PIPING AND VALVES. Line sizing for gravity flow piping Understand the principles to avoid problems FG. Yu, Jacobs Engineering Group, Ine., Houston, Texas ravity Now is commen in mary industrial pant, pice Corer eset eels trantorsng iia eles on vation rressure diffrence to move liquid, Examgles ae had fow fom a total eondenser toe veiue dro ates poe ssathormosyphon rebler rsmply liquid low fog oe dovated veasel toa vessel below k Hills! presented some design equations and curves for savy fw piping alr parkaly ule iqid. owe thetheoretc! basi fr ese oquatins andcurven et anperont Theoretical basis: A typical gravity flow scenario is shown in Fig. 1. Liquid flows from equipment V-1 to V-2, Velor V-2 may be a vessel or a heat exchanger, Operating pressure and temperature of V-1 is PO (psig) and 70 (*Fahrenheit) and for V.2, they are P2 and 72, V- 1is ata higher elevation than V-2. Liquid level in V-1 is HO (fect) and the elevation of V-2 inlet nozzle is H2 relative to grade. Elevation at the entrance of the liquid piping Hi, also relative to grade. Operating pressure and tem. perature at this point is Pl and 71. Liquid flows from V- to V-2 by liquid elevation and/or pressure difference, ‘The system under study is the liquid piping from the tottom nozzle of V-1 to the inlet nozzle at V-2, as enveloped. by the dotted line in Fig. 1. Hardware of this system are piping and elbows. System equations: The following assumptions are made for this system: ‘ Itis in steady-state operation. Pressures PO, Pl and P2are assumed to be constant. * Flow in piping is full of liquid. * Liquid density is constant. This implies that T0, TL and 72 are equal and there is no liquid flashing, # There is no pipe size change. The steady-state material balance of this system is: Wi-We=0 @ Wis the inlet flowrate and W2 is the outlet flowrate, in lbh. Therefore, W1 equals W2. ‘The steady-state mechanical energy balance of this sys- tems (Wig +H + 144 Pud) Wi -(V2"Mg + H2 +144 P2d) W2 = @ = t feo, 70] ** Bn va i pa | i Le ence USS CSN Fig. 1. Liquid flows by gravity from VA to V2 Vi and V2 are inlet and outlet liquid velocity in the pipe, in ft/sec.; is the gravitational constant, 32.174 fsec®; dis the liquid density, in Ib/A and B is the system. friction loss, in f-lbg/hr. Since mass flow through the system is constant and there is no pipe size change, liquid velocity throughout the systom is the same. In other words, V1 equals V2 Friction loss for the system consists of entrance loss, line loss and exit loss. ean be expressed by: B= W(V*I2g) (b+ LID + k2) @ ‘kL and 2 are the K factors at pipe entrance and exit, A1 equals 0.78 and A2 equals 1.0L is the total equivalent pipe length excluding the entrance and exit effect in ft. D is the Pipe diameter in ft, Fis the Darcy frietion factor. V equals V1 or V2. W equals Wi or W2. Now Eq. 2 can be simplified as: (HA -H2) + 144 (P1— P2Vd = VR (1.78sfLID) (4) Eq. 4 can be further simplified to Eq, 6 using Eqs. 5a, 5b and e: V= WAS,600A d) (6a) A= PLDI 6b) X= (H1—H2)+ 144 (PL - Paya Ge) Where PI equals the constant 3.14159 and A is the pipe «ross sectional area in ft? X is the total driving force for the gravity flow in ft. Continued YDROCARUON PROCESSING /NOVEMER 1997 99| Table 1. Complete turbulence friction factors for different pipe size Pipe diameter, in. Darey tition factor 10 0.023) 15 oat 20 oor a0 org 40 oor7 eo 0.015 80-100 oa 120-160 180-240 D-=(W°) (1.78 + (L/D)? (150.699 X25) (6) From Eq. 6, itis found that for a fixed L/D and friction factor, pipe diameter is proportional to the square root of flowrate, and inversely proportional to the square root of the liquid density and one-fourth power of the gravity flow driving force Line sizing for full liquid flow. After the piping designers have decided where to install V-1 and V-2, H10, ‘Hand H2 are known. PO and P2 are determined by the process engineer. P1 can be calculated by: Pl=P0+d(HO~ Hiyi44 (ia) ‘Therefore, X can be calculated using: X= (HO-H2)+144 (PO-P2yd (7b) ‘The unknowns in Eq. 6 are reduced to three variables: D, Land. An iteration procedure is required to find the D, Start by estimating a value for D. L ean be found from 2 piping isometric drawing