Professional Documents
Culture Documents
COURSE OBJECTIVES
COURSE TERMINAL OBJECTIVE
Given work control documents, the Apprentice Maintenance Mechanic will Install
and Rework piping and piping auxiliaries, as demonstrated by passing a written
examination with a minimum grade of 80% or better, and satisfactorily completing
the Lab Practical Evaluation.
Safely means the potential for personnel injury or equipment damage must be minimized.
Uncontaminated means the fluid will not get any unwanted impurities during the transfer
process.
Fluid will be defined here (and throughout this course) as anything that will flow through a pipe.
Primarily this refers to liquid and gas, but can also include slurries (solids suspended in liquid).
The pressures and temperatures must sometimes be controlled. This may mean that the fluid
temperature is to be raised, or the temperature is to be lowered, or the temperature of something
must be maintained constant. The fluid pressure may need to be raised, lowered, or stored for
later use. These are all functions of a piping system.
One is the open loop. It has both a source and a destination. The pressure within the system is
primary controlled by the pressure at the source and/or the destination. Examples of an open
system include the Circ water system (where the source and destination are sometimes the same
location) and the Chemical addition systems.
The other fluid system type is the closed loop. It has no specific source or destination but rather
the fluid recirculates in a loop. The pressure in a closed loop must be controlled by something
within the system like a pressurizer. Examples of a closed loop include the Rx Coolant System,
and the combined Main Steam, Condensate, and Feedwater systems.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 3
Laminar flow, being an even type of flow with the layered effect has less resistance to flow it’s like
driving a car with a tail-wind. Because of this, you can use smaller diameter piping to achieve the
same capacity to move fluid. However, the layers tend to insulate heat transfer to the next layer,
so this type of flow is not good if heat transfer is desired. To create laminar flow requires smooth
even surfaces of straight pipe because they are most likely to create the laminar flow. This
requires greater care in fabrication and erection of the piping to both create and maintain the
laminar flow within the pipe.
Turbulent flow is much better at heat transfer as the warmed (or cooled) molecules can move
directly into the main stream of fluid rather than having to transfer the energy through layers.
Turbulence also creates better mixing of two or more fluids. On the down side, it has a greater
resistance to flow, like driving a car with a cross-wind or a head-wind. The turbulent flow also
causes erosion of piping surfaces. Turbulent flow is caused by rough surfaces or protrusions on
the piping surfaces, or changes in fluid direction as in corners and tees. Turbulence can be
especially high when there is insufficient time for flow to become laminar before a 2nd change in
direction such as when 2 elbows are very close together.
Piping systems must be designed and maintained to establish the desired flow type.
Erosion/Corrosion phenomena
(NRC IN 86-106)
At the Surry Power Station on Tuesday, December 9, 1986 at 2:20 p.m., both units were
operating at full power when the 18" suction line to the main feedwater pump A for Unit 2
failed catastrophically. There were eight workers replacing thermal insulation on a nearby
line. All were burned by flashing feedwater.
All eight were transported to area hospitals. Two workers were treated and released. Four
of the remaining six workers subsequently died.
metal oxide layer. Conditions which contributed to the failure in this case included piping
design (2 elbows close together), fluid dynamics (the non-viscous fluid like high temperature
water/steam more easily moves to turbulence), the piping material (the material was soft
enough to be susceptible to the erosion and subject to corrosion in the base metal), and the
water chemistry (insufficient corrosion inhibitor).
In addition to the immediate personnel injuries, there was the potential for greater problems
because of the effects on the plant safety. Security card readers in the area failed, and three
fire suppression systems (water, CO2 and Halon) were rendered out of service.
To follow up, in the September, 1988 outage, Surry inspected piping and discovered that pipe
wall thinning had occurred more rapidly than expected. On the suction side of one of the
main feedwater pumps, an elbow that was installed during the 1987 refueling outage lost
20% of its .500" wall in 1.2 years. This wall thinning was continuing in both safety and non-
safety related piping.
Related SOER 87-3 Piping Failures In High Energy System Due To Erosion/Corrosion
Wall thinning in carbon steel pipes due to erosion/corrosion, has resulted in several pipe
ruptures in high energy system greater than 200 degrees. Some of the conditions necessary
to cause Erosion/Corrosion damage include:
Typically affected systems include the feedwater system, HP drains and extraction steam
drains.
