° or 90° on a bend radius several times its bore, so solids and gas strike the outer wall at a shallower angle than in a standard elbow. Ours are made in AISI 4130 with a body heavier than the weld ends, quenched and tempered to 85 ksi minimum yield for 15,000 psi, and used in choke and kill lines on drilling rigs, high-pressure mud and cement lines, cement manifolds, mud gas separators, junk catcher manifolds and well test packages.
Long sweep and long radius are not the same
| Fitting | Center-to-end | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Short radius elbow | 1 x nominal size | ASME B16.28 tables |
| Long radius elbow | 1.5 x nominal size; 3 in for a 2 in elbow | ASME B16.9 |
| Long sweep elbow | About 2.5 to 4 x nominal size; 8 in for our 2 in long sweep | Maker's or buyer's drawing |
| Large-radius bend in API Std 53 terms | Radius at least 10 x pipe diameter | API Standard 53, choke and kill lines |
The radius matters most where the flow carries sand, cuttings or cement. A gentler turn spreads the impact over more of the outer wall and lowers the local wear rate. For choke and kill lines built to API Standard 53, though, a bend only counts as large-radius, needing no target, at a radius of 10 times the diameter or more. Our standard long sweeps reduce wear compared with a long radius elbow but still need the target or fluid cushion the standard asks for, unless your design uses a larger radius made to drawing. The full comparison is in long sweep bends vs targeted tees.
Dimensions of our standard 90° long sweeps
| Size | A, center-to-end | C, bore | D, end OD | E, body OD | Weight, lb (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in XXS | 8 | 1.50 | 2.375 | 3.50 | 31 (14) |
| 3 in XXS | 8 | 2.30 | 3.5 | 4.50 | 49 (22) |
| 4 in XXS | 11 | 3.15 | 4.5 | 5.50 | 93 (42) |
| 5 in XXS | 12 | 4.06 | 5.56 | 6.63 | 126 (57) |
| 6 in XXS | 15 | 4.90 | 6.625 | 8.00 | 207 (94) |
| 5.5 in OD x 3 in ID | 12 | 3.06 | 5.5 | 6.63 | 137 (62) |
| 6.75 in OD x 5 in ID | 15 | 5.00 | 6.75 | 8.00 | 207 (94) |
A is equal on both legs. Other radii, bores and walls are made to your drawing, as are 45° long sweeps. 1 in = 25.4 mm.
Why the body is heavier than the ends
The weld ends (D) match the outside diameter of the pipe, so the elbow welds into the line like any butt-weld fitting. The body (E) is larger. The extra wall goes where a bend needs it: the outside of the bend thins when the elbow is formed, and it is also where entrained solids strike, so the heavier body is erosion allowance as well as strength. The bore (C) stays the same as the pipe's, with no step to disturb the flow.
Material and heat treatment
Long sweeps for 15,000 psi lines are quenched and tempered to 85 ksi (586 MPa) minimum yield and 110 ksi (758 MPa) minimum tensile strength. Lower strength levels, such as the API 6A 75K level, are made for 7,500 and 10,000 psi lines or where your specification calls for them. Sour-service long sweeps are tempered to 22 HRC maximum and supplied with a hardness survey, as NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156-2 requires.
Order the long sweeps with the 4130 pipe and the rest of the line, and give the strength level and hardness for all of it, so every weld joins parts with the same properties.
Weld ends or union ends
Butt-weld long sweeps are beveled to ASME B16.25, with a compound bevel on heavy walls. For temporary and well-service lines that are rigged up and down, long sweeps with hammer union ends are made as integral fittings, for example a 2 in FIG 1502 male by female long sweep ell, machined from one forged body with no welds.
Where long sweeps are used
- Choke and kill lines on semisubmersibles, drillships and land rigs, see choke and kill lines
- High-pressure, high-temperature mud and cement lines, and cement manifolds
- Mud gas separators and debris or junk catcher manifolds
- Underbalanced drilling and well test packages
- Frac, flowback and well service lines, with union ends
For mud standpipes and manifolds, the same family includes 3D double-back elbows and standpipe goosenecks, and complete fabricated manifolds.
Ordering
Long sweep elbow, 90°, 3 in XXS bore, center-to-end 8 in, butt weld to ASME B16.25, AISI 4130 quenched and tempered, 85 ksi min yield, 110 ksi min tensile, for 15,000 psi, EN 10204 3.1, 6 pcs
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a long sweep and a long radius elbow?
A long radius elbow is a standard ASME B16.9 fitting with a center-to-end of 1.5 times the nominal size. "Long sweep" has no single standard: it means a bend with a much larger radius, made to the maker's or buyer's drawing. Our standard 90° long sweeps run from about 2.5 to 4 times the nominal size.
Does a long sweep remove the need for a target in a choke line?
Not by itself. API Standard 53 treats a bend as large-radius, needing no target, only when its radius is at least 10 times the pipe diameter. Our standard long sweeps are about 3 to 5 times the bore, so they wear less than a long radius elbow but still need the target or fluid cushion the standard asks for, unless your design uses a larger radius made to drawing.
Can you make a long sweep with union ends?
Yes. A long sweep with hammer union ends, for example a 2 in or 3 in FIG 1502 male by female ell, is made as an integral fitting, from one forged body with no welds.
Do you make 45° long sweeps?
Yes, to the same bores, walls and heat treatments as the 90° long sweeps, with the radius and leg lengths your drawing gives.