PROCESS DESIGN OF PIPING

BITS Pilani Prof. Srinivas Krishnaswamy

Department of Chemical Engineering
K K Birla Goa Campus
Heterogeneous reactions

 Fluid transport common in process industries

 Mainly between relevant equipment

 Fluids travel huge distance and pipes form basis for

connection

 Essentially piping design is a balance between pipe size

and pressure drop

BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus

Economic pipe size

BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus

 Economic pipe size

Optimum Economic Diameter

(Peters and Timmerhaus, 2004)

For Turbulent Flow and Di ≥ 0.0254 m,

0.363mv c
0.45 0.025
Di ,opt   0.363q f
0.45
 0.13
 0.025

 0.32

D = opt pipe diameter (m), qf = vol. flowrate (m3/s), ρ = density

(kg/m3), μ = viscsity (Pa-s)

BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus

Economic pipe size

Optimum Economic Diameter

(Peters and Timmerhaus, 2004)

For Turbulent Flow and Di < 0.0254 m,

Di ,opt  0.49q f
0.49
 0.14
 0.027

D = opt pipe diameter (m), qf = vol. flowrate (m3/s), ρ = density

(kg/m3), μ = viscsity (Pa-s)

BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus

BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
Recommended fluid velocities

Maximum Velocity
Application
(m/s) (ft/s)
Tap water (low noise) 0.5 - 0.7 1.6 - 2.3
Tap water 1.0 - 2.5 3.3 - 8.2
Cooling water 1.5 - 2.5 4.9 - 8.2
Suction boiler feed water 0.5 - 1.0 1.6 - 3.3
Discharge boiler feed water 1.5 - 2.5 4.9 - 8.2
Condensate 1.0 - 2.0 3.3 - 6.5
Heating circulation 1.0 - 3.0 3.3 - 9.8

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Pressure Drop in pipes

Darcy–Weisbach equation

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Moody’s Chart

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Pipe standards

 Standard pipes 3 mm (1/8”) to 600 mm (24”)

 3 diameters inside, outside and nominal dia

 For Std. pipes > 12”, ND = OD

 Wall thickness given by Schedule number

 Sch. Numbers: 5,10, 20,30,40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140,

160

BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus

Pressure Drop in Pipes and
Fittings

 Expressed as equivalent straight pipe length Le or

number of velocity heads (K) lost in pipe of same size or
material
The K-value represents the multiple of velocity heads that will be lost by
fluid passing through the fitting.
It is more accurate than the Equivalent Length method, as it can be
characterized against varying flow conditions (i.e. Reynolds Number).
However it is less accurate than other methods as it does not take into
account the varying geometries of fittings at different sizes. For
example a DN 50 (2") long radius 90° elbow is not geometrically similar
to a DN 150 (6") long radius 90° elbow, thus the K-value is inaccurate
at sizes other than that of the fitting used to determine the K-value.
These K-values also generally assume fully developed turbulent flow,
and thus are inaccurate at low Reynolds Numbers.

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Example

Pipe Size DN100 (4")

Pipe Diameter 102.3 mm
Pipe Length 50 m
3 x 90° long
Fittings radius (R/D =
1.5) elbows
Fluid Velocity 3 m/s
Fluid Density 1000 kg/m3
Friction Factor 0.018
Gravitational
9.81 m/s2
Acceleration

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