Domestic Gas Pipework

Part 1 - Pipe Sizing

Copper's strength, neat meter capacity. In the UK the standard Note: Flow rates are for low-
unobtrusive appearance, fire and domestic gas meter has a maximum pressure supplies with 1mbar
corrosion resistance make it an ideal volume flow-rate of 6m3 of gas per differential pressure between ends of
material for gas installation pipes. hour (Q max on the meter data pipe for gas of relative density 0.6
plate), which equates to a maximum of
Determining tube sizes 64.1kW of appliance heat input. This Determining the gas flow rate
BS 6891 is the industry standard for figure should not be exceeded, for an appliance
mains gas piping installations. It states otherwise the meter will be To determine the gas-rate for an
that in a domestic natural gas overloaded and the pressure drop will appliance divide the appliance heat
installation the pressure drop along the be too great. input in kW by the ‘calorific value’ (CV)
pipeline at periods of maximum of the gas being burnt. In the case of
demand should be no more than So, to check for spare capacity on natural gas this is 38.5MJ/m3.
1mbar. The reason for this is that, if an installation, first examine the data For example, for a 10kW appliance
under-sized pipes are installed, the plates of the existing appliances to find the flow rate will be:
pressure at the burner could become their heat input in kW. Then total 10 ÷ 38.5 = 0.26litres/second.
so low that incomplete combustion these and subtract the total from 64 This figure can then be multiplied by
occurs, which is dangerous as carbon to determine any spare capacity for 3.6 to convert the flow rate from l/s to
monoxide will be produced! So, when the extra appliance. In Figure 1 the m3/hour = 0.26 x 3.6 = 0.936m3/hour.
planning a gas installation it is important existing heat inputs are 7 + 16 =
to ensure that the tube diameters 23kW, and 64 – 23 = 41kW of spare Table 2 - illustrates how the tube
chosen are able to supply the volume capacity, which is more than is sizes needed to supply the appliances
of gas required by the appliances required for the new boiler with a shown in Figure 1 can be found. First,
without excessive pressure loss. heat input of 35kW. each numbered pipe run is identified
on the drawing and then listed in
Manufacturer’s installation instructions Note: if there is insufficient column 1 of the table. Next, the total
will only give guidance on the capacity for the extra appliance, the gas flow in kW through each pipe run
appropriate diameter of tube to be gas supplier should be contacted is found.This is determined by totalling
used to supply their own gas before commencing work to extend the number of kW each pipe run
appliance. Where more than one the installation. supplies; this is then noted in column 2.
appliance is to be installed, it is For example, pipe run 1-2 has to serve
necessary to determine suitable tube Table 1 gives details of maximum all appliances and so will need to pass
diameters for the installation that can lengths of copper tube for various 7 + 16 + 35 = 58kW. Pipe run 2-4
satisfy the maximum demand without flow-rates for natural gas. We can use serves the cooker and boiler, so it will
excessive pressure loss. it to select suitable tube diameters for need to pass 16 + 35 = 51kW.
the installation. These figures can then be converted
Figure 1 shows a typical domestic
natural gas piping installation; it Table 1 Approximate flow of gas (m3/hour) in straight horizontal copper tube
supplies a gas fire with a heat input of
7kW and a cooker with a heat input of Tube size Length of pipe run (m)
(mm) 3 6 9 12 15 20 25 30
16kW. The main existing piping run
(1-2) is installed with 22mm tube. A 10 x 0.6 0.84 0.56 0.51 0.36 0.31 0.22 0.17 0.14
boiler (with piping shown dashed) 12 x 0.6 1.52 1.01 0.84 0.82 0.67 0.51 0.39 0.33
with a heat input of 35kW is to be 15 x 0.7 2.9 1.9 1.5 1.3 1.1 0.95 0.92 0.88
added to the installation.
22 x 0.9 8.7 5.8 4.6 3.9 3.6 2.8 2.6 2.3
Assessing the existing meter 28 x 0.9 32 22 17 15 13 11 9.5 8.5
capacity Flow rates are for low-pressure supplies with 1mbar differential pressure between
Before extending an existing ends of pipe for gas of relative density 0.6.
installation to add another appliance it Add 0.3m for each 90° bend and 0.5m for each elbow or tee fitted to the actual
is necessary to consider the existing length of the tube to obtain the total effective length.
into m3/hour by dividing each in turn effective length of the pipe run in supplying an appliance.
by 38.5 and then multiplying by 3.6 question until the flow rate required is
and these results are noted in column reached; look to the right to see if In this example we are concerned
3. The measured length of each pipe longer lengths of pipe will give the to check whether the existing pipe
run is then listed in column 5. Next an required flow rate. If they do then runs 1-2 and 2-4 are adequate to
allowance has to be made for the pipe use the longest possible length in serve the new boiler: from the table
fittings. Allow 0.3m for each 90° bend column 8, then read off the tube we can see that the progressive
and 0.5m for each elbow or tee that diameter from the left-most column. pressure drop along pipe runs 1-2 and
creates a change of direction and note 2-4 when supplying the new boiler
the total fitting length for each pipe In the case of the 22mm existing will be 0.92 + 0.67 = 1.58mbar.
run in column 6. The figures in each pipe run 1-2 with an effective length of This is well over the maximum allowed
row of column 5 and 6 can then be 5.5m we look down the 6m column so a larger tube size (say 28mm) will
added to give an effective length for until we reach the figure 5.8m3/hour. have to be selected and noted in
each pipe run, which is then noted in Column 8 is then used to note the column 4 and the figures reworked to
column 7. maximum length of tube that can determine whether this is satisfactory.
supply the flow rate required; in this If the boiler is supplied by 28mm tube
By referring to the sizing table (Table case 6m. Column 9 is used to record for pipe runs 1-2, 2-4 and 22mm tube
1) we can now select a provisional tube the actual pressure drop along the for pipe run 4-6, the reworked
size (or check an existing tube size) and pipe run; the actual pressure drop is progressive pressure drops are 0.18 +
note this in column 4. found by dividing the figure in column 0.13 + 0.17 = 0.48mbar, which shows
7 by the figure in column 8. Then the that these tube sizes will be adequate
To use the table, first look down progressive pressure drop can be to supply the new boiler.
the column of the table that shows a found; this is done by totalling the
length of pipe equal to or above the pressure drops for each pipe run Brian Curry; May 2007

