Chapter 10. Piping Work

Chapter 10.
Piping Work
C. Selecting the type of oil
(a) For primary flushing, use low-viscosity oil with NAS grade of 10-12. Choose the oil type that is
similar to the main oil (reference oil: JIS K 2213 (CLASS2, turbine oil prescribed by ISO VG 32).
(b) Use the main oil for secondary flushing.
(3) Selecting the flushing pumps
A. Decide the capacity of flushing pumps by fully considering the frictional loss due to pipe length and
diameter.
B. Keep the pressure inside the pipe at 1.5Kg/ or more (low pressure weakens the effects of
flushing oil and extends the flushing time).
C. Clean the inside.
D. Oil resistance test for packing or seal (TABLE below)
* OIL kinetic coefficient of viscosity (for reference purposes only)
Temperature JIS: K2213 CLASS 2 JIS:K2213 CLASS 2 JIS:K2213 CLASS 2 JIS:K2219

() ISO VG 32 ISO VG 56 ISO VG 68 ISO VG 320
(#90 TURBINE OIL) (#140 TURBINE OIL) (#180 TURBINE OIL) (GEAR OIL)
CSt SSU CSt SSU CSt SSU CSt SSU
15 111 515 320 1066 300 1390 2350 10890

25 62 288 120 556 152 704 950 4402
40 30.5 144 56 260 69 320 340 1756
50 21.5 104 36 168 44 204 193 894
60 15 77.4 24.3 116 138 138 114 528
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Chapter 10. Piping Work
* Pipe diameter and pump capacity required for the needed flow velocity (FIG. 6)
(4) Flushing tank
A. Use only tanks designated for flushing purposes.
B. Capacity Q = 5 x Flow in pipes
C. Check the other installed accessories.
(a) Filter pump suction and discharge pipes
(b) Man holes
(c) Drain pipes
(d) Heaters (oil heaters)

(take appropriate measures to prevent the oil temperature from overheating to 60 or more)
D. Cleaning storage tanks
(a) Prior to filling flushing oil into the storage tanks, clean the inside thoroughly. Remove remaining
welding flux and scale in the tank completely (clean with vinyl or sponge; never use cotton rags
because fibers may adhere to the tanks).
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(b) Use light oil to remove any remaining rust-proof oil, grease, and rust-proofing agent in the tank.
Remove any remaining rust using wire brush or grinders.
(c) Rust-proof treatment is performed on certain tanks by painting the interior. If part of the painted
portion is peeled off, however, remove the paints completely.
(5) Flushing filter
A. The flushing filters shall be of sufficient sizes according to the required capacity.
B. Attaching or detaching filters to/from the return pipes should be easy.
C. Install auxiliary nets to prevent the overloading of the filter.
D. The size of the filter for primary flushing shall be 100 MESH, and that for secondary flushing,
200 MESH.
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E. Below are the standard sizes of flushing sieves:
JIS * standard sieve International standard sieve
Sieve mesh Wire netting ** *** ****

(Opening) ASTM Tyler DIN
Size Tolerance DIA. Toleranc

(%) e Nominal Sieve Nomina Sieve Nominal
(mm) (mm) (mm) NO. mesh l mesh mesh size
ME MAX (Openin Openin (Sieve
AN . g) g) mesh
(mm) (mm) (Opening)
(mm)
74 0.074 7 60 0.053 0.010 34.0 NO.200 0.074 200 0.074 0.080
88 0.088 7 40 0.061 0.010 34.9 NO.170 0.088 170 0.088 -
105 0.105 6 40 0.070 0.010 36.0 NO.140 0.105 150 0.014 0.100
125 0.125 6 40 0.087 0.015 34.8 NO.120 0.125 115 0.124 0.125
149 0.149 6 40 0.105 0.015 34.3 NO.100 0.149 100 0.147 0.160
177 0.177 6 25 0.141 0.015 31.0 NO.80 0.177 80 0.175 -
210 0.210 6 25 0.153 0.015 28.8 NO.70 0.210 65 0.208 0.200
250 0.250 6 25 0.174 0.015 29.3 NO.60 0.250 60 0.246 0.250
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(6) Other requirements for flushing
Item Data, Materials, Instruments, and Matters to be Decided

