APPS - Saddle Clamp · APPS

The APPS saddle clamp creates a diffuser tapping point on the air header. Its two-part body wraps the pipe and compresses a gasket around the drilled point to give a leak-tight outlet. It plays an invisible but critical role in aeration grids: even with a perfectly functioning diffuser, a small leak at the connection reduces air flow to every diffuser on that line and wastes energy. Because the leaks are submerged they usually go unnoticed; the symptom typically appears as thinning bubble coverage in one area of the basin. The body material is polypropylene. Metal bodies corrode over time in the permanently wet, chemically active environment these fittings live in; polypropylene removes that risk entirely and stays dismantlable for years. Bolts and nuts, which carry the mechanical load, are specified in AISI304 or AISI316 stainless steel. AISI316 should be chosen for effluent with high chloride content and for seawater applications. Inlet diameter is selected as 3/4" or 1" according to the air flow of the diffuser being connected. During installation it is important to tighten the nuts within the torque limit and in an alternating sequence: over-tightening deforms the polypropylene body, while under-tightening leaves a leak path at the gasket face.