ANSI31.1 &31.

3 ie Power Piping & Process Piping

2.*MSS –SP 58 Pipe Hangers and Support : Materials, Design & Manufacturers
3.*MSS –SP 69 Pipe Hangers and Support : Selection & Application.
4.*MSS –SP 77 Guidelines for Pipe Support Contractual Relationships.
5.*MSS –SP 89 Pipe Hangers and Supports: Fabrication & Installation Practises.
6.MSS –SP 90 Guidelines on Terminology of Pipe Hangers & Supports.

Pipe: Pressure tight cylinder to convey fluid/fluid pressure

•Pipe Support Elements: Transmit the load from pipe to structures& /or pressure equipment Ex. Spring Hangers, Guides,
Hangers. These are called Fixtures. Attachment like clips, clamps, strips etc. are called StructuralAttachments.
Hot load / Hot setting / Operating loadThe weight that the spring has to support while the pipe line system is in operation. This
is also called Operatingload.
Cold load / Cold setting / Installed loadThe weight that the spring has to support while the pipe line system is NOT in operation.
This is also called pre-setload.
Travel stopsLimit the spring travel at the top and bottom to a small percentage beyond the specified range. In addition, they
prevent the spring form moving while the spring is not in operation (in pre-set mode) or in hydrostatic testing phase.
TravelCompression or expansion of spring in “mm”from Hot to Cold or vice versa load variation.

Fixtures:
a. Hanger Rods
b. Spring hangers
c.TurnBuckles
d. Chains
e. Anchors
f. Brackets
g. Guides
h. Saddles

2.Structural Attachments:

a. Clips
b. Lugs
c. U-bolts
d. Straps

Classification of Pipe Supports

1. Rigid or Weight Supports (Rod Hangers, Sliding supports, VS & CS Supports)

2. Rigid Restraints & Anchors (Supplementary Steel or Structural Members )
3. Snubbers (Hydraulic & Mechanical )
4. Sway Braces

Rigid Type Supports(Weight supports)

All sliding type supports:Bare, Clamped, Shoe, Dummy supports, bracket supports, etc. (supported from bottom).In this the
supports members are in compression.
Hangers rods (without spring): Will be supported from top. (Designed on the basis of max. weight carrying conditions, including
Hydro test).In this the supports are in tension.
ROD HANGER
THE ROD HANGERS ARE USED FOR NON CRITICAL SUPPORTS. DIFFERENNT ATTACHMENTS LIKE EYE-
NUTS,TURNBUCKLES,RODS HEX NUTS & BOLT CLAMPS ARE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH HANGER RODS. TURNBUCKLES ARE
FOR ADJUSTMENT IN THE SUSPENDED LENGTH FROM THE PIPE.

ROD HANGERSOffset Limitation of rod hangersa)Pipe With Movement In Axial Directionb)Cold Pipe Positioning –1) Offset,Cold --
2) Operating Position HotPermissible horizontal movement not to exceed +4° for Rod hangers.

Anchors & Guides (Restraint Type)

Anchors & Guides are provided to restrict movement of pipe in any one or all 6 freedom of movements.1.They are provided to
restrain, direct or absorb piping movements.2.Their design takes into account forces/moments at these elements caused by
internal pressure and thermal expansion/contraction.
Supplementary SteelTo attach the pipe with various type of supports mentioned above we need to tie it with the existing
structure. To achieve this we either weld structural members to the supporting elements or supporting brackets on to the
existing structure.

Variable & Constant Supports(Flexible Supports)Variable SpringSupports:Variable spring supports are so called because they
provide variable supporting forces as the pipe moves vertically due to contraction or elongation. Maximum variation in load is
25%.Constant SpringSupports:Constant spring supports are used where thermal movements are too large (over 2 inches & max
6% load variation is allowed). Such spring supports are used to restrict the loads created in piping systems on to critical
equipment nozzles.
NOTE: (In Spring Supports springsare not designed forHydrotestloads, howeversupports members are designed to take hydro-
test loads.)

TYPES OF VARIABLE –SPRING HANGERS

SELECTION OF FLEXIBLE SUPPORTS

CONSTANT SPRING : Constant spring hangers are selected where absolutely necessary, when the percentage variation of load
from cold to hot should be less than ±6% for critical pipelines, which give the lowest %, load variation. The geometry &
kinematics of these constant spring hangers is such that theoretically and constant supporting force can be achieved throughout
its full range of expansion and contract.

Particular Variable Spring Support Constant Spring Support

Design Simple design with Helical spring Sophisticated design with Spring &
Bell Crank Lever

Application Non critical applications –Ex. Heat Exchangers, Critical applications –Ex. Steam
Vessel, ordinary piping etc. piping near steam turbines , Steam
Headers ,Boilers etc.

