Alignment Check Methodology in Piping Stress Analysis using Caesar II

“Alignment Checking” this term is quite familiar with piping engineers and all construction engineers.
During piping installation at construction site it is expected that equipment flange should match
perfectly (aligned) with the piping flange so that during bolting no problem occurs. But achieving that
perfect alignment is very difficult to achieve. If this alignment for rotary equipments are not proper then
there may be several problems in future during operation which may lead to vibration of
equipment/piping system or in some situation equipment failure. American Petroleum Institute code
API RP 686 provides the data for acceptable deviation from the ideal perfect alignment. As per the code
if the vertical and horizontal deviation of piping flange and rotary equipment flange center line is within
1.5 mm and parallelism (rotation) is within 0.0573 degree then the alignment is accepted otherwise
means to be devised to bring the deviation within those values. While performing stress analysis of
rotary equipment connected piping systems in Caesar II we can very easily ensure this limitation. The
following write up will describe the step by step method of doing the same.

Alignment check of nozzle flange shall be performed for all Rotating Equipments like Centrifugal
Compressor, Steam Turbine, Centrifugal Pumps, Gear Pumps etc as per following procedure.

Steps for performing Alignment checking:

Ensure correct weight of the pipe (with proper thickness), Support weight (dummy pipe), Weight of
valves, flanges and any in-line items.

Consider Insulation density carefully (equivalent insulation density to be correctly fed with insulation &
cladding weight, Check insulation on dummies for cold insulated lines).

Model all branch piping (like drip legs etc.) greater than 2 inches.

Discuss with piping lead engineer for requirement of any maintenance flanges (Normally for steam
turbine or centrifugal connected lines the maintenance flange is recommended) and include it if
required.

Minimize the sustained load on equipment nozzle as much as possible during static analysis run of the
Caesar model.

Normal industry practice is to analyse the Alignment checking in separate file. So rename the static file
as Filename_Alignment.C2

Make the equipment nozzle anchor flexible or remove the displacement if anchor was not modeled.

Wherever spring support is used, define spring rate and cold load in case of variable effort spring &
Constant effort support load in case of constant effort spring.

After performing the above create one additional load case in Caesar II as mentioned below:

WNC+H SUS System with spring hanger

 WNC SUS System without spring hanger

Set the spring hanger as “As designed”.(Two load cases can be generated for spring As designed and
rigid condition)

Now run the analysis and check the displacements of the nozzle at the above mentioned load case and
limit them within below mentioned values:

Vertical deflection (Normally DY): +/- 1.5 mm

Horizontal displacement (sqrt sum of DX and DZ): +/- 1.5 mm

Parallelism (sqrt sum of RX and RZ) : 0.0573 degree.

In case the above limitations are not met then re-analyse by readjusting the spring and other supports
and do the simulation.

Alignment check is to be performed for both inlet and outlet lines.

Alignment check must be performed with spring under both in “As designed” and in “locked” condition.

To avoid small misalignment in vertical direction first support from rotary equipment nozzle is used
either a spring support or an adjustable type support.