INPUT REQUIRED FOR SIZING:

1. Volumetric Flow Rate

2. Straight Length of Pipe

3. Rise and Fall of Pipe

4. Viscosity of the liquid

5. Density of the liquid

6. Operating Temperature

7. Operating Pressure

8. No. of fittings and types (if any)

CALCULATION PROCEDURE:
1. If the Volumetric Flow rate is given in unit MMSCFD (million square cubic
feet per day), convert it into actual flow rate at given temperature and
pressure. Conversion can be done using ideal gas equation:
P1V1 P2V2
T1 T2
First convert MMSCFD to SCF per second i.e. divide the given value of
Volumetric
Flow rate (Q) by 86400.
E.g.: - Given Volumetric Flow Rate = 100MMSCFD
Op. pressure = 1440 psi
Op. Temperature= 50°c
(100*10^6) / 24*36*36 = 1157.40 standard cubic feet per second
Now use equation of state to convert to actual flow rate:
At standard condition pressure= 1 atm or 14.7 psi
Temperature = 15.5°c
(1157.40 * 14.7) / 15.5 = (V2 * 1440) / 50
V2= 38.11 ft3/sec.
2. Using standard (in this case API 14E) find the minimum and maximum velocity
that can be used for designing. For liquid lines minimum velocity should be 3 ft/sec
and maximum velocity should be 15 ft/sec.

3. Using formula Q = A*V (Area * velocity), find the diameter of pipe.

4. Using diameter choose the suitable nominal diameter and schedule no. of the
pipe. See table below

5. For the choose pipe size, see the internal diameter from the table.
6.Now for the internal diameter, calculate the actual velocity of liquid using the
formula Q= A*V.
7. Find Reynold number using the formula:
8.For the calculated Reynolds number, find the friction factor. Friction factor can be
estimated using Moody’s chart or using direct formula.

NOTE: Most of the times we use the formula for completely turbulent flow.

9. If the pipe arrangement contains fittings like valves, elbow, connect etc. find there
equivalent length using the table below, and then add the equivalent length of fitting
with straight length of pipe.
10. Find the pressure drop in the pipe due to the total length (straight length +
equivalent length of fittings) using the formula:

11. Now find the equivalent rise or fall of piping arrangement and calculate the
pressure drop due to the same. Use formula ΔP= ρgh
12. Now add both pressure drop (pressure drop due to total length and pressure
drop due to elevation or fall) to get the total pressure drop in the pipe.

NOTE: - For any clarification refer to code API 14E. (Double click to open the files).

API 14E (5th Edition

- Oct.1991 Reaffirmed,March 2007) - Design & I

NOTE: For real projects manual calculation are rarely done. Calculation excel sheet
are used for project. Refer below for company’s excel sheet:

SS-PR-C-801 Line
sizing-Liquid Phase- API- Validated.xls

For example question on the liquid line sizing, refer the example given below:

liquid line
sizing.pdf