ABOUT PIPING

WHAT IS PIPING ABOUT?

We can say PIPING is about designing, fabricating and constructing lines conveying FLUIDS.

What is a FLUID?
It can be any of the following a GAS a LIQUID a mixture of GAS and LIQUID a SUSPENSION of small SOLID PARTICLES inside a LIQUID.

Basic properties of conveyed FLUIDS

FLUID TYPE
with particular attention to the CORROSION characteristics the DANGER for HEALTH and the ENVIRONMENT

FLOW RATE PRESSURE TEMPERATURE

What is a PIPELINE?
A PIPELINE conveys a fluid from one given point of the plant usually called INLET point of the line, to another part of the plant usually called OUTLET point of the line. A PIPELINE can also connect one PIPELINE to another PIPELINE. PIPELINES can also discharge the conveyed fluid into the environment (VENTS and DRAIN)

Basic characteristics of a PIPELINE

SIZE (or DIAMETER) WALL THICKNESS TYPE OF JOINTS BETWEEN PIECES
welded joints (butt welding / socket welding) threaded joints flanged joints

EXTERNAL FINISHING
Painting Insulation

QUALITY CHECKS

Hydraulic Testing Non Destructive Examination of Joints

Other characteristics of a PIPELINE

ROUTING
The routing is how the Pipeline is developed into the space. There are rules and regulations to route a Pipeline according the Good Engineering Practice Cold Pipelines connecting static objects (something that does not move like Tanks, Vessels, other Pipelines, Headers) can be straightly routed between the inlet and the outlet point. Cold Pipelines connecting MACHINES that vibrate or rotate may need a flexible part between the inlet and the outlet point. Hot Pipelines must be flexible enough to adsorb the thermal expansion of the Pipeline from cold to hot condition

SUPPORTING SYSTEM
Every Pipeline must be supported. Not all Pipelines are supported in the same way Cold Pipelines can be supported everywhere with FIXED POINTS Hot Pipelines cannot be supported only with fixed points, but certain points must be only GUIDED, meaning that in those points the Pipeline retains a certain numbers of degree of freedom in certain directions, while are constrained in certain other directions

PIPING DESIGN
Specification of Lines It is a document that summarizes all the characteristics of a PIPELINE. Starting from the PROPERTIES of the CONVEYED FLUID, the document specifies all the CHARACTERISTICS of the PIPELINE

FLUID TYPE
Choice of material
Non corrosive fluids Services where impurities are accepted industrial water lines (cooling water) steam lube oil return / before filter lines air lines vents and drains Corrosive fluids Services where impurities are not accepted demineralized water lube oil after filters fuel gas / oil sea water (water containing Chlorine) Agressive Chemicals Strong Acids / Bases Carbon Steel Low Alloy Steel (High T)

Stainless Steel

No Iron (Fe) Copper/Nikel Alloys (Cu-Ni) Plastic: PVC TEFLON PE Rubber: NBR, Viton Composites: RESIN GLASS

FLUID TYPE
Choice of CORROSION ALLOWANCE
Thickness increasing taking into account CORROSION Typical corrosion allowance for water is 3 mm that affects THICKNESS

Choice of joints.
DANGEROUS fluids are conveyed in fully welded pipes, were leaks cannot occur.

Choice of NDE
For Dangerous Fluids 100% of joints are likely to be X-Ray examined

FLOW RATE
Choice of Diameter
For a given flowrate - SMALL DIAMETER means HIGHER VELOCITY of the conveyed fluid - BIG DIAMETER means SLOWER VELOCITY of the conveyed fluid Velocity of fluids in Pipelines affects - Pressure Losses along the Pipeline Pressure Losses are PROPORTIONAL to the square velocity (v2) - Vibration of the Pipeline Usual Velocity of Fluids inside pipelines are: Gas: 20 m/s - max. 40 / 50 m/sec Liquid: 2 to 4 m/s - max. 10 m/sec

TEMPERATURE
Choice of MATERIAL - Steel for High Temperature (Low Alloy Steel Creep Resistant) Calculation of wall THICKNESS Routing Design and calculation of SUPPORTS (STRESS ANALYSIS) - Hot Lines must be routed properly. Provisions shall be taken so that
when temperature rises from ambient to Operating Temperature the thermal expansion of Pipelines does not generate stresses too high for the pipes to withstand.

