Bea PROCESS COMPLETE REVISION ad i Pr INDUSTRY waynes PRACTICES Process Control PIP PCEIA001 Instrument Air Systems GuidelinesPURPOSE AND USE OF PROCESS INDUSTRY PRACTICES In an effort to minimize the cost of process industry facilities, this Practice has been prepared from the technical requirements in the existing standards of major industrial users, contractors, of standards organizations. By hamonizing these technical requirements into a single set of Practices, administrative. application, and engineering costs to both the purchaser and the manufacturer should be reduced. While this Practice is expected to incorporate the majority of requirements of most users, individual applications may involve requirements that will be appended to and take precedence over this Practice. Determinations concerning fitness for purpose and particular matters or application of the Practice to particular project or engineering situations should not be made solely on information contained in these materials. The use of trade names from time to time should not be viewed as an expression of preference but rather recognized as normal usage in the trade. Other brands having the same specifications are equally correct and may be substituted for those named. All Practices or guidelines are intended to be consistent with applicable laws and regulations including OSHA. requirements. To the extent these Practices or guidelines should conflict with OSHA or other applicable laws or regulations, such laws or regulations must be followed Consult an appropriate professional before applying or acting on any material contained in or suggested by the Practice. This Practice is subject to revision at any time, © Process Industry Practices (PIP), Construction Industry Institute, The University of ‘Texas at Austin, 3925 West Braker Lane (R450), Austin, Texas 78759. PIP Member Companies and Subscribers may copy this Practice for their intemal use. Changes ot modifications of any kind are not permitted within any PIP Practice without the express ‘written authorization of PIP. Authorized Users may attach addenka or overlays to clearly indicate modifications or exceptions to specific sections of PIP Practices. Authorized Users may provide their clients, suppliers and contractors with copies of the Practice solely for Authorized Users’ purposes. These purposes include but are not limited to the procurement process (e.g., as attachments to requests for quotation’ purchase orders or requests for proposals/contracts) and preparation and issue of design engineering dcliverables for use on a specific project by Authorized User's client, PIP's copyright notices must be clearly indicated and unequivocally incorporated in documents where an Authorized User desires to provide any third party with copies of the Practice, PUBLISHING HISTORY be 1007 Lend Sin Ecitoriat Revision Complete Rewson Complete Revision [Not printed wath State indePROCESS COMPLETE REVISION sly 2016 INDUSTRY PRACTICES Process Control PIP PCEIA001 Instrument Air Systems Guidelines Table of Contents 4. Scope... 2 6. Piping Distribution System. 6.1 General........... 2. References 2 62 Piping and Tubing 2.1 Process Industry Practices. 2 63 Valves... 2.2 Industry Codes and Standards. 2 7. Testing 3. System Design 2 7A. Piping... ne 10 3.1 General 2 3.2 System Pressure ... 3 3.3. Capacity/Sizing... 3 34 Air Quality... 3 3.5 Air-sets ....... 4 36 Monitoring and Control Systems 4 4. Equipment General 22 Compressors 4.3 Intake Air Filters 4.4 Compressor Aftercoolers. 45. Air Receivers 46 Air Dryors... 47 Air Diyer Prefers 48 Alteriters 5. Reliabi 5.1 General 5.2. Design Considerations 5.3. Inert Gas Backup Supply. and Availability. Process Industry Practices Page 1 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines daly 2016 4. Scope This Practice provides guidelines for designing instrument air systems that supply pneumatically actuated instruments and valves. This Practice provides design guidelines for air quality. capacity, sizing, and testing of instrument air systems, 2. References Applicable parts of the following Practices shall be considered an integral part of this Practice. The edition in effect on the date of contract award shall be used, except as otherwise noted. Short titles are used herein where appropriate 2.1 Process Industry Practices (PIP) = PIP PCCIAOOL - Instrument Air Systems Design Criteria ~ PIP PCCIPOOL - Instrument Piping and Tubing Systems Criteria = PIP PCIA000 - Instrument Air Installation Details 2.2 Industry Codes and Standards ‘© American Petroleum Institute (API) ~ APISTD 672 - Packaged, hnegrally Geared Centrifugal Air Compressors for Petroleum, Chemical, and Gas Industry Services ‘+ American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) — ASME - Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VILL Division 1 * (ISA) The International Society of Automation, — ISA 7.0.01 - Quality Standard for Instrument Air 3.