Transportation and Metering of Fluids

Pipe Fittings
A complete piping network or piping system is
composed of following elements
o Pipe or tube
o Joints
o Elbows
o Bends
o Reducers
o Tees
o Mechanical seals
o Stuffing boxes
o Valves
o Pumps
 Pipes and Tubes
• Pipes and tubing are usually circular in cross
section and having varying wall thickness
and material of construction.
• Both are used for transportation of fluids.
pipes Tubes
Pipe is heavy walled Tube is light or thin walled

Large in diameter Smaller in diameter

Moderate lengths of 20-40 ft Very long and often comes in

coils of several hundred ft
length
 Difference b/w pipe and Tube

Metallic Pipes can be Tubes cannot be threaded

threaded
Pipe walls are usually Tubing has a smooth wall
slightly rough
Length of pipes are joined Pieces of tubing are
by screwed, flanged or connected by compression
welded fittings fittings, flare fittings or
soldered fittings
Pipes are made by welding Tubing is usually cold
& casting drawn or extruded
 Material of construction
• Pipe and tubes are made from many materials,
including metals and alloys, wood, ceramics, glass
and various plastics.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe is extensively used in
water lines.
• In process plants the most common material is
stainless steel, low carbon steel, wrought iron and
cast iron.
• Material of pipe is selected on the basis of material to
be transported and physical parameters.
 Sizes of Pipes
• Pipes and tubes are specified in terms of their diameters and wall
thickness.
• For steel pipes the standard nominal dia (in American practice)
range from 1/8 to 30 inch.
• For large pipes the nominal diameter is actual pipe outside
diameter.
• For small pipes the nominal diameter is actual inside dia for 3 to
12 inch pipes.
• Regardless of wall thickness, the outside diameters of all pipes of
given nominal size is same to ensure interchangeability of
fittings.
• There are standard sizes for steel pipes which are known as IPS
or NPS.
• Thus the designation “ 2-in.nickel IPS pipe” means nickel pipe
having the same outside diameter as standard 2 in steel pipe.
 Thickness of Pipes

• The thickness op pipe is indicated by schedule numbers

which increases with thickness
• Ten schedule numbers,10,20,30,40,60,80,100,120,140&160
are in use, but with pipes less than 8” diameters, only
numbers 40,80,120 and 160 are used.
 Sizes of Tubes
• The size of tube is indicated by the outside diameters.
• Wall thickness for tubes is given by BWG (birmingham wire
gauge) number, which ranges from 24 (very light) to 7 (very
heavy).
 Pipe Joints & Fittings
Generally joints can be classified into three main
categories
• Screwed fittings
• Flanged fittings
• By welding
 Joints & fittings
• When screwed fittings are used the end of pipes are
threaded externally with a threading tool.
• The threading is tapered to ensure tight joint.
• Tape of PTFE is wrapped around the threaded
end to ensure a good seal.
• Threading weakens the pipe wall, and fittings
are generally weaker than pipe wall.
 Joints & fittings
• Lengths of larger pipe diameter are connected by
flanged and welded fittings.
• Flanges are matching disks or rings of metal bolted
together and compressing a gasket between their faces.
• Flanges itself are attached with pipe by screwing or
welding them on pipe.
• A flange with no opening is used to close a pipe, such a
flange is called as blind flange or blank flange.
 Joints & Fittings
• For larger steel pipes in processing piping,
especially for high pressure services, welded
joints are more commonly used.
• Welding makes stronger joints than screwed
fittings do.
• It does not weaken the pipe.
• Welded joints are also leak proof whereas the
other pipe joints are not.
 Pipe fittings
Pipe fittings are used to connect straight lengths of
pipes, make bends and branches, and for reducing the
size of the piping.
Elbows:
Reducers
Mechanical seals
packing Glands
Shaft sleeve:
 Valves
 A unit of the piping system to slow down or stop the flow, in
other words either to regulate the flow or stop the flow to
desired value.
 Some valves work best in on off service, fully open or fully
closed.
 others are designed to throttle or to reduce the pressure and
flow rate of a fluid.
 There are such valves that permit the flow only in one
direction.
 A valve is a device that regulates the flow of a fluid (gases,
liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or
partially obstructing various passageways.
 Valves
• General mechanism
• Factors affecting choice of the valve
– Pressure loss when open
– Flow regulation
– Working pressure and temperature
– Resistance to erosion
– Resistance to corrosion
 Types of valves
Following are some main types of valves usually
employed in industry;
Gate valve
Globe valve
Butterfly valve
Butterfly
Ball valve
Ball
Plug valve
Needle valve
Diaphragm valve
Check valves
Control valve and steam traps
Parts of Valve
Gate valve
 Gate valve
Good points
– Offers low pressure loss when fully open.
– Offers reasonable flow rate regulation.
– In expensive
– Very robust in construction
Bad points
– Difficult to operate against fluids at high
pressure.
– Base of gate is liable to wear by erosion if
operated partly open.
Globe valve
 Globe valve
Globe valve
Globe valve
 Globe valves characteristics