No. Equipment to be Prepared
Piping diagram, piping drawings, oil Quantity and brand of flushing oil, assembly method
1 list, tank and pump drawings, and for flushing circuits, flushing procedure (heating,
valve and instrument drawing hammering, etc.), pump capacity, tank capacity, site
of flushing work, filter mesh, inspection method,
criterion for acceptance, and name of person making
the judgment
Installation work schedule, piping Daily work schedule and personnel assignment for
2 work schedule, electric and the following work. Equipment inspection, tank
instrumentation work schedule, trial cleaning, pump operation, oil replacement,
operation schedule, and manning adjustment of oil quantity and oil temperature,
table for flushing work hammering, sampling, analysis, recording and
reporting foreign substance, analysis and recording of
oil, water, steam, and air piping, transportation, fire
prevention, fire extinguishment, and cleaning
Materials, instruments, and equipment Means and schedule of procuring essential
3 for flushing; instruments and equipment
Pump, tank kerosene oil, flushing
filter, oil pan, pipes for temporary
piping, hoses, blank flanges, orifices,
magnets, valves, reducers, headers,
sponge, deer skins, hammers,
vibrators, various kinds of wrench
power source (including cable,
switches, etc.), water source
(including pipe, hose, and valve), air
or nitrogen source (including pipe,
hose, and valve), steam source
(including pipe, hose, and valve),
analysis equipment, recording paper,
transportation car, fire extinguishing
equipment, thermometers, etc.
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8.3 Flushing
(1) Flushing process
PICKLING
Form flushing circuits
Inspection: Related to fire prevention
Inject oil
Primary flushing
Judgment
Discharge oil
Clean tanks
.
Form main circuits
.
.
Inject main oil (secondary flushing oil)
.
Secondary flushing
Make a judgment
Pressure test
Test operation
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(2) Flushing conditions
Conditions Primary flushing Secondary flushing
Flushing oil Flushing oil Regular oil (oil to be used for

plant operation)
Route Do not pass through the Pass through the equipment
equipment
Oil temperature Normal temp (60) Working temperature

Oil pressure 1 ~ 5 kg/ Working pressure
Velocity 1 ~ 2 m/s Working velocity
Filter Filter for flushing (100 Mesh or Same filter as the one shown
Smaller mesh, I.E.A Larger mesh on the left
number)
Hammering or vibration Prior to sampling As a rule neither hammering

nor vibration is carried out.
Aeration (to be carried out 20% ~ 50% of oil quantity 5 ~ 10 Aeration is not carried out.
only in case of shortage of min/time
pump capacity)
Filter cleaning At 15 ~ 30 min. intervals in the At proper times
early stage of flushing
Discharge of flushing oil During high temperature Oil is not discharged.
(3) Primary flushing
A. Working procedures
(a) Inject flushing oil into the tank of the facilities and temporary flushing tank.
(b) Heat the oil inside the tank (40~60, critical temperature 70).
(c) Start the pump to let oil circulate. Once the return pipe temperature rises, perform hammering
(be sure to use a wooden hammer).
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(d) Hammer pipes every 2 hours to allow oil to flow for approximately 1 hour. Repeat hammering
(major parts to be hammered include welded parts, curved sections, raising parts, and long part
of the level; parts that should not be hammered include cast iron, fitting, and valves).
(e) Perform forced aeration inside the pipes to create appropriate turbulence and remove any
foreign substance adhering to the internal walls of the piping (perform work after closing the
non-return valves and stopping the pump operation).
B. Inspection during primary flushing
(a) Take samples regularly during the test and make a judgment based on the color.
(b) Use 100MESH (unless there are special specifications) for the strainer.
(c) For future reference, record the amount of contaminants accumulating in the return oil filter and
type of samples.
(d) The flushing time shall be at least 72 hours (depending on the situation, however, the time may
be extended or shortened).
* Primary flushing cycle (for reference purposes)
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(4) Secondary flushing
A. Injecting new flushing oil
(a) Once primary flushing is completed, discharge the primary flushing oil from the piping and tank.
Remove any residual oil completely.
(b) Inject secondary flushing oil (main oil).
B. Procedure for secondary flushing
(a) Heat the oil inside the tank. (40~60, critical temperature 70).
(b) Start the pump and let oils flow for 12 ~ 24 hours (unless there are special specifications, use
200 Mesh for the strainer; do not perform hammering).
(c) Start the actuator at minimum pressure (in case of a hydraulic system).
(d) Take samples and make a judgment.
C. Post-flushing handling and inspections
(a) After flushing, remove oils completely. Wipe off the remaining oils with sponges (up to 3% of
residual oils is acceptable).
(b) Take appropriate measures to prevent the ingress of dust and other foreign substance.
(c) Pay particular attention to the following during inspection:
Foreign substance may settle at the bottom of the filter and cooler.
The body of valves contains uneven parts. Take appropriate action to prevent sand from
settling in the uneven part.
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Heavy foreign substance may settle at the bottom of risers and/or on the ends of the main
oil supply pipes. Be sure to inspect these areas.
8.4 Inspections and judgment
(1) Inspections are carried out to verify the effects of flushing and time of completion.
(2) Inspection intervals
At the initial stage, inspect at 15~30-minute intervals. Once the amount of foreign substance decreased
significantly, conduct inspection at 1~2-hour intervals.
(3) Inspection process
A. Stop the pump operation after recording the oil temperature and pressure.
B. Close the return opening sieve valves and remove the filters.
C. Clean the filters with kerosene and remove foreign substance from the inside.
(See FIG. 10) (If photos are attached to the flushing report, refer to Fig. 11)
FIG. 10 FIG. 11
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(4) Measurement
As a rule, measure samples using the CONTAMIKIT or the number of particles.
This is done based on the coefficient of microscope (method of counting the number of contaminants in
100ML of operating oil through the use of a microscope; although accurate, it requires considerable
time and effort). In this system, a grade 12 sample prescribed by the NAS STANDARD 5 is placed on a
standard plate, and the contamination of the sample taken is then checked through a microscope to
determine its grade based on the NAS Standard. It is relatively accurate.
* Below are the generally required standards:
Item NAS Grade

