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DESIGN BASIS

12.3.6. Stairs and Ladders


Access to the various levels of the structures and building shall be by stairways. Stairways shall also
be provided for certain platforms when they must be used every day for maintenance, operation or
supervision.
Maximum height of ladders on vertical vessels and tanks shall be 6m between landing platforms.
It is preferred to use side exit ladders.
The ladders shall be provided with safety cages beginning at a height of 2.5 m from the bottom of
the ladder.

12.3.7. Pipes and Fittings


All piping sizes, valves and fittings shall confirm to the Pipe Material Specification.
Pipes, valves and fittings of sizes 3/8, 11/4, 21/2 31/2 and 5, 7, 9, 11 etc shall not be used.
Where equipment connections are those sizes, transition to other commercial pipe sizes shall be
made as close to the equipment as practical.
Piping Material specification of upstream piping shall apply to and include the first shut-off valve
after a control valve or restriction orifice.
If flanged connections on pumps, turbines, vessels etc are special and vary from line specification,
the size, rating and facing should be indicated on the P&ID.
Piping, fittings and flanges are selected so that inside diameter of components that are to be welded
are of same bore. When ends are to be joined and internal misalignment exceeds acceptable limits,
the inside wall shall be taper bored or trimmed so that adjoining internal surfaces are flush. However
this trimming shall not result in a component having wall thickness less than minimum calculated
under the code.
When matching flanges to equipment valves etc are required in sizes larger than 24, the bolt hole
and flange internal diameter alignment shall be checked.
Flanges and unions remain un-insulated except for those in process and steam lines where heat loss
is critical or where heat conservation is specifically required.
Reducing flanges shall be used in place of reducers and larger flanges if Pipe Material Spec permits.

12.3.8. Valves
Valves should be preferably positioned with their stem pointing upwards. PSV inlet and outlet valve
stem to be horizontal. To avoid accidental blocking owing to loosened wedge, the gate valve at flare
battery limit shall have the stem vertically down, unless dictated by process.
Butterfly valves shall not be installed with the spindle in the vertical position for services where
collection of dirt in the lower shaft bearing could occur.
It is preferred to mount check valves in horizontal pipe run. If necessary to install in vertical,
suitability of valve type shall be carefully considered.
Relief valves discharging to atmosphere must be provided with a vertical tail pipe terminating at
least 3m above any platform within 7.5m radius. Atmospheric vent tail pipes terminations shall also
be a minimum of 30m horizontally from furnaces, boilers. Provide a 6mm weep hole in bottom of
stack to prevent liquid accumulation. Provide square cut end of pipe in discharge to atmosphere.
Valves shall not be located outside the platform. Manually operated valves shall be located so that
hand wheels are operable from a platform or grade level. If the bottoms of the hand wheels are
more than 2.2m above a platform or grade level chains operators can be used. Approval for the use
of chain operators shall be obtained from the owner prior to the use of them. Chains shall not be
installed on screwed valves, or any valve NPS 11/2 and smaller. Valves with chains shall be oriented
so that chains do not hang in passageways. Chain wheels shall be vertical and chains shall clear the
operating floor by 900 mm.
Handle extensions may be used for access to underground valve boxes.
Locating the operating valves in pipe rack shall be avoided, wherever possible.
A minimum of 100 mm clearance must be maintained all around valve hand wheels.
Drain valve hand wheels shall be oriented so that they do not extend into access aisles where they
would be potential tripping hazard.

12.3.9. Utility Station Layout


Utility stations consisting of water, nitrogen and air (as required) shall be located throughout the
process areas so that 15 m length of hose can service any point in the area. It also includes
connections for the purpose of purging or cleaning when the process equipment is not in operation.
The location to be shown on equipment layout plans. All utility station requirements shall be shown
on P& IDs.
Nitrogen and breathing air shall be provided only if shown on P&IDs.
Hose connection shall be provided at utility connection.

Hose connections, where applicable, shall be positioned at elevation not higher than 1200 mm
above finished plant grade or above platform of multilevel equipment but not lower than 600 mm.
They shall be pointing 45 degrees downward. The piping shall be securely bolted to a supporting
structure and have adequate access. Utility connections shall be installed with minimum 150 mm
clearance between each other.
Each utility take-off connection shall be located at the top of the horizontal main header or auxiliary
header. Root valves shall be provided for each utility take-off connection from a main header or
auxiliary header which cannot be taken out of service without shutting down a complete processing
unit or operating facility.
Instrument air take-off connections to the plant utility station shall always be provided with root
valves.

12.3.10. Safety Shower and Eye Wash


All safety shower and eyewash units shall be shown on safety equipment layout.
Location of Safety shower and eyewash shall be based on Final Gas Detection and Protection
Philosophy K77-B-VE608178 and SAES-B-069.
Safety shower and eyewash units are to be provided in areas where operating personnel are subject
to hazardous sprays and spills such as acids, caustics etc.
Safety shower and eyewash units shall have floor drains connected to Contaminated Rain Water
System.
Effects of solar heating / winterization on water lines to safety shower and eye-wash to be reviewed
as per the project requirements. As per HAZOP recommendation chillers are required for safety
shower and Eye wash.