Application of Thermal Insulation - T>60C Insulation for Personnel Protection is mandatory for all
pipeline parts that can be reached by hands.

PRESSURE
Calculation of Wall Thickness Choice of the Joint - Low pressure pipelines can be threaded or socket welded - High Pressure pipelines are Butt Welded Extension of NDE of the joints
Non process Pipelines (For Example Vents and drain lines) may even have no tests at all Low Pressure Pipelines can undergo only the Hydraulic Test For intermediate pressures a 10% to 50% of joints must be examined with X-rays High Pressure Pipelines are usually 100% X-ray examined.

AMERICAN STANDARDS FOR PIPING DESIGN ANSI = AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDIZATION INSTITUTE AMERICAN SOCIETY of MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

ASME =

ANSI/ASME B31.1: POWER PIPING ANSI/ASME B31.3: PROCESS PIPING

THESE STANDARDS GIVE TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DESIGNING PIPING SYSTEM FOR POWER PLANTS AND CHEMICAL PLANTS THEY CONTAINS FORMULAS TO CALCULATE THE MINIMUM THICKNESS OF PIPELINES THEY CONTAINS FORMULAS TO CALCULATE THE EXTRA THICKNESS THAT A PIPE MUST HAVE WHEN A BRANCH IS CUT INTO IT. THEY CONTAINS REGULATIONS FOR STRESS ANALYSIS THEY CONTAINS TABLES THAT GIVE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE STRESS FOR METALLIC MATERIALS ACCEPTED BY ANSI FOR PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION DEPENDING ON TEMPERATURES.

STANDARD MATERIALS FOR PIPING ASTM =

AMERICAN SOCIETY for TESTING MATERIALS

ASTM developed a collection of documents called MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS for standardising materials of large use in the INDUSTRY. Specifications starting with A are for STEEL. Specifications starting with B are for non-ferrous alloys (Bronze, Brass, Copper Nickel alloys, Aluminium alloys and so on). Specifications starting with D are for plastic material, as PVC. An ASTM Specification does not only specify the basic CHEMICAL COMPOSITION of material, but also the PROCESS through which the material is shaped into the final product. This is why for a given base material SEAMLESS PIPE have a specification, WELDED PIPE have another specification WROUGHT FITTINGS have another specification, FORGED FITTINGS have another specification, large VALVE bodies (normally CAST) have another specification

CARBON STEEL
Steel is basically a solution of carbon (C) into iron (Fe). The presences of carbon into the crystal structure of the iron improve very much the mechanical caracteristics of the iron alone. Carbon steel is a conventional denomination for steel that has almost no other metallic elements added into it. ASTM most employed carbon steel for pipes are ASTM A53 Grade A and B and ASTM A106 Grade A and B. A53 used to be cheaper than A106 and Grade A cheaper than Grade B. Today the difference is not so big, so that for small quantities ASTM A106 Gr. B is usually choosen. ASTM Specifications belonging to same family of Carbon Steel SEAMLESS PIPES ASTM A53 (Gr. A / B) or A106 (Gr. A / B) WELDED PIPES ASTM A134 / A135 / A139 WROUGHT FITTINGS ASTM A234 (WPA / WPB) FORGED FITTINGS A105 CAST PARTS A216 (WCB)

API Standards
For Oil and Gas Industry, another American Standardization Institute is common and important. This Institute is

API =

AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE

Rules, Practices and Standards for Oil and Gas Industry are issued by this Institute and followed by almost all Oil and Gas Companies in the world. Among the many Standards issued by the Institute there is also a Standard for design of Pipelines: API STANDARD 5L Within this Standard Materials for Oil and Gas transportation pipelines are specified, with denomination API 5L This is a family of Carbon Steels almost equivalent to ASTM A53 / A106.

LOW ALLOY STEEL

The introduction of other elements into steel can change very much its mechanical characteristics. Steel is subject to a process called creep at high temperatures (T > 540 C) Creep is a reduction of strength over time due to high temperature. It means that if today the steel can withstand a certain pressure, after a long time at high temperature same steel can withstand much lower pressures, since its resistance is decreasing with time due to the high temperature. Steel becomes also particurarly fragile if submitted to sudden impacts at low temperatures (< - 20 C).

The introduction of small percentages of chromium (Cr), nichel (Ni), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), proves to improve the strength of the steel and its resistance to corrosion also at high temperatures (>500 C) or at low temperaturea (< -20 C).