At the plant we evaluated the piping for the problems noted by INPO and engineering
identified potential locations for erosion/corrosion damage. The most severe potential spots
were calculated. If any changes are made in the system we would be required to reperform
the analysis. Some seemingly minor changes which have created problems in the industry due
to the lack of analysis include changing the normal flow rate or the system temperature.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 5
Potential problem spots are periodically inspected ultrasonically for wall thickness. The
results are trended to determine the timing for replacement requirements. The piping is then
replaced as necessary.
Longitudinal Stress: A
tensile stress
caused by the
pressure acting on
the ends of the
piping (Elbows,
e.g.). This force
tries to stretch the
pipe.
29
Weight Stresses: Some
tensile and some
compressive stresses exist simply from the weight of the piping and its contained fluid. The
stresses are opposite (top to bottom) at the hangers from what they are between the hangers.
Notice that some stresses are not designed into piping such as the weight of people stepping
on them, the use of piping for rigging support, and the use of piping as an electrical cable
pulling anchor. These could overstress and damage the piping.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 6
Piping Identification
All piping is purchased with marking in ink by the manufacturer. For Q-class piping, the heat
code marking must be transferred to any pieces of pipe which are cut off of the main piece. This
transferred heat code must be etched with a vibro-etcher, not just painted on. All other required
information should also be transferred to the new piece. This would include piping size, schedule
or nominal wall thickness, and the Code to designate material type.
The following is a typical marking for piping, taken off of a pipe here at the plant.
The piping Heat Number identifies the batch of the steel fabrication. This makes it possible to
trace the piping material back to its original processing.
Other information which is often included in the markings are the Type of pipe (Seamed or
Seamless), Piping lengths as manufactured, Pressure rating of piping, and Piping manufacturer.
Pipe size is based on the nominal (approximate) inside diameter for 1/8" to 12" piping. For piping
14" or greater, it is based on the nominal outside diameter. The outside diameter is constant for a
specified pipe size for all schedules (wall thicknesses). The inside diameter changes as the
schedule changes.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 7
• Dimensional specifications will vary for tubing depending on the specialized service. Air
conditioning and refrigeration are a different service than domestic water for example.
There is not a single standardized schedule as there is for piping.
The primary specific difference between piping and tubing is the controlling dimensions. We can
especially compare I.D. and O.D. controls.
Most tubing is required for specific purposes which require greater precision of manufacturing. Tubing
outside diameter is generally more exacting than piping as is also the inside diameter.
All
14” 12”
Sizes
45
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 8
Wall thickness specifications will vary depending on service usage. Using domestic water as an
example, copper tubing has the following dimensional specs.
Type "M" Copper is light walled (for interior plumbing, heating and underground use). The wall
thickness is .025” for 1/2” tubing.
Type "K" Copper is heavy walled (for house heating and normal water conditions). The wall
thickness is .049” for 1/2” tubing,
Lengths of tubing are not standardized. Tubing lengths can be 3' to 300' depending upon customer
requirement. Soft tubing can even come in coils of many hundreds of feet in length.
Tubing Identification
Most of the identification on tubing is the same as that on piping. It includes the Manufacturer’s
name or trademark, the materials or specifications manufactured to, the pressure ratings, notation
of seamed or seamless tubing, the heat number, and the tubing size. The tubing size is a little
different, because it not only names the nominal O.D., but lists the specific I.D. or the wall
thickness.
The following is an example of tubing marking from some tubing at the plant.
The advantages identified here are generalities. They apply to most tubing and piping comparisons
because they exemplify the qualities requested in tubing. Remember, tubing is simply specialized piping.
Generally tubing has the following advantages over piping.
• Greater flexibility and fatigue resistance so it can be used where shock or repeated thermal
expansion and contraction are required. , or for attaching piping runs (which have a lot of
thermal growth) to a rigidly mounted instrument. Also for within homes, where water lines are
repeatedly turned on and off.
Tubing minimizes joints. You can have long runs without joints to aid in flow characteristics. The flow
characteristics are also improved by the closer tolerances and the improved surface finish generally used
in tubing manufacturing,
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 9
Physical description: Threads are cut on the outside of the piping ends. Fittings are purchase, cut
on the inside with threads. The threads are tapered, and the seal is created by the fit of the
threads.
Uses and limitations: Various uses including domestic water, compressed air, and natural gas. It
requires special tools to fabricate threads. It requires heavy walled piping to accept the thread
depth without decreased the pressure rating. It is for medium pressure applications. It is very
rigid, allowing no flexibility for misalignment or movement.