• Gives good flow regulation.

• Provides complete shut off.
• Can be used in higher pressure services.
• Comparative high pressure loss even when
the valve is fully open.
• The valve seats are liable to damage and
erosion, particularly when suspended solids
deposited between the valve stem and seat.
Butterfly
valve
Butterfly valve
 Butterfly valve
• They are cheap and reliable.
• Fast in operation since only one quarter turn
is required to move the valve from fully open
to fully closed.
• They can be coated with material that will not
be corrode.
• They take up a very little space as compared
to others.
• When fully open do not impose much of a
restriction to flow unlike many others.
 Ball valve
on off valve not for control
 Ball valve
• A ball valve, one type of quarter turn valve, is quite
literally a ball placed in a passageway through which
fluid flows. The ball has a hole through it, by which
the valve opens and closes.
• When the ball is positioned so that the hole runs the
same direction as the passageway, the fluid simply
flows through the hole, and the valve is open.
• However, when the ball is positioned so that the hole is
perpendicular to the passageway, the fluid cannot pass
through, and the valve is closed.
• The ball is controlled from outside the valve, often
with a handle that is turned 90 degrees, or a quarter
turn, back and forth to open and close the valve.
 Needle valves
• Very precise flow control.
• Very high restriction to
flow of the fluid. so a large
pressure loss.
• Seat and needle are prone
to damage, particularly for
the fluids having suspended
solids.
 Check valve
 They are also called as non- return valves (NRVs).
 Permit the flow only in one direction.
 As they prevent the reverse direction flow which
sometimes encountered when a pump is switched off.
hence its name check valve, and the importance of
regular inspection of wearing or cracking of the
components.
 There are of three types, namely
1. Swing check
2. Ball check
3. Lift check
Check valves
Diaphragm valve
 Diaphragm valve
• They are fairly cheap and simple.
• Provides good flow regulation.
• Allows slurries or liquids containing suspended
solids, to be controlled, since the flexibility of the
diaphragm can give a tight shut off even when
solids are deposited on the weir.
• Cannot be used for the pipe lines operating at
high pressures.
• They offer a pressure loss when open as
compared to gate valve.
 Plug valve
• Tapered plug having a full bore
opening, rotates inside a tapered
casing.
• A quarter turn (900)moves the valve
from fully open to fully close.
• Its an on off valve, not for flow
regulation.
• Offer less resistance to flow when
fully open.
• Open and close quickly.
• Give a tight seal with pressure up to
200 atm.
Plug valve
 Relief Valves
• Used to protect piping system from excessive
pressure
• Opens automatically when fluid pressure
becomes too high (pressure acts against
spring pressure)
• Relieving pressure set by an adjusting screw
 Pressure-reducing Valves
• Used to automatically provide a steady, lower
pressure to a system from a higher pressure
source
• Used in air, lube-oil, seawater, and other
systems
 Remote-operated Valves
• Valves that allow operation from distant
stations
• Types:
– Mechanical - uses reach rods and gears
– Hydraulic - uses fluid and piston set up
– Motor - uses and electric or pneumatic motor
– Solenoid - uses coil and core mechanism to open
or close on an electric signal
 Fluid moving machinery
• A machine or device that increases the mechanical
energy of the fluid.
• Energy increase may be used to increase the fluid
velocity, the pressure or elevation.
• By far the most common methods of adding energy
is by following two methods
1. By positive displacement.
2. Centrifugal action supplied by outside forces.
 Classes of fluid moving machinery
• Those applying direct pressure to the fluid.
• Those using torque to generate rotation.
– The first group includes positive displacement
devices and second includes centrifugal devices.
– Also in positive displacement devices force may
be applied to the fluid either by a piston in a
cylinder or by a rotating pressure member.
 Classes of fluid moving machinery
Fluid moving machinery(Pumps, Fans Blowers &
Compressors)

