FEATURE

W h y is p u m p p i p i n g
so d i f f i c u l t to design?
The main problem with pump piping design is that pumps are a very
diverse group. The range of possibilities is very wide. There are many
different styles of rotodynamic pump and over 40 different types of
positive displacement pump. Pump sizes range from 5 W to about
300 MW. If we discount pump/turbines used for power generation
schemes, which are usually built onsite from concrete, and only consider pumps
manufactured in factories, the maximum size is reduced to about 47 MW. Obviously, notes
Brian Nesbitt, that still leaves a wide variety of piping requirements.

he average API end-suction

centrifugal pump can be taken
as a reference point (Table 1).
Pipework for these pumps generally
works well enough. Some significant
features are obvious. Sometimes the
pipework is heavier than the flowing
liquid and sometimes the flowing liquid is much heavier than the pipework.
All pumps produce pressure pulsations. Rotodynamic pumps produce
relatively low level pulsations, most of
the time, compared to PD pumps. (A
two-stage vertical centrifugal pump

may produce +_5% suction pulsations

at BEP but these increase to over 20%
at minimum flow.)
Low level pulsations can produce considerable axial thrust in large diameter
pipework. The pressure pulsations
from PD pumps can also produce considerable ~xial thrust when pulsation
dampening is ineffective. The flowing
liquid in large diameter pipework
possesses an enormous amount of
momentum and kinetic energy. The
effects of momentum are felt when
the liquid is forced to change direction at a bend, for example.
Most pumped process applications do
not operate at high liquid speeds.
Surge pressures produced by waterhammer are usually easily contained
by normal metal pipework. Surge
pressures will be magnified if the
liquid is required to reverse direction.
The axial thrust produced by surge
pressures can be very large. Special
anchors may be necessary to restrain
the pipework in the event of a waterhammer excursion.

Figure 1. The ideal pipe run

kx

Figure 2. A pipe run w i t h flexibility

WORLD

PUMPS

October 2 0 0 0

There is one effect which most people

do not address (Table 2 and Table 3) the potential energy stored in the
liquid due to compression. Liquids are
relatively incompressible. Although
cold water is one of the least compressible liquids, pressurising water
690 bar(a) does increase its potential
energy considerably. Compressing hot
water to 319 bar(a) has a similar
effect. The potential energy will
become available whenever there is a
reduction in pressure.

The impact of
pressure surge
Data sheets submitted to pump
manufacturers, for selection and
quotation purposes, concentrate on
conditions at a "steady-state rated or
normal" duty point. All pumps have
at least two transient conditions:
starting and stopping. If pump startup
is very quick then surge effects may be
present in the suction or discharge
pipework. Startup surge in the suction
pipework creates a negative pressure
pulse. If the negative pressure pulse is
large enough, the liquid column can
separate and produce a vapour or gas
void. If the vapour/gas passes into the
pump, cavitation may damage the
pump internals. If the vapour/gas
passes through the pump then
additional surge pressure problems
will be experienced in the discharge
pipework. If the vapour/gas remains in
the suction pipe, the positive surge
pressure will occur when the
separation void collapses.
Pressure reductions inside large diameter thin wall pipe can pose mechanical problems through elastic instablilt,c: tf the negative pressure pulse is
large enough, the pipe will buckle.
During start-up the discharge pipework
may be subject to the positive surge
pressure effects. During stopping the
effects in the pipework are reversed.
The surge effects created during
starting and stopping can be minimised
by controlling the rate of change of the
flow. Normal flow control strategies
may not be effective in the event of a

0262 1762/00/$ - see front matter 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r~ghts reserved

