It has a wide range of applications in various engineering fields such as medicine, water conservancy (including water-saving irrigation and water supply and drainage), energy (such as oil, natural gas, and nuclear industry), residential construction, and more. It is an indispensable piping component during the construction process.

In a broader sense, elbow can also describe a sharp bend or curve in an object, such as a road, river, or pipe.

A flange is a structural element that provides a means of connecting objects, typically cylindrical or tubular in nature, such as pipes or pressure vessels. It consists of a flat, usually circular plate with holes around its perimeter for bolting or other types of fastening mechanisms.