___ System Design 3.1 General 3.1.1 The instrument air system should be designed to meet the specified pressure, capacity, and air quality requirements, 3.1.2 The instrument air system should not be cross-connected to any other air system other than the backup system to prevent cross-contamination. 3.13. Instrument air should only be used for pneumatic instrumentation. 3.14 Purging Process Connections 14.1 Provisions should be made to prevent the backflow of process material to the instrument air system from process connections. 3.14.2 Instrument air should not be used for processes that cannot have air or require an inert gas. Process Industry Practices Page 2 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines July 2016 3.2 System Pressure 321 ‘The instrument air header pressure at the air dryer(s) outlet should be a mininram 0f 6.9 bar (100 psig) ‘The instrument air piping distribution system should be sized so that the minimum pressure at any instrument or device connected to the system is 5.5 bar (80 psig) when all devices are at maximum air consumption. Typically. the following air pressures are required for operation of the following instrumentation types: a. Pneumatic instrumentation (ie. transmitters, controllers, recorders): 1.7 to 24 bar (25 t0 35 psig) b. Control valve diaphragm actuators: 2.4 to 4.2 bar (35 to 60 psig) €. Control or On-Off valves with piston actuators: 4.2 to 5.5 bar (60 to 80 psig) Pressure drop should be accounted for throughout the entite instrument air system. This should incinde filters, coolers. drying equipment, and distribution piping. 3.3. Capacity/Sizing 33.1 33.2 The minimum capacity of the instrument air system should be based on the total requirements of all connected loads plus a 20% design allowance. The following are different methods for determining the total required load: a. Steady-state use b. Every load at full capacity ¢. Half on / half off The following should be considered when determining system capacity: a. Accurate instrument consumption data b. Panel purges €. Process purges dd. Funure expansion €. Distribution system leaks 3.4 Air Quality 341 342 343 Process Industry Practices Tnstrument air should be fice of water, oil, and particulate material. These contaminates will damage pneumatic instrumentation, ‘The air quality should be in accordance with 184 7.0.01 ‘The dew point as measured at the air dryer(s) outlet should be at least 10°C (18°F) below the minimum temperature to which any part of the instrument ait system is exposed. Page 3 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines daly 2016 3.5 Airsets 35.1 52 353 A separate air-set should be installed for any pneumatically actuated instruments or valves that require reduced pressure in accordance with PIP PCIL4000. An airset should consist of the following a, Ditect-operated regulator with integral filter, drip well, drain valve, and outlet pressure gauge b. Regulator should have internal pressure relief ¢. Filter material of construction should be non-paper Providing a filter with integral drip well and drain valve should be considered for pneumatic instruments that require full supply system pressure. 3.6 Monitoring and Control Systems 3.6.1 3.6.2 3.63 3.64 36.5 3.6.6 Process Industry Practices Selection of monitoring and control systems depends on the type of compressor, owner preference, instrument ait demand cycle, and plant economics. Control system(s) for instrument air compressors are typically provided by the compressor manufacturer. Serial connection(s) may be provided by the instrument air control system(s) for connection to the plant's control system, Dew point should be continuously monitored to assure the proper performance of the instrument air system. Moisture can cause failure of instruments and valve actuators Anti-surge protection and associated alarms may be provided depending on the type of compressor utilized. The following functions may be monitored and alarmed to ensure safe and reliable operation of the instrument air system and components: Moisture content at each dryer outlet (dew point) Air flow rate Discharge air pressure Header pressure Compressor interstage temperature £ Compressor oil pressure and temperature g. Compressor speed (variable speed machines) h, Compressor vibration i. Cooling water flow and temperature i. Manufacturer required alarms Surge protection alarms Page 4 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines July 2016 4. Equipment 44 General 4a 412 443 41d This section provides instrument personnel with basic information about the equipment required for an instrument air system, Instrument air system equipment should be in accordance with API STD 672 if applicable. An instrument air system would typically include some or all of the following equipment a, Monitoring and control systems b, Compressors Intake air filters 4. Compressor aftercoolers Air receivers f Air dryers g. Air dryer pretilters h, Afterfilters All instrument air system equipment should have manual isolation valves for ‘maintenance and repair. 