Strainer and it's applications in Piping system.

A strainer is a device that is used to retain solid pieces when fluid passes through it in a piping system. A strainer makes the fluid pass through a straining element that has very small holes. The smaller the holes, the smaller the solid particles that will be trapped.

Strainer protect equipment and process from their harmful effects, so lowering maintenance and downtime. Use of rightly selected strainers at correct locations (usually upstream) is a must to protect expensive and critical downstream equipment such as pumps, flow meters, steam traps, control valves etc.

The most common types of strainers used are the Y-type and basket strainers.

• Y-strainer: having a straining element in a side branch that comes off at an angle, forming a letter Y. This type is commonly used in pressurized lines, steam, liquid or gas, but can also be applied in vacuum or suction situation.

• Basket strainers?work in a similar way to Y strainers but have a different shape. Also due to greater free straining area, size of pressure drops in a basket strainer is small comparing to Y- strainer, so this make this type to be preferred in a liquid application.

Hint: A cover outside the straining element gives access to the straining element for removal, cleaning, or changing.

• Another type of strainer is the conical?strainer, in which the straining element is pointed at one end in the shape of a cone. A conical strainer is fitted between flanges directly in the pipeline. In a conical strainer, a straining element should point upstream so that the solid particles will be collected around the outside, next to the pipe wall. If you fit the strainer the wrong way around, the solids collected will block the strainer more quickly.

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