Flanged Joints
Physical description: A flat surface is on the ends of each pipe. A gasket is generally placed
between the flat surfaces or flanges. They are held together with bolting material. The flange
may be cast or forged integrally with the nozzle neck or vessel or pipe wall or it may be welded
(called a Welded-Neck flange) to the pipe.
Uses and limitations: They can be used in very high pressure applications. Piping material where
it connects to the flange can be as heavy as desired. The neck can taper almost to the pipe-wall
thickness. It is very rigid with no misalignment or axial flexibility.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 11
The four (or six) chasers are not identical. They are numbered 1 though 4 (or 1-6) to get them in
order. They must contact the same point on the piping in reverse numbered order as the threads
are being cut. They will appear numbered clockwise when viewed from the narrow end.
Cut the threads. Begin with the unthreaded side of the die (the chaser and head assembly) so the
threads will be straight. Apply cutting fluid during the cutting. Stop cutting when the die is fully
threaded onto the pipe. No more than one thread should go through the die.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 12
Cutting oil provides cooling to the cutting surfaces and lubricates the dies or chaser. It also
assists in chip removal.
Ream out any burrs which may have formed on the inside during the cutting process. Ensure no
chips remain on the pipe prior to connecting the piping. Use a fitting and hand thread onto the
pipe to verify the pipe is properly cut and to clean the threads.
This is a general description of the process. Apply thread sealant to male pipe threads. Begin
making up the joint by hand to determine the proper thread engagement. Finish tightening the
joint using a wrench. You should have 3 to 4 partially cut threads exposed.
You must exercise precautions when applying sealants to piping joint. Some sealant has mixed
with the process fluid or with contaminants to cause failure of equipment in the past. One
example is with the air check valves on the MSIVs & FWIVs. Fyrquel & thread sealant combined
to cause several of the check valves to fail.
To help prevent the above problem, DO NOT apply sealant to the last 2 threads on the end of the
pipe and ensure the sealant is compatible with the process fluid.
• “Pipe dope”: This is a pasty thread sealant which hardens. It is made by various
manufacturers under different names and chemical makeups.
• Teflon tape: This is not for general use. The CUP requirements states: is not for use in
the containment building or the fuel building or in contact with the process fluids in the
FW, SG, MS, CD, etc. systems. See the MSDS for the specific precautions if in doubt.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 13
Types of Flanges
Loose-type flanges
Integral flanges
Forged/cast: In this type, the flange is fabricated as a part of the pipe during manufacturing. It
involves somewhat high manufacturing costs. The lengths of pipe are inflexible, so the
final joint would require a different style.
Welded: This flange is welded onto the pipe section. It has the characteristics of the
forged/cast-type for strength and rigidity. It is more flexible in dimension because the
pipe can be cut to length first before attaching the flange.
The serrated finish has intentional tooling marks to aid in gasket retention. The tooling may be a
phonograph finish - a continuous spiral throughout the entire flange face. It could also be
concentric rings which are evenly spaced circles. The serrated finish is the most common. The
raised sections are generally not more than .050” high.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 15
Gaskets
• Strength: Ability to accept high clamping forces and hold back the internal pressures
without failing structurally.
The following are some of the basic gasket types and their uses
Non-Metallic
Non-metallic gaskets are made of a composition material, paper, vegetable fiber, synthetic
material, asbestos, cork, elastomeric or plastic, rubbers, and teflon.
Some of our gasket material in the past has contained asbestos. We are replacing all of these
with non-asbestos types as they are removed for maintenance.
Our procedures identify some of the non-metallic types as Soft Gaskets. These gaskets are
those that can be extruded under light loads such as a strong finger pressure or low clamping.
The following two fall into this category.
The cork gasket is used with oil and solvent systems up to 212° F. (an oil filter casing
e.g.)
Metallic
The common types of metallic gaskets are plain metal and corrugated metal.
Metallic gaskets are generally made of softer materials like Lead, Silver, Copper, Platinum,
Nickel, and Aluminum. Metal gaskets are used for applications what have extreme pressures
and temperatures.
The plain metal gasket requires the highest bolting preload. The decreased contact area of
corrugated gasket allows for creating a seal with a lower preload.
