PIPING

WHAT IS PIPING ABOUT?

We can say PIPING is about designing, fabricating and constructing lines
conveying FLUIDS.
What is a FLUID?
It can be any of the following
a GAS
a LIQUID
a mixture of GAS and LIQUID
a SUSPENSION of small SOLID PARTICLES
inside a LIQUID.
Basic properties of conveyed FLUIDS
FLUID TYPE with particular attention to the CORROSION characteristics
the DANGER for HEALTH and the ENVIRONMENT
FLOW RATE
PRESSURE
TEMPERATURE
What is a PIPELINE?
A PIPELINE conveys a fluid from one given point of the plant usually called
INLET point of the line, to another part of the plant usually called OUTLET
point of the line.
A PIPELINE can also connect one PIPELINE to another PIPELINE. PIPELINES
can also discharge the conveyed fluid into the environment (VENTS and
DRAIN)
Basic characteristics of a PIPELINE
SIZE (or DIAMETER)
WALL THICKNESS
TYPE OF JOINTS BETWEEN PIECES welded joints (butt welding /
socket
welding) threaded joints flanged joints
EXTERNAL FINISHING Painting Insulation
QUALITY CHECKS Hydraulic Testing Non Destructive Examination of
Joints.
Other characteristics of a PIPELINE
ROUTING
The routing is how the Pipeline is developed into the space.
There are rules and regulations to route a Pipeline according the Good
Engineering Practice Cold Pipelines connecting static objects (something
that does not move like Tanks, Vessels, other Pipelines, Headers) can be
straightly routed between the inlet and the outlet point. Cold Pipelines
connecting MACHINES that vibrate or rotate may
need a flexible part between the inlet and the outlet point. Hot Pipelines
must be flexible enough to adsorb the thermal expansion of the Pipeline
from cold to hot condition
SUPPORTING SYSTEM
Every Pipeline must be supported. Not all Pipelines are supported in the
same way
Cold Pipelines can be supported everywhere with FIXED POINTS Hot
Pipelines cannot be supported only with fixed points, butcertain points

must be only GUIDED, meaning that in those points the Pipeline retains a
certain numbers of degree of
freedom in certain directions, while are constrained in certain other
directions
PIPING DESIGN
Specification of Lines
It is a document that summarizes all the characteristics of a PIPELINE.
Starting from the PROPERTIES of the CONVEYED FLUID, the document
specifies all the
CHARACTERISTICS of the PIPELINE FLUID TYPE Choice of material
1. Non corrosive fluids
Services where impurities are accepted industrial water lines (cooling
water) steam lube oil return / before filter lines air lines vents and drains
Carbon Steel, Low Alloy Steel (High T)
2. Corrosive fluids
Services where impurities are not accepted demineralized water lube oil
after filters
fuel gas / oil sea water (water containing Chlorine) Stainless Steel No Iron
(Fe)
Copper/ Nickel Alloys (Cu- Ni)
3. Aggressive Chemicals
Strong Acids / Bases
Plastic: PVC TEFLON PE
Rubber: NBR, Viton
Composites: RESIN GLASS
FLUID TYPE
Choice of CORROSION ALLOWANCE : Thickness increasing taking into
account CORROSION Typical corrosion allowance for water is 3 mm that
affects THICKNESS
Choice of joints: DANGEROUS fluids are conveyed in fully welded pipes,
were leaks
cannot occur. Choice of NDE : For Dangerous Fluids 100% of joints are likely
to be X- Ray examined
FLOW RATE Choice of Diameter
For a given flow rate
- SMALL DIAMETER means HIGHER VELOCITY of the conveyed fluid
- BIG DIAMETER means SLOWER VELOCITY of the conveyed fluid Velocity of
fluids in Pipelines affects
- Pressure Losses along the Pipeline Pressure Losses are PROPORTIONAL to
the square velocity (v 2 )
- Vibration of the Pipeline Usual Velocity of Fluids inside pipelines are:
Gas: 20 m/ s - max. 40 / 50 m/ sec
Liquid: 2 to 4 m/ s - max. 10 m/ sec
TEMPERATURE Choice of MATERIAL