Low Alloy Steel is a conventional denomination for steels where there are small percentages of elements, usually metallic, other than carbon only. Alloy steels are usually identified with denominations that recall composition. As for example following high temperature resistant steels: Denomination 5Cr-Mo 1Cr-Mo-Si 1Cr-Mo 2Cr-1Mo Alloy percentage (5% Cr 0.5% Mo ) (1.25%Cr 0.5% Mo Si) (1% Cr 0.5 Mo) (2.25 Cr 1% Mo) Grade P5 P11 P12 P22 Grade for Castings C5 (WC5) (WC5) WC9

ASTM Specifications belonging to same families of Low Alloy Steels SEAMLESS PIPE A335 (P5 P11 P12 P22) WELDED PIPE ASTM A358 WROUGHT FITTINGS ASTM A234 (WP5 WP11 WP12 WP22) FORGED FITTINGS A182 (F5 F11 F12 F 22) CAST PARTS A217 (C5 WC5 WC9)

STAINLESS STEEL
One of most important problems with carbon and low alloy steels, is that the iron exposed to air and water combines with oxygene (O2) and generates rust (di-iron tri-oxyde Fe2O3) that peels out from the surface. High percentages of chromium (Cr) and nichel (Ni) added into the steel stop this problem. Stainless Steel is conventional generic denomination for steels with high percentages of chromium (minimum 16%) and nichel (minimum 8 %). Traditional denomination for stainless steel was given first from AISI (American Institute for Steel and Iron) and is still in the tradition and retained in the Grade of ASTM Specifications. But as usual for alloy steels, a more precise denomination can refer to composition.

AISI 304 / 304L 316 / 316L 321

Denomination 18Cr-8Ni 16Cr-12Ni-2Mo 18Cr-10Ni-Ti

Alloy Percentage

Grade for Castings (18%Cr 8%Ni) CF3 / CF8 (16%Cr 12%Ni 2%Mo) CF3M / CF8M (18%Cr 10%Ni Ti) Not Available

The L suffix stands for Low Carbon. In fact the presence of high percentages of Cr and Ni improves the resistance of steel against rust, but at one cost: stainless steel is very difficult to weld. Welding of stainless steel can be improved by reducing the content of carbon in it. ASTM Specifications belonging to same family of Stainless Steel SEAMLESS PIPE A312 TP304 304L - 316 - 316L - 321 WELDED PIPE ASTM A249 TP304 - 304L - 316 - 316L - 321 WROUGHT FITTINGS ASTM A403 WP304 - 304L - 316 - 316L - 321 FORGED FITTINGS A182 F304 304L - 316 - 316L - 321 CAST PARTS A351 (CF3 CF3M / CF8 CF8M)

How Pipeline CHARACTERISTICS are defined by the Standards.

SIZE
NOMINAL PIPE SIZE : NPS
It is a conventional size expressed solely in INCHES, related to the cross section diameter of the pipeline. For smaller sizes the NPS is not usually exactly equal to any real diameter, but bigger. This comes from the fact that for uniformity, pipelines must have same Outside Diameter, and change Inside Diameter with different thickness. But in fluid transportation the internal diameter is more significant, so if the Outside Diameter is bigger of the NPS, taking away the thickness, the NPS gives more an idea of the internal diameter.

NOMINAL DIAMETER : DN
Same as NPS, but in mm. It is the usual denomination of Size in Europe where S.I. is adopted. All external diameters pipes according EUROPEAN Standards (DIN - Germany, UNI - Italy, AFNOR France) are exactly equal of the equivalent NPS Sizes according AMERICAN and BRITISH Standars (BS) EXCEPT 5 (DN125)

WALL THICKNESS (1)

1. For PIPES and WROUGHT BW FITTINGS, wall thickness is given in INCHES or mm. Some series of thicknesses are standardized. There are two series of systems of standardized thicknesses.

Schedule

Carbon Steel ANSI B16.10 Stainless Steel ANSI B16.19

5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 160. 5S, 10S, 20S, 30S, 40S, 60S, 80S. Standard Extra Strong Extra Extra Strong

Weight Series

Std XS XXS

It happens that for a given diameter the thickess of one Schedule is equal to the thickness of one Weight Series. For example for small diameters, Sch. 40 is equal to Std Weight. THIS IS NOT A RULE, and this idea is one of the most common mistakes in piping design.

