Piping Stress Analysis Basics – Free e-course

2: Piping Flexibility - General Considerations

Suppose that we have two vessels, T-1 and T-2, say 50 ft. apart and that we have to run a
pipe from T-1 to T-2 between two nozzles at the same elevation. Obviously, the most
economical way of doing this from the purely ’Piping’ aspect would be to join them with a
straight pipe as shown in fig. 1 below.

Figure 1

Now further suppose that everything is in carbon steel and the vessel T-1 has its
temperature raised to 350o F. When the valve ‘A’ is opened, there will be an expansion
between the centers of T-1 and T-2 which can be found in the usual manner, viz.

Expansion rate for carbon steel at 350°F= 2.26 ins/100 ft. (This value is taken from ANSI
B31.3 Table 319.3.1A)

Therefore Expansion = 50/100 x 2.26 = 1.13 inches.

One of two things can now happen -

(1) As the pipe expands it will dent the sides of the vessels as shown in fig. 2.

Figure 2

(2) As the pipe expands, it will buckle as shown in Fig 3.

Figure 3

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 Piping Stress Analysis Basics – Free e-course

If the vessels are comparatively thin and the pipe of large diameter so that it can withstand a
high load before buckling, then the first case applies and the vessel walls will bend inwards
to accommodate the 1.13 inches expansion; if, on the other hand, the vessels are thick and
the pipe of small diameter, the alternative condition shown in fig. 3 will occur.

Now it is possible to calculate the stresses in the pipes and vessels for both of the systems
illustrated, but even if they come within the range of allowable stresses neither case would
be regarded as good engineering practice in the great majority of applications.

However, if the plot had been laid out differently, it would have also been possible to run the
pipe in two sections at right angles to each other, as shown in fig. 4.

Figure 4

With this configuration for the piping, as the point ‘B’ moves ‘δ’ out to ‘B1’ it is able to bend
the leg ‘BC’ into the position ‘B1C’, and the longer the leg ‘BC’, the easier it becomes to
bend.

It is a simple matter to calculate the minimum length ‘l’ of ‘BC’ which will allow the expansion
‘δ’ to be absorbed whilst the stresses are restricted to a given value, and fig. 4 illustrates the
simplest concept of all in the field of Flexibility Analysis, namely that of “Minimum Leg
Length.”

Article Excerpted From SST 101: Piping Stress Analysis Seminar Notes.

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