-Steel for High Temperature (Low Alloy Steel Creep Resistant) Calculation of
wall THICKNESS Routing Design and calculation of SUPPORTS (STRESS
ANALYSIS)
-Hot Lines must be routed properly. Provisions shall be taken so that when
temperature rises from ambient to Operating Temperature the thermal
expansion of Pipelines does not generate stresses too high for the pipes to
withstand. Application of Thermal Insulation -T> 60 C Insulation for
Personnel Protection is mandatory for all pipeline parts that can be reached
by hands.
PRESSURE :
1. Calculation of Wall Thickness
2. Choice of the Joint
-Low pressure pipelines can be threaded or socket welded
-High Pressure pipelines are Butt Welded
4. Extension of NDE of the joints
- Non process Pipelines (For Example Vents and drain lines) may
even have no tests at all
- Low Pressure Pipelines can undergo only the Hydraulic Test
-For intermediate pressures a 10% to 50% of joints must be
examined with X- rays
-High Pressure Pipelines are usually 100% X- ray examined.
AMERICAN STANDARDS FOR PIPING DESIGN
ANSI = AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDIZATION INSTITUTE
ASME = AMERICAN SOCIETY of MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
ANSI/ ASME B31.1: POWER PIPING
ANSI/ ASME B31.3: PROCESS PIPING
THESE STANDARDS GIVE TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DESIGNING
PIPING SYSTEM FOR POWER PLANTS AND CHEMICAL PLANTS THEY
CONTAINS FORMULAS TO CALCULATE THE MINIMUM THICKNESS OF
PIPELINES THEY CONTAINS
ORMULAS TO CALCULATE THE EXTRA
THICKNESS THAT A PIPE MUST HAVE WHEN A BRANCH IS CUT INTO IT. THEY
CONTAINS REGULATIONS FOR STRESS ANALYSIS THEY ONTAINS TABLES
THAT GIVE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE STRESS FOR METALLIC MATERIALS
ACCEPTED BY ANSI FOR PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION DEPENDING ON
TEMPERATURES.
STANDARD MATERIALS FOR PIPING
ASTM = AMERICAN SOCIETY for TESTING MATERIALS
ASTM
developed
a
collection
of
documents
called
MATERIAL
SPECIFICATIONS for standardizing materials of large use in the INDUSTRY.
Specifications starting with A are for STEEL. Specifications starting with
B are for non- ferrous alloys (Bronze, Brass, Copper Nickel alloys,
Aluminum alloys and so on). Specifications starting with D are for plastic
material, as PVC. An ASTM Specification does not only specify the basic
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION of material, but also the PROCESS through which
the material is shaped into the final product. This is why for a given base
material SEAMLESS PIPE have a specification, WELDED PIPE have another

specification WROUGHT FITTINGS have another specification, FORGED

FITTINGS have another specification, large VALVE bodies (normally CAST)
have another specification
CARBON STEEL
Steel is basically a solution of carbon (C) into iron (Fe). The presence of
carbon into the crystal structure of the iron improve very much the
mechanical characteristics of the iron alone. Carbon steel is a conventional
denomination for steel that has almost no other metallic
elements added into it.
ASTM most employed carbon steel for pipes are ASTM A53 Grade A and B
and ASTM A106 Grade A and B. A53 used to be cheaper than A106 and
Grade A cheaper than Grade B. Today the difference is not so big, so that
for small quantities ASTM A106 Gr. B is usually chosen. ASTM Specifications
belonging to same family of Carbon Steel
SEAMLESS PIPES ASTM A53 (Gr. A / B) or A106 (Gr. A / B)
WELDED PIPES ASTM A134 / A135 / A139
WROUGHT FITTINGS ASTM A234 (WPA / WPB)
FORGED FITTINGS A105
CAST PARTS A216 (WCB)
API Standards
For Oil and Gas Industry, another American Standardization Institute is
common and important. This Institute is
API = AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE
Rules, Practices and Standards for Oil and Gas Industry are issued by this
Institute and followed by almost all Oil and Gas Companies in the world.
Among the many Standards issued by the Institute there is also a Standard
for design of Pipelines: API STANDARD 5L Within this Standard Materials for
Oil and Gas transportation pipelines are specified, with denomination API
5L This is a family of Carbon Steels almost equivalent to ASTM A53 /A106.
LOW ALLOY STEEL
The introduction of other elements into steel can change very much its
mechanical characteristics. Steel is subject to a process called creep at
high temperatures
(T > 540 C) Creep is a reduction of strength over time due to high
temperature. It
means that if today the steel can withstand a certain pressure, after a long
time at high temperature same steel can withstand much lower pressures,
since its resistance is decreasing with time due to the high temperature.
Steel becomes also particurarly fragile if submitted to sudden impacts at
low temperatures (< - 20 C).
The introduction of small percentages of chromium (Cr), nichel (Ni),
magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), proves to improve
the strength of the steel and its resistance to corrosion also at high
temperatures (> 500 C) or at low temperaturea (< -20 C). Low Alloy Steel
is a conventional denomination for steels where there are small
percentages of elements, usually metallic, other than carbon
only. Alloy steels are usually identified with denominations that recall
composition. As for example following high temperature resistant steels:
Denomination Alloy percentage Grade Grade for Castings
5Cr- Mo (5% Cr 0.5% Mo ) P5 C5
1 Cr- Mo- Si (1.25% Cr 0.5% Mo Si) P11 (WC5)

