Professional Documents
Culture Documents
000776
000776
000776
net/publication/260778573
CITATION READS
1 3,048
3 authors, including:
Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:
Development of Software for Outdoor Noise Predictions from industrial sources View project
All content following this page was uploaded by Rosario Aniello Romano on 02 September 2015.
1526
AIA-DAGA 2013 Merano
that generate Likelihood Of Failure (LOF) numbers for each LOF < 1 then remedial actions as above are suggested, if
piping systems and operating scenario under consideration. LOF ≥ 1 then remedial action shall be applied. If
EI stress that their LOF numbers represent a conservative LOF < 0.3 no AIV risk exists at all.
assessment to be used for inspection purposes. LOF is not an
absolute probability of failure nor an absolute measure of Besides of the Lw design limit curve above defined, other
failure. The calculations are based on simplified models to acoustic and vibration consulting companies have worked
ensure ease of application and are necessarily conservative out custom “limit curves” based on their own experiences
and drawn on EI collated field data and experience. AIV risk [7] or as a function of the ratio between the internal pipe
assessment based on Carucci-Mueller method need not to diameter and the squared pipe wall thickness [8]. The overall
implicate the LOF numbers, since it has been developed by risk assessment method given in the EI guidelines, includes
means of physical parameters, instead of fatigue life cycles also specialists vibration measurement techniques with
evaluation. Also for this method it has to be strongly dynamic strain gauges (useful for operating plants) and
remarked that the resulting values, to be compared with the specialist predictive techniques, like Finite Elements
applicable limits, do not represent any consistent fluid- Analysis, but its use is generally very limited, due to the
dynamic phenomenon actually occurring in the pressure heavy impact on project time schedules. For sake of
letdown device, nor measurable quantities. completeness, it has to be mentioned also the AIV risk
assessment methods based on the calculation of dynamic
The main parameter to be calculated for the AIV detailed stress at piping geometrical asymmetries, based on the
risk assessment, either with EI or Carucci-Mueller method, evaluation of vibration velocity propagating along the pipe
is the released sound power level downstream the pressure from the sound power source, but its use is very limited due
letdown device with the following equation, which was to the difficulties in the calculation of actual sound power
developed by Carucci and Mueller using basic control valves level at downstream valve and because this method has not
combined with their empirical field data: been yet officially standardised [9, 10].
⎡⎛
The application of above methodologies is strongly driven
⎛ ΔP ⎞ ⎛ T ⎞ ⎞⎟⎤
3 .6 1.2
L w = 10 log ⎢⎜W 2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎥ + 126.1 + SFF [dB] (1) by project schedule, more and more reduced, so that AIV
⎢⎜⎝ ⎝ P1 ⎠ ⎝ MW ⎠ ⎟⎠⎥⎦ assessment and control shall be performed at early stage,
⎣
when design data are often not yet consolidated. Main
where Lw is the internal pipe sound power level, W is the problems are related to the need to define largest piping size
flow rate of the gas (kg/s), ΔP is the total pressure drop and wall thicknesses at earliest to allow their procurement in
across the valve (bar), P1 is the absolute upstream pressure time. Possible approach is to work with preliminary process
(bar), T is the temperature of upstream gas (K), MW is the data, disregarding layout information since not reliable at
molecular weight of flowing gas and SFF is a correction project beginning, but assuming conservative margins
factor, applicable for EI method only, to account for sonic deriving from previous experiences to ensure thorough and
flow. If sonic condition exists, then SFF is 6 dB; otherwise robust decisions. It has to be remarked that, setting piping
SFF is 0. wall thickness along with support and branch reinforcement
It has to be remarked that this Lw does not represent the requirements early, the design effectiveness is improved,
actual sound power level inside the pipe, but only the limiting future intervention on very few situations, giving
reference value to be used for AIV risk assessment. There is then positive impacts on the project schedule.