by converting elbows to equi alent pipe length. Most gravity flow lines operate in the turbulent flow region and Table 1 can be used to esti- mate f.? If calculated D (left side of Eq. 6) is different, from the estimated D (right side of Eq, 6), a new esti- mated D closer to the calculated D should be used. Iter- ation continues until there is no difference in the esti- ‘mated and the calculated D. Another way to estimate preliminary pipe size is by assuming f equals 0.015 and by estimating L/D . A pre- liminary D can be calculated b; D = Wa d98 X025) (Ba) 50.61.78 + L/D (6b) For L/D = 100, a = 11,9081; for L/D = 250, a = 98.2084; for L/D = 500, a = 86.2865; for L/D = 1,000, a = 74.4101. ‘The final pipe size calculation should use Bq. 6 with the friction factor obtained from Moody's friction factor graph. Friction factor can also be calculated using equa- tions developed by Churchill or Chen? Self venting design. From Simpson's article,‘ if the liquid in V-1 is irrotational, when its liquid level is less than a certain height vapor will be sucked into the liquid flow. ®otational and irrotational flow are discussed in discus- sion item 3.) An estimation of this critical liquid level was derived theoretically by Harleman and others.* Compar- ing to available experimental data, Harleman’s estimation is conservative, Harleman’s equation is shown in Eq, 9 100 HYDROCARBON PROCESSING NOVEMBER 1997 Vig DPS = 3,24 (hiDYS ® ‘tis the liquid level height from liquid level in V-L to its bottom head in ft. The term on the left-hand side of Eq.9 is the Froude number. ‘Rearranging Bq. 9, h can be caleulated directly by: =D (Vig D)13.24)°4 (10) Eq, 10 can be used to estimate h, Below this liquid level, 4, in V-1, vapor will start to be entrained into liquid flow. ‘Simpson pointed out that experimental work (on "%ein, pipe by Simpson and on 1-in. to 4-in. pipes by Webb) found that if Froude number in a pipe is less than 0.31, any entrained vapor will not be carried away by the liquid flow, but will be vented back to V-1. On the other hand, ifthe Froude number is greater than 0.31, any entrained vapor will be swept away by the liquid flow. For Froude numbers between 0.31 and 1.0 (for 2-in, pipe by Webb), pulsation flow (two-phase flow) was observed in the pipe. The largest pulsation amplitude happened at Froude number 1.0, Based on Simpson and Webb's experiments, ifa lineis sized so that its Froude number is less than 0.31, the vapie will not be entrained into the liquid flow. This is the basis for self-venting gravity flow line design, Example: A liquid stream flows from V-l to V-2. Its flowrate is 278,550 livhr. Its density is 66.8 Ibmy/ft and its viseosity is 0.254 ep. Available static head (H0-H2)is 5.5 ft and the pressure difference (PO-P2) is 1.28 psi. From the piping ise ‘metric drawing, equivalent length is 300 f for 6-in, piping Calculate the line size required for gravity flow. 278, 550 lb/hr 16.8 Tih? L = 300 ft (for 6-in. piping) 1 (2) Pull liquid Mow line sizing: From Eq. 7b, X= 5.5 + 144 (1.28)56.8 = 8.745 ft Assume 6-in. schedule 10 stainless steel piping, D= 6.367-in. and f= 0.015 From Eq. 8b, a= 84.117 From Eq. 8a, D = 0.4841 ft = 5.809 in, ‘Therefore, the assumption of using 6in, piping is still valid For 6-in. 510 pipe, Reynolds number = 1,091,300 From Moody's friction factor graph, f= 0.0197 From Eq. 8b, a = 79.410 From Eq. 8a, D = 0.5128 ft = 6.154 in, ‘Therefore, for a full Liquid flow design, 6-in. piping ca be used. (2) For self-venting line sizing: Fluid velocity, pressure drop and Froude number at calculated for several different pipe sizes, Results are: Pipe size, Fluid velocity, Froude in, ftlsee number 6 6.18 1.496 8 3.60 0.760 10 30 0.435 2 163 0.283, For self-venting design, the line size shall be 121s. since the Froude number is less than 0.31 Discussion: 1. Two methods are developed for sizing gravity line for subcooled liquid or any liquid flow without fas]NN —_—_ TT ty, ing. One is based on full liquid flow using Eq. 6 and the other is based on self-venting of entrained vapor to keep the Froude number less than 0.31. Line size using full liquid flow design will be smaller than the self-venting design. 