WALL THICKNESS (2)

2. For FLANGES, VALVES and FORGED FITTINGS, a different system of indicating the wall thickness is used. This is called PRESSURE RATING. It is a NUMBER expressed in POUNDS per SQUARE INCH (PSI symbol #) that refers to the maximum internal pressure acceptable for normal operation inside that part. 125# Cast Iron 150# 300# 400#
(Not in NP Standards)

600#

800#
Valves ( 2)

Flanges & Valves

Fl. & Valves Forged Small

900#

1500#

2500#

3000#

6000#

9000#

Flanges & Valves

Forged Fittings

This conventional number is not exactly the actual maximum pressure acceptable inside the part. The maximum pressure allowed for a given rating is tabulated in the ANSI standards and depends on Temperature ASTM Material

TYPE OF JOINTS BETWEEN PIECES (1)

1. BUTT-WELDING ENDS
The end is machined to allow head to head full penetrating welding

TYPE OF JOINTS BETWEEN PIECES (2)

2. SOCKET WELDING ENDS
A socket is provided where pipe can be inserted

TYPE OF JOINTS BETWEEN PIECES (3)

3. THREADED ENDS
Parts to be connected are threaded. For services where leaks are strongly undesired, a light weld is carried out at the surface, this is called Seal Weld.

Seal weld

STANDARDIZED PIPING OBJECTS

PIPES

FITTINGS FLANGES

VALVES

GASKETS BOLTS AND NUTS

PIPES: ANSI B36.10 CS / B36.19 SS Seamless Electric Resistance Welded

No material is added during welding process

Electric Fusion Welded

Material (Filler Metal) is added during the process of welding

HOW TO IDENTIFY A PIPE SIZE (DIAMETER) WALL THICKNESS MATERIAL NPS 12 (DN 300) Sch. 40 ASTM A106 Gr. B

BW FITTINGS : ANSI B16.9 Bends

30 - 45 - 60 - 90 Long Radius R=1.5 D Short Radius R=D

Tees
Straight Full Tees Reducing Tees

Reducers
Concentric Reducers Eccentric Reducers

Caps

HOW TO IDENTIFY A BW FITTING 1. Straight Fittings TYPE BEND 90 LR SIZE (DIAMETER) WALL THICKNESS MATERIAL NPS 12 (DN 300) Std ASTM A234 WPB

2. Reducing Fittings TYPE SIZE (DIAMETER) WALL THICKNESS MATERIAL REDUCING TEE NPS 12x8 (DN 300x200) Sch. 30x20 ASTM A234 WPB

FORGED FITTINGS ANSI B16.11

HOW TO IDENTIFY A FORGED FITTING TYPE SIZE (DIAMETER) WALL THICKNESS JOINT MATERIAL ELBOW 90 NPS 1 (DN 25) Rating 3000# NPT ASTM A105

PIPE NIPPLES They are standardized short pieces of pipe usually 50 mm or 100 mm long normally used between two close fittings. They can come in straight size or in reducing size and can have one end machined in a different way than the other. Such a variety of combinations is summarized using abbreviations B = Bevelled L = Large E = End P = Plain S = Small T = Threaded

Pipe nipples can be used to change among joint types. For example a PExBE Pipe Nipple changes a Socket Welding Line into a Buttwelding Line
Beveled End Plain End

BW SW

FLANGES ANSI B16.5

1. Pipe Connection Welding Neck Slip On Lap Joint Socket Welding Threaded 2. Mating Flat Face Raised Face Ring Joint

WELDING NECK Used for all sizes, they allow full penetration weld between pipe and flange. For this reason they are used for severe applications where failure of welda cannot be accepted. This does not come free of cost, since the shape of the flange obliges to start from a heavy forging and waste a lot of material from machining. SLIP ON Used for all sizes, they are very much economical because they are flat and can be obtained from sheets or plates with minimum waste of material from machining. But they do not allow full penetration weld, so that they are use for low ratings (usually 150# only) and unsevere applications

THREADED Can be used for all sized, but are preferably used for small sizes (< or equal to 2). Cheap manufacturing, cheap installation (no weld is required) but limited to threadel lines, that means unsevere applications where leaks are not a major issue LAP JOINT A Stub End is welded on the pipe after the flange insertion of it. This solution is used for Stainless Steel lines at low pressure, since the heavy flange does not come in contact with the conveyed fluid and can be provided in much cheaper Carbon Steel material. Moreover no weld is required, also a good thing for Stainless Steel lines.

