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The Table below lists some of the more useful properties in building services for natural gas and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).
Properties
Natural Gas
92.6% Methane CH4 3.6% Ethane C2H6 0.8% Propane C3H8 0.2% Butane C4H10
Gross Calorific Value (GCV) (MJ/m3)(kJ/litre) Gross Calorific Value (GCV) (MJ/litre) Gross Calorific Value (GCV) (MJ/kg) Net Calorific Value (NCV) (MJ/m3) Density of gas at 15oC (kg/m3) Density of liquid under pressure (kg/litre) or (kg/m3) Ignition temperature (oC) Operating pressure (millibars) Volume of gas per volume of liquid (m3/m3) or (m3/litre) Volume of gas per kg mass of liquid (m3/kg)
95 as gas 25.5 as liquid 50 86 1.85 0.512 kg/litre or 512 kg/m3 510 37 274 m3gas /m3 liquid or 0.274 m3 gas / litre liquid 0.54
Gas Pressures First stage regulation at tank pressure is reduced from 6 bar to 0.7 bar. Second stage regulation at building pressure is reduced to 50 mbar (0.05 bar) At equipment and appliances 37 millibar (0.037 bar)
Procedure
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Measure the length of pipe in each section. Add equivalent lengths for fittings. Determine heat output of appliance or heat to be carried in pipe in MW Divide this by Gross Calorific Value (GCV) of gas i.e. 38.7 MJ/m3 to give gas flow rate in m3/s. Determine pipe size from relevant Table.
Example 1 Determine the steel pipe size for a gas boiler if the boiler rating is 28 kW and the measured pipe run is 10.2 metres with 3 elbows. Procedure 1. Measure the length of pipe in each section answer 10.2 m 2. Add equivalent lengths for fittings answer 3 x 0.6 = 1.8 m. Add to 10.2 m gives 12.0 metres. 3. Determine heat output of appliance or heat to be carried in pipe in MW. answer 28 / 1000 = 0.028 MW 4. Divide this by Gross Calorific Value (GCV) of gas i.e. 38.7 MJ/m3 to give gas flow rate in m3/s answer 0.025 / 38.7 = 0.0007235 m3/s 5. Determine pipe size from relevant Table answer from Table 1 gives 20mm pipe because the flow rate lies between two values on the table and the larger pipe size is chosen. Table 1 below is used for Mild Steel pipe, BS 1387: medium grade. Table 1 Gas Pipe Sizing for Steel Pipe Nominal Pipe size (mm) 15 20 25 32 40 Pipe length (m) 3.0 6.0 9.0 12.0 15.0 18.0 21.0 24.0 Gas Flow Rate (m3/s)
0.00104 0.00219 0.00409 0.00826 0.01258 0.00072 0.00149 0.00275 0.00574 0.00865 0.00057 0.00120 0.00224 0.00464 0.00700 0.00050 0.00102 0.00193 0.00393 0.00598 0.00044 0.00090 0.00169 0.00346 0.00527 0.00039 0.00083 0.00153 0.00315 0.00480 0.00036 0.00076 0.00142 0.00291 0.00440 0.00034 0.00071 0.00134 0.00275 0.00417
Table 2 below is used for Copper Tube Table X or EN 1057 thin wall, half hard temper. Table 2 Gas Pipe Sizing for Copper Tube Table X Nominal Pipe size (mm) 15 22 28 Pipe length (m) 3.0 6.0 9.0 12.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 Gas Flow Rate (m3/s)
0.00079 0.00244 0.00495 0.00054 0.00165 0.00330 0.00043 0.00126 0.00260 0.00035 0.00102 0.00220 0.00032 0.00110 0.00197 0.00027 0.00079 0.00165 0.00025 0.00070 0.00142 0.00024 0.00063 0.00134
Table 3 below is used for Copper Tube Table Y or EN 1057 thick wall, half hard temper. Table 1 Gas Pipe Sizing for Copper Tube Table Y Nominal Pipe size (mm) 15 22 28 Pipe length (m) 3.0 6.0 9.0 12.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 Gas Flow Rate (m3/s)
0.00071 0.00220 0.00456 0.00047 0.00149 0.00307 0.00037 0.00118 0.00244 0.00032 0.00094 0.00205 0.00028 0.00087 0.00181 0.00027 0.00072 0.00149 0.00024 0.00064 0.00134 0.00020 0.00057 0.00118
It must be remembered that the above method of pipe sizing is not as accurate as using the CIBSE guide method as detailed in page 3, but can be useful for checking pipe sizes quickly.
Section
Length (metres) 8 4 13 5 4
1 2 3 4 5
H / GCV
Gas flow rate in pipe section (m3/s) Heat output in pipe section (convert to MW) Gross Calorific Value of gas (MJ/m3) given in Pipe Sizing Table.
Where; Q = H = GCV =
For example, in Pipe section 1 the Heat output to all appliances is 25 + 12 + 4 kW = 41 kW. Flow rate Q = H / GCV Q = 41 x 10-3 (MW) / 38.7 (MJ/m3) from Pipe Sizing Table. Q = 1.05943 x 10-3 m3/s Q = 0.00105943 m3/s Q = approximately 0.00106 m3/s
4 Lengt h of pipe
5
Total Equivalent length of Fittings
m m
9 1 7 8 Pressure Pressure at Pressure TOTAL atstartof end drop PRESSU section of section per RE Pa Pa metre DROP Col. 6 x Pa/m 7 Pa
41
0.00106
28
20.31
16
0.000413
15
38.18
0.000103
15
13
17.94
25
0.00065
22
19.5
12
0.00031
15
17.6
Gas pipe sizes and pressure drops can now be put on the drawing.
The pressure drops as shown in the following Table: Sections 1,4 1,2,5 1,2,3 Pressure drop (Pa) 20.31 + 19.50 20.31 + 38.18 + 17.60 20.31 + 38.18 + 17.94 Pressure drop (Pa) 39.81 76.09 76.43
The maximum pressure drop is in sections 1, 2 and 3 and amounts to 76.43 Pa. This is less than the recommended maximum of 100 Pa; therefore the pipe sizes are appropriate. If the pressure drop in sections 1, 2 and 3 and was too high then the pipe size in section 2 could have been increased to 22mm, and a second calculation of pressure drop carried out. GROSS CALORIFIC VALUE (MJ/m3) 41.6 96