4.2 Compressors 421 422 Compressors should be sized to deliver ait at the specified pressure, rated flow, and maximum ambient temperature. If lubricated compressors are used, provisions should be made to remove lubricants from the ait discharge. Common types of compressors used to supply instrument air include the following: a. Reciprocating b. Rotary screw: ©. Centrifugal 4.3 Intake Air Filters 43.1 43.2 Process Industry Practices Intake air filters are used to remove contaminates from entering the compressors. Intake air filters should be located away from sources of dirt, moisture, and toxic, noxious, corrosive, or flammable gases. Intake air filters should be located at a height to exclude ground level dust aud debris. Parallel intake air filters should be considered to permit changing or cleaning of the filters without shutting down the instrument air system. Page 5 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines daly 2016 4.4 Compressor Aftercoolers 441 442 Aftercoolers are used to cool the heated air discharged from the compressor. Aftercoolers are typically either water or air cooled with an integral separator and. trap to collect and discharge water 45 AirReceivers 45.1 452 453 454 455 Air receivers provide a buffer capacity to the distribution system to handle surges and disruptions in air usage. For sizing an air receiver, consideration should be given to the following conditions: a. Airreserve needed for system demand surges b. Capacity for safe and orderly shutdowns €. Capacity for 90 seconds or greater is typical Air receivers are constructed in accordance with ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VILL. Division 1. Each air receiver has a properly sized pressure relief device in accordance with applicable codes, If freezing temperatures are possible, consideration should be given to fieeze protection for the receiver bottom, 4.6 Air Dryers 46.1 46.2 463 Process Industry Practices Air dryers are used to remove moisture from the compressed air and provide instrument air at the specified dew point to prevent moisture from damaging pneumatic instruments ‘Common types of air dryers used in instrument air systems include the following: a. Regenerative desiccant dryers, that use molecular sieves, silica-gel, or activated alumina b, Deliquescent dryers ©. Refrigeration dryers, that remove most of the moisture by mechanical refrigeration, then pass the air through regenerative desiccant ‘The following information should be obtained when selecting and sizing a dryer: Pressure requirements b, Flow capacity requirements c. Air quality requirements 4. Contaminants (e.g., oi, liquid, ete.) Allowable differential pressure drop £ Provision of filters and degree of filtration g. Accessories (e.g switches) pressure gauges, relief valves, thermometers, and safety 1h, Temperature requirements Page 6 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines July 2016 47 Air Dryer Prefilters 471 472 47 3 Air dyer prefilters are used to remove oil vapors before the air dryers. Common types of prefilters used in instrument air systems include the following: a, Adsorbent-type oil prefilter b. Coalescent-type prefilter with continuous drain feature Parallel air dryer prefilters should be considered to permit changing or cleaning the filters without shutting down the instrument air system, 48 Afterfilters 48. 438. 1 Afterfilters are used to remove any particulate matter fiom the dryer discharge. Particulate matter can damage pneumatic instruments. Parallel afterfilters should be considered to permit changing or cleaning the filters without shutting down the instrument air system, 5. ___ Reliability and Availability 5.1 General Sa. sa SL Typically, operating processes require high reliability and availability of instrument ai. Instrument air system design should consider the reliability and availability of each component (¢.g., compressors, air dryers, filters, distribution system), ‘Methods for improving instrument air system reliability and availability include: a. Providing multiple compressors, air dryers, and other system components ‘that permit equipment to be taken out of service for maintenance and repair ‘without affecting the capacity of the overall instrument air system b, Portable compressors, air dryers, and other system components that connect to the system with zero or minimal downtime Compressed air eylinders Bypasses around equipment Parallel filters £ Backup system(s) for individual instruments, groups of instruments, or entire system g. Volume tanks on valve actuators 5.2 Design Considerations 52. Process Industry Practices 1 Instrument air system reliability and availability design considerations include: a. Automatic switching of compressors or dryers, b. Manual switching of compressors or dryers including the time available