12.3.12. Pipe Rack Piping


Racks shall be designed to give the piping shortest possible run and to provide clear head rooms
over main walkways, secondary walkways and platforms.
Predominantly process lines are to be kept at lower tier and utility lines on upper tier.
Generally the top tier is to be kept for instrument cable tray / ducts and electrical cable trays.
Requirement of walkways for cable pulling to be as per project requirement.
Generally the hot lines and cold lines shall be kept apart in different groups on a tier.
Generally the bigger size and liquid filled lines shall be kept nearer to the rack column. Spacing for
first line from column to be reviewed with Civil for possible cap plate requirement.
Pipe rack shall be sized with 25% future space for the present need and shall not be less than 20% at
the end of design detailing completion stage.
The elevations of intersecting pipe racks shall normally be at different levels.
Hot lines shall be grouped together towards one side of the pipe rack to maximize length of
expansion loops.
Lines should be spaced in accordance with spacing chart to allow sufficient clearance for accessibility
to flanges. Line spacing, especially at L bend and loop locations, shall take care of thermal
expansion/ contraction of adjacent line
Anchors on the racks are to be provided on the anchor bay.
Access platform with staircase to be provided if the battery limit valves are not located at grade.
Branches from main headers shall be preferably taken from top.
Interconnecting platforms shall be provided between pipe rack and technological structures, in
consultation with Client

12.3.13. Vessel Piping


Piping from vessel shall drop or rise immediately upon leaving the nozzle and shall run parallel and
close as practicable to the column. Reboiler outlet piping shall be as short as possible with minimum
bends, taking into consideration the stress requirements.
Risers and down comer piping shall be grouped for the ease of supports and shall run on the rack
side of the column.
Manholes shall be kept on the road side of the column and shall be approachable from the platform.
Manhole centreline shall be 900mm to 1050mm from the platform.
A clear drop out area shall be provided at grade for vessels having removable internals and which
require periodic loading and unloading.
Piping shall be supported from cleats welded on the vessel as far as possible.
Proper guides at recommended intervals shall be provided for long vertical lines.
Access platforms/ ladders shall to be provided along the vessel for valves and instruments. Minimum
clear width of platform shall be 750 mm.
For ease of operation and maintenance, vessels which are grouped together, shall have their
platforms at the same elevation to the extent possible and should be interconnected by walkways.
However each vessel shall have an independent access also.
Vessel platforms should be designed in such a way so that all the nozzles with valves or spectacle
blinds should be approachable either from platforms or ladder depending on size and elevation of
item to be operated.
Unless specifically indicated in P&IDs control valves shall be kept at grade or on Elevated/Structural
platforms.
Separate piping support cleats shall be provided for safety valves piping and shall be designed
considering reaction force.
The routings shall take into account the movement of the piping and the possible movement of the
equipment or structures by which it is supported. The last support on the pipe leaving the column
shall take care of differential movement between column and pipe rack or support structure.
Level gauges to kept preferably at the dead end of the platform to prevent obstruction of access
way.
Valves at towers shall be located directly against the tower nozzles unless physical interference
would prevent proper operation of the valves. Valves shall not be located inside vessel skirts unless
dictated by process.
Normally a column drain line shall be a connection from the bottom of the column. If the column is
discharging to a pump in close proximity, consideration shall be given to placing the column drain at
the pump.
A valve vent shall be provided on top of each vessel.

12.3.14. Exchanger Piping


Exchangers
Exchangers shall be grouped together as far as possible.1m clear space shall be available between
the Exchanger surface and piping/pipe supports to ensure ease of maintenance.

nd and channel cover and


withdrawal of tube bundle. Wherever required, to facilitate the removal of tube bundles/ head
cover,
breakup flanges shall be provided in the piping.
The clearance to be left in front of exchangers for tube removal shall be at least the length of the
tube bundle of the exchanger plus 1.5 m.

ll side piping is placed on either side of the


exchanger. Piping to run parallel to the exchanger.
Air Coolers

ing, and
take account of the differential thermal expansion between inlet and outlet headers.
header boxes shall be reviewed at the enquiry stage, based on the size of the air coolers.
structure. This information shall be coordinated with the vendor / structural group at a very early
stage.
o outlet piping to be confirmed with Process.

12.3.15. Pump Piping


Pump drives shall have clear access. Pump piping to be routed taking into consideration rotor
removal.
Pump suction piping shall be as short as possible and shall be free from inverted or trapped sections.
Suction piping shall be designed to prevent the formation of gas or air pockets. Sufficient venting
provisions shall be included.
The suction piping shall be sloped a minimum of 10 millimeters per meter ( inch per foot) toward
the pump at all points to prevent the accumulation of bubbles in case the fluid being pumped is near
its vaporization temperature.
Reducers used on horizontal suction line shall be eccentric with the flat side on top. Eccentric
reducer with the flat side on top shall be utilized for overhead piping into a top suction pump.
Concentric reducer shall be used on the vertical suction line as required.
Suction and discharge piping for vertical in-line pumps shall have adjustable supports.
A straight pipe spool of minimum 3 times the line size shall be provided between the reducer and
the pump suction nozzle.
Pump discharge check valve if installed in vertical lines shall be fitted with a drain connection as
close as possible downstream of the valve.
Generally strainers in pump suction are to be provided as indicated in P&ID. If not, the same to be
checked with Process.
Typically, strainers are used as follows:
T-type strainers shall be used on pump suction piping for sizes 2 and above.
Y-type strainers shall be used for sizes for pump suction lines below 2.
All small bore piping connected to pump (drain, vent and seal piping) shall have break-up flanges for
removal of pumps.
Piping shall be so arranged that the forces and moments imposed on the pump nozzle do not exceed
the allowable values. First support at pump suction to be adjustable type.
Piping shall not be routed over pumps at an elevation of less than 3m. Flanges in such piping shall be
clear of the pump and motor casing.

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