Movement Applicable for Low thermal movements (upto Applicable for large thermal
50 mm) movements (above 50 mm)

Space Less space for installation Large space for installation

Cost Low cost High cost

 Often used Pipe Supports

ANCHORS
A rigid support that restricts movement in all three orthogonal directions and all three rotational directions. This usually
is a welded stanchion that is welded or bolted to steel or concrete.
Two types of anchors exist: fixed and directional.
Fixed anchors are used in locations where all movement of a line must be prevented. In piping terms this is called a
fixed point. The most common way to anchor a pipe is to weld the pipe directly to a support or structural member. If
the pipe to be anchored is insulated, first a pipe shoe is welded to the pipe and then the shoe is welded to the steel
structure.
Directional anchors are used to force movement to occur in one direction while preventing it from occuring in the
opposite direction. Directional anchors are used to direct a pipe's movement away from buildings, structures,
equipment etc..

DUMMY LEG SUPPORTS

A dummy leg is an extension piece welded to an elbow in order to support a pipe line, and rests or anchors on some
steel member.
Pipe size, length and wall thickness of the pipe-extension depends on several factors such as the total load, the
parent pipe line size etc.. See typical dummy leg image on the right of this page.

HANGER RODS
A vertical pipe support that incorporates a rod. It may be a rigid, variable spring or constant support hanger. Hanger is
a term that often means quite different things to different people.
Rod hangers or pipe hangers attaches to the pipe by a U bolt, a clevis, a pipe clamp etc. to structural steel above.
The rod hanger provides support in the vertical direction and allows limited motion in the horizontal direction.
Adjustment in the vertical direction can be accomplished by threads or a turnbuckle. See hanger rod image on the
right of this page.

GUIDES
When total restriction of pipe movement is not required, pipe guides are used.
Pipe guides confine movement along the pipe's lineal axis. In piping terms this is called a sliding point. They are used
primarily to maintain proper line spacing in a pipe rack and they prevent lateral or sideway movement.
Unlike the pipe anchor which is welded to the pipe and steel structure, the guide allows pipe to slide lengthwise
between two angle shapes. When the pipe is supported on shoes, the angle shapes are positioned on either side of
the shoe. For an image of guides see directional anchor above.

CONSTANT LOAD HANGER

A specially engineered hanger that is designed to travel through many inches of vertical travel with a minimal change
in support load. There are different styles and types depending on the manufacturers. Per MSS SP-58 a constant
support hanger can be within specification and still have a load variation of plus minus 6% through the travel range.
Some suppliers claim a tighter tolerance on the load variation.
Constant hangers and constant supports are used for piping and related components where higher levels of vertical
travel occur. Their job is to transfer the working load over the whole travel area while maintaining constancy, i.e.,
without any considerable deviations. The functional precision of the constant hanger is decisive for the favorable long
term behaviour of the components concerned.
Constant hangers compensate for vertical movement caused by thermal expansion. Via constant hangers, the
respective piping loads are constantly absorbed and transferred with no significant deviation over the whole range of
movement. Significant deviations would act as harmful and uncontrolled extra loads in the system.
 Horizontal constant with top attachment which is bolted directly to the bottom of the steel as shown above.

VARIABLE SPRING HANGERS AND SUPPORTS

A helical coil that supports dead weight load. The support load changes as the spring moves through its range at a
specified spring rate. This support can be a hanger above the pipe, or a floor support below the pipe.
To prevent constraints in the system, thermal expansion in the piping and other piping components must not be
hindered. The piping must therefore be supported in a correspondingly elastic manner.
To compensate for slight vertical displacements in the piping, spring components are used as supports. The
functioning of these components is based on preset helical coil springs which exert a variable supporting load over the
whole range of movement corresponding to the given spring characteristics.
Load variations resulting from this are limited through corresponding specifications based on stress calculations for
the piping - this depends on the sensitivity of the system.
HYDRAULIC SHOCK ABSORBERS
The use of shock absorbers (snubbers) is preferred in thermally operating piping systems. In a dynamic event, shock
absorbers instantaneously form a practically rigid restraint between the protected component and the structure.
Resulting dynamic energy can at once be absorbed and harmlessly transferred.
Through the special function of the shock absorbers, thermal displacements during normal operation remain
unhindered.

Hydraulic Shock Absorber (Snubber)

Summary of Pipe Supports

Pipe supports come in many configurations, and are designed to constrain pipe motion in one, two, or three space
coordinates. Only the most common types are described on this page. Manufactures have catalogs that thoroughly
illustrate supports of all types.