for an operator to react to an alarm ©. Alanming Page 7 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines daly 2016 5.2.2 4d, Maintaining constant pressure om the instrument air supply system. €. Safe shutdown of equipment and processes £ Backup system capacity The adequacy of the associated backup system(s) after system expansion should be evaluated) 5.3. Inert Gas Backup Supply 534 53.2 533 534 535 Inert gas for a backup supply to the instrument air system is not recommended because of personnel safety concerns. fan inert gas backup supply is contemplated, the following personnel protection issues should be considered: Ventilation of areas occupied by personnel b, Procedures to address personnel exposure to inert gas in confined areas (eg., buildings, houses, panels, enclosures) €. Oxygen deficiency monitoring 4, Alarms to wam instrument air has been switched to the inert gas system If inert gas backup supply is provided, the effect on purging process connections should be considered, including the consequence of lower or absent oxygen at the purge connection on the process. If an inert gas backup supply is provided, the effect on any instrumentation connected to the system should be considered (¢.g.. analyzer systems where instrument air is used as a calibration or carrier gas). If an inert gas backup supply is provided. a means of preventing backflow should be provided. The following backflow prevention methods should be considered: Cheek valves b. Manual double block and bleed valves for the instrument air system side €. Automated double block and bleed valves activated by differential pressure across the double block and bleed system that separates the inert gas and instrument air systems 4. Removable spool piece 6.__ Piping Distribution System 61 General 611 612 Process Industry Practices The instrument air piping distribution system is designed by the piping discipline. The instrument discipline provides the required information for sizing the system, Instrument air branch lines should originate from the top of the header to keep dirt and other contaminate collection on the bottom of the header piping from going to the instruments. Headers should be valved and plugged at the ends for future expansion. Page 6 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines July 2016 6.14 Instrument air piping distribution systems should be inspected and cleaned of trash, particles, and forcign objects by blow-down with clean, dry air before being placed in service. 6.1.5 Piping is responsible for all testing and commissioning of the instrument ait piping distribution system, 6.2 Piping and Tubing 6.2.1 The main instrument ait header piping is typically NPS 2 and greater depending on the capacity of the system. 6.2.2 The instrument ait sub-headers are typically NPS 1-1/2 and less depending on the smumber of instruments being supplied. 6.2.3 The pressure drop through the sub-header piping can become enough to affect instrument performance when all of the instruments are at maximum ait consumption. See Table 1 for the recommended maximum mamber of single pneumatic instruments or valves that can be connected to sub-header by pipe size. Table 1 - Recommended Maximum Number of Instruments or Valves ‘Sub-Header Size Instruments (NPS) or Valves. 12 5 34 10 1 25 1-412 75 6.2.4 Typically 1/2 inch stainless steel tubing is used to feed individual instruments from the sub-header. 6.2.5 Tubing material of construction should be in accordance with PIP PCCIPO01 62.6 Threaded joints in instrument air service should be made using anaerobic Teflon® dispersion sealant. Teflon® tape as a substitute should be used only ‘with owner approval Comment: installed improperly, small pieces of Teflon® tape can flake off, enter the air stream, and create a potential plugging hazard for the {internal components of pneumatic devices, 63 Valves 63.1 A block valve should be provided for each branch connection atthe header. 63.2. Spare taps with a valve and ping should be installed on instrument ait sub-headers to permit tie-ins for future instrument installations. 63.3 Each air-constming component should have its own valve for isolating the component from the air system, Process Industry Practices Page 9 of 10PIP PCEIA00% COMPLETE REVISION Instrument Air Systems Guidelines daly 2016 6.3.4 For instrumentation root valves. quarter-turn ball valves should have an oval handle or lever handle with locking device, in order to reduce the opportunity for accidental operation. 63.5 A downstream bleed valve should be provided. 63.6 See Table | for the recommended maximum number of single pneumatic instruments or valves that can be connected to sub-header by pipe size. Z. Instrument air or inert gas should be used for pressure testing of supply system and distribution system. 2. Hydrostatic testing should not be permitted on the instrument air piping distribution system, Process Industry Practices Page 10 of 10