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Line Sizing: Course Goals
Line Sizing: Course Goals
Fine Print
Educational/ Training Material
Issued as a service to the industry
for Free Distribution
Line Sizing
Course Goals
Understand
• Fluid flow
1
2021
Overview
• Pipes transfer fluids to different units/
equipment
• Fluids:
• Liquid
• Vapour
• Two phase
• Slurry
• Fluids may flow under pressure or gravity
Overview
Fluid Flow
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2021
Bernoulli’s Theorem
Conservation of energy Viscosity:
• Total energy at any point is Internal resistance to deformation
same: or shear. Resistance to flow when
Elevation + Pressure + acted upon by an external force
Velocity Head
E2
• Decreases with temperature for
most liquids. Increases for gases
• E1 = E2 = Z + P + VH
• Pressure has almost no effect
on viscosity of liquids or of near
perfect gases
• Viscosity of saturated or slightly
E1 superheated vapor changes
with pressure
• Fluid properties that affect • Highly viscous fluids behave
flow: differently
• Viscosity µ
• Density, ρ
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2021
Pressure Drop, ΔP
• Flow results in friction and friction loss. ΔP
• Darcy-Weisbach equation for turbulent flow
• Poiseuille’s laminar flow
Friction Factor, f
• Friction factor, f = fraction of
velocity head lost over a distance
of L/D
• Pipe roughness impact: None in laminar flow. Increases ‘f’ in
turbulent
• Colebrook Friction Factor
• Based on relative roughness, ε/D, ratio of wall roughness to
diameter Velocity Head
• ∆P = 4f(L/D)V2/2gc
• L= Length V = Velocity D = diameter, ID or equivalent
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2021
Friction Factor, f
• Friction over Valves and Fittings
• ∆P accounted by “equivalent
lengths” of the fitting
• L/D or K factor correction for actual ID or NRe is usually
ignored
• Moody friction factor is used by Civil engineers
• 4 times higher than Fanning friction factor used in
Process calculations
• It does not mean ∆P calculated by Civil Engineers is 4
times higher!
Overview
Line Sizing
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2021
General Guidelines
• Sizing based on economics
• Pipe Dia Ø Vs ∆P
• Smaller pipe. Low cost. Hi Capex/ Opex
• Bigger pumps, compressors, motor, power
• Min and max velocity limits based on
• Sediments deposit and erosion. Vibration and noise
• Static electricity generation. Noise. Momentum ρV²
• Minimum 2” to avoid small bore pipe rupture. Smaller
pipes need additional supports on sleepers/ pipe rack
Optimum size Vs Special Requirements
1. In lines injected with corrosion inhibitors, maintain recommended
velocity
2. Low velocity and pressure drop in pump suction and PSV inlet piping
3. To avoid vortex in vessel liquid outlet lines – h > 2 VH or V < √gh
General Guidelines
First pass line size based on: A B
• Applicable criteria for liquid, gas and 2-
phase
• ∆P-pipe between A and B + ∆P equipment
+ ∆P control valves
Vs given in PFD / taken in Simulation H&MB
Critical Lines
• Heater Transfer Line
• After equipment location/ plot plan • Pump Suction
finalized, revisit line size for critical lines • Tower Draw Off
based on run lengths + bends and fittings • Reboiler Circuits
• Gravity Flow
• Liquid - Vapor
• Network such as Cooling Water, Fire • Slurry
Water and Flare Headers may require fine • Tower, Overhead
tuning • Inlet / Outlet
Manifold
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2021
Reactors = 0.5
Separators = 0.1
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2021
Special Requirements
Special Requirements
Slam Pressure
Pressure
Main Valve
Closed
Check Valve
Time Slam
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2021
Special Lines
• Simplified, such as Hazen and Williams for water
• Manning equation for gravity flow lines
• Recip pumps: Max instantaneous or pulsating flow
• Steam trap discharge:
• Bucket: High instantaneous rate when they discharge. Not
all traps open at the same time
• Modulating float or thermostatic: Discharge continuously.