Positive displacement devices Centrifugal devices

Axial flow
Radial flow
Rotary devices
Reciprocating
machines

Lobe, vanes& gear

Piston type, plunger type
 Fluid moving machinery
• Pump is a device to move liquids from some lower to
some higher position or to long distances..
• Fans, Blowers & Compressors are used for moving gases
by imparting energy to the gas.
• Fans discharge large volume of a gas usually air into a
duct or in open spaces. they are low speed rotary
machines and generate pressure of the order of few
inches of water.
• Blowers are high speed devices (either pd or centrifugal
type). they develop a max pressure of 2 atm.
• Compressors discharge at pressure from 2 atm to
thousands of atm.
 Performance & characteristics
• In all units performance requirements and
operating characteristics are important.
• Flow capacity
• Developed head
• Power requirements
• Mechanical efficiency
 Important Concepts Head
It is the energy expressed in the form of height.

Classification

• Potential Head

• Pressure Head

• Kinetic Head
 PUMPS
A device to impart mechanical energy to
the fluid in terms of increasing kinetic
energy is called a pump.
In pumps pressure differences are usually
considerable and density is constant.
classification
 Centrifugal pump
• Major class of the pump.
• Mechanical energy of the fluid is increased by
centrifugal action.
• Parts of centrifugal pumps are
Eye (suction)
Impeller (vanes)
Volute
Drive shaft
Discharge
Centrifugal pump
 Centrifugal pump
• centrifugal pump converts the input power to kinetic
energy in the liquid by accelerating the liquid by a
revolving device - an impeller.
• The most common type is the volute pump. Fluid
enters the pump through the eye of the impeller
which rotates at high speed.
• The fluid is accelerated radially outward from the
pump chasing. A vacuum is created at the impellers
eye that continuously draws more fluid into the pump.
 Characteristics of centrifugal pumps
• Impeller is need not to be a close fit inside the
casing of the pump so can handle slurries as
well.
• The liquid is not forced through the outlet, then
the pump can operate against a closed valve
without causing immediate damage.
• Gives a steady non pulsating flow.
• Impeller is not closely fit into casing, the pump
cannot produce very high pressures, but capable
of high flow rate.
 centrifugal pumps have a rotating impeller, also known as a
blade, that is immersed in the liquid. Liquid enters the pump near
the axis of the impeller, and the rotating impeller sweeps the
liquid out toward the ends of the impeller blades at high pressure.
Three main categories of centrifugal
pumps exist
2-Impeller

Axial flow Radial flow

Mixed flow
 Type of Impeller
There are three main categories of impeller due type of impeller’s vane, which
are used in the centrifugal pumps as;

 Radial vanes, Fig. (a).