General-purpose industrial machines NAS grade 10 ~ 11
Industrial robots, precision testers
Steel rolling machines and controls NAS grade6 ~ 8
Aircraft and servo valves NAS grade 5 ~ 7
Related to rockets NAS grade 6
Related to nuclear power NAS grade 6
(5) Judgment on completion
A. Supervisors, oil makers, piping contractor, and construction managers shall gather for a meeting to
determine whether flushing is completed.
B. If a minimal level of foreign substance is discovered, the nature of the foreign substance shall be
determined through discussions.
C. Once the work is considered completed, all participants shall sign their confirmation and end the oil
flushing.
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9. Cleaning other pipes
9.1 General
(1) These specifications are applicable to water flushing, air blowing, and steam blowing.
(2) The cleaning methods shall be decided considering the types of fluids, pipe materials, and conditions of
the inside of the pipes based on the makers specifications and standards of OWNER.
9.2 Cleaning pipes
(1) Do not remove the vinyl caps of pipes, valves, and fittings until they are used for piping work.
(2) As a rule, remove the slag of the welding bead, bur of the cut section, and scales using a grinder or wire
brush. Blow air through the inside of the pipes and seal the ends with plywood or vinyl sheets pending
their installation following the Supervisors inspection.
(3) If the pipe diameter is 600A or more (the size of the pipe where a person can perform cleaning from the
inside), clean the pipe manually. If cleaning the inside of pipes with large diameters is difficult because
they are installed at a high place or the vertical part of the pipe is long, perform cleaning prior to
installation.
(4) TIG welding shall be carried out for the primary layer welding of pipes requiring oil flushing even for
carbon steel pipe to make the inside clean. Even for pipes with large diameters as specified in section
(3), TIG welding or double-sided welding is recommended for the primary layer.
(5) Use con-hammers weighing at least 2 pounds (lb) (0.9Kg)for hammering.
Using a pipe, a flange, or other substitutes in place of con-hammers may cause the hands to slip or
accidents to occur or result in defects on the pipes. As such, be sure to use only the prescribed hammer.
Do not hammer stainless steel pipe, copper pipes, and aluminum pipes. Otherwise, use a wooden
hammer if necessary.
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9.3 Handling of equipment and instruments during flushing
(1) Control valves and measuring instruments (control valves, check valves, and orifice plates)
A. If flushing needs to be done with the control valves assembled, be sure to leave the valves open.
Remove the bypass valves. Flush the pipes on the upper side thoroughly and assemble the bypass
valves. Afterward, flush the lower side.
B. Remove the control valves from the pipe with valves on the front and back up to the control valves.
Flush the upper side of the valves and assemble the control valves.
C. If the diameter of the bypass line of the control valve is equal to or greater than 1/2 of the main pipe,
flushing may be carried out only through the bypass line. In such case, if the control valve or valve
in front can be disassembled because they are assembled in a flange system, disassemble the
valves, check for foreign substance, and clean if necessary.
D. For the check valve of the swing check type, disassemble the internal disc or leave the lever open.
(2) If flushing is carried out through the stop valves, angle valves, gate valves, or butterfly valves, open the
valve handle completely, make about a half turn in the opposite direction, and wrap the handle with wire
to prevent other workers from manipulating the system arbitrarily. Removing the butterfly valves is
recommended.
(3) Be sure to flush the tanks and impulsive tubes of the instrumentation system once the main line is
flushed.
(4) For lines performing pressure tests using air or inert gas, flushing using the air inside the pressure
vessel used for pressure tests or inert gas is recommended, except steam lines. The abovementioned
method may be used even on the steam line; in this case, however, do not skip steam flushing.
(5) Strainers and filters
Remove the filter elements and other embedded components.
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If the elements cannot be disassembled, do not inject flushing liquids; instead, check and clean the
inside once flushing (bypass) is completed.
(6) Tank and heat exchangers
A. Separate the joint flange between the heat exchanger and pipe and install a dummy plate on the
flange of the heat exchanger side.
B. If carrying out the process described in section an above is impossible because the heat exchanger
is welded to the pipe, clean the inside piping thoroughly prior to assembly. Perform above A or
more layer of TIG welding on the heat exchanger joints, taking care not to leave any welding slag
inside the pipes (same rule shall apply even when joining tanks with pipes).
C. Once tank flushing is completed, remove the manhole and clean the inside.
D. Prior to assembly, flush and clean the inside of the accessorial equipment of the bank. When
flushing fluids need to be injected into the attached accessorial equipment in unavoidable situations,
check and clean after flushing.
E. In case injecting flushing fluids is impossible due to the structure of tanks or packing, install
temporary bypass lines for flushing or separate the flange from pipe joints and flush pipes
separately.
9.4 Other precautions
(1) To prevent the flushing fluids from flowing into other lines during flushing, verify the status of valves
beforehand and check for any unfinished part of the piping.
(2) Flush the main pipe system first followed by the branch pipes.
(3) If flushing is carried out after opening the flanges used to connect tanks, heat exchanger, and pipes, the
spacing between flanges shall be greater than the sectional area of the pipes (max. of 25M/M).
(4) To facilitate reassembly, put markings and prepare a list of points for installing temporary bolts and
temporary gaskets, inserting dummy plates, and disassembling the orifice plate. Put markings on the
disassembled orifice plate as well for effective storage and to prevent loss.
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(5) Remove the set bolt of the expansion pipes and preset piece of the spring hanger prior to flushing. In
addition, check the sliding part of the pipe shoe in the piping system and sliding part of the equipment