Use a LCV with a boot as appropriate ▼10m
• Rules of Thumb Discharge Overboard:
If pipe runs liquid full,
• Pump suction: 1 or 2 sizes larger than vacuum d/s valve may
pump inlet. Header for n+1 pumps cause flashing, vibration
to start standby pump and pipe failure. Common
issue
• Tank outflow: 1 or 2 sizes larger than inlet Use gutter or self-venting
sizing methods
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2021
Head
• Desired = 10. By Resistance = 12 m³/h. Pinch Control
Valve ∆P
outlet valve or control valve
• Steep Head: Small flow changes cause large Hi Static Head
pressure changes
• Drooping Head: 2 possible, oscillating flow. Lo Static Head; Hi Friction
Flow
Can hunt between 2 flows for the same
resistance. Issue in parallel pumping. Min Normal Head
Flat
flow reqd to stay on right side Drooping Head
Head
Head
• Flat curve good in FW system to maintain
steady system pressure
• Capacity control tricky with discharge throttling
Min Flow
Flow
Liquid Network
Town water and cooling water supply provide interesting network analysis
10
2021
Cooling Tower
& Pumps
Cooling water or hot water/ hot oil
are classical examples of networks Resistance in series R = R1 + R2
Resistance in parallel 1/R = 1/R1 + 1/R2
Total R, then flow = Head/ R
Head
Head
Resistance
Flow
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2021
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2021
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2021
Questions
1. With head or supply pressure 2. A centrifugal pump designed
remaining same, what is the for 500 m³/h x 10 bar, will
impact on flow when you always deliver it
double the pipe size
1. True
1. Will double 2. False
2. Will quadruple
3. Will increase by √2 3. A reciprocating pump
4. Will quadruple*√2 designed for 50 m³/h x 10 bar,
will always deliver it
1. True
2. False
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2021
Overview
Engineering
Guidelines
15
2021
Piping
• Check in P&ID slope and no pocket requirements
• Symmetrical piping where equal flow required
• Liquid lines with slurry, sand or polymer solution
• Ensure LR bends, flushing points and cleaning access
• Review piping 3D Model:
• Access to valves, instruments and sample points
• All PSV, thermosyphon and pump suction lines should be short
• Piping will locate Control Valves and PSVs based on maintenance
access ignoring slope or inlet ∆P requirements
• Owner/ operator 3 review is a MUST. Perceptions differ!!
16
2021
Piping
• Mark gravity flow lines, lines that should slope or
should not have pockets, clearly
• Tap off from top
• Min length for meter runs and vessel inlet
• 2” pressure equalization valves across SDV >4” to
avoid opening valves against high ∆P, that could
result in high velocity and seat cutting/ damage
• Check high point vents and low point drains
• Eccentric reducers - flat on top in pump suction
• Avoid stagnant pockets that could corrode
• Avoid PG/TG protrusions while walking up the ladder
• Avoid piping blocking manholes
Pipe Fittings
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2021
Piping Slip-on
18
2021
Heat tracing
Steam or electrical resistance or
self-limiting electrical tracing
1. To maintain temperature - avoids congealing
or wax deposition
2. In intermittent operation lines
3. To avoid cooling and condensation as in fuel gas
and gas to glycol dehydration
Steam Tracing – Number of ½” tracers:
• General: 1 for 2”-4”; 2 for 6”-20”. Solidification 25°-65°C: 1
for 2”-3”; 2 for 4”-8”. Solidification 65°-150°C: 2 for 2”; 3
for 4”-8”; 6 for 10”-12”; 8 for 14”-18”.
• Max run length is 50m for ½”. 1” steam header for 3-5
tracers; 2” for 16-30. Condensate header is of same size.
• Steam Vs Electrical: Capex: 0.3-0.6 : 1; Opex: 2-20 : 1
Heat tracing
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2021
Heat tracing
• Electrical resistance heaters
can heat fluids during start-
up
• Self-regulating tapes
maintain required
temperature during
shutdown/ normal
operation. But they can’t
heat fluids during start-up
Valves
Gate: Service decides type of valve
• Rising stem in non-corrosive; • Shut-off: Ball, Gate, Plug,
non rising steam in water Butterfly and diaphragm
service • Throttling: Angle, globe,
• Solid Vs split wedge. Split needle
can take care of thermal • Check: Swing, lift, piston
contraction on cooling and foot
• Low pressure drop when full • Multiport
open
• Not quick acting
• Takes more space
• Not good in slurry service
• Install horizontally to avoid
gate falling in closed position
Valves help regulate or isolate fluid flow
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2021
Valves
Ball or Plug Globe
• Ball valves widely used in • Good for throttling
upstream industry; gate in
d/s Butterfly
• Quick closing • Less weight and less space
• Limited to <250° C. Thermal • Good in low ∆P service; as
contraction/ expansion control valve in large size
• Equal change in flow for
Angle equal change in valve
• In high ∆P service position
• Diaphragm
• Made of elastomer
• Good for slurry, viscous and
corrosive services
Valves help regulate or isolate fluid flow
Check valves
Lift or Piston: Similar to globe. Good for
high velocity (gas) flow. Hi ΔP
• Includes ball, silent and nozzle
• Silent & Nozzle: Spring loaded. Quick
closure. Good in high head liquid
service. Non-slamming
• Ball: Simple and compact. Roll and self-
cleaning. Slams. Low head water or gas
service
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2021
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2021
Line List
• After sizing process lines, a Line List is prepared by
Process and updated by Piping
• Piping MTO; Stress Analysis; Fabrication;
Construction; Plant Operation
Size Spec Insul Service From To Phase Velocity Density Operating Design P&T Testing P&ID
No P&T Medium No
Piping - SDVs
• Provide SDVs on either end of hydrocarbon piping
across bridges to minimize inventory loss
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2021
? 150# 300#
• Avoid orphan check valves, checks without d/s block valves.
Check valve maintenance requires d/s isolation or shutdown
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2021
3
2021
Piping
Multiple ROs reduce noise/ vibration
• Wrong to assume a single RO drops pressure only by half and you
need multiple ROs to reduce further
• A single RO can take any pressure drop, say from 64 bar to 1 bar.
You don’t need multiple ROs to drop to 32, 16, 8, 4 and 2 in steps
• A single PSV for SP = 100 bar. You don’t use multiple PSVs in series
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