Side Mounted vs Top Mounted Level Instrument

What is the consideration on deciding whether level instrument (transmitter or switch) to be top mounted type or side mounted with external cage type? Top mounted means the sensor or measuring element of level instrument is inserted into the vessel or tank from the top. Side mounted with external cage means sensor or measuring element is installed integrally in manufacturer prefabricated external cage. The price of level instrument with external cage is higher than that of top mounted type. This is due to the cost for the cage, moreover for special material such as Duplex Stainless Steel. However, external cage level instrument can have isolation valve installed in between vessel and cage. This arrangement allows instrument maintenance without the need of process shutdown. Therefore external cage level instrument is preferred in most application. Top mounted level instrument is utilized in some cases such as:

Buried vessel, since it has no side access. Semi-submersible tank such as caisson. Liquid which may change properties/form due to temperature change and the use of steam or electrical heat tracing is not feasible.

Above picture shows the arrangement of top mounted level transmitter and side mounted level transmitter. The isolation valve(s) can only be installed on the arrangement of side mounted with external cage type.

Instrument Cable Fire Resistant vs Flame Retardant

What is the difference between Fire resistant cable and Flame retardant cable? Please also explain the typical application for both of them. Fire resistant cable is cable which will continue to operate normally in the presence of prolonged fire for a specified time under defined conditions. Fire resistance cable shall pass test as per IEC 60331. Flame retardant cable are not rated to continue to operate under fire circumstance but it will resist the propagate of fire into a new area by having behavior in fire under defined conditions which is proven by passing the test as per IEC 60332. Fire resistant cable is applied to critical circuit which operates on energized to trip or energized to operate and circuit which needs to still operate during fire such as:

Instrument Cable related to signal for activating ESD2, ESD1, abandon platform. Instrument Cable for fire fighting equipment such as deluge valve solenoid valve. Cable for safety evacuation and emergency service.

Flame retardant cable is applied to circuit other than mention above. It serve for instrument loop which operates in fail safe mode. In term of cable construction, it is essential to distinguish the outer sheath colour between flame retardant cable and fire resistant cable. Commonly, fire resistant cable has red outer sheath/jacket while flame retardant may have grey or black outer sheath/jacket.

Instrument Drawing in Modification Project

If you want to add a new pressure transmitter in existing plant, what existing instrument drawings are affected during design phase?

Instrument layout drawing shall be revised to include new pressure transmitter. Instrument Cable Layout shall be revised to show new cable routing for new pressure transmitter. Junction box termination diagram / connection list shall be revised if the new transmitter is connected to the existing junction box. The terminal number which is previously intended for SPARE shall now indicate the new connection for transmitter cable. This is to show that the terminal strips are now occupied. Marshalling cabinet termination diagram shall be revised to show connection of the new cable in the available terminal strips and they are now occupied. New loop diagram is required for construction and maintenance purpose. New instrument hook-up drawing is required for correct installation.

How to determine the thickness of tubing for specific application?

Manufacturer publishes the maximum allowable working pressure information for each thickness of the specified tubing size and material. If we have determined to use a specific material then we shall check that the thickness stated in the catalog to withstand the pressure within the system. For detail data of tubing working pressure, refer to the published information on vendor catalog

Instrument Impluse Line

In instrument hook-up drawing, what is the the main differences between instrument installation for gas service line and for liquid service line, especially for instrument which requires impulse line? Instrument such as pressure transmitter, DP flow transmitter requires tubing as impulse line to sense the process pressure. This tubing shall be tapped to process in the following manner:

In gas service line, process tap shall be facing upward, instrument is mounted higher than the process tap. Tubing shall have slope upward from process tap to the instrument, this is to allow self drain of the liquid component back to the main piping. In liquid service line, process tap shall be facing downward, instrument is mounted lower than the process tap. Tubing shall have slope downward from process tap to the instrument, this is to allow gas component in liquid goes back to the main piping.

Is it possible to have process tap below the piping in gas service? Yes it is, by accomodating condensate pot in the impulse line. However, this arrangement requires periodic maintenance for emptying the condensate pot.

Pipeline Shutdown Valve

What is the main concern for the shutdown valve design in pipeline installation? Pipeline is usually required to be cleaned periodically using pigging system. Pigging system consist of pig launcher, pig receiver and a pig. Pig has brush part which can tear out soft material. Metal material is required to avoid broken seat due to pigging. Therefore, the design of pipeline shutdown valve shall specify metal seat. Another requirement is that ball valve type Shutdown Valve (SDV) in pipeline shall be full bore.

Side Mounted vs Top Mounted Level Instrument

What is the consideration on deciding whether level instrument (transmitter or switch) to be top mounted type or side mounted with external cage type?