for abnormalities.
(6) Put a safety rope or other danger markings on the outlet of the flushing fluids. Always designate a
watchman during flushing. In case of concerns regarding possible damage to equipment, electric
facilities, or measuring instruments due to the discharged flushing fluids, change the area and/or the
direction of discharge or put protective plates to protect the equipment.
(7) During flushing, the main valve operators, line watchmen, and watchmen at the outlet shall
communicate with each other using radios to prevent accidents.
9.5 Water flushing
(1) Cleaning water
A. Use pure water, fresh water, steam condensate, or multi-purpose water (industrial water) for
flushing. Avoid using seawater. In case seawater is used in unavoidable situations, however, clean
with clean water at least once to prevent rust.
Never use seawater on austenite stainless steel (CI content to be 50 ppm or less).
B. Frequency of flushing with water
(a) The frequency of water flushing shall be as follows:
Partial flushing: At least twice
General flushing: At least once
C. Flushing procedures
(a) Use jet washer together with hammering for flushing or fill the pipes with water and discharge
at once. Do not hammer austenite stainless steel pipes, copper pipes, or aluminum pipes,
however.
(b) Partial flushing shall be carried out on each piece of the pipe manufactured by appropriately
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dividing the piping, and general flushing, on the entire piping connected to the system. In case
flushing is impossible, use air blowing to clean the inside.
(c) Remove any instrumentation equipment installed on pipes and install short pipes to carry out
general flushing.
(d) If water flushing is carried out with a pump:
Remove the flange connecting on pump suction line with a pump. Flush the suction line
after installing a temporary strainer on the suction side of the pump.
Start any pump to be operated for the first time in the presence of the Supervisor
dispatched from OWNER.
Flush the coolant pipe of the pump rotor in advance. Meanwhile, open/close the drain
valve for flushing at the final stage of flushing.
To prevent cavitations in the pump when changing the flushing pipe line, open the valve on
the side where flushing begins to let water flow and close the valve on the edge line.
(e) Prior to draining the water used for filters, install temporary piping up to the drainage outlet to
avoid disrupting other works. If circulating water is used for the cooling tower, put the return line
in the pit and clean the inside after flushing is completed.
(f) If there is any area that cannot be cleaned on the inlet of the heat exchanger, install a
temporary strainer on the nozzle at the inlet of the heat exchanger.
(g) If flushing is done using the head when the tank is full of water, operate the system rapidly to
drain water. Take care not to allow a vacuum to be created in the tank.
(h) Flushing shall be considered completed when there are no foreign substances adhering to the
strainer. In particular, flushing shall be considered satisfactory if the sample of discharged
water is not contaminated.
D. Drying after flushing
(a) After flushing, dry the inside of the pipes with compressed air or under natural conditions.
Steam drying may also be carried out in case specifications are presented by suppliers.
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E. Flushing
(a) If a pipe attached to the pump is disassembled for flushing, perform centering again after
flushing.
(b) Foreign substance will remain in the area where the flow velocity inside the tank drops during
circulation. As such, open the manhole and clean the tank once flushing is completed.
(c) Areas requiring rust-proof treatment in tanks or pipes shall be sealed with nitrogen gas after
completely drying them (forced drying or natural drying).
(d) Remove the temporary lines, recover the piping, remove the dummy plates, and replace the
temporary gaskets and bolts with regular ones. Likewise, restore the check valves to normal
levels and replace the temporarily installed valves and strainers with regular ones.
9.6 Air blowing
(1) Recovery
A. Partial blowing: At least twice
B. General blowing: At least once
(2) Procedures
A. Air blow shall be carried out using compressed air that is free of oil component together with
hammering. In case it is difficult to obtain air that is free of oil component, ordinary compressed air
may be used except for oxygen system piping. Do not hammer austenite stainless steel pipe,
copper pipe, and aluminum pipes.
B. Partial blowing shall be carried out on each piece of the pipe manufactured by appropriately dividing
the piping.
C. Carry out general blowing on each pipe between adjacent equipment. Sometimes, however, pieces
of equipment are included depending on the shape, internal structure, and packing. Therefore,
decide based on the general flushing plans.
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D. If compressors other than air compressors are used, create an opening suitable for the air flow
sucked in at the suction side and install metal netting at the opening to prevent the ingress of
foreign substance. Also, install an atmospheric discharge line in case flushing is temporarily
interrupted.
E. Decide the tank selection sequence such that compressors can be used continuously. Many cases
require the recovery of the disassembled pipes and installation of temporary piping during flushing.
Organize a work team that will always be on standby to make sure that air flushing is not
interrupted.
F. Flushing shall be considered completed if no damage or foreign substance is found after installing
the copper or aluminum plate on the outlet. For pipes with large diameters, other criteria may be
used for judgment.
G. Blowing velocity shall be faster than in that fluids maximum designed velocity.
(3) Handling before and after flushing
A. Follow the procedures for water flushing.
9.7 Steam blowing
Steam blowing is used to flush high-water processing pipes, steam pipes, and steam condensate pipes.
(1) Flushing steam
A. The flow velocity should be higher than the operating flow velocity of the pipe being flushed.
B. In general, a velocity of 35-50m/s or higher is ideal for steam pipes.
(2) Number of flushing sessions
A. Repeat the process of flushing and cooling for 4 or 5 times.
B. Continue until the temperature of the pipe being flushed rises to a level equal to that of the steam
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used for cleaning.