 Backward vanes, Fig. (b).
 Forward vanes, Fig. (c).
 Characteristics of centrifugal pumps
• It requires priming.
• Cannot produce high pressures.
• Cannot be used to pump liquid at or near the
boiling point. if the liquid is at boiling point,
then vapor would collect inside the pump
chamber. which is called as CAVITATION.
• For high pressure multistage centrifugal
pumps can be used. but the operating cost
will increase.
 CAVITATION
• It occurs only in centrifugal pumps, and is caused
by vapor formation.
• Cavitation is the formation and collapse of vapor
bubbles in the liquid being pumped, and is
recognized by the crackling sound from inside of
the pump casing.
• At the pump suction the vapor form a vapor lock,
that enters the impeller and thrown outwards the
rim of the impeller.
 CAVITATION
• There the vapor lock or bubbles of vapor enters a
high pressure zone.
• The increase in pressure causes the vapors to
condense back into liquid, so wear of the metal and
sudden change in pressure will cause the damage of
impeller vanes.
REASON:
If the pressure at suction line is lower than the vapor
pressure of the liquid, it will vaporize. that is why at
the suction line, pressure must be kept higher than the
vapor pressure of the liquid.
 NET POSITIVE SUCTION HEAD
• It can be defined as
NPSH = absolute pressure at suction – vapor pressure of
the liquid/(sp.gr x 0.433)
NPSHA
NPSHR
A pump’s NPSHA is the amount of pressure, measured
in head, that is available to draw the liquid into the
pump.
NPSHA>NPSHR
 Pump priming
• A pump with air in its casing is air bound and can
accomplish nothing until the air is replaced be a
liquid.
• Air can be displaced by priming the pump.
Methods
• Evacuate the air in the system with a positive
displacement priming pump operating between the
pump and a closed discharge valve.
• Fill the pump with liquid prior to starting it.
• Draw liquid in suction line by a vacuum.
• Convert the application to a self priming pump that
maintains a reservoir of liquid at its suction.
 Characteristic curves
The plots of actual head, total power
consumption and efficiency vs volumetric
flow rate are called characteristic curves.
 Head & Capacity

Theoretical head

∆H

Actual

Zero head flow rate

0
0
q
 Power & Capacity

Total power Pb

Actual power Pf

0
0 q
Efficiency & capacity
Ideal

η Actual

0
0
q
 Loss of head & power
• The developed head of an actual pump is less than
that of the theoretical head.
• Also efficiency is less than unity.
• There is diff between the actual power and fluid
power.
The following being the reason for this head &power
loss and less efficiency.
 Circulatory flow which is the end to end flow of the
liquid within the impeller channels, superimposed
on net flow.
 Fluid friction in the passage and channels of the
pump.
 Loss of head & power
 Shock losses are from sudden change in direction.
 Leakage is the unavoidable reverse flow from the
impeller discharge back to the eye.
 Disk friction is the friction between the outer
surface of the impeller and the liquid in the space
between the impeller and pump casing.
 Bearing losses constitute the power required to
overcome friction in bearing and stuffing boxes.
 Effect of speed change

If n is the speed of the impeller then

• Q varies with n
• ∆H varies with n2
• η varies with n3
Different Types of Pump Head :
• Total Static Head - Total head when the pump is not
running
• Total Dynamic Head (Total System Head) - Total
head when the pump is running
• Static Suction Head - Head on the suction side, with
pump off, if the head is higher than the pump
impeller
• Static Suction Lift - Head on the suction side, with
pump off, if the head is lower than the pump impeller
• Static Discharge Head - Head on discharge side of
pump with the pump off
• Dynamic Suction Head/Lift - Head on suction side of
pump with pump on
• Dynamic Discharge Head - Head on discharge side of
pump with pump on
 Pump Cavitation
• At high rates of rotation, high liquid velocities can
lower the local pressure
• If pressure falls below vapor pressure of liquid,
vaporization will produce bubbles that collapse
violently against surfaces at higher pressure
• AVOID AT ALL TIMES
• Net positive suction head – tendency for a pump to
cavitate as provided by manufacturer
– Usually 2-10 ft of head required to avoid cavitation
Cavitations' Damage
 Limits to Centrifugal Pumps

• Cannot pump fluids with  > 100 centistokes

• Narrow range of flow rate vs. head
• Cannot produce heads > 3200 ft
• Volumetric flow > 10 gpm
• Must be primed
• Cannot pump liquids close to bubble point
• Specify a spare due to seal maintenance
 Calculating Pump Head, H

 V d2 Pd   V s2 Ps 
H    zd      zs  
 2g dg   2g sg 

Where H has units of ft or m of liquid

V is the avg. velocity of liquid
z is the elevation
P is the pressure of liquid
g is gravitational acceleration
r is the liquid density
 Pump Performance Curve
Mapping the Flow and the Head