SOCKET WELDING Used for small sizes (< or equal to 2) for unsevere services on Socket Welding lines.

Flat Face Gasket: Full Face Flat It covers the entire surface of the flange

Raised Face Gasket: Flat

It covers the raised surface of the flange

Spiral Wound
Also known as Spirometallic, or Spirotallic, its a wounded spiral of Stainless Steel and Graphite to withstand high temperatures or severely aggressive fluids

Ring Joint Gasket: Metallic Ring It is normally made up of Steel. It deforms inside the ring joint grooves assuring sealing at very high pressures. Surface Finishing of Flanges To improve the sealing effect of plane gaskets, the surface of a flange can be machined. A set of circular scares is machined in the surface. When the gasket is tightenly squeezed between the flanges, it penetrates into the scares improving sealing.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A FLANGE JOINT TYPE SIZE (DIAMETER) WALL THICKNESS MATING - FINISH MATERIAL SLIP ON NPS 6 (DN 150) Rating 300# RF R9 ASTM A105

VALVES: CAST STEEL

Globe Gate Check

VALVES: FORGED STEEL

Globe Gate Check

Ball

Butterfly

ACTUATION OF VALVES
To open and close a valve, you can use Hands Electric Power Compressed Air High Pressure Oil in which case you need a valve provided with Handwheel Electric Actuator Pneumatic Actuator Hydraulic Actuator and the valve is called Manual Electric Pneumatic Hydraulic

CONTROL VALVES
These valves are used to CONTROL one or more of the PROPERTIES of the conveyed fluid in order to mantain the VALUES of the controlled property within a specific range. The internal parts of these valves are specially designed tu suit the particular control task and are non subject to particular Standards. Anyway, the majority of Control Valve Manufacturers try to respect at least the end to end dimensions given in ANSIB16.25. Also connections follows the recognized international standards.

SAFETY AND RELIEF VALVES

These valves are installed on pipelines where pressure can exceed by accident the DESIGN PRESSURE of the pipeline. These valves are designed to open and discharge the conveyed fluid when the pressure in the pipeline becomes greater than a specified value called SET. RELIEF The valve opens when the pressure goes over the SET, but close again when the pressure returns under the SET The valve opens when the pressure goes over the SET, but never closes again. Personnel intervention is required on the pipeline to check the event and the condition of the area, before re-arming the valve and starting operation again

SAFETY

TUBING A TUBE is a circular section of given DIAMETER and THICKNESS. It is normally specified giving the Ouside Diameter (OD) and the thickness. But it can also be specified giving the Inside Diameter (ID) and the thickness. The given numbers correspond exactly to the geometrical dimension they refer. So A 2 OD TUBE has exactly a 2 Outside Diameters.

Dimensionally, there are two big families of tubing 1. FRACTIONAL TUBES The INCH is the unit of measure, and since tubes for piping purpose (REMEMBER: CONVEYING FLUIDS!) are small, usually less than 1, FRACTIONS of inch are used, hence the name FRACTIONAL 2. METRIC TUBES

As per SI requirements, mm is the unit of measure. Again the value in mm is the actual ouside diameter of the tube, so that a DN15 pipe has a rather different OD then a 15 mm tube.

TUBES in PIPING DESIGN. Tubes are not usually used in PIPING DESIGN except for some very particular services. In typical Oil and Gas Machinery installations, like Nuovo Pignones, TUBES are basically used for: 1. Parts of HP Hydraulic Lines 2. Instrument connecting Lines 3. Pneumatic Lines

These Lines are small size (usually less than 1). COMPRESSION FITTINGS Tubing is usually BENT. A large variety of fittings are available for 1. detachment of BRANCHES (Tees) 2. Passing through steel walls (Bulk Unions) 3. Unite tube to tube (tubing is not welded)

4. Connecting Tubing to PIPES (Connectors) 5. Connecting Tubes to Flexible Hoses Connection of TUBING with the fitting is achieved through a particular locking system where a RING (FERRULE) is forced to COMPRESS the Tube walls for sealing and joining.

These fittings are not STANDARDIZED, but are branding based and patented. Most popular manufacturers of compression fittings are PARKER SWAGELOCK GARILOCK