C. The flushing time of one operation shall be decided by the Supervisor within the range of 30
minutes ~ 1 hour at the site based on the length of pipes being flushed.
D. For the steam supply pipe of the steam turbine, insert a gauge with brass, copper, or aluminum
surface into the discharge ends of the flushing steam and decide the termination time of cleaning
based on the occurrence and size of defects on the surface.
(3) Preparation prior to starting work
A. Make the following preparations for steam flushing during plant construction:
(a) Survey the direction of discharging steam from the discharge pipe and take measures to avoid
damaging adjacent structures.
(b) Use the rigid supports used to fix the discharge pipes.
(c) Notify the divisions concerned of the flushing lines and date/time of flushing in advance.
B. Remove the preset piece of the spring hanger and adjust the turn buckles to set the gauge
graduation to the cold point.
C. Check the position of the test piece on the turbine operating line.
D. Make sure that the flushing line has been supplemented. Put safety rope or other danger markings
on the discharge outlets and check whether steam can be discharged without any problem.
E. Perform flushing in the following order:
(a) Inform all persons concerned that flushing will be started.
(b) Open all valves of the drip pot of the line and drain valves.
(c) Gradually open the steam main valve to begin flushing.
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(d) Start draining from the valve nearest to the steam main valve.
Once draining starts, open and adjust the drain valve so that the steam and drain become half
and half.
(e) If draining begins from the discharge pipe at the end, and warm-up is completed, start flushing
(flushing with air).
(f) Rapid manipulation of the steam main valve during flushing may cause hammering. Thus, be
careful when manipulating the main valve.
(4) Precaution during work
A. Check the bonnets of valves and flanges as well as the spring hanger, pipe shoe, anchor support,
and expansion systems for abnormalities. Stop leaks immediately on the steam line valves and
flanges to avoid damaging the gaskets and flanges and rendering them unusable. Soft iron ring-
type gaskets on the high-pressure steam line require special attention. If steam leaks even slightly,
perform repair and apply grease on the valve screws. If it continues to persist then replace it
B. If water is drained continuously with the drain valves and drip pocket valves half-open, foreign
substance may penetrate the system and make it inoperable. In this case, open the valves
completely at 1-hour intervals to remove foreign substance through the action of flowing water.
C. The test piece does not need to be installed for the first 30 minutes after interval flushing has
started. After injecting steam for 30 minutes, stop aeration and let the system cool. The appropriate
cooling interval is 30 minutes. The test piece can be installed prior to the 2nd aeration (during the
cooling period).
D. Put Do not open or manipulate signs on valves.
E. Valve operating methods
(a) If certain large valves are left unattended for a long period of time during construction, the valve
handle may become too tight; thus making the manipulation of the valve difficult. In this case,
do not apply unnecessary force; instead, insert a 25A ~ 40A pipe into the handle and turn. This
way, the valve will be opened easily.
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(b) If closing the valve is impossible during flushing, do not attempt to turn the handle using
unnecessary force. Instead, open the valve completely and start letting the contents flow.
Remove the foreign substance from the seat and close the valve. If the valve cannot be closed
even after letting the contents flow, close the steam main valve and disassemble and repair the
leaking valve.
F. If dummy plates are installed on the line, be sure to insert gaskets on both sides of the dummy
plates to protect the seat of the flange.
G. Recovery upon the completion of flushing
(a) After closing the steam main valve, open the drain valve completely to let the pressure
remaining in the pipe flow.
(b) Close the drip pocket valve.
(c) If the period starting from the time flushing is completed until steam operation is started is long,
inject a small amount of steam to the pipe commonly used by steam turbines or seal it with
nitrogen gas to prevent rust.
(d) Open the bypass discharge valve near the steam trap completely.
(e) Install the safety valves, steam traps, and check valves that had been disassembled during
flushing.
(f) Remove the temporary discharge pipes and install regular discharge pipes.
H. Steam flushing plans and precautions during work
(a) If the pipe to be flushed, welded (welding neck type) check valves or venturi tubes, and in case
the direction of flushing is set to be opposite to the operating direction in the flushing plans,
install the temporary pipe before flushing or install the internal valve before flushing in the case
of check valves. Otherwise, take appropriate preventive measures depending on the
component. The abovementioned actions are also required for the welded-type venturi tube
installed on the vertical pipes even if the flushing direction is the same as the operating
direction.
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(b) Since the high-pressure steam line is basically of the flangeless type, discharge pipes are
sometimes not installed if flushing is performed on places where installing discharge valves are
impossible. In the case of the steam turbine supply line, for example, maintain a spacing of at
least 25M/M between the flange and pipe flange and protect the turbine with tin plates or heat
insulating exterior plates.
(c) Prior to starting the heat insulating work, start hammering the pipe to be steam-flushed.
9.8 Pig cleaning
(1) General
This method uses special cleaners, air, nitrogen, water, and chemicals (must satisfy the conditions of
each case) to remove rust and other foreign substance from long pipes, underground pipes where no
vents or drains can be installed, extra high-pressure pipes, and gas pipes (oxygen, nitrogen, or
hydrogen) after construction. Cleaning is performed based on detailed plans and under process,
demand, materials, and fluid conditions when after obtain the consent from OWNER and his presence
on the site.
(2) Purpose
A. Remove wood pieces, welding rod, metal chips, cloth, sand, or mud from the pipe during
construction work.
B. Reduce fluid resistance by minimizing the roughness on the pipe surface.
