INSTRUMENTATION &

PIPING PART-1
Amit Vaidya
10th Aug 2021
 Overview
 Safety

 Training Objective

 Flow Measurement

 Pressure Measurement

 Temperature Measurement

 Instrument Accessibility Levels

 Question and Answers

 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

1. Get your Vehicle Checked

 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON
2. Keep A Tab On The Weather Forecast
 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

3. Time Your Journey

 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

4. Fuel-Up Before Setting Off

 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

5. Drive Slow
 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

6. Keep The Lights On

 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

7. Maintain A Minimum Safe Distance

 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

8. Avoid Off Roading

 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

9. Take A Break If Weather Worsens

 ROAD SAFETY TIPS DURING RAINY SEASON

10. Carry An Emergency Kit

  Flow Measurement

Commonly Used Flow Devices

Differential Pressure (Head) Type
Orifice Plate
Venturi Tube
Flow Nozzles
Pitot Tube,
Averaging Pitot Tube (Annubar)
Wedge Meter
V-Cone
Velocity Type
Electro Magnetic Flow meter
Ultrasonic - Transit Time,
Doppler Turbine
Vortex
Mass Type
Coriolis Thermal
Variable Area meter
Rotameter
Orifice Plate Assembly
Orifice Plate Assembly
 Orifice Plate Assembly-Points to Look at
 Paddle type Orifice Plates shall be use.

 If an Orifice meter is the selected flow element, and Orifice plate sizing dictates a meter run
size less than nominal 2 inch , use an Integral Orifice.

 Orifice meter shall be installed in horizontal run. Vertical orifice run shall be used only with
Owner approval.

 Minimum “A” (Upstream) dimension shall be 20 pipe dia. And minimum “B” (Downstream)
dimension shall be 5 pipe dia. For Conditioning orifice plate upstream/ downstream should
be 2-2.

 Flange Thickness shall be in accordance with ANSI B16.36 minimum of ANSI 300# or heavier
as required with raised face.

 Unless otherwise required by piping specification, Orifice tapping connections shall be ½

inch if used in ASME 600# and below and shall be ¾ inch if used in ASME 900# and above.
 Tap Connection type (threaded or socket weld) shall be in accordance with Piping
Specification. Tap shall be oriented to suit location of instrument.

 Piping isolation valve from taps should be used in accordance with Piping
Specification. End connection of instrument tubing is threaded end.

 Unused orifice tap should be plugged in accordance with piping specification.

 2 no's of Gasket should be used in accordance with piping specification.

 Extended Nuts and bolts should be used in accordance with Piping Specification.
Straight run requirement of Orifice, Venturi
Conditioning Orifice Plate
Integral Orifice Plate
Orifice assembly Modelling -Points to Look at

The isometric BOM will show two orifice flanges. Orifice flanges are ordered in a set (of
two).
One flange needs the Reporting Requirement set to “Not to be reported” at the part level.
 
For consistency, make the downstream orifice flange the one that is set to “Not to be
reported.”
Port settings for Port 1 and Port 2. Note that the Pressure Rating may already be set
correctly
Orifice assembly - Isometric
Orifice assembly - Isometric
Restriction Orifice plate(RO)

 Restriction orifice plates do not normally require straight lengths in upstream and
downstream piping.

 RO can be installed in horizontal as well as Vertical Pipe run.

 2 no's of Gasket should be used in accordance with piping specification.

 Extended Nuts and bolts should be used in accordance with Piping Specification.
Variable Area meter(Rotameter)

 Rotameter must be always mounted vertically, with the outlet connection at the top
and the inlet connection at the bottom. (flow direction is from bottom to top).

 It should be installed at a location free from vibration and have sufficient clearance for
occasional float removal for servicing and inspection.

 Rotameters are independent of upstream piping arrangements Elbows, globe or

throttling valves have no effect on measurement accuracy if they are installed more
than 5 pipe diameters upstream of the Rotameter.
Venturi Flow meter

 Minimum straight run requirement shall be accordance with ANSI/API (ISO 5167-3) table 3.

 There are many advantages to the Venturi tube:-

 More accurate than the orifice plate; 0.5 – 3%.
 Lower pressure drop.
 Higher flow rate than the orifice plate. Can handle slurries and solids.
 Less straight pipe run upstream.

 The disadvantages of the Venturi tube is

 the higher cost and the fact that it is difficult to maintain or replace.
 Flow Nozzle

 Unless otherwise required by service application and piping specification, flow nozzle
shall be designed to bolt between flanges.

 In High pressure (1000 psig or higher) application, flow nozzle shall be welded directly
into pipe.

 Tap connection shall be installed 1 inside pipe diameter upstream and ½ inside pipe
diameter downstream in accordance with ASME-MFC-3M.

 Minimum straight run requirement shall be accordance with ASME Table 3.

Minimum Straight run requirement for Venturi Nozzle and Flow Nozzle
 Pitot Tube (Anubar)

 Unless they are bi-directional, averaging Pitot tube elements shall be parentally marked to
indicate proper installation position and flow direction.

