Branch pipe

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Newly installed branch pipes on Denver & Rio Grand #168. After all the lapping, careful installation is important to assuring proper sealing.

A branch pipe conveys steam from the throttle to the input of a cylinder. Most steam locomotives have two branch pipes , one for each cylinder, that split off a single feed from the throttle.

Calculating Diameter

The diameter of a branch pipe can be computed with the formula given below, from "A Treatise on the Steam Engine".

The following rule gives the usual diameter of the branch steam pipe for locomotive engines.
RULE - To find the diameter of the branch steam pipe for the locomotive engine - Multiply the square of the diameter of the cylinder in inches by 0.021. The product is the diameter of the branch steam pipe for the locomotive engine in inches.
Example - Required the diameter of the branch steam pipes for a locomotive engine, when the cylinder's diameter is 15 inches. Here, according the rule, diameter of branch pipe is computed as:
branch pipe diameter = 0.021 x 152 = 0.021 x 225 = 4.725 inches

Examples

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