Standard Pipe Sizes

Except for specialist

applications, commercially available pipe comes in standard sizes. Pipes in a variety of materials - including carbon
steel, steel alloys, as well as some plastics - are manufactured in these standard sizes.
The pipe size is specified with two numbers: the nominal pipe diameter or bore! and the pipe schedule. This then
sets the outside pipe diameter, the wall thic"ness and hence the internal diameter!. # list of common standard pipe
sizes are given below.
A Table of the Most Common Standard Pipe Sizes
Nominal Bore 1/2 inch (DN 1 mm!" #$tside Diameter 21%&' mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $T( )$ $ch. &*' ))$
+all Thic"ness mm! &.*% ,.&& ,.-- ..-. /.-0 -./-
1nternal (iameter mm! &0.'/ &-.&, &%.0' &..2' &&.-0 *./'
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same dimensions as )$.
Nominal Bore &/' inch (DN 2( mm!" #$tside Diameter 2)%)* mm
$chedule
$ch
.%

$ch.
&'

$T
(
)$
$ch.&
*'
))$
+all Thic"ness
mm!

&.*
%
,.&& ,.0- ..2& %.%* -.0,
1nternal
(iameter mm!

,..
.-
,,./%
,'.2
.

&0.0
%
&%.%%
&&.
'.
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same
dimensions as )$.
Nominal Bore 1 inch (DN 2 mm!" #$tside Diameter &&%'( mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $T( )$ $ch. &*' ))$
+all Thic"ness mm! &.*% ,.-- ...0 /.%% *..% 2.'2
1nternal (iameter mm! .'.& ,-.0* ,*.*/ ,/.. ,'.- &%.,,
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same dimensions as )$.
Nominal Bore 1% inch (DN '( mm!" #$tside Diameter '+%& mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $T( )$ $ch. &*' ))$
+all Thic"ness mm! &.- ,.0 ..- %.& -.& &'.,
1nternal (iameter mm! /%.' /,.- /'.2 .0.& ./.' ,-.2
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same dimensions as )$.
3ound this useful4 +ant further
information on line sizing4
Try the following lin"s
5i6uids Pressure (rop
$preadsheet
Tutorial on pressure drops
Tutorial on gravity flow
Nominal Bore 2 inch (DN ( mm!" #$tside Diameter )(%& mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $T( )$ $ch. &*' ))$
+all thic"ness mm! &.- ,.0 ..2 %.% 0.- &&.&
1nternal (iameter mm! %*.2 %/.- %,.% /2.. /,.2 .0.&
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same dimensions as )$.
Nominal Bore & inch (DN +( mm!" #$tside Diameter ++%, mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $T( )$ $ch. &*' ))$
+all thic"ness mm! ,.& ..' %.% -.* &&.& &%.,
1nternal (iameter mm! 0/.- 0,.2 --.2 -..- **.- %0.%
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same dimensions as )$.
Nominal Bore ' inch (DN 1(( mm!" #$tside Diameter 11'%& mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $T( )$ $ch.&,' $ch. &*' ))$
+all thic"ness mm! ,.& ..' *.' 0.* &&.& &../ &-.&
1nternal (iameter mm! &&'.& &'0.. &',.. 2-.& 2,.& 0-.% 0'.&
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same dimensions as )$.
Nominal Bore inch (DN 12 mm!" #$tside Diameter 1'1%& mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $T( )$ $ch. &,' $ch. &*' ))$
+all thic"ness mm! ,.0 ../ *.* 2.% &,.- &%.2 &2.'
1nternal (iameter mm! &.%.- &./.% &,0.& &,,.. &&%.2 &'2.% &'..,
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same dimensions as )$.
Nominal Bore ) inch (DN 1( mm!" #$tside Diameter 1)+%& mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $T( )$ $ch. &,' $ch. &*' ))$
+all thic"ness mm! ,.0 ../ -.& &&.' &/.. &0.. ,,.'
1nternal (iameter
mm!
&*,.- &*&.% &%/.& &/*.. &.2.- &.&.- &,/..
$chedule /' has same dimensions as $T(. $chedule 0' has same dimensions as )$.
Nominal Bore + inch (DN 2(( mm!" #$tside Diameter 21,%1 mm
$chedule $ch. %
$ch.
&'

$ch.
,'

$ch.
.'

$ch.
/'

$ch.
*'
$ch. 0'
+all thic"ness mm! ,.0 ..0 *./ -.' 0., &'.. &,.-
1nternal (iameter
mm!
,&..% ,&&.% ,'*.. ,'%.& ,',.- &20.% &2..-
$chedule $ch. &'' $ch. &,' $ch. &/' $ch. &*' ))$
+all thic"ness mm! &%.& &0., ,'.* ,..' ,,.,
1nternal (iameter mm! &00.2 &0,.- &--.2 &-..& &-/.-
Nominal Bore 1( inch (DN 2( mm!" #$tside Diameter 2*&%( mm
$chedule $ch. % $ch. &' $ch. ,' $ch. .' $ch. /' $ch. *' $ch. 0'
+all thic"ness mm! ../ /., *./ -.0 2.. &,.- &%.&
1nternal (iameter mm! ,**., ,*/.* ,*'., ,%-./ ,%/./ ,/-.* ,/,.0
$chedule $ch. &'' $ch. &,' $ch. &/' $ch. &*' ))$
+all thic"ness mm! &0., ,&./ ,%./ ,0.* ,%./
1nternal (iameter mm! ,.*.* ,.'., ,,,., ,&%.0 ,,,..
Nominal Bore 12 inch (DN &(( mm!" #$tside Diameter &2&%, mm
$chedule
$ch.
%s
$ch. % $ch. &'
$ch.
,'

$ch.
.'

