Sample questions on piping stress analysis By S Koley, QEI-PipingTechnical Knowledge: Q1. What is primary and secondary stress?

What are the code allowable stresses per B31.3? ANS: Primary stresses which are developed by the imposed loading are necessary to satisfy the equilibrium between external andinternal forces and moments of the piping system. Primary stresses are not self-limiting. herefore! if a primary stress exceeds theyield strength of the material through the entire cross section of the piping! then failure can be prevented only by strain hardening inthe material.Secondary stresses are developed by the constraint of displacements of a structure. hese displacements can be caused either bythermal expansion or by outwardly imposed restraint and anchor point movements. "nder this loading condition! the piping systemmust satisfy an imposed strain pattern rather than be in equilibrium with imposed forces. #ocal yielding and minor distortions of thepiping system tend to relieve these stresses. Q2. Why and where Spring support is used in piping system? Is it used to lower the thermal stress in the system? ANS: $n piping system when pipe lifts from its one support point due to thermal expansion then total dead weight isredistributed on the other supports or at connecting no%%le point. o reduce that no%%le load we use spring support at thatlift-off support location to ta&e the hot dead load of the piping.No. $t may increase'decrease system stress depending upon the routing of the piping system. Q3. From where we get allowable loads or !entri ugal pump no""les? Why suction and discharge no""le loadsboth needs to satis y the #$I%&1' re(uirement to sa e guard the pump? Ans: Allowable loads for the centrifugal pump are ta&en from AP$-()* S + table-,. o safe guard the pumps! two effects on no%%le loads are considered -Per AP$-()*.a. +istortion of the pump casing. -/ending of casing due to equivalent loads and moments.b. 0isalignment of the pump and driver shafts -leads to enormous wear between rotating and static part.So value and point of act of 1quivalent loads -combining the piping loads at suction and discharge no%%le. are thegoverning parameter for pump design. hat why both suction and discharge no%%le loads simultaneously needs to underallowable limit. Q). What is the basic di erence between W*!%1'+ and W*!%2,+ Ans: Both are used to calculate local stress with some limitations as below: 2or 345 678:a. d'+ 9: *.; 3here +:<+ of vessel! :thic&ness of vesselb. . +' 9:6;** d: <+ of no%%le! t: thic&ness of no%%lec. d't 9:)**d. 5alculates vessel stress and no%%le stress!e. "sed for cylindrical no%%le on cylindrical vessel2or of 345 )*8a. d'+ 9 *.==b . +m' >;*! where +m : + ? ! mean vessel dia.c. 5alculates vessel stress only.

Sample questions on piping stress analysis By S Koley, QEI-Piping Practical Knowledge: Q1. For column piping -connected at top and coming down to ground to control station. where you place springsupport? #nd why? Ans: Spring support is ta&en at the vertical leg near to the elbow at top if rigid rest support is inactive or semiactive atthat point and spring should be ta&en from 5olumn shell so as to minimi%e the differential thermal movement betweenpipe and shell. here are two common behavior observed in column piping : $f column temperature is higher than connected piping: +ue to the higher temperature of the column! vertical upwards movement of Support-Shell @unction point for supportta&en from 5olumn Shell is higher than the point of support on pipe. So column will push the pipe on upward direction.Again vertical upwards movement of the column from Support-Shell @unction point to No%%le point is greater than thevertical upwards movement of pipe form Support point to no%%le point. So 5olumn is pulling the pipe in expansion case. he support on pipe will lift depending on the combination effect of these Push-Pull events. his is a common behavior of the column piping.Sometimes support is not lifting but releasing some percentage of dead load in expansion case and this load isaccumulating on the no%%le which leads to high no%%le load in vertical forces and longitudinal moments. /y using springsupport at that point Push-Pull event is minimi%ed and no%%le loads are drastically lowered. $f column temperature is lower than connected piping: +ue to the lower temperature of the column! vertical upwards movement of Support-Shell @unction point for supportta&en from 5olumn Shell is lower than the point of support on pipe. So support at pipe will lift from itAs point. Againvertical upwards movement of the column from Support-Shell @unction point to No%%le point is

