Buttweld 90° Long Radius Elbow Manufacturer, Supplier & Exporter
A buttweld 90° long radius elbow changes the direction of a pipeline by 90° with a centreline radius of 1.5 times the nominal pipe size (R = 1.5D). It is the standard elbow for process piping, and Raaj Fittings manufactures and exports it to ASME B16.9 in stainless steel, duplex and super duplex, nickel alloys, carbon steel and alloy steel, in both seamless and welded construction.
The generous bend radius gives a smooth change of direction with lower pressure drop and less turbulence than a short radius elbow. That makes the long radius elbow the default choice wherever the layout allows it — from refinery and power plant piping to water and chemical lines.
Both ends are bevelled for butt welding, and the wall thickness is matched to the schedule of the connecting pipe, from light-wall SCH 5S up to XXS. Every elbow is supplied with EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates, with 3.2 certification on request.
We export 90° long radius elbows to EPC contractors, refineries and stockists across the Middle East and GCC, Europe and the Americas — to ASME B16.9 for US and Gulf projects, or EN 10253 / DIN dimensions for European specifications, with PED-compliant supply on request.
90° Long Radius Elbow Specifications
½" NPS to 48" NPS (DN 15 to DN 1200) to ASME B16.9; larger sizes up to 72" NPS manufactured to order to MSS SP-75 or customer drawing
Long radius: centreline radius 1.5 × NPS (R = 1.5D) for ¾" NPS and larger
SCH 5S, 10S, 40S, 80S, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, STD, XS (XH), XXS (XXH)
ASME B16.9, MSS SP-43 (light-wall stainless steel), MSS SP-75 (high-yield pipeline grades), EN 10253-1 / 10253-2, DIN 2605, JIS B2311 / B2312 / B2313
Seamless (SMLS) and welded (ERW / EFW / DSAW)
Bevelled ends for butt welding to ASME B16.25
EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate as standard; EN 10204 3.2 on request
Materials & Grades
We supply 90° long radius elbows in the following materials and grades. All grades are supplied with EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2 Mill Test Certificates.
Stainless Steel 90° Long Radius Elbows
Stainless steel buttweld fittings deliver excellent corrosion resistance and are essential in chemical, pharmaceutical, food processing, and marine environments. All grades supplied to ASTM A403 specification.
(ASTM A403 WP304 / WP304L) General corrosion resistance; food, dairy, and chemical service
(ASTM A403 WP316 / WP316L) Enhanced chloride and acid resistance; pharmaceutical, marine, and chemical processing
(ASTM A403 WP316H) Elevated-temperature creep strength for high-temperature process service
(ASTM A403 WP317 / WP317L) Higher molybdenum content; superior corrosion resistance in concentrated acid service
(ASTM A403 WP321) Titanium-stabilised; resists sensitisation at sustained elevated temperatures
(ASTM A403 WP347) Columbium-stabilised; ideal for heat exchangers and high-temperature piping
High-alloy austenitic; superior resistance to hot concentrated sulfuric and phosphoric acids
Duplex & Super Duplex Stainless Steel 90° Long Radius Elbows
Duplex and super duplex grades offer approximately twice the yield strength of standard austenitic stainless steel, combined with excellent resistance to stress corrosion cracking and pitting — ideal for offshore, subsea, and chemical processing environments.
(UNS S31803 / S32205) Offshore topsides, chemical plant, desalination, and seawater piping
(UNS S32750) Seawater systems, subsea equipment, FPSOs, and high-chloride offshore environments
(UNS S32760) High-temperature, high-chloride offshore and subsea service applications
Nickel Alloy 90° Long Radius Elbows
For the most aggressive corrosive environments — concentrated acids, caustic solutions, sour gas service, and extreme temperatures — we offer buttweld fittings in a full range of nickel alloys.
