Piping Stress Related Design Factors

There are five basic factors that influence piping and therefore piping stress in the process plant. There is
temperature, pressure, weight, force and vibration. These factors will come in many forms and at different times.
Stress problems become all the more complex because two or more of these will exist at the same time in the
same piping system. The main objective of the focus when dealing with problems related to piping systems is not
normally the pipe itself. In a very high percentage of the time it is not the pipe that is the weakest link. Note this:
the pipe is normally stronger and/or less vulnerable to damage than what the pipe is connected to. Pumps are just
one examples of equipment to which pipes are routinely connected. Misalignment problems caused by expansion
(or contraction) in a poorly designed system can result in major equipment failure. Equipment failures can lead to
the potential for fire, plant shutdown and loss of revenue. At this point it should be emphasized that the success
(or failure) of the plant’s operation, years down the road can and will depend on what is done up front by all the
members of the design team during the design stage. An important point to remember, “While analysis cannot
create a good design, it can confirm a good design” (Improved Pump Load Evaluation,” Hydrocarbon Processing,
April 1998, By: David W. Diehl, COADE Engineering Software, Inc Houston, TX). On the other hand, proper analysis
will identify bad design and potential problems in a piping system design.

Stress Related Design Factors

Temperatures in piping systems may range from well over 1000o F (537.8 C) on the high side to below -200 o F (-
128.8 C) on the low side. Each extreme on the temperature scale and everything in between brings its own
problems. There will also be times when both high and low temperatures can occur in the same piping system. An
example of this would be in piping that is installed in an arctic environment. The piping is installed outdoors where
it is subjected to -100 o F (-73.3 C) over the arctic winter. Six to nine months later it is finally commissioned started
up and may operate at five or six hundred degrees.

The problems that temperature causes is expansion (or contraction) in the piping system. Expansion or contraction
in a piping system is an absolute. No matter what the designer or the stress engineer does they cannot prevent the
action caused by heat or cold. Expansion or contraction in a piping system it self is not so much a problem. As we
all know if a bare pipe was just lying on the ground in the middle of a dry barren desert it will absorb a lot of heat
from just solar radiation. In the hot sun piece of pipe can reached 150 o F (65.5 C). The pipe will expand and with
both ends loose it would not be a problem. However, when you connect the pipe to something, even if only one
end is connected you may begin to have expansion related problems. When the pipe is anchored or connected to
something at both ends you absolutely will have expansion induced problems. Expansion induced problems in a
piping system is stress. There are a number of ways to handle expansion in piping systems. Flexible routing is the
first and by far the cheapest and safest method for handling expansion in piping systems. The other way is the use
of higher cost and less reliable flexible elements such as expansion joints.

Stress will exist in every piping system. If not identified and the proper action taken, stress will cause failure to
equipment or elements in the piping system itself. Stress results in forces at equipment nozzles and at anchor pipe
supports. Two piping configurations with the same pipe size, shape, dimensions, temperature and material but with
different wall schedules (sch. 40 vs. sch. 160) will not generate the same stress.

Force in piping systems is not independent of the other factors. Primarily, force (as related to piping systems) is
the result of expansion (temperature) and/or pressure acting on a piping configuration that is too stiff. This may
cause the failure of a pipe support system or it may cause the damage or failure of a piece of equipment. Force,
and the expansion that causes it, is best handled by a more flexible routing of the piping. Some people suggest
that force can be reduced by the use of expansion joints. However we must remember that for an expansion joint
to work there must be an opposite and equal force at both ends to make the element work. This tends to
compound the problem rather than lessen it.

Pressure in piping systems also range from the very high to the very low. Piping systems with pressure as high as
35,000 psi in some plants are not unusual. On the other hand piping systems with pressures approaching full
vacuum are also not unusual. The pressure (or lack of) in a piping system effects the wall thickness of the pipe.
When you increase the wall thickness of the pipe you do two things. First, you increase the weight of the pipe.
Second, you increase the stiffness of the pipe thus the stress intensification affecting forces. Increasing the wall
thickness of the pipe is the primary method of compensating for increases in pressure. Other ways, depending on
many factors include changing to a different material. With low or vacuum systems there are also other ways to
prevent the collapse of the pipe wall. Among these the primary method is the addition of stiffening rings. Stiffing
rings may be added internally or externally depending on the commodity type and the conditions.