C. Supply clean products by preventing contamination inside the pipes.
D. Shorten the repair period.
E. Maximize the operation efficiency of pumps and motors.
F. Prevent damage to orifice plates, turbine meters, valve seats, pressure controllers, filter, and
compressors during the service.
(3) General specification of PIG
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A. Body structure of pig using precise cleaning to obtain the best cleaning quality, shall be molding type
with many of scraping ring in circumferential direction to maximize scale breaking effect. And that
will be non-coating type materials with high density, high elasticity, and high tearing strength. At
least These of specific characters and capacity shall be satisfied.
- The materials of PIG body can keep up the strong adhesion ability with high density, high elasticity,
tearing strength materials so that, It can maintain the ability of scale breaking. But in this case, body
material does not mean the material that covered the body like coating skin.
- With outstanding elasticity and abrasion resistance, it shall not be easily destroyed by passage of
sharp welding bead in elbow or rapid bending part.
- All surface of PIG, steel wire brush shall be set in order to remove rust or foreign materials.
(4) Types of pig
Selecting the appropriate types of pig is important, since it will cut down the required budgets, enhance
effects, and shorten the construction period.
A. FOAM PIG
B. SHAFT PIG
C. SPHERES
D. INTELLIGENT
E. SUITABLE PIGS FOR CLEANING LONG-DISTANCE PIPELINES
(5) Equipment required for pigging and layout plan
A. Launching tube
B. Receiving pipe
C. Pig passing signal system
D. Quick closure
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E. Special flow tee
F. Block valves and pig launching valves
(1) Air compressor (2) Air filter (3) Air manifold header (4) Pig launcher
(5) Connector (6) Pig receiver (7) Air hose (8) Apro-pigs
(6) Pig launching methods
A. Air-based operation
B. Fluid-based operation
(7) General pig cleaning procedure
A. GAUGING
B. CLEANING
C. DEGREASING (if necessary)
D. DEWATERING
E. DRYING (if necessary)
- 372 -
(8) Pigging procedure of Oxygen pipe
Pipe non-destructive test have just finished, shall perform air blowing to remove foreign materials. Then
follow the next steps for pigging.
A. To find out the possibility of the passage of pig into pipe, pass through the pig once that is bigger
than out side diameter of the pipe. With confirming the passage of pig, also perform initial cleaning.
B. With running of this pig, remove the stuck foreign materials and remainder inside of the pipe by
scraping effect.
C. Inside of the pipe wall, the rust, stuck foreign materials, and remainders shall be removed with a pig
that consist of strong steel wire brush on entire body by scraping effect.
D. Particles of powder state remainder that made by upper pigging work shall be perfectly removed by
continuous shooting of high density and low density of sponge pig.
E. To remove oily remainder inside of the pipe, run the pig chemicals spread on it. After complete
remove of oily remainders, run HARD TYPE SPONE PIG through the pipe to finish this work.
F. All of these work have finished, the surface of pig shall not be wet after running of one size bigger
sponge type pig just have run into the pipe. Foreign material infiltration thickness (depth of changed
color) can be judged by eyes following next table.
100A 150A 200A 250A 300A 350A 400A
1km 1 1 2 2 3 4 5 mm
1Km 2Km 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 mm
2Km 3Km 5 5 6 7 8 9 10 mm
3Km 5Km 7 8 8 9 10 12 15 mm
5Km 10-15 10-15 10-15 15-17 15-17 15-20 17-25 mm
(Cut the pig used for this inspection, Judge them with measuring the thickness of foreign material infiltration.)
G. After first inspection with eyes, perform Oil less Dry Air or N2 flushing. Judging of completion of
flushing is when the erected cupper plate or aluminum plate at the end of the discharging part
- 373 -
doesnt have any damage or pollution. This completion of flushing means completion of pigging.
** For detailed procedure of oxygen pipe pigging, refer the pipe erection specification chapter 12-3
Oxygen pipe erection spec. **
* Caution *
1. These flushing inspection for pigging pipes, these contents is just for pigging; procedure of pressure
test, flushing, and leak test of entire pipe shall be performed after.
2. This is general method of pigging. If there is much difference between this method and the sub-
constructors, carry out the work when after sub-constructor submit work manual to the OWNER
and obtain consent from them.
3. Though there is a little bit difference of working method, the removal of oily foreign material and
inspection stage shall be kept.
4. White Sponge type pig for inspection
- Type: Cylindrical type (type of absorption)
- Material: Porous Cell Polyurethane
10. Low-pressure steam piping work
10.1 General
(1) These specifications are applicable to general low-pressure steam pipes with pressure and
temperature of less than 12Kg/G and 260, respectively.
(2) Perform work sufficiently considering the thrust due to the pressure inside the pipes and thermal
expansion.
(3) For details on heat insulating, see section on Heat insulating work.
- 374 -
10.2 STEAM TRAP
(1) Install at a level where drain discharge is easy and effective.
(2) Connect pipes to the hum pipe for water discharge.
(3) Select the types according to each use. Unless there are special specifications, the following standards
shall be used:
Applications TYPE
Steam Main steam pipe drain Thermodynamic disc and bucket types
delivery
Hot and high-pressure steam pipe Same as above
(overheated steam)
STEAM SEPARATOR DRAIN, BALL FLOAT (AIR VENT attached )
type
Steam Temperature-sensitive conditions THERMODYNAMIC DISC type
tracing
General heating conditions (instrumentation Bimetallic temperature control type
and winterization)
Heating Radiator and convector BALANCED-PRESSURE THERMOSTATIC
BELLOWS type OR DIAPHRAGM CAPSULE
type
Overhead hot coil Same as above
UNIT HEATER, FAN COIL HEATER, AHU BALL FLOAT (AIR VENT attached)
Process Steam humidifier Same as above
facilities
Distilling machines and autoclave Products equivalent to radiators or ball float
types
Kitchen utensils (AIR VENT attached)
Internal coils of the process tank BUCKET type, BALL FLOAT type
(AV attached)
Cylinder drier BALL FLOAT type (AV attached)
Shell tube-type heat exchanger Same as above
Jacket-type facilities, driers and fans Same as above
Multi-stage press and irons THERMODYNAMIC DISC type