T rad e m a rk
F L E X ITA L L IC
F ille r M a t e r ia l (If n o t
C a n a d ia n A s b e s to s )
TE F
4
30
-
2 01
3 -4 I -6 W in d in g
-6 0 AP
0 M e tal
N o m in a l P ip e S iz e S p e c ific a t io n
P re s s u re R a t in g
C O R R U G A TE D G A S K E T
R e in fo r c in g R in g
O TH E R C O N F IG U R A T IO N S C e n te rin g L o o p s
The Spiral Wound gasket is a combination of metallic and composition. A continuous strip of
preformed metal is wound spirally from inside to outside, with a filler cushion between each ply.
This type of gasket is used for high temperature and pressure and joints with shock and vibration
problems. Some spiral wound gaskets have a backing plate, a metal retainer located around the
perimeter, to center the gasket and prevent lateral expansion of the gasket when it's compressed.
The backing plate also increases the overall strength of the gasket assembly. The most common
material used as a filler in the spiral would gasket used to be asbestos. We are replacing these
with non-asbestos filler material.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 17
Bolting Material
The basic bolting material includes Studs (or Bolts), Nuts, and Washers. They are used to apply
the force to create the seal at the flange interface. The bolting must be tightened evenly for even
gasket compression to create the seal.
The bolting material must be the proper material as illustrated in the following events.
At Oconee 2 & 3 and Fort Calhoun, Boric Acid Corrosion due to gasket leaks caused degradation
of Reactor Coolant Pump closure studs. Three studs ea. on two different pumps had diameters
reduced from 3½" down to between 1-1½" by the Boric Acid corrosion.
At Maine Yankee, 6 of 20 S/G studs were broken while removing the manway cover. Five
additional studs were cracked.
At Calvert Cliffs, three nuts on an incore instrumentation flange were corroded by boric acid
leaking past the flange gasket. Subsequent inspection found another assembly with 3 nuts
corroded. One was completely missing and the stud had dropped out.
At Three Mile Island I, a small leak on the pressurizer spray valve was found. Tightening of the
flange increased the leak size to 3 gpm. After isolating, continuing attempts to tighten caused the
stud to break. Two other studs on the flange were then found to already be broken and a 4th was
severely damaged. ASTM A193 Grade B7 studs used.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 18
With the plant shut down and RC temp at 125°F, a San Onofre Control Room operator was
attempting to change valve positions in the shutdown cooling system and found that an isolation
valve was stuck in the closed position. Mechanics were sent in to manually open the valve with a
pipe wrench. During the attempt, the packing follower plate was dislodged when the carbon steel
hold down bolts, corroded by boric acid leakage, failed. The packing then extruded due to the
350 psig system pressure. A leak of 60 to 100 GPM developed spilling 18,000 gallons of reactor
coolant to the floor of containment
At The plant, the anchor bolts for whip restrains in the containment building cracked during
normal handling. A representative sample of the anchor bolts in the warehouse indicated that 36%
of the bolts fell outside the hardness specifications. This indicated a lack of control by the
manufacturers.
These events were significant in that improper bolts had lead to significant failures in the power
plants, including failure of reactor coolant system pressure boundary bolts. Boric acid corrosion
can be at a very high rate, up to 1.65"/yr. in high temperature environments. At 200º, oxygenated
Boric Acid (like 15% Boric Acid leaking on a 210º pipe) can corrode at the rate of .4” per month.
To correction this problem, we are using corrosion resistant materials, correcting leaks promptly,
and using the proper material for the system.
As we identified earlier, to ensure we use the proper material, we use the Work Order which
derives its material list from the Piping Material Classification Sheets (13-P-ZZG-012). The Work
Order will agree with the classification sheets or have an engineering evaluation. The Engineering
evaluation documents could also identify correct material.
CRDR 2-8-0033 documents a case where the material classification sheets were not used.
A valve with Teflon lining was being installed in an acid line. The resulting acid leak from
this installation revealed a number of concerns. One was that there was no gasket
installed. The maintenance techs felt there was sufficient gasket material in the Teflon
lined piping and valve. The Piping Material Classification sheets, however, identified
“envelope gaskets” for this installation. The envelope gaskets were not installed.
Although this was not the primary cause of the leak that occurred on this occasion, it
could well have contributed to a leak at a later date
Your experience is also important. When parts are disassembled for PMs or repair, they should be
inspected. Parts with premature wear or deterioration should raise a question to your mind. Note
the parts problems and save them for equipment root cause failure analysis (ERCFA) by
engineering. Sometimes the installed material is not the most compatible. The only way we can
know this is through the ERCFA method.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 19
The easiest way may be to read the head of the bolt and compare it to a chart. The markings
on the bolt indicate a material specification. Charts
SAE T e n s il e are available for the purpose of reading the codes on
G r ade S t r en gt h
0 the bolts. Any interchangeability of specifications and
1 5 5 ,0 0 0 p s i codes would require an engineering evaluation. The
2
substitution of higher number grades does NOT mean
3 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p s i you have a better material for the job. It may not
meet all the criteria needed as well.
