Sizing of Piping System

Sizing of piping system involves following two steps:

1.      Fluid Flow Design

2.      Pressure Integrity Design

Fluid Flow Design

The objective of fluid flow design is to determine the minimum inside diameter of each
segment of piping system that will maintain the design flow rate maintaining the pressure
drop and flow velocity within project limits.

The optimum pipe size based on an economic trade-off between the installed capital cost of
the piping system and the sum of the capital and lifetime operating costs of the pumping or
compressor system. Final line size will depend on many things few mentioned as below. 

Economic consideration like relative cost difference between a large pipe with low-pressure
drop versus a smaller pipe (less weight and pipe cost) versus higher pump size. In addition,
the number of other things in the system such as filters, bends, and tees all add to the pressure
drop calculation.

In a water flowing pipeline, if the diameter of a pipe reduced, the pressure in the line will
increase. Bernoulli's theorem says that there should be a reduction in pressure when the area
reduced. The narrower the pipe, the higher the velocity and the greater the pressure drop.

System flow velocities limited by design to avoid several potential operating problems. As a
rule of thumb, for normal fluid service, maximum velocity for liquid is 3 m/s and for gaseous
system is 20 m/s.

Maximum pressure drop should be less than 3% of the set pressure in accordance to API521.
Max velocity should be checked as per API 14E. 

The detailed fluid flow design requires number for fluid parameters, few are: 

1.      Piping Service and type (normal fluid and single or multi-phase)

2.      Acceptable Velocity

3.      Acceptable Pressure Drop

4.      Available Flow rate

5.      Available Pressure
6.      Available Viscosity

7.      Available Density

8.      Pipe Frictional Factor 

References:

API521: Pressure-relieving and De-pressuring Systems

API14E RP: Design and Installation of Offshore Production Platform Piping Systems  

Pressure Integrity Design

The objective of pressure integrity design is to determine minimum pipe wall thickness and
the pressure rating of the in-line components (Flanges, Valve and Fittings). The major steps
in the process to consider are as follow:

1.      Select the next larger standard pipe size than the minimum calculated ID from the Fluid
Flow Design. Refer to ASME B36.10 or ASME B36.19 for pipe sizes.

2.      Based on the fluid service and project requirements, select the suitable pipe material
and determine the required corrosion, erosion, and mechanical strength allowances.

3.      Use the applicable piping code, calculate the minimum wall thickness, and get the
applicable pipe size from B36.10 or B36.19.

4.      Confirm that available Pipe ID and wall thickness is more than required size and wall
thickness to meet Fluid Flow Design and Pressure Integrity Design.

Generally, the design pressure will dominate in the determination of pipe wall thickness.
However, if the pipe span between supports is unusually long or if the pipe has a very heavy
in-line component, such as a valve, then the longitudinal bending stress may dominate the
design. Following standards used for in-line components rating design:

 Flanges: ASME B16.5

 Valves: ASME B16.34
 Socket and Threaded Fittings: ASME B16.11
 Butt-weld Fittings: ASME B16.9
In some applications, pipe wall thickness checked for external pressure. ASME Section VIII
Div.1 used to calculate that minimum pipe wall thickness for external pressure.