1Cr- Mo (1% Cr 0.5 Mo) P12 (WC5)

2 Cr- 1Mo (2.25 Cr 1% Mo) P22 WC9
ASTM Specifications belonging to same families of Low Alloy Steels
SEAMLESS PIPE A335 (P5 P11 P12 P22)
WELDED PIPE ASTM A358
WROUGHT FITTINGS ASTM A234 (WP5 WP11 WP12 WP22)
FORGED FITTINGS A182 (F5 F11 F12 F 22)
CAST PARTS A217 (C5 WC5 WC9)
STAINLESS STEEL
One of most important problems with carbon and low alloy steels, is that
the iron exposed to air and water combines with oxygene (O 2 ) and
generates rust (di- iron tri- oxyde Fe 2 O 3 ) that peels out from the surface.
High percentages of chromium (Cr) and nichel (Ni) added into the steel stop
this problem. Stainless Steel is conventional generic denomination for
steels with high percentages of chromium (minimum 16%) and nichel
(minimum 8 %). Traditional denomination for stainless steel was given first
from AISI (American Institute for Steel and Iron) and is still in the tradition
and retained in the Grade of ASTM Specifications. But as usual for alloy
steels, a more precise denomination can refer to composition.
AISI
Denomination Alloy Percentage Grade for
Castings
304 / 304L 18Cr- 8Ni (18% Cr 8% Ni) CF3 / CF8
316 / 316L 16Cr- 12Ni- 2Mo (16% Cr 12% Ni 2% Mo) CF3M / CF8M
321 18Cr- 10Ni- Ti (18% Cr 10% Ni Ti) Not Available
The L suffix stands for Low Carbon. In fact the presence of high
percentages of Cr and Ni improves the resistance of steel against rust, but
at one cost: stainless steel is very difficult to weld. Welding of stainless
steel can be improved by reducing the content of carbon in it. ASTM
Specifications belonging to same family of Stainless Steel
SEAMLESS PIPE A312 TP304 304L - 316 - 316L - 321
WELDED PIPE ASTM A249 TP304 - 304L - 316 - 316L - 321
WROUGHT FITTINGS ASTM A403 WP304 - 304L - 316 - 316L - 321
FORGED FITTINGS A182 F304 304L - 316 - 316L - 321
CAST PARTS A351 (CF3 CF3M / CF8 CF8M)
How Pipeline CHARACTERISTICS are defined by the Standards.
SIZE
NOMINAL PIPE SIZE : NPS It is a conventional size expressed solely in
INCHES, related to the cross section diameter of the pipeline. For smaller
sizes the NPS is not
usually exactly equal to any real diameter, but bigger. This comes from the
fact that for uniformity, pipelines must have same Outside Diameter, and
change Inside Diameter with different thickness. But in fluid transportation
the internal diameter is more significant, so if the Outside Diameter is
bigger of the NPS, taking away the thickness, the NPS gives more an idea
of the internal diameter. NOMINAL DIAMETER : DN Same as NPS, but in mm.
It is the usual denomination of Size in Europe where S. I. is adopted. All
external diameters pipes according
EUROPEAN Standards (DIN - Germany, UNI - Italy, AFNOR France) are
exactly equal of the equivalent NPS Sizes according AMERICAN and
BRITISH Standars (BS) EXCEPT 5 (DN125)
WALL THICKNESS (1)1. For PIPES and WROUGHT BW FITTINGS, wall
thickness is given in INCHES or mm.