5 1 0 5 ,0 0 0 p s i
Larger bolts and nuts may contain a Heat Code,
5 .2 1 2 0 ,0 0 0 p s i which can be traced to the material if they are ‘Q’
class. This Q-class bolting requires certification
7 1 3 3 ,0 0 0 p s i sheets. The documentation from the warehouse is
sufficient for us to verify bolting material.
8 1 5 0 ,0 0 0 p s i
8 .2
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 20
• Be able to verify flange location. Flanges are not always labeled, so you may need to read
the isometric drawings to find the exact location. Manway locations should be identified.
For any of these, use the STAR principle and verify the proper location.
• Check for signs of leakage. This should be done before disassembly as part of any root
cause potential. Check for wetness of the insulation or flange joint, signs of leakage on
the surfaces below the flange, or signs of leakage on the bottom of the joint itself.
• Inspect condition of studs, nuts, and washers to ensure they are free of burrs, nicks, etc.
which could make it difficult to remove the nuts safely. If not satisfactory, you may need
to take extra precautions. For example, you may need tools for cutting or breaking bolts
and nuts. You may need to set up to capture flying or falling debris (broken nuts/bolts) to
protect yourself and nearby workers and/or equipment. Also, be sure to take extra
precautions for ensuring the system is depressurized.
• Verify piping is depressurized. Use vents and drains where possible. Check pressure
gages if available. If you are not able to personally verify the piping or equipment is
depressurized, you must take extra precautions while disassembling
Loosening the bolts. It is a good practice to loosen all bolts prior to removing. This will ensure
flange integrity if pressure still exists. Ensure the path of spray is clear or contained. The spray
will generally be perpendicular to the pipe axis. Wait for all pressure to be released before
continuing with the disassembly.
NOTE: If bolts are loose and nothing comes out, don’t assume there is not pressure. Carefully
pry the flanges apart to ensure any pressure would be released.
Remove bolting material, Bag and tag it. If there is a “pipe strain” (a stress on the joint) you may
need to relieve this with chainfalls or come-alongs prior to removing the bolting. Do not simply
hammer them out as this will damage the bolts and possible cause injury when the stress is
relieved.
Remove the gasket material to prevent it falling out. Be sure to check the type of material using
Piping Materials Classification sheets, the planner, old work orders, C & I numbers or APN, and
visually. If it is suspected of being asbestos, you must be asbestos worker qualified to continue.
If the gasket is stuck to one side, it can be removed later. If there is evidence of damage from
normal use, bag and quarantine the material for possible root cause failure analysis and contact the
foreman.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 21
Open the flange, then clean and inspect it. The seating surfaces must be cleaned of residual gasket
material to be ready for inspection.
Inspect for damage to flange faces. Radial cuts are the most likely to create a leak path, so be
especially aware of them. Perform whatever work is allowed done under the work document to
make the surface ready for reassembly. Take care not to exceed the limitations of the work
document without modification to the document.
Verify condition of the nut running surface. It should be machined smooth for a nut or washer so
it will not adversely affect the nut tightening.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 22
• Inspect the condition of the nuts and studs. The threads must be free of burrs, nicks, etc.
Broken threads or cracks would weaken the bolt strength.
• Clean threads as needed by brushing, using approved solvents, or running a tap or die
down the threads to clean them up. To verify thread condition you should run a nut down
the stud/bolt.
• Determine the bolting pattern and the number and locations of the bolts if necessary.
• Install enough bolts to hold the gasket in place, and then install the gasket. Ensure the
gasket surface meets the flange sealing area fully, then install the remaining studs with the
washers and nuts and run the nuts down snug.
• Use the specified torquing pattern. This involves the “criss-cross” pattern generally. This
helps ensure the flanges will pull down evenly. The flanges should be somewhat aligned
prior to bolt-up. Some force may need to be applied to align the flanges if a pipe strain
existed, but this should be minimized.