no relationship with the predictable control valve sound
pressure level at 1m from the downstream piping. The Lw Tecnimont AIV experiences and results
value obtained downstream the pressure release valve is Although AIV issues are known since last years of past
propagated along the pipe at the sections where the century, Tecnimont experience in this field begun around
circumferential discontinuities are located, taking into 2003, when some project including this requirement in the
account corrective factors for distance attenuation, piping contract documentation was awarded. Actually, at that time,
material and connection dimensions and type, where present. Tecnimont was not involved in piping systems subjected at
The calculated Lw at piping section has to be checked versus AIV risk. Besides, in the Tecnimont’s historical core
either internal pipe diameter (Carucci-Mueller) or pipe business, that is polyolefin production plants, this risk is
diameter and thickness ratio (Norsok Standard). The very limited, due to the relatively low pressure drops,
remedial actions are then chosen based on the exceeding discharged flow rates and small piping size present in this
level in dB over the design limit curve and include the plant type. As shown in the above sections AIV risk
reduction of the involved acoustic energy (at source or along assessment and design of corrective actions is a
the downstream pipe) or the modification of piping system multidisciplinary activity that shall be performed with the
response at critical points. Otherwise, by applying the EI factual contribution of different skilled subjects each
method, a complex calculation has to be performed, intervening at right time, to avoid wasting resources and
combining piping system length, diameter thicknesses, provide for comprehensive and definitive choices. Therefore
branch connection and pipe material types, dynamic stress Tecnimont has adopted a procedure to ensure the right
versus cycles to failure graph and other details to obtain the awareness and responsibility, based on the synergic
comprehensive LOF number. The AIV risk assessment is contribution of different involved specialists, according
then obtained by comparing LOF number with 1: if below sequence:
1527
AIA-DAGA 2013 Merano
• the department in charge for the design of fluid- routing, full encirclement supports and reinforced
dynamic conditions and valve sizing of the discharge branch connections with the contribution of plant
(Process) selects the valves to be investigated for AIV, design specialists.
based on the screening criteria (DN > 6” and Lw > 155
This procedure is under revision and optimization to reduce
dB) with the assistance of noise control specialists
the time necessary for the design and remove critical issue
group;
like, for example, the cyclic process of some activity.
• for the valves at AIV risk only, the valve process
conditions and the downstream pipe size are modified, In the Table 1 are summarized the main information
if possible, to obtain an acceptable “residual” risk level concerning industrial plants designed by Tecnimont in which
to be controlled with piping modifications; the approach reported in the previous section has been
• the exceeding “residual” risk level is controlled by applied to reduce and control AIV risk.
designing piping modifications on pipe thickness,
Project Location Capacity (typical measurement unit of Plant type Reference year
petrochemical and oil and gas industries)
Kingdom Saudi Design 2006
PetroRabigh 900 kt/y PE Polyolefin
Arabia (KSA) Startup 2008
United Arab Design 2008
Borouge 2 540 kt/y PE, 800 kt/y PP Polyolefin
Emirates (UAE) Startup 2010
United Arab 900 mmscfd GT, 5200 tonnes/day sulphur Design 2010
Gasco Oil & Gas
Emirates (UAE) recovery Startup 2013
South Pars 12 Iran 3 bscfd GT Oil & Gas Design 2011
United Arab
Borouge 3 1080 kt/y PE, 908 kt/y PP, 350 kt/y LDPE Polyolefin Design 2011
Emirates (UAE)
Acid Gas Removal 230 mmscfd NG, 78k barrels/day
Kuwait Oil & Gas Design 2011
Package (AGRP) condensated
Table 1: Tecnimont experiences in AIV risk assessment and control.
Data about Tecnimont experiences on AIV risk assessment The results of data analysis are summarized in Figure 1 and
and control have been are organized as follows: Figure 2 for petrochemical polymer plant type and Oil and
Gas plant type respectively. They allow to make the
• the considered letdown devices are the Pressure Safety
following considerations. Polyolefin plants are less
Valves (PSV), the On/Off Valves (XV) and the Control
subjected at AIV risk, reasonably due to the limited pressure
Valves (CV) operating as depressurizing system in
drops across letdown devices (about 30 bar), the low
emergency case;
discharged flow rates, the small sizes of both the valve
• PSV are installed to protect equipment or piping
downstream pipes (no more than DN 18”) and the flare
systems by the risks connected to overpressure;
headers (usually DN 36”).
• the data are organized in project plant units (e.g.
Petrorabigh - EPPE, Gasco - Fuel Gas System, etc.);
• “PSV total” is the total count of safety valves
discharging Gas in a closed system (e.g. blowdown,
flare, etc.);
• ‘PSV Scrn” is the count of safety valves that have been
screened to be further analysed, by applying the criteria
of minimum pipe diameter (DN > 6”) or minimum
internal sound power level Lw calculated with equation
(1) (Lw > 155 dB)
• “PSV Risk” and “PSV Risk and High Risk” (for Oil &
Gas units only) is the number of PSV which
downstream piping system have been assessed to be
subjected at acoustic fatigue;
• “XV Risk”, “CV Risk”, “XV Risk and High Risk” and
“CV Risk and High Risk” (for Oil & Gas units only) is Figure 1: AIV risk assessment for petrochemical polymer
plant type.
the number of XV and CV which connected piping
have been assessed to be at AIV risk (as XV and CV Besides, no piping systems have been assessed at High AIV
are generally used for purposes other than the fatigue risk, which means the limit exceeding is not very
emergency depressurization, their total and screened high. Piping design changes have not much impact in the
counts has not been reported). project design and in the material purchasing, if AIV risk
assessment is performed in time.
1528
stats noitacilbup weiV
1529