DESIGN GUIDE FOR

PIPING ARRANGEMENT
AROUND PIPE RACK

CONTENTS
A. Introduction
B. Items to be installed
C. Construction of pipe rack
D. Piping arrangement

A. INTRODUCTION
Pipe
racks
are
structures
in
petrochemical, chemical and power
plants that are designed to support
pipes.
It carry process and utility piping,
instrument and electrical cable rays,
and equipment mounted over all of
these.
It is the main artery of the process unit.

 The primary data and drawings

required for development of pipe
rack:
Plot plan
Piping and Instrumentation Diagram
(P&ID)
Plant layout/client specification
Material of construction
Fireproofing requirements

The points which are finalized during

pipe rack piping study:
Exact width of pipe rack
Numbers of levels and elevations

PLOT PLAN

DEAD END YARD LINES

ENTER & LEAVE ONE END
OF THE RACK

L-SHAPED YARD LINES

CAN ENTER & LEAVE
NORTH & EAST OF THE

STRAIGHT
THROUGH
YARD LINES CAN ENTER &
LEAVE BOTH ENDS OF
THE RACK

T-SHAPED RACK PIPING

CAN ENTER & LEAVE
THREE SIDES OF THE

COMPBINATION OF I & T
SHAPED RACK

U-SHAPED
YARD
LINE
CAN ENTER & LEAVE ALL
FOUR SIDES OF THE RACK

COMPLEX
RACK
PIPING
ARRANGEMENT
FOR
VERY
LARGE CHEMICAL PLANT

B. ITEMS TO BE INSTALLED
1. Process piping
Pipelines which interconnects nozzle on
process equipment more than 20 ft apart.
Interconnecting piping run from vessels,
exchangers and pumps to the unit limits
to storage.
Feed piping or other charge lines which
enter the unit and usually run in the yard
before connecting to exchangers, or
other process equipment.

B. ITEMS TO BE INSTALLED
2. Flare piping and Blowing piping
Individual relief lines, blow down
lines and flare lines should be self
draining from all relief valve outlets
to knock-out drum, flare stack or to
a point at the plant limit. To achieve
this, lines will connect into the top of
the header and at 45 degrees in
direction of flow.

B. ITEMS TO BE INSTALLED
3. Instrumental Duct and Electrical Duct
Often, instrument and electrical cable
trays are supported on the pipe rack
track. Space must be allocated to
accommodate them from the outset.
Due to the possibility of induced
current interference, instrument and
communication cable trays must be
located away from electrical and
power cable trays.

B. ITEMS TO BE INSTALLED
4. Utility piping
Utility headers serving equipment in the whole plant.
Such lines are: low and high pressure steam lines,
steam condensate, plant air and instrument air lines.
If required, cooling water supply and return and
service water can also be arranged on the pipe rack.
Utility lines serving individually one or two
equipment items or a group of similar equipment
(furnaces, compressors) in the plant. Such lines are:
boiler feedwater, smoothering steam, compressor
starting air, various fuel oil lines, lubricating oil,
cooling oil, fuel gas, inert gas and chemical treating
lines.

B. ITEMS TO BE INSTALLED
5. Walkway
This will be provided on pipe racks
for the inspection of instruments,
operation of the valves, etc. If air
coolers are placed on the upper
stage of the pipe rack, walkways are
to be used in common for air
coolers.
6. Piping for fire fighting system

TYPICAL CROSS-SECTION FOR

COMPOSITE PIPE RACK

C. CONSTRUCTION OF PIPE RACK

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

General requirements
Types
Width
Spacing
Height
Bracing

1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Level of pipe rack avoid 3 or more decks
Construction material steel or concrete
Walkways width of 0.6-1 meter. It shall be
furnished with ladders on alternate sides of pipe
rack at intervals 40-60 meters.
The intervals of pipe rack beams will be 4-6 meters.
The height on which it is unnecessary for motor
cars to pass will be 3 meters minimum from ground
to beam top and 3.8-4.8 meters if necessary.
Braces installation location and type
Connection made by bolting or welding.
Air fin cooler placed on top of rack. Walkway shall
be connected to platform for operation of motor.

2. TYPES
Continuous/ conventional pipe rack
This is essentially a system where
multiple
2-dimensional
frame
assemblies, comprised of two or more
columns with transverse beams, are tied
together in the longitudinal direction
utilizing beam struts and vertical
bracing to form a 3D space frame
arrangement.

2. TYPES
Non-continuous/
pipe rack

non-conventional

This is a system comprised of

independent cantilevered, freestanding
2D
frames
not
dependent
on
longitudinal beam struts for system
stability.This system, where feasible,
should result in lower total installed cost
(TIC).

2. TYPES
Modular pipe rack
A modular pipe rack is designed to
integrate
smoothly
into
existing
structures and systems and to be ready
to go upon delivery with easy setup and
installation. This is a great option for
pipe racks. Structural Frames completely
fitted with pipes, Cable trays and
miscellaneous equipment.

COLUMN

ABLE TRAYS

UTILITY TIER

UTILITY TIER

ROCESS TIER

TRANSVERSE BEAM

LONGITUDINAL BEAM

FOUNDATION

19

3. WIDTH
For required width ranges from 6 to 8 meters, a 1-deck
rack shall be used. A 2-deck rack shall be used if the
range exceeded.
The width of the pipe rack will be decided based on width
required for pipelines plus the space for instrument rack
and walkway plus 20% allowance.
Space between two ducts is to be 300 to 500 mm for
cables.
Dimensions for cables from ducts shall be confirmed with
electrical and instrument engineers.
Civil engineers shall be consulted regarding the
installment of air fin cooler or other equipment in the
construction of pipe rack.
The margin added to the width of rack (10 to 20% of
width) is based on the requirements of client and
economics.

3. WIDTH
Required width of rack: A A0 + a
A0 = P1 + P2 + P3 + CE + CI
where, P1, P2 and P3 space for
piping installation
CE width of electric cable duct
CI width of instrument cable duct
a space for future installation
a = A0 x (0.1 or 0.2)

3. WIDTH
K for prevention of pipe displacement or drop off
due to earthquake.
If the cable from the duct is positioned horizontally, the
required width for extraction b is in accordance with
following:
a.
b.

If the space L for piping exceeds 15 mm, b shall be 500

mm.
If L is equal or smaller than 15 mm, b shall be at least
300 mm.

The required width e for duct work or cover removal

is 100 to 150 mm.
Minimum of 150 mm shall be secured between
adjacent cable ducts.
Legs for walkways and platforms for valve operation
shall be considered.

4. SPACING (Longitudinal)
The standard column spacing for pipe rack is 6-8
meters.
As a rule, intermediate beams shall be provided in
order to prevent deflection. The spacing of beam to
beam should be 3-4 meters.
Maximum allowable deflection and pipe deflection
due to concentrated load by valves, instruments, etc.
should be determined.
Relation between support spacing and legs of
equipment installed on pipe rack. Consult with civil
engineer.
Allowable span for electrical/ instrument ducts, which
shall not exceed 3 meters.
Thermal expansion of pipe.

REFERENCE
http://www.whatispiping.com/rack-pip
ing
http://www.piping-engineering.com/pi
pe-rack-piping-study.html
http://red-bag.com/design-guides/20
8-bn-dg-c01b-plant-layout-pipeway-d
esign.html