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Introduction
Correct design of piping systems is essential for the safe and reliable operation of
processes in many industries. Figures 1 and 2 show examples of piping systems.
These aspects are highly inter-related. For example, the pipe layout should be
such as to allow sufficient flexibility for thermal expansion. Possible support
locations and types must be iterated until all stress requirements are satisfied
and other pipe allowables nozzle loads and pipe movements are complied
with1.
Copying similar piping systems already in operation without the need for
any analysis.
Design by rule codes of practice normally provide a set of rules for the
designer to follow. Simple conservative techniques can be used to analyse
and size piping systems according to these rules. Flexibility analysis
techniques include the guided cantilever method and the ANSI criteria
used to establish the need for analysis. So long as the code requirements
are met using these simple rules, the design is considered satisfactory.
Design by analysis computerised applied mechanics methods, typically
based on finite element analysis techniques. Design by analysis techniques
produce a less conservative, but still safe design, than that obtained by a
design by rule procedure.
Piping Engineers
It is useful to consider an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the piping
engineering team during the design and commissioning phases of process, power
and manufacturing plant.
Project Manager
The piping team normally consists of pipe layout designers, piping materials
engineers and stress engineers as shown in Figure 4, though the number of
personnel involved will depend on the size and complexity of the project and the
budget.
Piping Piping
Engineering Lead Engineering Lead
Piping
Engineering Lead
Piping engineers have the responsibility and authority to manage and coordinate
the piping programme in a manner that will result in meeting the overall project
objectives. These responsibilities include the following specific tasks2:
Piping engineering, design and layout
Pipe stress analysis
Pipe support design
Pipe rupture restraint
Coordination of piping fabrication.
The duties of the piping engineering team include interfacing with other project
disciplines to ensure that the piping and associated components are delivered to
the site and erected in accordance with the codes and standards, technical
specifications, construction schedule and specified budget.
Piping Documentation
Typical documentation referred to or produced by the piping engineers includes,
but is not restricted to:
Table 1. PFDs4
1 Major equipment symbols, names, identification
number
2 Process piping
3 Control valves and other valves that affect
operations
4 System interconnections
5 System ratings and operational variables
maximum, average, minimum flow
maximum, average, minimum pressure
maximum, average, minimum temperature
6 Fluid composition
PFDs and P&IDs are usually representative and not drawn to scale, as shown in
Figures 5 and 6 for the same application. Emphasis is placed on the schematic
relationships between piping and equipment and the design process. There are
standardised symbols for each type of valve, pump, compressor, turbine, heat
exchanger, cooling tower, basic instrumentation, boiler etc.
Figure 5 Process Flow Diagram (PFD)5
Composite Drawings
Composite layout drawings allow all disciplines in a project to coordinate their
activities. Space must be allocated for all major equipment and interferences
between different disciplines must be avoided. Composite drawings usually
include piping systems, cable trays, HVAC systems and structures.
CAD
All of the above drawings are produced using CAD but these programs are not a
substitute for the designers understanding of the design process. CAD is
particularly useful when it comes to avoiding interferences with other piping and
services.
Codes and Standards - Introduction
In practice, the assurance that the design and construction of a piping system
will meet prescribed pressure integrity requirements is accomplished through the
use of published codes and standards. Numerous codes and standards have been
formulated by major interest groups in the piping and pressure vessel industry.
Some of the most widely used codes and standards for piping systems design are
those published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and
accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)1.
Other countries also issue standards and codes, e.g. the Deutsches Institut Fur
Normung (DIN) in Germany and the British Standards Institute (BSI) in the UK.
Code
A group of general rules or systematic standards for design, materials,
fabrication, installation and inspection prepared in such a manner that it can be
adopted by a legal jurisdiction and made into law.
Standards
Documents prepared by a professional group having requirements believed to be
good and proper engineering practice and which are written with mandatory
requirements. Standards, though not normally mandated by statute or regulation,
are usually invoked by a construction code or purchasers specification. They
specify rules for manufacturers of specific components, one advantage of which
is to permit component interchangeability. Standards apply to dimensions and
performance.
Recommended Practices
Documents prepared by a professional group indicating good engineering
practices but which are optional.
Companies develop engineering and design guides in order to have consistent in-
house design procedures and avoid having one project differ substantially from
another. Most are developed from existing standards and modified to agree with
the companys specific design philosophy.
Piping Codes
Piping codes provide specific design criteria which are rules and regulations to
follow when designing a piping system. The following are some of the parameters
addressed by design criteria found in piping codes4:
allowable stresses and stress limits;
allowable dead loads and load limits;
allowable live loads and load limits;
permissible materials;
minimum wall thickness;
maximum deflection;
seismic loads;
thermal expansion.
Codes do not usually include components such as fittings, valves, flanges and
meters. Design of these components follows industry standards which relate to
piping and provide specific design criteria and rules for these individual
components or classes of components. There are generally two types:
dimensional and pressure integrity.
Some commonly used codes and standards which relate to piping are given
below. Details of their applicability are found in Appendix 16,7.
Pipe Sizes
Many different standards exist for pipe sizes, and which one is used depends on
industry and geographical area.
Pipe size is specified with two numbers: a Nominal Pipe Size (NPS) and a
schedule (SCH). The relationship between these numbers and the actual pipe
dimensions is not straightforward and partly historical. Pipes are designed to
carry fluid, therefore their internal diameter is their critical dimension. In the
early twentieth century, pipe was sized by inside diameter. This practice was
abandoned to improve compatibility with pipe fittings that must usually fit the
OD of the pipe, but it has had a lasting impact on modern standards. For pipes
containing pressurised fluids the wall thickness, and by implication the pipe's
strength, is important. Wall thickness is expressed in "schedules" but the wall
thickness associated with a particular schedule depends on the pipe size.
The NPS is very loosely related to the inside diameter in inches, but only for NPS
1/8 to NPS 12. For NPS 14 and larger, the NPS is equal to the outside diameter
(OD) in inches.
For a given NPS, the OD stays constant and the wall thickness increases with
larger SCH. For a given SCH, the OD increases with increasing NPS while the wall
thickness increases or stays constant.
The most commonly used schedules are 40, 80, and 160.
References
2 Smith P.R. and Van Laan T.J. Piping and Pipe Support Systems. McGraw-Hill,
1987.
5 Process Diagrams.
http://webtools.delmarlearning.com/sample_chapters/1418030678_ch12.pdf
[accessed 13 January 2007]