Clearance for swinging of Spectacle Blind

Adequate clearance shall be provided from adjacent pipes or structure to allow for removal or
rotation of blinds. A table is presented to quickly determine installation envelope for NPS 2” to
12”; Class 150, Class 300, Class 600, Class 900, Class 1500, Class 2500 spectacle blinds. This is
illustrated by simple hypothetical example showing different piping configurations/cases to find
out pipe spacing.

Spectacle blinds (Figure 1) are usually required to isolate individual pieces of equipment at
shutdown, to positively block off selected process lines at process unit limits and where segregation
of fluids is required. However, these are difficult to handle in the larger sizes/higher flange rating
(Note-1), and instead separate spacers and blanks are used. Moreover, adequate clearance shall be
provided from adjacent pipes or structure to allow for removal or rotation of blinds. A table is
presented to quickly determine installation envelope for NPS 2” to 12”; Class 150, Class 300, Class
600, Class 900, Class 1500, Class 2500 spectacle blinds. This is illustrated by simple hypothetical
example showing different piping configurations/cases to find out pipe spacing.

Figure 1 Typical Spectacle Blind

Concept / Governing Equation

The space required for turning a spectacle blind in a horizontal line will depend upon orientation of
blind when inserted (i.e., which bolt is used to support the blind when turning). Installing the
spectacle blind in the vertical results in the least amount of space required to turn the Blind (see
Figure 2, Left side). However, Installing the blind at vertical is not recommended as flange bolt holes
should straddle horizontal and vertical center line according to good engineering practice (see Figure
2, Right side). For example, Flange 6” Class 150 has 8 holes. So, the angle of top most bolt, θ is 67.5°
from horizontal.

C = Centerline dimension between Blank and spacer

A = Outside dimeter of Blank or spacer

Θ = Angle of top most bolt of flange from horizontal

= 45°, 67.5°, 75°, 78.75°, 81° depending on Flange size and Rating

α = Rotation/ swing of spectacle blind

= For layout purpose, consider α=0° (blind in horizontal position)

G = Gap, Project / Client specific = min. 25 mm

R1,R2 = Projected (Horizontal) Radii of Spectacle blind

Figure 2 Horizontal Clearance and Spectacle Blind swing Position

By using simple trigonometry, projected horizontal distance to swing spectacle blind is

C A C
R1 = ( + ) cos ∝ + cos θ…………………………………………………………………………………………………….Eq 1A
2 2 2

C A C
R1 = (2 + 2 ) + 2 cos θ…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Eq 1

In Horizontal Position, α=0°; cos 0°=1.

Similarly
C A C
R2 = (2 + 2 ) − 2 cos θ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Eq 2

Please note that installation envelope is (vertical) axis asymmetric and require different clearance
(more horizontal clearance on the right side as compared to the left side). Consider following
dimensions to calculate pipe spacing as illustrated by the example at the end of article.

• Flange radius and pipe radius of Adjacent Pipe

• Flange radius and Projected radii of Spectacle Blind (whichever is greater)
Table -1 is based on Equation 1 and 2; and calculate installation space /envelope for Spectacle Blind.
This table covers pipe from 2” to 12” NPS Class 150 spectacle blind only.

NPS C A θ-deg C/2 cosθ C/2+A/2 R1 R2

2" 120 102 45 42 111 153 69
3" 152 133 45 54 143 196 89
4" 190 172 67.5 36 181 217 145
6" 241 219 67.5 46 230 276 184
8" 298 276 67.5 57 287 344 230
10" 362 337 75 47 350 396 303
12" 432 406 75 56 419 475 363
Table 1 Installation dimensions for Class 150 Spectacle Blind (dimensions in mm except NPS)

Consolidated Table
Similar tables can be developed for Class 300, Class 600, Class 900, Class 1500, Class 2500 spectacle
blind. See Table-2 for consolidated dimensions required for installing Spectacle Blind for various
Flange Ratings, size ranging from 2” to 12”.

CL 150 CL 300 CL 600 CL 900 CL 1500 CL 2500

NPS R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2

2" 153 66 142 93 142 93 184 121 184 121 190 124

3" 196 89 189 125 189 125 214 141 226 148 255 167

4" 217 145 227 151 245 162 264 174 270 177 305 200

6" 276 184 293 224 316 240 343 260 339 257 411 271

8" 344 230 360 275 379 288 425 324 422 320 468 354

10" 396 303 411 335 457 372 497 405 519 395 576 436

12" 475 363 479 391 510 433 557 473 600 488 663 503

Table 2 Consolidated Dimensions for installation of Spectacle Blind, Dimensions R1 & R2 (dimensions
in mm except NPS)

Illustrated Example
Figure 2 is self-explanatory and shows pipe spacing for three different configuration/cases. For Case
3, flanges (and spectacle blinds) in adjacent lines must be staggered to optimize spacing. So, the
correct spacing, dimension B, is SB1 + G + P2 (instead of SB1 + G + F2).
Figure 3 Pipe Spacing with Spectacle Blinds-Different Cases

Conclusion / Take-away
It is evident that the distance between a flange and any obstruction shall allow for the removal or
turning of a blind, if present. Table 2 quickly determine installation envelope for spectacle blind and
eliminates preparing scaled sketch by Piping Designer and/or doing trigonometric calculation by
Piping Engineer.

Notes
1. As a guideline, Spectacle blinds should be used in the following sizes:

• Class 150 NPS 12 and smaller

• Class 300 NPS 10 and smaller

• Class 600 NPS 8 and smaller

• Class 900 NPS 6 and smaller

• Class 1500 NPS 6 and smaller

• Class 2500 NPS 4 and smaller

Spades and spacers may be used for all other sizes.

2. Whenever possible, Spectacle blinds should be put on the outside edge of the pipe sleeper
or pipe rack to ease their installation/removal, to minimize pipe sleeper width and
minimize/avoid platform access.
References
1. Piping Handbook, page C.337, 7th Edition by Mohinder L. Nayyar, McGraw Hill.
2. ASME B16.48, Line Blanks

Source
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/clearance-swinging-spectacle-blind-jamshaid-abid-pmp