Storage tank and heaters ( BASE - COIL ) Bimetallic temperature control type, B-P
Anti-freeze Steam facilities BP
Water supply pipes Same as above
- 375 -
(4) Below are the required performance and materials by type:
Float Bucket Disc B-P

Type Ball lever float Inverted bucket DISC Capsule
Materials Body Cast steel Cast steel Stainless Steel Brass, Bronze
Inside Stainless Steel Stainless Steel Stainless Steel Stainless Steel
Whether the Separately 15A and 20A Embedded Embedded,
Strainer is attached (horizontal type) Separately attached
embedded 25A or higher
(vertical type)
Others Embedded - Maximum back Maximum pressure
automatic air pressure of 5.5BAR; must be
vent, horizontal allowed highly resistant to water
connection =Min. of 80% hammer
10.3 Strainer
(1) Use cast steel for the strainer body and Stainless Steel Body material for screens.
(2) Use the screen mesh with size of at least 100 MESH. The mesh should have sufficient area.
(3) Install strainers on the pipe ahead of the equipment whose performance is likely to be affected by
foreign substance, e.g., reducing valves, steam traps, and flow meters (the strainer pocket shall be kept
horizontal).
10.4 Reducing valves
(1) Valves shall be of the pilot diaphragm type.
(2) The reducing ratio shall be at least 1:20.
(3) The body should be made of stainless steel or gun metals. Valves, seats, and diaphragm springs
should be done of Stainless Steel Body materials.
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10.5 Expansion joint
(1) Install expansion joints or device that can absorb thermal expansion at appropriate points considering
the expansion of pipes.
(2) If double expansion joints are installed, install stationary pipe supports at the central points between
expansion joints.
(3) In case single expansion joints are installed, place stationary pipe support at their side.
(4) In main pipe line, expansion joint can not be adjusted, only loop can be adjusted.
10.6 Blow - out
(1) Blow-out is performed after completing piping work to remove foreign substance from the inside
completely using steam or air (in this case, however, do not attach steam traps).
(2) For details of blow-out, see section on Cleaning inside pipes.
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Chapter 10. Piping Work