Top mounted means the sensor or measuring element of level instrument is inserted into the vessel or tank from the top. Side mounted with external cage means sensor or measuring element is installed integrally in manufacturer prefabricated external cage. The price of level instrument with external cage is higher than that of top mounted type. This is due to the cost for the cage, moreover for special material such as Duplex Stainless Steel. However, external cage level instrument can have isolation valve installed in between vessel and cage. This arrangement allows instrument maintenance without the need of process shutdown. Therefore external cage level instrument is preferred in most application. Top mounted level instrument is utilized in some cases such as:

Buried vessel, since it has no side access. Semi-submersible tank such as caisson. Liquid which may change properties/form due to temperature change and the use of steam or electrical heat tracing is not feasible.

Above picture shows the arrangement of top mounted level transmitter and side mounted level transmitter. The isolation valve(s) can only be installed on the arrangement of side mounted with external cage type.

Instrument Cable Fire Resistant vs Flame Retardant

What is the difference between Fire resistant cable and Flame retardant cable? Please also explain the typical application for both of them. Fire resistant cable is cable which will continue to operate normally in the presence of prolonged fire for a specified time under defined conditions. Fire resistance cable shall pass test as per IEC 60331. Flame retardant cable are not rated to continue to operate under fire circumstance but it will resist the propagate of fire into a new area by having behavior in fire under defined conditions which is proven by passing the test as per IEC 60332. Fire resistant cable is applied to critical circuit which operates on energized to trip or energized to operate and circuit which needs to still operate during fire such as:

Instrument Cable related to signal for activating ESD2, ESD1, abandon platform. Instrument Cable for fire fighting equipment such as deluge valve solenoid valve. Cable for safety evacuation and emergency service.

Flame retardant cable is applied to circuit other than mention above. It serve for instrument loop which operates in fail safe mode. In term of cable construction, it is essential to distinguish the outer sheath colour between flame retardant cable and fire resistant cable. Commonly, fire resistant cable has red outer sheath/jacket while flame retardant may have grey or black outer sheath/jacket.

Difference between Shutdown Valve (SDV) and Emergency Shutdown Valve (ESDV)
The construction and accessories of Shutdown Valve (SDV) and Emergency Shutdown Valve (ESDV) are similar. What is the basis to distinguish their name? Their name is distinguished only from their services. Shutdown Valve referred to actuated valve which is closed during partial or total process shutdown of system to which the valve protects. Emergency Shutdown Valve is actuated valve which is closed when triggered by signal from ESD level signal during emergency condition occurs. Emergency Shutdown Valves are commonly located in incoming line and outgoing line of the plant or platform. Please note that some projects do not use term ESDV for tag numbering, instead Term SDV is used for shutdown valve disregard their services. In this case, shutdown logic diagram would indicate which actuated valve acts as Emergency Shutdown Valve.

PSV Types Selection

Mention three types of Pressure Safety Relief Valve (PSV) and explain how to select the right type for specific application? Three types of Pressure Safety Relief Valve (PSV) are conventional, balanced bellows and pilot operated. Conventional safety relief valves can be used on all services for liquid, gas, or vapor service if the total backpressure is less than 10 percent of the set pressure. Balanced bellows safety relief valve is used where the total backpressure exceeds 10 % of the set pressure but does not exceed 50% of the set pressure, or where the superimposed back pressure varies widely compared to the set pressure. It may also be selected to protect the spring and trim where corrosive fluid may damage these parts. Pilot operated safety relief valve shall be used when operating pressure is above 90% of set pressure or where total backpressure may exceed 50% of set pressure as the valve lift is not affected by back pressure.

Flashing and Cavitation Related Question

What is the difference between cavitation and flashing? Flashing happens in the control valve if the liquid pressure drops to the value below its vapor pressure hence it may form vapor component (like bubble). Similar to flashing, the vapor is formed in cavitation in the same way, the difference is that the liquid pressure is increasing to a value over its vapor pressure during pressure recovery in which makes the vapor turn back into liquid state afterwards. During engineering design, how to select control valve which expected to experience flashing condition and cavitation condition? Flashing could be anticipated by hardened material trim therefore to overcome flashing, the selected control valve shall have hardened material trim. However, hardened material trim is not sufficient to handle cavitation. Anti-cavitation trim shall be used otherwise the system design itself should be changed so cavitation is avoided.

Thermowell Sizing Questions

How long is the recommended length of thermowell compared to pipe diameter? Thermowell length is recommended to have thermowell tip lies on the middle third of pipe. This is intended to have more accurate measurement of process temperature. See below picture for detail.

In large pipe size, the above method is probably not applicable, due to longer thermowell which subject to break due to process stream. In any case, the thermowell size shall fulfill the requirement of ratio of wake to natural frequency, Maximum allowable static pressure (Pmax) and maximum allowable length (Lmax)