Why 22 inch pipe is not 22 inches
Nominal Pipe Size is a label, not a measurement. NPS 22 pipe has an outside diameter of 22.000 inches, and it keeps that outside diameter in every schedule made. What the schedule number changes is the wall: at schedule 5s the wall is 0.188 inches, so the bore comes out at 21.624 inches.
That is the practical consequence. Fittings, flanges, supports and threading dies are sized to the outside diameter, so they fit any schedule of the same trade size. Flow, pressure drop and anything that has to pass through the pipe depend on the inside diameter, which changes with every schedule. Order by trade size and schedule; work your hydraulics from the bore.
Frequently asked questions
What is the wall thickness of 22 inch schedule 5s pipe?
0.188 inches (4.78 mm). The outside diameter is 22.000 inches (558.80 mm) whatever the schedule, so this wall leaves an inside diameter of 21.624 inches.
What is the inside diameter of 22 inch schedule 5s pipe?
21.624 inches (549.24 mm). Inside diameter is outside diameter minus twice the wall: 22.000 - 2 x 0.188 = 21.624 inches.
Is 22 inch pipe actually 22 inches?
No. NPS 22 is a trade size, not a measurement. The pipe measures 22.000 inches across the outside and 21.624 inches across the bore in this schedule. Only the outside diameter is fixed across schedules.
Not published here
2 schedules at NPS 22 appear in only one of the published tables cross-checked for this section, so they are named rather than printed: 40S, 80S. Everything shown above carries at least two independent sources.
Where these figures come from
Dimensions are as defined by ASME B36.19M (stainless steel pipe). This site is an independent reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by any standards body.
Every value on this page was cross-checked against 2 independent published sources: