What are barred tees?

Barred tees, also known as branch outlet fittings or lateral tees, are a type of pipe fitting used in piping systems to create a branch connection at a 90-degree angle. What distinguishes barred tees from regular tees is the presence of a solid or reinforcing bar across the run of the tee. This bar helps provide structural support to the branch connection, especially in high-pressure and high-temperature applications.

The bar in a barred tee prevents direct fluid flow through the branch, which can be useful in certain scenarios. Barred tees are often used in applications where one pipe needs to be temporarily isolated or shut off, allowing for maintenance, inspection, or repairs on the connected branch without shutting down the entire system.

Barred tees are commonly manufactured from the same materials as regular tees, such as carbon steel, stainless steel, and other alloys. They are utilized in various industries, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, power generation, and more, where safety, durability, and efficient branch connections are essential.

Design considerations for barred tee

• The barred tee will be used when there is a requirement for pigging. Thus, many of its applications can be found in the pipeline or in the subsea field.
• The bar plates that welded internally at the branch are to avoid the pig from changing direction or getting stuck at the branch outlet.
• The design of the bar plates must be in sufficient quantity, thickness and adequately spaced to ensure the smoothness for the pig to run through the main pipe, and at the same time not affecting the flow that was meant to flow through the branch. Normal practice is to ensure that the opening in the branch pipeline after guided bars is not more than 40% of the main pipeline area.
• The size of the bars in the branch connection has to be small enough not to restrict the flow but large enough to sustain the pressure of the flow.
• To ensure the smoothness, the bar plates have to be a grind to suit the branch curvature. Any sharp edges, spatters and burs are required to be removed. This smoothness of the pigging process is important to protect the sensor of the pig from damage.
• Refer to Shell DEP 31.40.10.13-Gen Figure 4 above; the quantity of the bar plates start with two (2) pieces and increase as the ID of the branch increase.
• The bar plates ideally will be equally spaced.
• For larger tee (size 14 inches and above), there will be a bridge plate in the middle to support the bar stiffness when getting hit by the pig.
• The material of the bar plates commonly used the same as the tee material for weldability.
• Standard practice is to avoid welding of guide bars directly on the high-stress concentrated areas of the extrusion neck. Bar ends must be machined to fit the branch.
• Weld Repairs on Parent metal is prohibited.

The barred tee will be used when there is a requirement for pigging. Thus, many of its applications can be found in the pipeline or in the subsea field. The bar plates that are welded internally at the branch are to avoid the pig from changing direction or getting stuck at the branch outlet.