Where We Go Wrong

In Line Sizing
Dick Hawrelak

Presented to ES317Y in 1999 at UWO

Introduction
 31% of large property damage
losses are caused by failures in
piping systems.
 Some lines reach 60 inches in
diameter - larger than many
equipment items.
Mass and Energy Balances
 MB & EB balances must include:
 Normal mass balance - base case.
 Start-up, shut down or upset dev’n.
 Recycle of off-spec products.
 Equipment bypass conditions.
 MB for flare, fire water, sewers,
steam, condensate and CTW
headers.
Poor Line Sizing
Guidelines
 Limiting line velocities not known
or ignored.
 Velocity greater than 15 fps in CS
pipe can cause erosion.
 Low velocities (< 3 fps) can cause
entrained solids to settle and plug
lines.
Poor Line Sizing
Engineering Discipline
 Poor record keeping during Phase 3
prevents detailed follow-up in Phase
4 design stage.
 PSV lines need to be checked in
Phase 4.
 Pump lines need to be checked in
Phase 4.
Poor Pipe Selection
 Corrosiveness of fluid unknown.
 At high temps, degradation may
produce acidic components. (La.
HumbleTherm example).
 Pipe not suitable for unexpected cold
temperatures.
 Pipe not suitable for unexpected
extreme high temperatures.
Choked Flow Of
Compressible Fluids
 Compressible fluid flow not well
understood by process engineers.
 Flows at Mach 1 (Sonic Flow) can
be destructive.
Choked Flow Example
1
Choked Flow Example
2
Two-Phase Flow

 Two Phase Flow not well

understood by process engineers.
 Horizontal Flow - Baker Chart.
 Vertical Down Flow.
 Vertical Up Flow.
Baker Chart
Horizontal, Two Phase Flow
 Two-Phase Flow In
Vertical Down Flow
Piping
 Siphons may form readily
 May have damaging pulsating flow
Vertical Down Flow
Piping
Two-Phase Flow In
Vertical Up Flow Piping
 May have damaging pulsating flow
 4 ft. dia. Cooling tower inlet pipe
experiences severe vibration, fails
& floods plant
Vertical Up Flow Piping
Two-Phase Flow
Pressure Drop
 Two phase flow pressure drops
may be higher than expected and
thereby limit performance.
Two-Phase Flashing
Fluids
 Flashing liquids often not
considered during process design.

 Two phase flow can be a complex,

transient problem.
Two-Phase Flow In
PSV Systems
 PSVs are usually sized for single
phase flow.
 Two phase flow can occur when
vessels operated above maximum
fill limit.
 Two phase flow can occur when
flows are higher than expected.
Vortex Problems
 Draining water from KO Pot to open
sewer during rain storm.
 Flammable vapor entrained due to
formation of liquid vortex.
 Lightning strikes near plant ISBL.
 Sewer explodes, wrecks cold box in
Ammonia Plant.
 One operator killed.
 Maldistribution

 Flow in reactor manifolds.

 Flows in branched piping.
 Flows in shell-side of exchangers.
 Water Hammer

 System or vessel design pressures

exceeded when EBV suddenly
stops flow.
 EO transfer example.
 See computer spreadsheet design
program.
Water Hammer Results
Typical Exam Problems
 Which flow regime should you avoid
for horizontal, two phase flow?
 If a liquid vortex forms on draining
from a vessel, what safety problems
can this create?
 When can a PSV which is sized for
single phase flow experience two
phase flow?
Put Your Money Where
Your Mouth is!