lower than the verticalupwards movement of pipe form Support point to no%%le point. So 5olumn will restrict the upwards movement of pipe inexpansion case and the thermal growth will flow towards the down and it will try to put bac& the support at its point. he support on pipe will lift depending on the combination effect of these Push-Pull events.Sometimes support is not lifting but releasing some percentage of dead load in expansion case and this load isaccumulating on the no%%le which leads to high no%%le load in vertical forces and longitudinal moments. /y using springsupport at that point Push-Pull event is minimi%ed and no%%le loads are drastically lowered. Q2. /ow a control 0al0e assembly is supported and why? Ans: $n a control valve assembly &inetic parameters of the fluid are controlled and due to that the whole assembly isvery susceptible to vibration which adversely effects on the accuracy of the controlling. o minimi%e the vibration amplitude a =-directional translational stop at the upstream elbow with trunnion and a guidedrest support at downstream elbow with trunnion are considered to support the whole assembly. Sometimes additional restsupport is required between the elbow to carry actuator weight for heavier control valves. Q3. What is the ob1ecti0e o stress analysis? Ans:). o ensure that the stresses in piping components in the system are within allowable limits.6. o solve dynamic problems developed due to mechanical vibration! fluid hammer! pulsation! relief valves! etc=. o solve problems associated due to higher or lower operating temperature such as a. +isplacement stress rangeb. No%%le loading on connected equipments c. Pipe displacements d. #oads B moments on supporting structure. Q). What are the steps in0ol0ed in stress analysis -or any stress pac2age carries out.? Ans :). $dentify the potential loads that the piping system would encounter during the life of the plant.6. 4elate each of these loads to the stresses and strains developed.=. Cet the cumulative effect of the potential loads in the system.,. +ecide the allowable limits the system can withstand without failure as per code.;. After the system is designed to ensure that the stresses are within safe limits.(. 1nsure the loads at different restraint and no%%le' ie-in points are within reasonable range. Q3. What is desired li e cycle or $iping in operation? Ans: +esired life cycle for Piping in operation is 6* Dears.Assuming one cycle per day! the normal no. of cycles for which the displacement or thermal stresses are designed is: =* -day.x )6 -month.x 6* -years. : 86** cycles E8*** cycles. Sample questions on piping stress analysis By S Koley, QEI-PipingSo tware Knowledge: Q1. How do you calculate the operating load with WIND Loads ? (Only mention the load cases.) Ans: ). 3FP)F )FGF3$N)6. 3FP)F )FGF3$N6=. 3FP)F )FGF3$N=,. 3FP)F )FGF3$N,3here 3 : +ead 3eight of the piping system with fluid and insulation.P): $nternal pressure ): emperatureG : Ganger load at ) operating case-$f have.3$N)'6'=',: 3ind force towards -FH.'--H.'-FI.'--I. directions respectively.-assuming FD is vertical. Q2. What is E L data? Ans: he 1S# 0enu gives access to utilities which interact with the 1xternal Software #oc&.J Show +ataK +isplays data stored on the 1S#.1S# is used at the time of changing'opening'saving'4unning of any module in 5A1SA4-$$. Q3. How thermal mo!ements (say "or e#uipment no$$le) at any point are "ed in %&E &'(II? Ans: his auxiliary screen L+isplacementA is used to enter imposed displacements at up to two nodes per spreadsheet."p to nine displacement vectors may be entered -load components +) through +7.. $f a displacement value is entered forany vector! this direction is considered to be fixed for any other non-specified vectors.#eaving a direction blan& for all nine vectors models the system as being free to move in that direction. Specifying M*.*Nimplies that the system is fully restrained in that direction. Q). What is 45au67 menu? Ans: he Oaux menu provides some miscellaneous items.J 4eview S$2s at $ntersection NodesKAllows the user to run Mwhat ifN tests on the Stress $ntensification 2actors of intersections.J 4eview S$2s at /end NodesK Allows the user to run Mwhat ifN tests on the Stress $ntensification 2actors of selectedbends.J Special 1xecution ParametersKAllows the user to set options affecting the analysis of the current @ob. $tems coveredinclude ambient temperature! pressure stiffening! displacements due to pressure -/ourdon effect.! I-axis orientation!uniform loads in LgAs! etc.