Some series of thicknesses are standardized. There are two series of

systems of standardized thicknesses. Carbon Steel
ANSI B16.10
5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80,
100, 120, 160. Schedule
Stainless Steel
ANSI B16.19
5S, 10S, 20S, 30S, 40S,
60S, 80S.
Std Standard
XS Extra Strong Weight Series
XXS Extra Extra Strong
It happens that for a given diameter the thickess of one Schedule is equal
to the thickness of one Weight Series. For example for small diameters,
Sch. 40 is equal to Std Weight. THIS IS NOT A RULE, and this idea is one of
the most common mistakes in piping design.
WALL THICKNESS (2)2. For FLANGES, VALVES and FORGED FITTINGS, a
different system of indicating the wall thickness is used. This is called
PRESSURE RATING. It is a NUMBER expressed in POUNDS per SQUARE INCH
(PSI symbol #) that refers to the maximum internal pressure acceptable for
normal operation inside that part.
125# 150# 300# 400# 600# 800# Cast Iron Flanges & Valves (Not in NP
Standards) Fl. & Valves Forged Small Valves (

2) 900# 1500#
2500# 3000# 6000# 9000# F l a n g e s & V a l v e s Forged Fittings This
conventional number is not exactly the actual maximum pressure
acceptable inside the part. The maximum
pressure allowed for a given rating is tabulated in the ANSI standards and
depends on Temperature ASTM Material
TYPE OF JOINTS BETWEEN PIECES (1)
BUTT- WELDING ENDS The end is machined to allow head to head full
penetrating welding
TYPE OF JOINTS BETWEEN PIECES (2)
SOCKET WELDING ENDS A socket is provided where pipe can be inserted
TYPE OF JOINTS BETWEEN PIECES (3)
3. THREADED ENDS Parts to be connected are threaded. For services where
leaks are
strongly undesired, a light weld is carried out at the surface, this is called
Seal Weld. Seal weld
STANDARDIZED PIPING OBJECTS PIPES
FITTINGS
FLANGES
VALVES
GASKETS
BOLTS AND NUTS
PIPES: ANSI B36.10 CS / B36.19 SS
Seamless

Electric Resistance Welded No material is added during welding

process
Electric Fusion Welded Material (Filler Metal) is added during the
process of welding
HOW TO IDENTIFY A PIPE SIZE NPS 12 (DIAMETER) (DN 300)
WALL THICKNESS Sch. 40 MATERIAL ASTM A106 Gr. B
BW FITTINGS : ANSI B16.9
Bends 30 - 45 - 60 - 90
Long Radius R= 1.5 D
Short Radius R= D
Tees
Straight Full Tees .
Reducing Tees.
Reducers
Concentric Reducers.
Eccentric Reducers.
Caps
HOW TO IDENTIFY A BW FITTING
1. Straight Fittings TYPE BEND 90 LR SIZE NPS 12 (DIAMETER) (DN 300)
WALL THICKNESS Std MATERIAL ASTM A234 WPB
2. Reducing Fittings
TYPE REDUCING TEE SIZE NPS 12 x8 (DIAMETER) (DN 300x200)
WALL THICKNESS Sch. 30x20 MATERIAL ASTM A234 WPB FORGED FITTINGS
ANSI B16.11
HOW TO IDENTIFY A FORGED FITTING
TYPE ELBOW 90 SIZE NPS 1 (DIAMETER) (DN 25) WALL THICKNESS Rating
3000#
JOINT NPT MATERIAL ASTM A105
PIPE NIPPLES
They are standardized short pieces of pipe usually 50 mm or 100 mm long
normally used between two close fittings. They can come in straight size or
in reducing size and can have one end machined in a different way than the
other. Such a variety of combinations is summarized using abbreviations
B = Bevelled
P = Plain
T = Threaded
L = Large
S = Small E = End
Pipe nipples can be used to change among joint types.
For example a PExBE Pipe Nipple changes a Socket Welding Line into a
Buttwelding Line Beveled End Plain End BW SW FLANGES ANSI B16.5
1. Pipe Connection
Welding Neck
Slip On
Lap Joint
Socket Welding
Threaded
2. Mating
Flat Face