B O L T T E N S IO N
10%
50% 40%
N U T -T O -F L A N G E THREAD
F R IC T IO N F R IC T IO N
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 23
• Torque the fasteners in steps. Why multiple passes? Torqued joints are susceptible to
Elastic Interactions. Multiple passes minimize the effect of these elastic interactions. A
minimum of 4 steps is required. For example, 100 ft-lbs would require 1st 25, then 50,
then 75, then 100. A fifth pass is also required (an extra pass at 100%) to ensure fasteners
have not loosened due to elastic interaction and relaxation. Additional “check passes”
may also be required.
• Determine torque value. If a torque range is given, the procedure requires that the torque
be done at the mid-point of that range or the next closest value higher that can be
achieved. If a specific torque value is given, the procedure requires that the torque be
done at that value, + 10%, -0%.
• Use specified patterns. The general pattern is a “criss-cross” pattern. It ensures the
flanges are pulled down evenly.
• Ensure proper thread engagement when complete. This means the stud or bolt is fully
engaged with the nut for standard nut and stud arrangements. For a blind hole, it requires
1 bolt diameter of engagement into the hole.
• Properly lubricated the fasteners. This means we should use the recommended lubricant in
the proper amount.
• Ensure flanges are aligned prior to bolting them up. You may need to measure the flange
gap to ensure the faces are parallel. A 3° misalignment can significantly affect the stud
tension.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 24
• When torquing soft-gasketed joints, extra precautions should be taken to ensure the
compression is even. The procedure requires that you take the nuts up snug then turn
them ½ turn at a time until there is movement of the gasket, then complete the pass so all
nuts are tightened evenly.
• Some gaskets are not considered soft gaskets, but will cold flow (deform considerably
under pressure after tightening). Wait at least 15 minutes on this type of gasket, then re-
torque to the final value.
Unlubricated Lubricated
0º 3º 3º 0º 3º 3º
Nut Normal Nut Normal Nut Reversed Nut Normal Nut Normal Nut Reversed
When we had an acid spill of about 1,000 gallons, a contributing cause was the improper bolt up
of the flanges. The piping and flanges are lined with a plastic material. After torquing, this
material will “cold flow” or continue to relax for a considerable time. It should have been
retorqued the following day but was not. The relaxation on this type of material can be
considerable.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 25
EO03 State the rework and makeup criteria for a compression type joint.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 26
There are several styles from many manufacturers. For this class, we will only discuss Parker-
Hannifin and Swagelok since they are the most commonly used. Both styles use ferrules that are
swaged into the tubing to make the compression joint. One difference in the Swagelok is that it
uses a 2-piece ferrule.
EO02 Describe the makeup, to include cutting, bending and installation, of tubing
runs.
Laying Out the Run
Cutting Tubing
Cut the tubing end and prep it by first selecting the proper tubing cutter. Very large tubing is cut
using a pipe cutter, normally a two wheel cutter is used for metal tube.
Inspect the cutting wheel for damage, if it's bad, replace. On Q-class stainless steel, use a new
wheel or one restricted for stainless steel use only. This will help prevent contamination of
materials that could create a corrosive condition.
Tighten the cutter on the tubing until the wheel makes contact. Begin cutting by tightening the
cutter and rotating it around the tubing. Don't over tighten the cutter, because although the
excessive pressure on the cutter makes a quick cut, it creates a larger burr and work hardens the
tube metal. This promotes cracking in flared applications. Be sure to ease up when the cut is
almost complete.
A fine tooth bladed hacksaw can also be used to cut tubing. Take care to make a square cut.
After completing the cut, deburr the tubing O.D. & I.D. with a reamer, emery cloth, or fine file.
Most tubing cutters have an I.D. deburring reamer on them, insure you don't ream beyond the
tubing base diameters. You can also use tubing reamers made for both inside and outside
reaming.
If making up a flared tubing run, the end of the tubing should be radiused slightly to prevent
splitting.
Bending Tubing
To start the bending process, mark the tubing. All measurements are to the tube centerlines. For
bends of 90° and less, measure to the intersection of the tube axis centerlines and mark the tube.
This is the standard dimensioning for most drawings.
For bends over 90º, measure to the tangent of the bend that is
perpendicular to the upstream leg and mark the tube. This is
not the standard dimensioning for the drawings.
If precision is
needed, use a
ferrule and a sharp
pencil to mark the tubing all the way around. Do
NOT scribe a line on tubing. Scratches create points
where corrosion and stress can weaken the tube.
the 90° mark. Most tubing benders have marks Cutting dimension line
on them to identify standard bend angles.