(UNS N06600) High-temperature oxidation and carburisation resistance
(UNS N06625) Outstanding broad-spectrum corrosion resistance; offshore, chemical, and subsea service
(UNS N08825) Resistance to phosphoric and sulfuric acids; FGD systems and chemical plant
(UNS N10276) Universal corrosion resistance across the widest range of aggressive process media
(UNS N06022) Superior resistance to oxidising and reducing acids and pitting attack
(UNS N04400) Suitable for seawater, hydrofluoric acid, and marine and alkali service
(UNS N08020) Engineered for sulfuric acid and aggressive chemical process service
Exceptional corrosion resistance in seawater and oxidising media at low density
(C70600 / C71500) Preferred for marine seawater piping and naval condenser systems
Carbon Steel 90° Long Radius Elbows
Carbon steel is the most widely specified material for general-purpose, hydrocarbon, and elevated-temperature service. The primary grade is ASTM A234 WPB for standard service. For high-yield pipeline fittings, we supply ASTM A860 WPHY grades to MSS SP-75.
Standard carbon steel; primary grade for general-purpose process piping buttweld fittings
Impact-tested carbon steel for low-temperature service down to -46°C (-50°F); LNG and cryogenic piping
High-yield pipeline fittings to MSS SP-75; used in high-pressure oil, gas, and liquid transmission pipelines
Alloy Steel 90° Long Radius Elbows
Chromium-molybdenum alloy steel buttweld fittings are specified for high-temperature, high-pressure service in power generation, petrochemical, and refinery applications. All grades supplied to ASTM A234 specification.
(5% Cr · ½% Mo) Refinery high-temperature service; hydrotreating and catalytic reforming units
(9% Cr · 1% Mo) High-temperature hydrogen-rich process service and steam piping
(1¼% Cr · ½% Mo) Thermal power plant steam, feedwater, and reheat piping
(2¼% Cr · 1% Mo) Reactors and high-temperature pressure piping systems in petrochemical plants
(9% Cr · 1% Mo · V · Nb) Ultra-supercritical steam power plant main steam and hot reheat piping
Long Radius or Short Radius?
ASME B16.9 long radius elbows have a centre-to-end dimension of 1.5 times the nominal size — for example 76 mm for a 2" elbow and 152 mm for a 4" elbow. A 90° short radius elbow to ASME B16.28 has a radius of 1D, so it fits tighter layouts, but the sharper turn raises pressure drop, turbulence and wear on the outer wall. Most piping specifications therefore call for long radius elbows by default and allow short radius elbows only where space is limited.
- Lower pressure drop — the larger radius reduces flow resistance compared with a short radius elbow of the same size.
- Less erosion — a gentler change of direction reduces wear at the extrados in high-velocity and slurry service.
- Full bore — the bore matches the connecting pipe for a smooth, continuous flow path.
- Butt-welded joint — full-penetration welds that can be radiographed, with no crevice for corrosion.
Seamless and Welded Construction
Seamless elbows are formed from seamless pipe and have no weld seam, giving uniform properties around the whole circumference; they are preferred for high-pressure, critical and sour service. Welded elbows are formed from plate or welded pipe, and the longitudinal seam is examined by radiography or ultrasonic testing. Welded construction is economical for larger diameters and general service. In ASTM A403 stainless steel, the marking shows the class — for example WP316L-S for seamless and WP316L-W, WX or WU for welded.
Combining Elbows in a Layout
The 90° long radius elbow is often used with a 45° elbow to route a line around equipment, and two long radius elbows back-to-back form the same turn as a 180° long radius return bend. For pigged pipelines, where a pig must pass through the bend, larger-radius pipeline bends (typically 3D or 5D) are normally specified instead of standard elbows.