Raised Face
Ring Joint
WELDING NECK
Used for all sizes, they allow full penetration weld between pipe and flange.
For this eason they are used for severe applications where failure of welda
cannot be accepted. This does not come free of cost, since the shape of the
flange obliges to
start from a heavy forging and waste a lot of material from machining.
SLIP ON
Used for all sizes, they are very much economical because they are flat and
can be obtained from sheets or plates with minimum waste of material from
machining. But they do not allow full penetration weld, so that they are use
for low ratings (usually 150# only) and unsevere applications
THREADED
Can be used for all sized, but are preferably used for small sizes (< or equal
to 2). Cheap manufacturing, cheap installation (no weld is required) but
limited to threadel
lines, that means unsevere applications where leaks are not a major issue
LAP JOINT
A Stub End is welded on the pipe after the flange insertion of it. This
solution is used for Stainless Steel lines at low pressure, since the heavy
flange does not come in
contact with the conveyed fluid and can be provided in much cheaper
Carbon Steel material. Moreover no weld is required, also a good thing for
Stainless Steel lines.
SOCKET WELDING
Used for small sizes (< or equal to 2) for unsevere services on Socket
Welding lines.
Flat Face Gasket: Full Face Flat It covers the entire surface of the flange
Raised Face Gasket: Flat It covers the raised surface of the flange Spiral
Wound Also known as Spirometallic, or Spirotallic, its a wounded spiral of
Stainless Steel and Graphite to withstand high temperatures or severely
aggressive fluids Ring Joint Gasket: Metallic Ring It is normally made up of
Steel. It deforms inside the ring joint grooves
assuring sealing at very high pressures. Surface Finishing of Flanges To
improve the sealing effect of plane gaskets, the surface of a flange can be
machined. A set of circular scares is machined in the surface. When the
gasket is tightly squeezed etween the flanges, it penetrates into the scares
improving sealing.
HOW TO IDENTIFY A FLANGE
JOINT TYPE -SLIP ON
SIZE -NPS 6
(DIAMETER) -(DN 150)
WALL THICKNESS -Rating 300#
MATING_FINISH - RF R9
MATERIAL- ASTM A105

ACTUATION OF VALVES
To open and close a valve, Hands, Electric Power, Compressed Air, High
Pressure Oil
you can use in which case you need Handwheel, Electric Actuator,
Pneumatic ctuator, Hydraulic Actuator
And is called Manual, Electric,
Pneumatic, Hydraulic
CONTROL VALVES
These valves are used to CONTROL one or more of the PROPERTIES of the
conveyed fluid in order to mention the VALUES of the controlled property
within a specific ange.
The internal parts of these valves are specially designed tu suit the
particular control task and are non subject to particular Standards. Anyway,
the majority of Control Valve Manufacturers try to respect at least the end
to end dimensions given in ANSIB16.25. Also connections follows the
recognized international standards.

SAFETY AND RELIEF VALVES

These valves are installed on pipelines where pressure can exceed by
accident the DESIGN PRESSURE of the pipeline. These valves are designed
to open and discharge the conveyed fluid when the pressure in the pipeline
becomes greater than a pecified value called SET. RELIEF The valve opens
when the pressure goes over the SET, but close again when the pressure
returns under the SET SAFETY The valve opens when the pressure goes
over the SET, but never closes again. Personnel intervention is required on
the pipeline to check the event and the condition of the area, before rearming the valve and starting operation again
TUBING
A TUBE is a circular section of given DIAMETER and THICKNESS. It is
normally specified giving the Ouside Diameter (OD) and the thickness. But
it can also be specified giving the Inside Diameter (ID) and the thickness.
The given numbers correspond exactly to the geometrical dimension they
refer. So A 2 OD TUBE has exactly a 2 Outside Diameters. Dimensionally,
there are two big families of tubing
1. FRACTIONAL TUBES
The INCH is the unit of measure, and since tubes for piping purpose
(REMEMBER: CONVEYING FLUIDS!) are small, usually less than 1,
FRACTIONS of inch are used, hence the name
FRACTIONALMETRIC TUBES
As per SI requirements, mm is the unit of measure. Again the value in mm
is the actual ouside diameter of the tube, so that a DN15 pipe has a rather
different OD then a 15 mm tube.
TUBES in PIPING DESIGN.

Tubes are not usually used in PIPING DESIGN except for some very
particular
services. In typical Oil and Gas Machinery installations, like Nuovo
Pignones,
TUBES are basically used for: 1. Parts of HP Hydraulic Lines 2. Instrument
connecting Lines
Pneumatic Lines
These Lines are small size (usually less than 1).
COMPRESSION FITTINGS
Tubing is usually BENT.
A large variety of fittings are available for
1. detachment of BRANCHES (Tees)
2. Passing through steel walls (Bulk Unions)
3. Unite tube to tube (tubing is not welded)
4. Connecting Tubing to PIPES (Connectors)
5. Connecting Tubes to Flexible Hoses
Connection of TUBING with the fitting is
achieved through a particular locking system where a RING ( FERRULE) is
forced to COMPRESS the Tube walls for sealing and joining. These fittings
are not STANDARDIZED, but are branding based and patented. Most
popular manufacturers of compression fittings are PARKER, SWAGELOCK,
GARILOCK.