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.

MB & EB balances must include:
Normal mass balance - base case.
Start-up, shut down or upset
devn.
Recycle of off-spec products.
Equipment bypass conditions.
MB for flare, fire water, sewers,
steam, condensate and CTW
headers.

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 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.


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.

Compressible fluid flow not well
understood by process engineers.
Flows at Mach 1 (Sonic Flow) can
be destructive.


Two Phase Flow not well
understood by process engineers.
Horizontal Flow - Baker Chart.
Vertical Down Flow.
Vertical Up Flow.

Siphons may form readily
May have damaging pulsating
flow


May have damaging pulsating
flow
4 ft. dia. Cooling tower inlet pipe
experiences severe vibration, fails
& floods plant


Two phase flow pressure drops
may be higher than expected and
thereby limit performance.

Flashing liquids often not
considered during process
design.

Two phase flow can be a
complex, transient problem.

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.

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.

Flow in reactor manifolds.
Flows in branched piping.
Flows in shell-side of exchangers.

System or vessel design pressures
exceeded when EBV suddenly
stops flow.
EO transfer example.
See computer spreadsheet design
program.

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?