Belowproceduredefinesthebasistoestablishpipingcriticallinelistfromlinelist,P&IDiagramsand

PipingSpecification.
WhatisPipingCriticalLine:
ApipingcriticallineisalineforwhichaflexibilityreviewisrequiredtobecarriedoutbyaPiping
StressEngineerduetotemperature,weight,supportingarrangement,externalloading,lines
connectiontostrainsensitiveequipment,vibrations,etc.
Line50mm(2)NBandsmallerarenotconsideredcritical.Therefore,inthefollowingdefinitionsthe
wordlinesmeanslines65mm(21/2)NBandabove,unlessotherwisestated.
CATEGORY1:StressCriticalLines
CATEGORY2:EquipmentCriticalLines
CATEGORY3:SupportCriticalLines
CATEGORY4:ReliefCriticalLines
CATEGORY5:CategoryMFluidServiceLines

CATEGORY1:StressCriticalLines
TheselinesareidentifiedbasedonthetemperaturetowhichlineissubjectedNormalbasisfor
temperatureismaximumoperating/designtemperature.Inabsenceofmaximumoperating
temperature,designtemperatureshallbeconsidered.Operatingtemperatureshallbeconsidered
onlyifclientaskfor.
Followingarethecriteriatoestablishcriticallinesunderthiscategory:
a)Lines80mm(3)NBto125mm(5)NBattemperature2600Candaboveorat()2000Cand
below.
b)Lines150mm(6)NBto600mm(24)NBattemperature1200Candaboveorat()1000C
andbelow.
c)Lines650mm(26)NBandaboveattemperature600Candaboveorat()400Candbelow.
d)Nonferrouslinesoperatingabove1000C.
e)JacketedLinesAllsizes.
f)Linesforwhichaprobablerequirementforanexpansionjoint(e.g.bellows)hasbeenpre
determinedbyprocessgroup,andshownontheP&ID,asaresultoftheirexperienceonasimilar
plantforaccommodatingthermalexpansion.Bellowsshallnotbeusedunlessapprovedbystress
department.
g)Anylineforwhichformalcalculationsarespecified,eitherbyclientorlocalauthorities.For
exampleIBR370callsforflexibilityanalysisofIBRcontrolledpiping.Howeversametemperature
criteriashallbefollowedashighlightedina,b,c.IBRlinesanalysisshallbedoneusingANSI
B31.1code.

h)Linesthatalthoughnotinthemselvescritical,tieintocriticallinesandhaveasignificanteffect
ontheirflexibility.AsageneralrulesuchlinesareaddedtotheCriticalLineListattheinitialreview
stageiftheirnominalsizeexceedsonethirdofthatofthecriticalline(andtheyexceed50mm
NB).Theremaindershallbeestablished,andaddedtothecriticallinelist,duringthedesignstage
ofthecontract.
Theselinesceasetobeconsideredcriticalbeyondthenearestanchortothetieinpoint.
i)Lineshavingverylongstraightrunandaresubjectedtoharshsolartemperature(above500C).
j)AnyotherlinesthatthePipingEngineerand/orLeadStressEngineerconsiderCritical.Formal
computerAnalysisshallbecarriedoutfora,b,c,d,e,f,g,h.

CATEGORY2:EquipmentCriticalLines
Linesconnectedtostrainsensitiveequipmentfallunderthiscategory:
a)Pipingconnectedwithcentrifugalpumpshavingsize65mm(21/2)NBandabovewith
maximumoperatingtemperatureof1200Candaboveorminimumoperatingtemperatureof()
1000Candbelowand150mm(6)NBandabovesizewithmaximumoperatingtemperatureof
600Candaboveorminimumoperatingtemperature()400Candbelow.
b)Rotatingmachinery,otherthancentrifugalpumps,e.g.steamturbines,centrifugalcompressors
andfans.
c)Firedheatersandreformingfurnaces.
d)Reciprocatingcompressor.
e)Aircooledexchanger.
f)Vesselsfabricatedfromfragileconstructionsuchasgraphite,glassetc.
g)Vesselswithliningsofabrittlenature,e.g.glass,brickorrefractorymaterialsornonmetallic
materialshallhavepipingconnectionbasedonvendorsrecommendation.
h)Specialitemsofequipmentforthemanufacturerspecifieslownozzleloadings.Theseshallbe
addedatalatedate.
i)Linesconnectedtoanyvesselortankswhichmayundergosettlementincourseofitsworking
lifearealsoclassifiedcriticalinthiscategory.
Linesthatareclassifiedascriticalsolelybecausetheyareconnectedtostrainsensitiveequipment
ceasetobeconsideredcriticalbeyondtheanchornearesttotheequipmentconcerned.
Nozzleloadingforsuchequipmentshallbegenerallyasperfollowingcodes.However,Lead
Engineerinthebeginningoftheprojectshouldascertainthattheequipmentisgoingtobeboughtas
perwhatcode?
SteamTurbineNEMASM23
CentrifugalPumpsAPI610
CentrifugalCompressorAPI617

AirFanCoolersAPI661
FiredheatersAPI560
Formalcomputeranalysisshallbecarriedoutforlinesundera,b,c,d,e,honly.

CATEGORY3:SupportCriticalLines
Lineswhichrequiresspecialcareandconsiderationduringsupportingfallsunderthiscategory.
Followingarethecriteriatoestablishsupportcriticallines:
a)Linestowhichfieldweldingisprohibitedsuchasstainlesssteel,alloysteelorthickcarbonsteel
whichrequirestressrelievingafterwelding.
b)Linessubjecttotwophaseflow.
c)Linesconnectedtoreciprocatingcompressor
d)Nonferrouslines
e)NonMetalliclinesshallbesupportedaspervendorsrecommendation.
f)Lineswithwallthicknessschedule160orgreater.
g)Lines500mm(20)NBandlargerthicknesslessthanStandardWeightwallthickness.
h)Lineshavingcoatingofliningofabrittlenaturee.g.glass,concrete.
Computeranalysisneednotbecarriedoutforlinesunderthiscategory.

CATEGORY4:ReliefCriticalLines
Linesupstreamanddownstreamofpressurerelievingdevicessuchasreliefvalve,blowdownvalve
etc.fallunderthiscategory.
Followingarethecriteriatoestablishreliefcriticallines:
a)Reliefvalve/controlvalvehaving:
i)Inletlines65mm(21.2)NBandabovehavingsetpressure5.0kg/cm2gandabove.
b)Linesdownstreamofburstingdiscshavingpressureandsizecriteriaasperabovenormsof
reliefvalves.

CATEGORY5:CategoryMFluidServiceLines
Thesearelines40mm(11/2)NBandlarger,atanytemperature,withpipingspec.Codesidentified
intheContractPipingSpecificationasANSIB31.3CategoryMFluidService.