Performance Curve

• Most pump
performance curves
slope from left to
right
Head

Pump Flow Rate

 Pump Performance Curve
Important Points

Shut-off Head
• Shut-off Head is the maximum pressure or
head the pump can produce
• No flow is produced
Head

Pump Flow Rate

 Pump Performance Curve
Important Points

Maximum Flow

• Maximum Flow is the

largest flow the pump can
produce
Head

• No Head is produced

Pump Flow Rate

Pump Curve
 NPSH
• To avoid cavitation, the pressure at the pump
inlet must exceed the vapor pressure by a
certain value, called the net positive suction
head (NPSH).
• The required value of NPSH is about 2 to 3 m
(5 to 10 ft) for small centrifugal pumps, but it
increases with pump capacity, impeller speed,
and discharge pressure, and values up to 15 m
(50 ft) are recommended for very large pump
NPSH
 Positive displacement pumps
 In these pumps a definite volume of the fluid is trapped in a
chamber, which is alternately filled from the inlet and emptied
at the higher pressure through the discharge.
 Metering pumps used to deliver a Q independent of the
required H.
 H is only limited by the Hp of the drive, strength of the pump,
and/or leakage through moving parts.
 Higher efficiency than centrifugal pumps
– Less friction
– Cavitation not usually a problem
 Further divided into two sub-groups as follows,
1. Reciprocating (chamber is fixed)
2. Rotary (chamber moves from inlet to the discharge and back to
inlet)
 3 Types of Reciprocating Pumps

• Piston
• Plunger
• Diaphragm
 Rotary Pumps
• Include gear pumps and screw pumps
• Best suited for liquids of high viscosity
Reciprocating pumps

Discharge pressures for piston pumps

are 50 atm
 Single Acting Reciprocating Pumps
• In a single acting pump, the
backward stroke of the piston causes
a suction which pulls in liquid
through the inlet valve. (The same
suction action keeps the discharge
valve closed).
On the forward stroke, the increase
in pressure generated by the piston,
closes the inlet valve and opens the
discharge valve. The liquid is
displaced into the discharge system.
The flow from a reciprocating pump
is uneven or pulsating. This can be
undesirable in some applications.
Flow can be smoothed out, but we
will discuss this a little later.
 Double Acting Reciprocating Pumps

• his type of pump operates in exactly the

same way as the single acting with
respect to its action. The difference is,
that the cylinder has inlet and outlet
ports at EACH END OF THE CYLINDER.
As the piston moves forward, liquid is
being drawn into the cylinder at the
back end while, at the front end, liquid
is being discharged. When the piston
direction is reversed, the sequence is
reversed.
With a double acting pump, the output
pulsation is much less than the single
acting.
 Plunger pump
Higher pressures pump and discharge pressure is up to 1500 atm
 Diaphragm pump
Develop pressures of 100 atm&handle moderate amounts of liquids of 100
gal/min
 Characteristics of Reciprocating pumps
Deliver fluid at high pressure
Deliver
Self priming
Can be used as a compressor
They produce a pulsating flow
Discharge valves offer resistance to flow, so
Discharge
cannot handle very viscous fluids.
 reciprocating pumps cannot be used for
suspended solids transportation, because solids
can wear down the piston. so shouldn't be used
for pumping slurries.
 Rotary pumps

Gear
Pump
Vane Pump

Lobe Pump
 ROTARY PUMPS

In Rotary pumps, movement

of liquid is achieved by
mechanical displacement
of liquid produced by
rotation of a sealed
arrangement of
intermeshing rotating parts
within the pump casing.
 Types of Rotary Pumps

• Gear Pumps
• Lobe Pumps
• Sliding Vane Pump
• Screw Pump
Gear Pump
THE ' LOBE ' PUMP
THE ' SLIDING VANE ' PUMP
THE 'SCREW' PUMP
Lobe pump
Gear
pump
Vane pump
Rotary pumps

