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Strainers · Commissioning & Start-up

Temporary and start-up strainers

Newly constructed pipework carries weld spatter, grinding residue, sand and construction debris through the flushing and commissioning phase. A temporary strainer is installed between flanges to retain this material and is removed once the system is proven clean.

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Flair temporary conical strainer fitted between flanges Photograph of completed unit
Temporary & Start-up Strainers
Construction & Types

Conical, basket or plate — matched to the debris and the gap

Conical, basket and plate type temporary strainers are manufactured to the specified flange rating, pipe schedule and mesh requirement. Requirements in this category are ordinarily urgent, and material is held to support expedited delivery.

Conical Conventional selection

Oriented upstream or downstream, providing substantial open area within a short face to face dimension. This is the conventional selection for the great majority of temporary strainer duties.

Basket type Heavy contamination

Greater dirt holding capacity than a conical unit of the same size, applied on lines anticipated to carry heavy contamination during first flush or restart.

Plate / flat type Minimal gap

Applied where the available face to face gap between flanges is minimal and the anticipated debris loading is light.

Specification

Standard range

Where a stated range does not cover a particular requirement, equipment is engineered to the customer specification.

Size range 15 mm to 900 mm
Type Conical, basket, plate
Open area ratio Ordinarily 3:1 or 4:1 against pipe bore, selected against anticipated debris loading
Perforation and mesh Perforated sheet backed with wire mesh to the specified micron or mesh count
Flange rating To suit ASME B16.5 class, or the customer flange standard
Materials SS 304, SS 316 and carbon steel, others on request
Options Handle or lifting tab, DP tappings, magnetic insert, identification tag with tag number

Advise us of the pipe schedule and flange rating and the unit is manufactured to the correct outside diameter and thickness.

Materials of Construction

Grades routinely handled

SS 304 SS 316 Carbon Steel

Other grades are supplied on request against the process fluid and the line it is fitted to.

Applications

Where these units are installed

Pre-commissioning flushing of new pipework Pump protection during first run and initial operation Turnaround and shutdown restart Temporary protection following maintenance on an existing line
FAQ

Common questions

A temporary strainer is fitted for a defined period only, typically during pre-commissioning flushing, first start-up or a turnaround restart, to catch weld spatter, mill scale and construction debris that a permanent strainer basket is not sized to hold. It is removed once the system is proven clean and the permanent strainer, if any, takes over.
A conical strainer gives the largest open area for a short face to face length and is the standard choice. A basket type holds more debris and suits lines expected to carry heavy contamination. A plate or flat type is used where the gap between flanges is minimal and debris loading is light.
Mesh and perforation are sized against what the flushing operation is expected to remove, weld spatter and mill scale being coarser than fine construction dust, and against protecting the equipment immediately downstream, such as a pump or control valve. Advise us what is downstream and we will size the element accordingly.
Yes. Requirements in this category are ordinarily urgent because they sit on the critical path to commissioning, and material is held to support expedited delivery. Advise us of your flange rating, pipe schedule and required date at enquiry stage.
The flange rating (for example ASME B16.5 class 150 or 300), the pipe schedule, and the nominal size are the minimum information needed to manufacture to the correct outside diameter and thickness. Send us your line list or isometric and we will confirm the rest.
It is not compulsory but is recommended on larger sizes, where a handle or lifting tab makes the strainer easier to align, insert and withdraw between the flanges without damaging the gasket faces.
Within the same flange rating and size, yes, provided it is inspected for damage after each removal. Where the line sizes differ across a project we can supply a matched set at the same time to avoid delay between one location and the next.
Yes, DP tappings can be fitted so pressure drop across the element is monitored during flushing without opening the line, which is useful where the flushing period runs over several shifts.
Enquiry

Request a quotation for Temporary and Startup Strainers

Give us the line size, flow rate, fluid and operating conditions and we will engineer directly against them. Most enquiries are answered the same working day.