Make the bend, being careful not to over bend, but allowing for springback. Springback is
approximately 3° for each 90° of bend. It will be less for soft copper tubing.
Always bend in the same direction, such that the "stretch" will not get trapped. If you must
reverse your bend direction, subtract one tube diameter for a 90° and 1/2 a diameter for a 45° from
your length mark then line up the normal 90º mark with the revised mark. Most tubing benders
have an R mark for reverse bending of 90º which have already done the subtraction for you.
Tubing Stretch
These rules for stretch values are approximate. A Tubing Gain Chart has the actual stretch values
based on the radius block size of the bender. For maximum accuracy, because of the variations in
stretch with different material, Always test bend a piece of tubing first to find the actual
"stretch" for your bends.
If pre-marking all the bends of a run, you must subtract the stretch from previous bends for each
length mark after the first.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 29
EO04 State the rework and makeup criteria for a compression type joint.
There are 2 main manufacturers of compression type fittings that we use here at The plant, Parker-
Hannifin and Swagelok. It is very important to ensure that the joint you are assembling contains only
parts required for that manufacturer’s fitting. For this course we will only discuss the Swaglok brand of
compression fittings.
General Instructions
The following general suggestions should help you obtain safe, trouble free performance from
these Swagelok fittings.
• Ensure that when the joint is assembled, that the parts are installed in the correct order.
• Never turn the fitting body, hold the body and turn the nut.
• Tubing material should always be softer than the fitting material. For example: Stainless
steel is harder than brass. Stainless steel tubing therefore should never be used with brass
fittings. When tubing or fittings are made of the same material, the tubing must be fully
annealed (heat treated for softening).
• Inspect tubing for depressions, scratches, raised portions or other surface defects that will
be difficult to seal.
• Tubing which is oval will not easily fit thru fitting nuts, ferrules or bodies and should
never be forced into the fitting.
On 4/23/92, the copper line to valve 3JEDNLV0604 failed in reverse-bending fatigue due to
normal service vibration. The failure occurred near the fitting connection, which is considered a
region of maximum stress. This condition was further enhanced by a cut created during the
installation of the Swagelok fitting as a result of poor installation practice.
To prevent the Oconee type of event from occurring here at THE PLANT, and to help eliminate
CRDR 3-2-0146 type events, the proper assembly steps must be followed when assembling
Swagelok fittings.
Information presented is based on current vendor information and may be precluded by special
instructions in a particular work order package.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 30
Insert the tubing into the tube fitting. Make sure that the tubing rests on the shoulder of the
fitting. Tighten the nut finger tight.
Before putting a wrench on the nut, scribe/mark the nut in the 6 o'clock position. A marker may
be used. DO NOT scribe the tubing as this would violate spec 13-JN-702.
Hold the fitting body steady with a backup wrench and tighten the nut 1¼ turns. Watch the scribe
mark, make one complete revolution and continue to the 9 o'clock position. With the scribe or
marker indication, it is easier to see the 1¼ turns.
Makeup Instructions for 1/16", 1/8" and 3/16" size tube fittings, only 3/4 turn from finger
tight is necessary.
Pre-swaging tubing:
Pre-swaging is advantageous where field conditions are either cramped or where ladders must be
used (making joint assembly difficult). When preswaging, oversized or very soft tubing may
occasionally stick in the tool after pull-up. (Oversized means that it may be on the high side of
any given ASTM diameter tolerance (.280 vice .250)). If this happens, remove the tube by gently
rocking back and forth. DO NOT TURN the tube with pliers or other tools since this may
damage the sealing surfaces.
PRE-SWAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
Assemble the nut and ferrules to the preswaging tool. Insert the tubing through the ferrules until
it bottoms in the pre-swaging tool and tighten the nut finger tight.
Tighten the nut according to the initial installation instructions (1 ¼ turns), then remove from the
preswaging tool.
The field connection can now be made by following the Re-tightening Instructions.
Retightening instructions:
Insert the used or preswaged ferrules into the fitting until the front ferrule seats in the fitting and
the tubing is bottomed against the shoulder of the body. Tighten the nut by hand.
Rotate the nut about 1/4 turn with a wrench (or to the original 1-1/4 position) then snug slightly
with the wrench.
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An investigation showed that this method to bleed pressure was a common practice among I & C
technicians. This was also not the first instance of failure on the accumulator fittings. It was
classified as a close call accident.