FEATURE

Pump type
Peristaltic laboratory pump
Small industrial triplex plunger pump
Small hygienic single-stage centrifugal pump
Small API triplex plunger pump
Large API septuplex plunger pump
Average API end-suction centrifugal pump
Average 2-stage vertical centrifugal pump
Large duplex double-acting piston pump
Large industrial end-suction centrifugal pump
Large API end-suction centrifugal pump
Large segmental multi-stage centrifugal pump
Large multi-stage centrifugal boiler feed pump
Large axial flow pump
Large double-suction centrifugal pump
Large multi-stage vertical centrifugal pump
power cut or an emergency shutdown
(ESD). There is little point implementing a structured ESD strategy
which damages the pipework while
trying to save the plant.
Positive displacement pumps may be
less affected by surge problems than
rotodynamic pumps. PD pumps do not
suffer from run-out - - the pump does
not try to push much larger volumes of
liquid through the pipework just
because the differential pressure is low.
The initial rate of liquid acceleration
may be much lower. Many PD pumps
are fitted with pulsation dampers to
attenuate the pressure pulsations
created by flow variations. The gas
charged pulsation damper is the most
popular style and is very effective at
cushioning surge effects. They work
during power cuts and ESDs too!
The modem trend towards variable
speed pumps has a very significant
impact on the surge effects produced
by pumps. The ability to control the
acceleration and deceleration of the
pump means surge effects can be
eliminated during normal operation.
Power cuts and ESDs, however, may
still be a problem.

Onus on the system

designer
The system designer must evaluate
information, as shown in Tables 2 and
3, on a pump by pump basis and decide

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on the most appropriate approach for

pipework and pump installation.
Figure 1 shows the ideal 'hydraulic'
pipe for any application; a straight
length of pipe between two rigidly
located pieces of equipment. The pipe
is straight but not level - - every pipe
should be self venting. The system
designer must arrange the equipment
to accommodate the straight pipe.
The ideal pipe run cannot be vibrated
by pressure pulsations or waterhammer pulses but both may apply
forces to the equipment. The method
of pipe support adopted is unimportant because this pipe run is n o t
dynamic. The pipe will not move.
This pipe run will not be acceptable
to the pipe designer if there are any
changes in medium or ambient
temperature. The ideal hydraulic pipe
is rigid and has no flexibility to
accommodate expansion/contraction.
Flexibility could be introduced by
fitting an expansion joint or bellows.
The choice would be dependent upon
pressure/temperature ranges and the
nature of the liquid.
Figure 2 shows the next logical step in
good pipe run design: a run with a
single bend. This pipe run can
overcome the flexibility problem
experienced with the ideal pipe. If a
bend is located so that both straight
legs have a reasonable length then
bending can occur without imposing
high stresses in the pipe or large

bending moments at the equipment

connection. Pressure pulsations and
water-hammer pulses will apply forces
on the bend but the scope for
movement is restricted. Movement in
the 'X' or 'Z' directions is restrained by
tensile/compressive forces in the pipe.
Flexibility is added without significantly increasing the chances of vibration problems. Pipe supports must
allow the bend to 'spring' to accommodate expansion and contraction.
Pipe runs as shown in Figure 2
are seen frequently around pumps.
Unfortunately the pipe designer
nearly always contrives to have a very

Figure 3. Pipework installation

WORLD PUMPS

October 2000 25

Pump type

Vel
m/s

Peristaltic laboratory pump

Small industrial triplex plunger pump
Small hygienic single-stage centrifugal pump
Small API triplex plunger pump
Large API septuplex plunger pump
Average API end-suction centrifugal pump
Average 2-stage vertical centrifugal pump
Large duplex double-acting piston pump
Large industrial end-suction centrifugal pump
Large API end-suction centrifugal pump
Large segmental multi-stage centrifugal pump
Large multi-stage centrifugal boiler feed pump
Large axial flow pump
Large double-suction centrifugal pump
Large multi-stage vertical centrifugal pump

Pipe w t
kg/m

Figure 4. A pipe run with two bends

Z

Figure 5. Normal pipework

26

WORLD PUMPS

October 2000

Pulses
pk - pk %

Axial
KE
Thrust kg J/m

W-Hammer
Press bar

Axial
Thrust kg

a.6

short straight run next to the pump.