Peristaltic pump
 Characteristics of rotary pumps

• Can deliver liquid at high pressure

• Self priming
• Gives a smooth flow
• Can pump viscous liquids
• Cannot be used for pumping liquids
containing solids, wear chances.
• Screw pumps can be used for slurries as well
 Advantages/Disadvantages
Advantages of Rotary Pumps
• They can deliver liquid to high pressures.
• Self - priming.
• Give a relatively smooth output, (especially at high speed).
• Positive Acting.
• Can pump viscous liquids.
Disadvantages of Rotary Pumps
• More expensive than centrifugal pumps.
• Should not be used for fluids containing suspended solids.
• Excessive wear if not pumping viscous material.
• Must NEVER be used with the discharge closed.
 Characteristics of Gear Pump
• Gear pumps are generally operated at high speed and thus give a fairly pulse-free
discharge flow and pressure. Where these pumps are operated at slower speeds,
as in pumping viscous liquids, the output tends to pulsate due to the meshing of
the teeth.
Any gas or air drawn into the pump with the liquid, will be carried through with
the liquid and will not cause cavitation. This action of the pump means that it's a
'Self Priming' pump. The discharge pressure may however, fluctuate.
• The output from this type of pump is directly proportional to the speed of
operation. If the speed is doubled, the output will be doubled and the pressure will
have very little effect.
• Rotary pumps are widely used for viscous liquids and are self-lubricating by the
fluid being pumped
• An external source of lubrication cannot be used as it would contaminate the fluid
being pumped. However, if a rotary pump is used for dirty liquids or slurries, solid
particles can get between the small clearances and cause wear of the teeth and
casing. This will result in loss of efficiency and expensive repair or replacement of
the pump.
 Efficiency of reciprocating pumps
• Mechanical efficiency of reciprocating pumps
varies from 40-50% for small pumps and 70-
90 % for large pumps.
• Volumetric efficiency is the ratio of the
volume of the fluid discharged to the volume
swept by the piston or plunger.
 PUMP SELECTION
The amount of fluid

The properties of the fluid

Type of power supply

Cost and mechanical efficiency of the pump

 CAPACITY PRESSURE

LOW HIGH HIGHER SMALL OR MODERATE

MODERATE OR HIGH

GEAR LOBE CENTRIFUGAL

RECIPROCATING or
RIGID SCREW
ROTARY
PLUNGER
or
ROTARY
PISTON
ADVANTAGES OF CENTRIGUGAL PUMPS
Advantages

• Simple in construction and cheap

• Handle liquid with large amounts of solids
• No metal to metal fits
• No valves involved in pump operation
• Maintenance costs are lower
 DISADVANTAGES OF CENTRIFUGAL
PUMPS

Disadvantages

• Cannot handle highly viscous fluids efficiently

• Cannot be operated at high heads
• Maximum efficiency holds over a narrow range of
conditions
 The Table below outlines some of the main differences between centrifugal pumps,
reciprocating pumps and rotary pumps. Note that “centrifugal”, “reciprocating” and
“rotary” pumps are all relatively broad categories
Parameter Centrifugal Pumps Reciprocating Pumps Rotary Pumps
Optimum Flow and Medium/High Capacity, Low Capacity, Low/Medium Capacity,
Pressure Applications Low/Medium Pressure High Pressure Low/Medium Pressure
Maximum Flow Rate 100,000+ GPM 10,000+ GPM 10,000+ GPM
Low Flow Rate Capability No Yes Yes
Maximum Pressure 6,000+ PSI 100,000+ PSI 4,000+ PSI
Requires Relief Valve No Yes Yes
Smooth or Pulsating Flow Smooth Pulsating Smooth
Variable or Constant Flow Variable Constant Constant
Self-priming No Yes Yes
Space Considerations Requires Less Space Requires More Space Requires Less Space
Costs Lower Initial Higher Initial Lower Initial
Lower Maintenance Higher Maintenance Lower Maintenance
Higher Power Lower Power Lower Power
Fluid Handling Suitable for a wide range Suitable for clean, clear, non- Requires clean, clear, non-
including clean, clear, non- abrasive fluids. Specially- abrasive fluid due to close
abrasive fluids to fluids with fitted pumps suitable for tolerances
abrasive, high-solid content. abrasive-slurry service.

Not suitable for high viscosity Suitable for high viscosity Optimum performance with
fluids fluids high viscosity fluids

Higher tolerance for

Lower tolerance for entrained Higher tolerance for entrained gases
gases entrained gases