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Chapter 10. Piping Work

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Chapter 10.

C. Selecting the type of oil

(b) Use the main oil for secondary flushing.

(3) Selecting the flushing pumps

flushing oil and extends the flushing time).

C. Clean the inside.

D. Oil resistance test for packing or seal (TABLE below)

* OIL kinetic coefficient of viscosity (for reference purposes only)

Temperature JIS: K2213 CLASS 2 JIS:K2213 CLASS 2 JIS:K2213 CLASS 2 JIS:K2219

CSt SSU CSt SSU CSt SSU CSt SSU

15 111 515 320 1066 300 1390 2350 10890

(4) Flushing tank

A. Use only tanks designated for flushing purposes.

B. Capacity Q = 5 x Flow in pipes

C. Check the other installed accessories.

(a) Filter pump suction and discharge pipes

(b) Man holes

(c) Drain pipes

(d) Heaters (oil heaters)

D. Cleaning storage tanks

(5) Flushing filter

B. Attaching or detaching filters to/from the return pipes should be easy.

C. Install auxiliary nets to prevent the overloading of the filter.

E. Below are the standard sizes of flushing sieves:

JIS * standard sieve International standard sieve

Sieve mesh Wire netting ** *** ****

Size Tolerance DIA. Toleranc

74 0.074 7 60 0.053 0.010 34.0 NO.200 0.074 200 0.074 0.080

88 0.088 7 40 0.061 0.010 34.9 NO.170 0.088 170 0.088 -

177 0.177 6 25 0.141 0.015 31.0 NO.80 0.177 80 0.175 -

210 0.210 6 25 0.153 0.015 28.8 NO.70 0.210 65 0.208 0.200

250 0.250 6 25 0.174 0.015 29.3 NO.60 0.250 60 0.246 0.250

(6) Other requirements for flushing

Item Data, Materials, Instruments, and Matters to be Decided

Form flushing circuits

Inspection: Related to fire prevention

(2) Flushing conditions

Conditions Primary flushing Secondary flushing

Flushing oil Flushing oil Regular oil (oil to be used for

Oil temperature Normal temp (60) Working temperature

Hammering or vibration Prior to sampling As a rule neither hammering

Discharge of flushing oil During high temperature Oil is not discharged.

(3) Primary flushing

B. Inspection during primary flushing

(4) Secondary flushing

A. Injecting new flushing oil

(b) Inject secondary flushing oil (main oil).

B. Procedure for secondary flushing

(d) Take samples and make a judgment.

C. Post-flushing handling and inspections

(c) Pay particular attention to the following during inspection:

settling in the uneven part.

oil supply pipes. Be sure to inspect these areas.

8.4 Inspections and judgment

(2) Inspection intervals

(3) Inspection process

As a rule, measure samples using the CONTAMIKIT or the number of particles.

* Below are the generally required standards:

Item NAS Grade

(5) Judgment on completion

determine whether flushing is completed.

determined through discussions.

9. Cleaning other pipes

Sieve mesh Wire netting * ****