Professional Documents
Culture Documents
About Piping
About Piping
What is a FLUID?
It can be any of the following
a GAS
a LIQUID
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)
WALL THICKNESS
EXTERNAL FINISHING
QUALITY CHECKS
Painting
Insulation
Hydraulic Testing
Non Destructive Examination of Joints
ROUTING
SUPPORTING SYSTEM
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.
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
AMERICAN
NATIONAL
STANDARDIZATION
INSTITUTE
ASME =
AMERICAN
SOCIETY of
MECHANICAL
ENGINEERS
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.
Alloy percentage
Grade
5Cr-Mo
1Cr-Mo-Si
1Cr-Mo
2Cr-1Mo
(5% Cr 0.5% Mo )
(1.25%Cr 0.5% Mo Si)
(1% Cr 0.5 Mo)
(2.25 Cr 1% Mo)
P5
P11
P12
P22
Grade for
Castings
C5
(WC5)
(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
Denomination
304 / 304L
316 / 316L
321
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)
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)
Schedule
Weight Series
Carbon Steel
ANSI B16.10
Stainless Steel
ANSI B16.19
Std
Standard
XS
Extra Strong
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.
150#
Cast Iron
900#
300#
400#
600#
(Not in NP
Standards)
1500#
3000#
6000#
2500#
800#
Valves (
2)
9000#
Forged Fittings
Seal weld
FITTINGS
FLANGES
VALVES
GASKETS
BOLTS AND NUTS
NPS 12
(DIAMETER)
(DN 300)
WALL THICKNESS
Sch. 40
MATERIAL
Tees
Straight Full Tees
Reducing Tees
Reducers
Concentric Reducers
Eccentric Reducers
Caps
NPS 12
(DIAMETER)
(DN 300)
WALL THICKNESS
Std
MATERIAL
2. Reducing Fittings
TYPE
REDUCING TEE
SIZE
NPS 12x8
(DIAMETER)
(DN 300x200)
WALL THICKNESS
Sch. 30x20
MATERIAL
ELBOW 90
SIZE
NPS 1
(DIAMETER)
(DN 25)
WALL THICKNESS
Rating 3000#
JOINT
NPT
MATERIAL
ASTM A105
PIPE NIPPLES
They are standardized short pieces of pipe
usually 50 mm or 100 mm long normally used
between two close fittings. They can come in
straight size or in reducing size and can have
one end machined in a different way than the
other. Such a variety of combinations is
summarized using abbreviations
B = Bevelled L = Large
E = End
P = Plain
S = Small
T = Threaded
Plain End
BW
SW
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:
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.
SLIP ON
SIZE
NPS 6
(DIAMETER)
(DN 150)
WALL THICKNESS
Rating 300#
MATING - FINISH
RF R9
MATERIAL
ASTM A105
Gate
Check
Gate
Check
Ball
Butterfly
ACTUATION OF VALVES
To open and close a
valve, you can use
Hands
Electric Power
Compressed Air
High Pressure Oil
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
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.