Analysis
The vendor instructions for these type of fittings read, "Do not bleed down system by loosening a
fitting." The reason is that once the fitting is loosened, it no longer has the same holding power
on the tubing. Why wasn’t this type of failure more common? Most likely because the pressures
are not as high in other systems. Remember, the MSIV fitting still has over 3,000 psi on it until it
is bled off.
Corrections in methods/design
Two fittings, with levels of 1000 to 3000 DPM of fixed contamination, were found during a plant
tour. These fittings, identified as radioactive material, were marked with purple paint and
connected to non-contaminated systems (IA and DS). The fittings were removed by operations.
An investigation revealed two things: That there are no restrictions on the use of purple painted
fittings inside the RCA and that no guidance is given in training either on any restrictions or on the
use of purple painted fittings.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 32
Procedure now says we "should not be used" in non-contaminated systems. The use of
radioactive hoses or fittings on non-contaminated systems is not considered a sound practice. As
a result, gang boxes are set up in the RCA to segregated storage of radioactive hoses and fittings.
Ensure that only non-contaminated fittings are used on/in non-contaminated systems. If
the job you are working on requires the use of such fittings, RP will be contacted to
evaluate the requested use, prior to any installation.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 33
A right triangle contains one 90º angle and two complimentary angles that add up to 90º. The
longest side of a right triangle is opposite the 90º right angle, and is called the hypotenuse. The
relationship between the hypotenuse and the two shorter sides is as follows.
If you square the length of each of shorter sides and add them together, their sum equals the
length of the hypotenuse squared.
Mathematically, 2 2 2
A +B =C
C is the hypotenuse and A and B are the
shorter sides of the triangle (Pythagorean
Theorem) C
B
Example: the familiar 3 x 4 x 5 right
triangle. A
A = 16; B = 9; C = 16 + 9 = 25 = 52
If the right triangle has equal length shorter sides, the complementary angles must be equal.
Since they add up to 90°, they must be 45° each. If we pick a right triangle with both shorter
sides 1" in length and use the relationships we just covered, then the length of the hypotenuse is
the square root of 1 + 1 or the square root of 2 or 1.414 and, the complementary angles are 45º.
This tells us that if our pipe has a 45° offset, the ratio of the set to the travel is 1.414.
The “travel” of the pipe offset is the hypotenuse of our right triangle. 1.414 is the multiplier.
The accompanying table has used the same process to identify different offset angles like 30º,
60º, 22½º etc.
You can also use trigonometry and set the length of the triangle side opposite the desired angle
to 1". This will require knowledge of the Sine, Cosine, and Tangent functions on the calculator.
Sin θ = Length of the opposite side divided by the hypotenuse, where θ is the angle. If
we set the side opposite the angle to 1" and solve for the hypotenuse (travel), the
hypotenuse = 1/ sin θ = multiplier. For basic angles, we can use the chart.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 35
The set and travel distances determined so far, are along the center line of the pipe. If fittings
are used to join the piping, we must account for their length when calculating desired pipe
lengths. Fitting lengths are subtracted from the travel and added to the run distances.
Let’s use socket welds as an example. Dimension A on the chart is the dimension from the
centerline to the bottom of the socket. This is extra length the piping does not have to fill. If
socket weld fittings are used we would also have to account for any pull back required.
Normally a 1/32" to 1/16" gap (pull back) is required at the bottom of the socket to allow for
thermal expansion and contraction.
E
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 36
• Cut a short length of tubing and prep the end of the tubing for the compression fitting.
• Properly install the tubing nut and ferrules onto the tubing. Hand tighten the fitting, then
tighten according to initial installation instructions.
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 37
EO03 Make up flange type piping connections per work control documents.
Inspect the flange face
The flange has a raised face. Inspect the flanges, gasket, and fasteners.
Tighten flange fasteners IAW work control documents. Verify the flange is taken down evenly.
[This will be done by the instructor.]
Pipe, Fittings, and Piping Auxiliaries Page 38
Calculate the tubing length using the drawing provided. Unroll and cut the tubing. If desired,
you can stretch and straighten the tubing prior to bending. You must have no more than 2”
extra in your calculated length. [Instructor to verify.]
Start at one end and mark all locations. You may want to mark all around at each length so the
mark is not hidden when in the bending tool. If desired, mark the opposite bend direction also
as per lesson 4 instructions.
Start at one end and bend. Perform at least one reverse bend. All dimensions must be within
½”. [Instructor to verify.]