The effect is to increase the nozzle
loading on the pump. When the short
straight run occurs on the suction side
there is an increased probability of
flow turbulence upsetting the pump.
Typical problems thereafter include
vibration, short bearing life and in extreme cases, cavitation. Pseudo-cavitation is the most likely - where the
dissolved gas emerges from solution to
Z

Water w t
kg/m

form bubbles which partially constrict

the suction connection. The system
designer has ultimate responsibility
for avoiding these problems.
Figure 3 shows the suction and discharge pipework for a high pressure
vertical plunger pump. One wonders
how much information the system
designer supplied to the pipe designer.
Notice the lower portions of the pipes
are anchored to the baseplate. Did the
pipe designer consider the thermal
growth of the pump? Did the pipe designer consider the differential expansion/contraction between the pump
and the pipes? Did the system designer
tell the pipe designer the exotic high
pressure liquid end was mounted on a
cast iron box? Do we all remember the
amount of elongation when cast iron
fails? Did the system designer tell the
pipe designer to mount the dampers as
close to the pump as possible? They
could have been much closer! In this
particular case we know the dampers
are working within specification
limits. The rest of the pipework
vibrated so badly the damper performance was checked.
Figure 4 shows a simple pipe run with
two bends. Sections 'ab' and 'cd' are
restrained from axial movement in
the 'X' direction because one end is
anchored. The nodes 'b' and 'c' may
move very slightly in 'X' depending
upon the elasticity of the pipe
material. Section 'bc' may be able to
move in 'Z'; this depends upon the

type of pipe supports fitted to 'ab' and

'cd'. If the horizontal sections are
simply supported or are on hangers
then 'bc' will be able to vibrate. The
amplitude will be dependent upon the
mass of 'bc' and the bending stiffness
of 'ab' and 'cd'. The horizontal
sections could be fully restrained in 'Z'
but this would remove flexibility for
'bc' to expand/contract. The simplest
solution is probably to have simply
supported horizontal sections but
provide an anchor at the mid-point of
'bc'. The movement at 'b' and 'c'
would require checking to see if other
restraints were necessary.

Real life pJpework

All the pipework considered so far is
simple. All the pipe sections lie on a
single 'X-Z' plane. In fact, very few
installed pipe runs are like this.
Because insufficient attention is given
to equipment layout at the earliest
design stages, the pipework shown in
Figure 5 is the norm. This style of
pipework is applied to all pumps
irrespective of dynamic characteristics
regarding pressure pulsations and
surge. It is usually assumed that
rotodynamic pumps do not have
pressure pulsations. It seems very
likely that the pipe designer is not
aware of the specific pump type or the
style of construction. The pipe
designer is definitely not aware about
normal pressure pulsation levels and
damper requirements. Notice that the
pipework is not self-venting, a major

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LIMITED

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<(
./

no time
ed
f f
performance curve in the main-frame
he dimensions from volume IX, page 1097
r the viscosity conversion
JrauJiq,Department
,~~areS of last year
0uat of data sheets
e ~ s list in the archives...

