How to do Pump Piping with Layout Explained

1 PURPOSE
To provide the layout designer guidelines for developing pump piping designs that fully
consider safety, operation, maintenance and economics.

2 DISCUSSION
1 SAFETY

Proper consideration for personnel safety around pumps requires piping and valve
arrangements that do not obstruct access for operation, maintenance or egress. Care must be
exercised not to create tripping hazards with auxiliary piping.

2 OPERATION

Pumps normally require minimal attention during operation. Valves however, must be
located for easy access; this is particularly true for paired or spared pumps. Where manual
valves cannot be operated from grade, chain operators shall be used. If chain operators are
not allowed per client specifications, platform access to valves shall be considered.

3 MAINTENANCE

Piping shall be arranged in a manner to allow adequate access to the pump without requiring
excessive dismantling of the piping system. The coupling between the pump and its driver
must be easily accessed in order to align the pump and driver. Pump seal access must also
be considered. Piping must be kept clear from above the pump for horizontally split pump
casings to allow maintenance. For vertically split casings, access must be provided in front
of the pumps.

Clearance for fork lifts or mobile cranes should be provided for maintenance. In cases where
pumps are located in a building or other areas where overhead access is limited, monorails
or rigging beams should be considered for removal of the pump and/or motor.

3 TYPES OF PUMPS
Pumps are available in many different types. The most common are centrifugal,
reciprocating and rotary. Reciprocating and rotary pumps are positive displacement pumps.
Centrifugal pumps will usually be one of three types; horizontal, vertical in-line or vertical
can type. They may have electric motor or steam turbine drivers. (See Figure 1 for examples
of horizontal, vertical in-line and vertical can type centrifugal pumps) Reciprocating pumps
may have a direct steam piston driver.
Rotary pumps usually have an electric motor driver but may be steam turbine driven. In
many cases, the fluid pumped by rotary pumps is so viscous that block valves are not
necessary. In that case, the relief valve may not be necessary. If turbine driven, there will
be a gearbox between the pump and turbine.

4 PUMP LOCATION
Pump location will affect the piping layout and how the piping can be supported. Pumps in
flammable service shall be located outboard of overhead pipe-racks or structures. Those in
non-flammable service may be located beneath the pipe-rack (subject to allowance in client
specifications). Pumps shall be located as close as possible to the source of suction in order
to minimize pressure drop in the system while satisfying piping flexibility requirements and
nozzle load allowable. Line size and temperature should be determining factors in routing
the piping.
5 GENERAL PUMP PIPING
Pump suction piping shall be arranged such that the flow is as smooth and uniform as
practicable at the pump suction nozzle. To accomplish this, the use of tees, crosses, valves,
strainers, near run-size branch connections, and short radius elbows shall be avoided near
the suction nozzle. Suction piping shall be designed without high points to prevent
collection of vapors. Suction piping shall not be pocketed. When pump flanges are flat
faced, mating flanges must also be flat faced and the joint made up using full-faced gaskets.

Multiple pump arrangements that connect to a common discharge header shall have the
discharges connected to the header such that the discharges from pumps operating
simultaneously do not oppose one another.

The suction line for all systems designed to API recommendations that connect to API
pumps with end, top or side suction nozzles, or API in-line pumps, shall have a straight run
of five pipe diameters (nozzle size) between the suction flange and the first elbow, tee,
valve, reducer or permanent strainer (Figure 4). The suction line for pumps other than API,
shall have a minimum straight run length of three pipe diameters. This straight run length
should be maximized, but in any case the pump manufacturers recommendations should be
followed (Figure 5).

1 REDUCER TYPE AND LOCATION

Eccentric reducers in horizontal pump suction lines shall be flat on top in order to prevent
any entrained vapors in the liquid from accumulating in the high point and possibly causing
cavitation in the pump. Pumps in boiler feed water service operating at close to the vapor
pressure of the liquid are particularly susceptible to this problem.

The reducer shall be concentric for overhead piping into a top suction pump. (See Figure 2)
Reducers in pump discharge lines shall be concentric and located as close as possible to the
pump discharge nozzle. In cases where a combination of nozzle size, nozzle location, pipe
size and insulation thickness create flange to pipe/insulation interference, eccentric reducers
may be used to gain the required clearance.
Care should be exercised when using a top flat reducer next to a pump suction nozzle where
the change in diameters exceeds 4in / 100mm, as this could result in a disturbed flow pattern
into the impeller and cause vibration and rapid wear.

2 VALVE LOCATION AND ORIENTATION

Valve hand wheels shall be oriented in a manner resulting in good access to the valve and
pump. The suction line valve shall be installed with the stem in the horizontal. (i.e. install
valve in the vertical run of pipe). Gate valves installed in the horizontal can accumulate
vapor in the bonnet cavity and cause cavitation in the pump when the trapped vapor breaks
loose.

3 HORIZONTAL DISCHARGE OFFSET

If existing steel is not available for support of the discharge piping, or if the check valve
must be installed in a horizontal run, then Alternate 1 in Figure 3 shall be used.
When discharge piping is horizontally offset, care must be exercised not to block access to
the pump coupling, seals or bearings (See figures 3 & 12)

4 TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT SUCTION STRAINER INSTALLATION

Special attention must be given to the location of temporary suction strainers to allow for
removal. Figures 4 & 5 show examples of suction strainer installation.
For permanent T-type and Y-type strainers installed in a horizontal suction line, the
preferred position of the clean-out connection is 30 to 40 degrees from the vertical making
sure that there is enough clearance for strainer removal at grade.