2. The self-venting design method of a gravity flow line is hased on Simpson and Webb's experimental work.* Simp. A neg mani mppes tn 2 Noein eon np pet Dn taperimueiNal ajpeatalus, us SkeLched I Simpson's payer, hid thre elbows and a vent at the last «elbow of the tested piping. Neither apparatus was exactly the same as the piping system shown in Fig. 1. More exper. {mental work needs to be done to verify Simpson's postulation ‘and its validity in sizing a gravity flow line as in Pig, 1 3. In many cases, liquid in V-1 is rotational like a whirlpool. A vapor core is formed at the center of the whirlpool and propagates through the outlet piping to V. 2. Simpson‘ mentioned that rotational flow in V-1 is usu. ally unpredictable and the force to cause rotational flow in V-1 is usually very weak. A tangential nozzle at V-1 will cause rotational flow in it. Sometimes a downstream cen- trifugal pump will initiate rotational flow in V-1, Fortu- nately, rotational flow vapor core can be easily eliminated by using art inexpensive vortex breaker: For eases where the liquid in V-1is irrotational, liquid flow in piping will be maintained only if the liquid level in V1 is above the liquid level calculated by Eq. 10, How. ever, most gravity flow lines do not have level control devices. During turndown or upset conditions, it is possi- ble that liquid level in V-1 will drop below the one calew. lated by Bq. 10 and two-phase flow will result in the down. ‘stream piping, The same situation will happen when V-1 ACTUATORS & POSITIONING SYSTEMS FOR REFINERY FCCU VALVES BAFCO HAS 16 YEARS OF FCCU UP-GRADE EXPERIENCE FOR VALVE ACTUATION SYSTEMS CONTACT BAFCO. To COMPLETE YouR FCC CONTROL UP-GRADE PLANNING Se TR UU e mer mITyN UALS a eerie) Circle 114 102 is a condenser that is not designed to accumulate liquid. Depending on the amount of vapor entrained in the down- stream piping, flow may be in the slug flow region and cause vibration problems. As of now, we should use the full liquid flow design ‘method ta size a gravity flow line if vapor entrainment to V- quid level in V-1 may arap petov, tna: eaicuiated by Eq. 10, or fur cases where the liquid in V-1 is rotational, itis recommended to size the gravity flow piping based on the full liquid flow design method plus add a vortex breaker at the liquid outlet nozzle at V-1. This design provides the least expensive installation. Only when vapor entrainment. toV-2is not tolerable should the selventing design method be used to size the gravity flow line. Hills" mentioned that during the eycle between two- hase and full liquid flow of a gravity flow line, a vacuum will be created in V-1 and cause damage to V-1. This can be avoided using an equalizing line between V-I and 4. Lfliquid flow varies during operation, pipe size shall be based on the maximum expected flowrate. This will ensure that line sized for full liquid flow always has enough driving force, and line sized for self venting will always work in self-venting mode. Caleulated line size shall be rounded to the next pipe size. 5. Manual iteration of line size based on the full liquid flow design method can be avoided by using computer soft- ware. Computer programming of line size based on the self-venting design method is straightforward. NOMENCLATURE @ aconstant used in Bq. 8a d liquid density, Init? D pipe diameter, ft E_ friction loss, f-Ibhr f friction factor 4 gravitational constant, 32.174 fUsec? liquid level in vessel V-1, HOJL1,H2 elevations shown in Fig. 1, & 41,22 K factor at pipe entrance and exit ZL _ pipe equivalent length excluding entrance and exit effect, ft PO,P1,P2 pressure shown in Fig. 1, psig or Ibflin.?(g) 10, 1,72 temperature shown in Fig. 1, degree Fahrenheit, ¥, V1, V2 _ liquid velocity in pipe, fuse W, WI, W2 liquid flowrate in pipe, lb/hr X gravity flow driving force, ft | Mls FD, Chemical Brgincering, Sept 5, 1983, p11. ‘The author Frank ©. Yu is a senior process engineer at Jacobs Engineering Group, Ine. Houston, Texas bis specialty is process design. He holds a BS ‘degree from Tunghai University, an MS degree trom the University of Massachusetts, anda PhD degree from the University of Texas at Aust, al In chemical engineering.