Applications & Industries
Long radius elbows are the most widely used buttweld fitting in:
- Refinery, petrochemical and gas processing plant piping
- Power plant steam, feedwater and reheat lines (ASTM A234 WP11, WP22 and WP91)
- Offshore and seawater systems in duplex, super duplex and copper-nickel
- Chemical, fertiliser and pharmaceutical process lines in stainless steel and nickel alloys
- LNG and low-temperature piping in ASTM A420 WPL6 and austenitic stainless steel
- Oil, gas and water transmission pipelines in ASTM A860 WPHY grades
- Food, dairy and water treatment piping in light-wall stainless steel (SCH 5S and 10S)
Explore the full range of buttweld fittings, or matching weld neck flanges for the same line.
Testing, Inspection, Marking & Packing
Each elbow is manufactured and checked under our quality assurance process:
- Incoming material verification with PMI testing
- Chemical and mechanical testing to ASTM A403, A234, A420, A860 or the applicable nickel alloy specification
- Heat treatment as required by the material grade, with pickling and passivation for stainless steels
- Radiographic or ultrasonic examination of the weld seam on welded elbows
- Dimensional inspection of centre-to-end, outside diameter, wall thickness and bevel
- Marking with grade, size, schedule and heat number for full traceability
Elbows are supplied with EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates; EN 10204 3.2 certificates and third-party inspection are available on request. For sour service we supply NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 compliant material, with ASTM A234 WPB hardness controlled to 22 HRC (237 HB) maximum.
Fittings are packed for export with plastic end caps protecting the bevels, rust-preventive or VCI wrapping on carbon and alloy steel, and seaworthy wooden cases; marking, tagging and packing to your specification are available on request.
Why Choose Raaj Fittings for 90° Long Radius Elbows?
Raaj Sagar Steels has supplied piping components since 2003 and today manufactures buttweld fittings at two plants in India for buyers in the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.
- Manufactured in-house — 90° long radius elbows are made in our own plants, so material, dimensions and delivery stay under our control.
- Ready stock, short lead times — common sizes and grades are held in stock for prompt dispatch; other sizes, grades and specials are manufactured to order.
- Certified quality — ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 certified; PED 2014/68/EU and IBR supply available, and NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 material on request.
- 100% material verification — PMI testing on incoming material and EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates with every order; 3.2 certificates on request.
- Third-party inspection ready — we regularly work with SGS, Bureau Veritas, TÜV and DNV.
- Export documentation — MTCs, certificates of origin, packing lists and inspection reports to suit projects in the GCC, Europe and the Americas.
- Export packing — seaworthy packing with end and face protection, and packing to your specification on request.
- Fast response — our team replies to enquiries within one business day.
90° Long Radius Elbows — FAQs
A long radius (LR) elbow has a centreline radius of 1.5 times the nominal pipe size, written as R = 1.5D. It is the standard buttweld elbow to ASME B16.9 and gives a smoother change of direction than a short radius elbow, with lower pressure drop.
For sizes ¾" NPS and larger it is 1.5 times the nominal size in inches — for example 76 mm (3") for a 2" elbow, 152 mm (6") for a 4" elbow and 305 mm (12") for an 8" elbow. Exact dimensions and tolerances are tabulated in ASME B16.9.
Use a short radius elbow (R = 1D, ASME B16.28) only where there is not enough space for a long radius elbow, such as tight equipment connections. Short radius elbows have higher pressure drop and may require a lower allowable pressure, so check your piping code before substituting.
Specify the schedule of the pipe the elbow will be welded to, for example SCH 40, SCH 80 or SCH 10S. The elbow is supplied with a matching wall thickness and bevelled ends so it lines up with the pipe.
Seamless elbows are formed from seamless pipe and have no weld seam, and are preferred for critical, high-pressure and sour service. Welded elbows are made from plate or welded pipe with a longitudinal seam that is radiographed or ultrasonically tested; they are economical for larger sizes and general service.
Yes. We supply 90° long radius elbows for projects under the European Pressure Equipment Directive (PED 2014/68/EU), and with IBR certification for Indian boiler applications. NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 compliant material is also available on request for sour service in the Middle East and the Americas.
