Which piping joint is designed to connect two sections while allowing easy disassembly without disturbing adjacent piping?

• A. Elbow
• B. Flange
• C. Coupling
• D. Union

Answer: (D)

A union is designed to connect two pipe sections and be easily taken apart without disturbing the rest of the run. It uses two halves with a nut that draws them together around a gasket. When maintenance or replacement is needed, you loosen the nut and separate just the two ends, leaving the surrounding piping in place. That quick, non-disruptive disassembly is what makes a union the best choice for this scenario.

Elbows are fixed bends and don’t provide a disassembly feature. Flanges can be unbolted to separate, but they require access around the bolts and can involve more disturbance of nearby components. A coupling joins two ends as well, but many couplings aren’t intended for quick, isolated disassembly without moving or disturbing adjacent piping.