Consideration shall be given to the handling of large “T” type strainer covers, and a
permanent handling device (e.g. a davit) supplied if access by mobile equipment is not
possible.
5 COMMON SPARE

Occasionally, one pump is installed as a common spare between two other pumps in
different services. The pump must be manifolded in such a way that accomplishes this.
Figure 6 illustrates an arrangement commonly used.

6 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP PIPING LAYOUT

1 HORIZONTAL CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS

Horizontal centrifugal pumps usually fit into three categories:

(A) End Suction -Top Discharge

(B) Top Suction -Top Discharge
(C) Side Suction -Side Discharge
A&B Typical End/Top Suction Top Discharge arrangement

The most common are end suction or top suction. Suction piping shall be supported at grade
below the elbow for end suction pumps. The discharge line (top discharge) shall be
supported from overhead steel whenever possible to allow as much free area as possible
around the pump for operation/maintenance. Figure 7 illustrates how piping may be
designed for these pumps.

Figures 4 & 5 show common piping arrangements for end suction - top discharge centrifugal
pumps. The suction line shall have a straight run between the suction nozzle and the first
elbow, tee, valve, reducer or permanent strainer as dictated by the type of pump and/or
manufacturers recommendation.
C Side Suction / Side Discharge Pump Piping

Pumps may be single stage or multi-stage. Multi-stage pumps are usually side suction - side
discharge. These pumps require significantly more space, and present special layout
considerations. The pump suction line for side suction pumps shall have a minimum straight
run of three pipe diameters (for non-API pumps) or five pipe diameters (for API pumps)
between the suction flange and the first elbow, tee, valve, reducer and permanent strainer.
If a horizontal suction line cannot be avoided, then the straight run length should be five
diameters minimum for all pumps (Figure 8).
2 VERTICAL CENTRIFUGAL PUMP PIPING

Vertical centrifugal pumps may be in-line, can (self-contained) or sump pumps. In-line
pumps are mounted in the line and supported by the piping as the name implies. A pedestal
is often required for larger in-line pumps or where the load is too high for the nozzles to
handle. The designer must consider access for maintenance and operation in the same way
as for horizontal pumps.

Vertical can type pumps are installed in a concrete cylinder but the process fluid is
completely contained in the pump "can." They are used when there is a high NPSH
requirement or at surface condensers. This allows the surface condenser to be mounted at a
lower elevation. The same is true for a vessel connected to a vertical can pump. The primary
concern for the designer is to provide adequate overhead clearance to remove the pump for
maintenance.

Vertical sump pumps are usually used to pump waste products or water from a collection
sump. Here again a primary concern is to provide adequate overhead clearance to remove
the pump for maintenance. The clearance requirements, between the sump walls or bottom
and the pump’s inlet nozzle as well as the pump’s length must be given careful consideration
during the layout phase of the project. The sump design at the pump intake shall be based
on Hydraulic Institute Standards.

7 RECIPROCATING PUMP PIPING

Reciprocating pumps are used when high head is required. These pumps require a pressure
relief valve (PRV) to be installed between the pump and the discharge block valve. The
PRV can be external, in the piping, or integral with the pump casing.

Due to the pulsating action of reciprocating pumps, the designer must consider space
requirements for pulsation dampeners. These are usually furnished with the pump but take
up additional space.
Pump access is even more important for reciprocating pumps since they require more
maintenance than other pumps. Do not install any bend (i.e. 90 degree elbow) directly
adjacent to the pump discharge.

The discharge pulsation dampener must be installed as close to the discharge as possible.
Pipe supports must be given special consideration due to the pulsations.

8 ROTARY PUMP PIPING

Rotary pumps are used for very heavy or viscous fluids. They deliver a constant pulsation-
free flow. Piping for these pumps is very similar to that of centrifugal pumps but is usually
characterized by the absence of block valves in the suction and discharge piping. If block
valves are used, a pressure relief valve must be installed between the pump discharge and
the block valve. The PRV discharge is usually routed back to the pump suction.
9 STEAM TURBINE PIPING
Piping at steam turbines present somewhat different considerations from that of pumps. The
piping must be designed to prevent the possibility of introducing a slug of condensate into
the turbine, which could destroy the turbine vanes.
The inlet piping must have the block valve or control valve installed in the horizontal run
with a drip leg and steam trap upstream of the valves whether the turbine is set-up for manual
or automatic operation. In cases where the throttling valve is furnished with the turbine and
located on the inlet nozzle, the drip leg and steam trap shall be located immediately
upstream. (See figure 11).

Reducers installed in the inlet piping to steam turbines shall be eccentric with the flat side
on the bottom to prevent the accumulation of any liquid.
10 SUPPORT OF PUMP PIPING
It is preferred that pump discharge piping be supported from overhead steel whenever
possible. This allows piping at the pump to be removed for maintenance. (See figure 12).

The piping layout must permit both suction and discharge pipes to be supported independent
of the pump(s), such that very little load is transmitted to the pump casing.