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FEATURE

Pump type

] Velocity
I m/s

Peristaltic laboratory pump

Small industrial triplex plunger pump
Small hygienic single-stage centrifugal pump
Small API triplex plunger pump
Large API septuplex plunger pump
Average API end-suction centrifugal pump
Average 2-stage vertical centrifugal pump
Large duplex double-acting piston pump
Large industrial end-suction centrifugal pump
Large API end-suction centrifugal pump
Large segmental multi-stage centrifugal pump
Large multbstage centrifugal boiler feed pump
Large axial flow pump
Large double-suction centrifugal pump
Large multi-stage vertical centrifugal pump
problem when handling hazardous
liquids.
Notice also that the equipment is not
rigidly located but is on flexible
mountings. This does not mean,
necessarily, that the equipment is
supported from something rigid, like
concrete, and uses rubber inserts.
Much equipment is mounted on
structural steelwork which
is
effectively flexible. The ability of the
equipment to move adds a new
dimension to the piping design. All
anchors are external to the
equipment. All sections of this pipe
run can be loaded by axial, bending
and torsional forces provided by the
mass of the pipe/liquid and the
pulsation/surge pressure variations.
The magnitude of the various
mechanical forces are dependent
upon the positioning and the degree
of restraint provided by the supports.
The hydraulic forces are dependent
upon the levels of pressure pulsations
and surge.
The pipe run shown in Figure 5 does
not include the essentials found in
most
pipes: flanges/connectors,
isolating valves, control valves, and
branches to associated systems. All of
these items increase the complexity of
pipe supporting and restraints. Pipe
design is usually accomplished by
proprietary computer
software.
Inadequate input data, which only
describes part of the problem, will
produce inaccurate results.

www.worldpumps.com

Pipe w t
kg/m

1.2

~149

~794

Water wt
kg/m

Pulses
pk - pk %

O:O46

20

3,5

3.6

7~

2,5

378,

3.8
123

1~3,

155

7U
1~,

3,8
6,0

863

9i.

9.3

~3

3:
2
5,

2.8
4.2

Axial
Thrust kg

..

8.4
:

3"

948t ' .

2A

1316

3.8

678

3e43

~3{}>

3.7

868

5991 '

978'

pitfalls

It seems the computer software usually

used by pipe designers is for the design
of static pipework. In reality pumps
inject very complicated pressure
signals into the suction and discl~arge
pipe runs. Software analysis to see
if the pipe runs will be excited,
mechanically or acoustically, by the
pump signals, are not conducted
as a matter of routine. These
checks normally only follow after
commissioning when the piping
dynamics are considered to be
unacceptable, and the pump has been
blamed first. Only when the pump is
shown to be operating properly are
other avenues explored. Modifying
the dynamics of installed pipework
can be very costly.
This article has concentrated on the
mechanics of pipework design, The
mechanical design is very important
but not as important as the hydraulic
design. Process pipework connected
to pumps is fitted to convey liquid.
This prime function must be accomplished efficiently. The mechanical
design must not interfere with the
successful conveyance of the liquid.
The proprietary software used to
design pipework seems to concentrate
on 'Code' compliance rather than ensuring that the prime objective is accomplished successfully. The system
designer must arrange the equipment
so that properly designed pipework
will allow the pump to function
correctly.

,2

46,

3391 ~,

Software

W-Hammer
Press bar

18:s - .
3
2S3: , , O:S

43

Axial
KE
Thrust kg J/m

A premium
expertise

on

Today, industry places great reliance

on computers and software, tf
experienced engineers are to be
replaced by software, then the
software must capture and re-deploy
the wisdom and experience of these
engineers. The mechanical software
used to ensure code compliance of
pipe runs will only be completely
successful when it incorporates the
hydraulic rules-of-thumb. There is
considerable difference in designing
suction pipework compared to
discharge pipework. Software which is
not developed using experienced
engineers can only solve textbook
problems. The real pump world is
dominated by problems which don't
appear in textbooks.

Note: System designers should be aware

that the European Pressure Equipment
Directive, which comes fully into force
after 29 th May 2002, requires "that due
consideration is given to the potential
damage from turbulence and formation
of vortices",

BRIAN NESBITT IS AN INDEPENDENTCONSULTANT SPECIALISING IN POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMPS. BRIAN HAS BEEN INVOWED WITH PUMPS AND PUMPING
SYSTEMS SINCE 1974. A MEMBER OF
THE BSI M C E / 6 COMMITTEES, BRIAN
REPRESENTSTHE UK ON CEN AND ISO
PD PUMP COMMI'n'EES AND IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE API 6 7 4
TASKFORCE. BRIAN CAN BE CONTACTED
AT BRIANNESBITT~)EMAIL.MSN.COM

WORLD P U M P S

October2000 : 2 9