 Minimum straight run requirement shall be accordance with Pitot element manufacturer’s
recommended length.

 Extra heavy flow element and/or double ended support shall be used in large dia. Pipes or
duct or if high flow velocity can cause the element to deflect or vibrate. Manufacturing
installation should be followed.

 Averaging Pitot element are subject to plugging and shall be limited to clean process service.
Turbine Meters

 Turbine Meter shall be installed so that meters are always In single phase flow and Liquid
full in liquid applications.

 In line types Turbine meters 1 inch and above shall be flanged.

 A strainer shall be installed upstream of Turbine meter system. Strainer shall be installed
far enough upstream to prevent distortion of flow profile at Turbine meter.

 Minimum straight run requirement shall be accordance with manufacturer’s

recommended length.
Vortex Flow Meters

 If Vortex flow meter mounted in horizontal pipes, it is recommended to mount vortex

meters with the shedder bars in the horizontal plane in order to reduce the build up from
debris and other hard deposits.

 For gas measurements in horizontal lines, the meter should preferably not be located at
the lowest point in order to avoid condensate impacting on the measuring element. For
vortex meters in a vertical line, the flow shall be upwards.

 For liquid services, the horizontal or vertical flow line must remain full under all operating
conditions.

 Vortex flowmeter size is always downscaled by vendor to achieve full flow, final straight
length requirement should meet vendors recommendation to achieve the required
accuracy.
STRAIGHT RUN REQUIREMENTS OF VORTEX FLOW METERS
 Magnetic Flow Meters

 As a thumb rule, Minimum upstream & downstream straight run required are 5D & 2D
respectively, however same shall be confirmed with manufacturer.

 Correct measuring is possible only if the pipe is full. Avoid the following locations:
 Highest point of a pipeline. Risk of air accumulation.
 Directly upstream of a free pipe outlet in a vertical pipe.
 Ultrasonic Flow Meters

 Ultrasonic flow meters can be installed at any point in the pipe run. In horizontal lines,
nozzles shall be in the horizontal plane to avoid the collection of debris.

 Where horizontal positioning of nozzles in horizontal lines causes interference with

adjacent piping, the nozzles may be mounted at a 45-degree angle.

 As a thumb rule, Minimum upstream & downstream straight run required are 10D & 5D,
respectively.
 Coriolis Flow Meters (Mass Flow meter)

 Coriolis mass flow meters can be mounted in any position, although sometimes it may be
preferred to install the meter tube as self-draining.

 Mass flow meter shall be installed so that meter is always liquid full in liquid application.

 Mass flow meter shall be installed so that meter is self draining in gas application.

 If the sensor is installed in vertical pipeline, liquid should flow upward through sensor and
Gases should be downward.

 There are no straight length requirements for Coriolis mass flow meters.
 Pressure Measurement

PI Connection for Threaded Piping

PI Connection for Welded Piping

 Pressure Instruments-Points to Look at
 Pressure Instrument connection should always be threaded connection.

 A line class root (isolation) valve shall be provided at each process connection for Pressure
instrument. This valve shall be specified and provided by Piping.

 Pressure Gauge Instrument shall be readable from grade, platform or permanent ladder.
There is no specific requirement for PT having its actual instrument either on grade or
Instrument room.

 For Tower piping Pressure nozzle connection should always be in Vapor space.

 In Differential Pressure connection, keep one instrument should always be non reportable
on isometric.
 Temperature Measurement
 Temperature Instruments-Points to Look at
 Temperature sensors shall be placed in flowing stream, not in segment fluid.

 Temperature Instrument connection shall be accordance with the piping or Equipment

specification.

 For Tower piping Temperature nozzle connection should always be in liquid space.

 Minimum 4” size pipe required and 3” size Elbow required for locate Thermowell.
 Instrument Accessibility Level
In general, Four accessibility levels are defined as follows:
 Permanent accessibility:

o A device is considered permanently accessible if it is located not more than 1ft 6 in

(0.5 m) horizontally away from and not more than 5 ft 6 in (1.7 m) vertically above
grade, platform or walkway, if no obstructions are in place and if such locations can
be safely reached from those levels during plant operation.

 Limited accessibility:
A device has a limited accessibility if it is located not more than 3 ft (1.0 m)
horizontally away from and at a height between 5 ft 6 in ~ 13 ft (1.7 m and 4.0 m)
above grade, platform or walkway, if no obstructions are in place and if such
locations can be safely reached during plant operation by means of a mobile
platform or ladder.
 Poor accessibility:
A device has a poor accessibility if it is located more than 13 ft (4.0 m) above grade,
platform or walkway or at any other location that can only be safely reached during
plant operation by installing temporary facilities such as scaffolding or cranes.
 Inaccessible:

A device is considered inaccessible if it cannot be safely reached during plant

operation for the purpose of operational attention and maintenance.