Weight in a piping system is expressed normally as dead load. The weight of a piping system at any given point is
made up of many elements. These include the weight of the pipe, the fittings, the valves, any attachments, and
the insulation. There is also the test media (e. g. hydrotest water) or the process commodity whichever has the
greater specific gravity. Piping systems are heavy, period. Everybody involved in the project needs to understand
this and be aware that this weight exists and it needs to be supported. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred this
weight will be supported from a structural pipe support (primary pipe support system) of some kind. However there
are times when the piping (weight) is supported from a vessel or other type of equipment.

Vibrations will also occur in piping systems and come in two types. There is the basic mechanical vibration caused
by the machines that the piping is connected to. Then, there is acoustic (or harmonic) vibration caused by the
characteristics of the system itself. Typically the only place severe vibrations will be found is in piping connected to
equipment such as positive displacement reciprocating pumps or high pressure multi-stage reciprocating
compressors and where there is very high velocity gas flows.

Author:James O. Pennock is a former Piper with more than 45 years experience covering process plant
engineering, design, training, pipe fabrication and construction. He is now retired and lives in Florida, USA.

Piping Designer Stress Training

What does the piping designer need to know? Piping design is more than just knowing how to turn on the
computer, how to find the piping menus and the difference between paper space and model space. So,
appropriately, what else does the designer need to know about piping design besides how to connect a piece of
pipe to a fitting?

Here is a list of some of the most basic of things that a good piping designer should know. Thinking about every
one of these items should be as natural as breathing for a good piping designer.

· Allowable pipe spans – All designer need to know and understand the span capabilities of pipe in the different
schedules for a wide variety of common piping materials. When a new project introduces a new material with
severely reduced span capabilities; supplemental training may be required.

· Expansion of pipe – All designers must understand that they need to treat a piping system as though it is alive.
It has a temperature and that temperature causes it to grow and move. That growth and movement must be
allowed for and incorporated in the overall design. Not just of that specific line but for all other lines close by. The
process of expansion in a pipe or group of pipes will also exert frictional forces or anchor forces on the pipe
supports they come in contact with.

· Routing for flexibility – The piping designer must understand how to route pipe for flexibility. Routing for
flexibility can normally be achieved in the most natural routing of the pipeline from its origin to its terminus.
Routing for flexibility means (a) do not run a pipe in a straight line from origin to terminus and (b) building
flexibility into the pipe routing is far cheaper and more reliable than expansion joints.

· Weight and loads (live loads and dead loads) – The piping designer needs to understand the effects of
weight and loading. They need to know and understand that everything has a weight. They need to be able
recognize when there is going to be a concentrated load. They need to have access to basic weight tables for all
the standard pipe schedules, pipe fittings, flanges, valves for steel pipe. They also need to have the weight tables
for other materials or a table of correction factors for these other materials vs. carbon steel. They need to be able
to recognize when downward expansion in a piping system is present and is adding live loads to a support or
equipment nozzle.
· Equipment piping – The piping designer needs to know the right and the wrong way to pipe up (connect pipe
to) different kinds of equipment. This includes pumps, compressors, exchangers, filters or any special equipment to
be used on a specific project.

· Vessel piping – The piping designer also needs to understand about the connecting, supporting and guiding of
piping attached to vessels (horizontal or vertical) and tanks. They need to know that nozzle loading is important
and does have limitations.

· Rack piping – The designer needs to understand that there is a logical approach to the placement of piping in (or
on) a pipe rack. It does not matter how wide or how high the rack or what kind of plant, the logic still applies.
Starting from one or both outside edges the largest and hottest lines are sequenced in such a manner that allows
for the nesting of any required expansion loops. The spacing of the lines must also allow for the bowing effect at
the loops caused by the expansion.

· Expansion loops – The designer needs to understand and be able to use simple rules and methods for sizing
loops in rack piping. This should include the most common sizes, schedules and materials.

· Cold spring/Pre-spring – Designers should understand the basics rules of cold spring and pre-spring. They
need to understand what each one is along with when to and when not to use each.

cheers..