What is a Y strainer?
A Y strainer is a pipeline filter with an angled branch housing. The shape gives it its name. The medium flows through the straight run and passes over a stainless steel screen in the angled branch. Particles are caught in the screen. The cleaned medium flows on. The Y design allows compact installation in both horizontal and vertical positions. Maintenance is done by opening the screen cap on the branch — without removing the main pipeline. Fergo strainers are manufactured in all common sizes to DIN EN 13547.
Stainless steel strainer – for chemicals, food and steam
The stainless steel strainer (types MY200, FP200) uses a body in 1.4408 (CF8M) and a screen in SS316. The PTFE gasket withstands temperatures from −30 °C to +240 °C. Rated pressure is 40 bar on the threaded version. Stainless steel is the first choice for aggressive media, steam lines and food or pharmaceutical applications. The smooth surface simplifies cleaning and prevents adhesion. In steam systems the strainer for steam protects upstream steam traps and control valves from scale and boiler deposits.
Flanged strainer – for larger sizes and high pressures
The flanged strainer is installed between two pipe flanges to EN 1092-1/2. Fergo stocks flanged strainers in grey cast iron GG25 (type FP110), carbon steel (type FP120) and stainless steel (type FP200) from DN15 to DN400 in pressure ratings PN10, PN16, PN25 and PN40. Face-to-face length follows EN 558-1 Series 1. Flanged connections provide maximum stability at high operating pressures. For steam and hot water systems from PN25 upward we recommend the carbon steel strainer PN16 or PN40 with graphite gasket.
Threaded strainer – compact for heating and building services
The threaded strainer with female thread to ISO 228 or ISO 7-1 suits smaller pipelines from DN8 to DN100. Fergo supplies threaded strainers in brass (type MY100), nickel-plated brass (type MY101) and stainless steel (type MY200). A strainer for heating — typically an MY100 in brass with 0.5 mm mesh — protects circulating pumps, mixing valves and heat exchangers in the heating circuit from magnetite and suspended solids. In building services it secures cold-water lines, cooling circuits and irrigation systems.
Body material, mesh size and pressure rating
The right strainer configuration depends on four parameters. The product configurator above filters on all four:
- Body material: stainless steel 1.4408 for aggressive media and steam, brass for heating and potable water, grey cast iron GG25 for standard water and oil service, ductile iron GGG40.3+PFA for corrosive chemicals
- Mesh size: 0.05 mm (finest filtration, instrument protection), 0.25–0.5 mm (standard protection for pumps and valves), 0.8–2 mm (coarse filtration in large lines)
- Pressure rating: PN10 and PN16 for water and heating, PN25 and PN40 for steam and high-pressure duty
- Connection:female thread for DN8–DN100, flanged for DN15–DN400
Use our resistance check tool to verify material compatibility with your medium.
Applications – heating, steam, chemicals and water treatment
A pipeline strainer is found in virtually every industrial plant. In heating and cooling systems the strainer for heating catches magnetite, scale and deposits in the circuit. In steam plants a strainer for steam ahead of steam traps and control valves stops boiler scale. In the chemical industry a stainless steel strainer protects sensitive metering and measuring equipment from particles. In the food industry only stainless steel strainers with a hygienic surface finish are used. In water treatment fine-mesh screens (0.05 mm) safeguard membranes and flow meters from contamination.
Strainer in stock – EU-wide delivery
Fergo stocks all 120 strainer variants for immediate dispatch. Standard shipping via DHL reaches customers across Europe within a few working days. Each strainer ships with product datasheet and declaration of conformity to the EU Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU. For special mesh sizes or connection types the Fergo team advises on bespoke configurations.
Certificates
Special solutions
Resistance check
FAQ - Your questions, our answers!
Strainer screens reliably protect your systems from contamination without impairing flow. This significantly reduces downtime or interruptions in your operations. Thanks to a wide variety of designs, they can be optimally adapted to the pipeline and medium. At Fergo, you can even get custom-made strainer screens that are manufactured exactly to your specifications. Despite their high performance, they remain as compact as possible – especially for smaller nominal diameters with sleeves. The screen can be replaced and cleaned in just a few simple steps, making maintenance particularly efficient. Manufactured from robust, high-quality materials, the fittings impress with their long service life. Compared to alternative filter systems, dirt traps are also extremely cost-efficient and, in most cases, just as effective.
That depends entirely on the desired application. The mesh size of the screen ultimately determines how precisely the filtration is carried out. This applies to your stainless steel strainer as well as to other materials. In other words, which particles of what size are reliably captured while minimising the impact on the flow of the medium. We therefore offer you a wide range to choose from, so you are sure to find something suitable. Our range extends from mesh sizes of 0.25 mm to 3.1 mm. This allows you to tailor the degree of filtration precisely to the respective process situation. If you still need to define your applications, please contact us. We will be happy to help.
Depending on the connection, there are various things you need to bear in mind when installing. If you are unsure, it is best to hire a professional. This is because industrial dirt traps can only do their job reliably if they are installed as intended by the manufacturer. If in doubt, please check with our support team before ordering to clarify all the details. Additional protective measures must be taken for aggressive media or those associated with high pressures and temperatures. Please always err on the side of caution. In principle, however, flange strainers are attached to the flanges of the pipes, while the socket version fits into the internal thread. With the latter, you should therefore ensure that the thread is screwed in cleanly and do not forget the seal. It is often necessary to hold the pipe in place until the fitting is secure. A connection via the flanges, on the other hand, requires that you first align them flush and tension-free. Then tighten the screws, as always, gradually and crosswise. After initial commissioning, ideally check again and retighten if necessary. Finished. If you need a valve to shut off the pipes in advance so that no medium can escape, take a look at our extended range.
Firstly, you must ensure that the strainer is facing downwards and, secondly, that it is installed in the correct direction. This is the only way to ensure that a Y strainer can function optimally in a heating system, steam system, drinking water system or other applications. The direction in which the medium should flow can be easily identified by the arrow prominently placed on the outside of the housing. Apart from horizontal alignment on the pipe, some products can also be installed vertically in the system. However, this is usually only possible in cases where the flow is downwards. So before you buy your strainer, check the enclosed data sheet. Here you will find all the technical details. Fergo provides practical 3D models for download so that you are well prepared.