$ch
/'s
$ch. /'
+all thic"ness mm! /.' /., /.* *./ 0./ 2.% &'..
1nternal (iameter
mm!
.&%.2 .&%.% .&/.- .&&.& .'-.& .'/.2 .'...
$chedule $ch. *' $ch. 0' $ch. &'' $ch. &,' $ch. &/' $ch. &*'
+all Thic"ness mm! &/.. &-.% ,&./ ,%./ ,0.* ....
1nternal (iameter mm! ,2%.. ,,0.2 ,0&.& ,-..& ,**.- ,%-..
Nominal Bore 1' inch (DN &( mm!" #$tside Diameter &%) mm
$chedule
$ch.
%s

$ch.
&'$
$ch. &'
$ch.
,'
$ch. .' $ch /' )$
+all thic"ness mm! /.' /.0 *./ -.2 2.% &&.& &,.-
1nternal (iameter
mm!
./-.- ./*.' ./,.2 ..2.0 ..*.* ..... ..'.,
$chedule $ch. *' $ch. 0' $ch. &'' $ch. &,' $ch. &/' $ch. &*'
+all Thic"ness mm! &%.& &2.& ,..0 ,-.0 .&.0 .%.-
1nternal (iameter mm! .,%./ .&-.% .'0.' .''.' ,2,.& ,0/.,
$T( has same dimensions as $chedule .'.
Nominal Bore 1) inch (DN '(( mm!" #$tside Diameter '()%' mm
$chedule $ch. %s $ch. &'$ $ch. &' $ch. ,' $ch. .' $ch /'
+all thic"ness mm! /., /.0 *./ -.2 2.% &,.-
1nternal (iameter mm! .20.' .2*.0 .2..- .2'.* .0-./ .0&.'
$chedule $ch. *' $ch. 0' $ch. &'' $ch. &,' $ch. &/' $ch. &*'
+all Thic"ness mm! &*.* ,&./ ,*., .&.' .*.% /'.%
1nternal (iameter mm! .-..& .*..% .%/.' .//.% ..../ .,%./
$T( has same dimensions as $chedule .'. )$ has the same dimensions as $chedule /'.
Pipe Diameters
There are two common pipe size standards: the #merican #7$18#$9E8#P1! standard, which is in imperial units, and
the European (17! system which uses metric units. 1n the #merican system, the pipe diameter is "nown as
:7ominal Pipe $ize: 7P$! or :7ominal ;ore: 7;!. 1n the European system, it is "nown as the :7ominal (iameter:
(7!. The most common standard diameters are as follow: '.% inch &% mm!, '.-% inch ,' mm!, & inch ,% mm!, &.%
inch /' mm!, , inch %' mm!, . inch 0' mm!, / inch &'' mm!, * inch &%' mm!, 0 inch ,'' mm!, &' inch ,%'
mm!, &, inch .'' mm!, &/ inch .%' mm!, &* inch /'' mm!, &0 inch /%' mm!, ,' inch %'' mm!, ,, inch %%'
mm! and ,/ inch *'' mm! - further sizes up to .* inch are also available. 1t should be noted that some intermediate
standard pipe sizes are available commercially, such as % inch &,% mm!, however these are less common.
3or pipe sizes with a 7; of &/ inch (7 .%' mm! and above, the nominal bore is the same as the pipe <utside
(iameter <(!. =onfusingly, for pipe sizes with a 7; of &, inch (7 .'' mm! and below, the nominal bore and
outside diameter are different. 3or example, a pipe with a &, inch 7; (7 .'' mm! has an <( of &,.-% inches, or
.,/ mm.
Pipe Sched$le
The pipe schedule sets the pipe wall thic"ness. <bviously increasing the wall thic"ness of the pipe increases the
mechanical strength of the pipe, allowing it to handle higher design pressures. The following pipe schedules are
available in order of increasing wall thic"ness!: %$, &'$, &', ,', .', /'$, $T(, /', )$ Extra $trong!, *', 0', &'',
&,', &/', ))$ (ouble Extra $trong! and &*'. $o for pipe of &, inch 7; (7 .'' mm! with a pipe schedule %$, has
a wall thic"ness of '.&%* inches / mm! . #s the schedule is increased, so does the wall thic"ness. #t a pipe
schedule of &*', a &, inch 7; pipe has a wall thic"ness of &..&, inches .... mm!. 1t should be noted that not all
pipe schedules are available for all pipe sizes.
Calc$lation of Pipe -nternal Diameter (-D!
3or process engineers, the most important information is the pipe 1nternal (iameter 1(!, as this is used in line sizing
calculations. #s was discussed above, for a given 7ominal ;ore or (iameter, the pipe <( remains constant. Thus
as the pipe schedule changes, the internal diameter of the pipe changes. # spreadsheet for calculating pressure
drops in li6uids! is given here.
The 1( can be easily calculated, as long as the pipe 7; 8 (7 and schedule are "nown. The pipe 1( is given by the
pipe 7; minus double the pipe wall thic"ness which can be obtained from the pipe schedule!.
3or example, for a &, 7; (7 .'' mm! pipe, schedule /', the <( and wall thic"ness are respectively &,.-% inches
.,/ mm! and './'* inches &'./ mm!. Thus:
Pipe 1( > &,.-% inches - , x './'* inches > &&.2/ inches, or
Pipe 1( > .,/ mm - , x &'./ mm > .'.., mm
1t is worth bearing in mind that wall thic"nesses come within a specified tolerance, depending on the engineering
standard used - a typical wall thic"ness tolerence is &,.%?. This means that the actual internal pipe diameter may
vary slightly from that 6uoted above.