Table 2 Tabulation form - gas pipe sizing

Flow rate Assumed Maximum Actual Progressive
Effective
Pipe Power {col 2 x 3.6} diameter Measured Extra for length pressure pressure
length
length (kW) cv {from Table length (m) fittings (m) {from Table drop {7÷8} drop
{5 + 6} (m)
(m3/hour) 1} (mm) 1} (m) (mbar) (mbar)
Col 1 Col 2 Col 3 Col 4 Col 5 Col 6 Col 7 Col 8 Col 9 Col 10
1-2 58 5.44 22 4.0 1.5 5.5 6 0.92 0.92
2-4 51 4.77 22 4.0 0.0 4.0 6 0.67 1.59
Re-work pipe runs 1 - 2 and 2 - 4 with 28mm tube size due to pressure drop being greater than permitted
1-2 58 5.44 28 4.0 1.5 5.5 30 0.18 0.18
2-3 7 0.66 12 3.0 1.0 4.0 15 0.27 0.45
2-4 51 4.78 28 4.0 0.0 4.0 30 0.13 0.31
4-5 16 1.50 15 2.5 1.0 3.5 9 0.39 0.71
4-6 35 3.27 22 2.0 0.5 2.5 15 0.17 0.48

New boiler 35kW

6
Gas meter
2m

Existing 16kW cooker

1
22mm piping 4 2.5m 5
4m

4m

2 3m 7kW gas fire

3
Figure 1