Smart design is what required when it comes to building an efficient and optimized structure, may it be for a residential/commercial complex or an industrial plant. There are many aspects to consider while it is designed and one of the most prominent is Piping Design & its modeling. In fact, Piping Engineering is a separate department in many companies dealing with design and layouts of piping roots/networks across the plant and along the equipment.
Industry Implications –
Piping designs and modeling functions are required for almost every establishment but there are some industries wherein, Piping Design & Modeling is required frequently and has a bigger role to play. Here they are –
- Oil & Gas Extraction Plants
- Refining Plants
- Chemical Industry
- Dying Industry
- Pharmaceuticals Plants
- Water Resource Management
- Process Plants
- Fertilizers Manufacturing
- Waste management
- Heavy Scale Industries
Importance of Accurate Piping Design –
Piping Design is the basis for every aspect of material flow within/outside the plant. For example, in a processing plant, movement of material within the different units must be optimized so that it can travel minimum distance and curves to get processed quickly. Alternatively, in heavy scale industries, the heat or pressure in the pipe is very critical. A simple miscalculation of pipe network’s capability can lead to a disastrous outcome, often resulting in casualties.
The piping design has become a major component of all the industries, with pipe infrastructure contributing to total transactions in power plants, pharmaceutical firms, chemical plants, CNG/LPG plants, oil industries, and more. Pipe design engineers work to create an efficient plant design and construction, preparing route layouts & equipment specifications.
Factors to Consider in Designing –
Having an in-depth knowledge of material properties and accordingly designing and modeling the piping structure is the best way to go ahead. A designer and modeler need to consider following factors while they analyze and define a piping design model –
- Stress analysis
- Flowing material properties
- Piping material quality, property & lifespan
- Piping placement and elements around
- Minimum distance & curves in material flow
- Heat & steam pressure
Typical Reasons for Failures –
While there are no thumb rules as to how a structure should be, as it depends upon the plant layout, processing unit placements and resources availability, we can chalk out typical reasons of design failures as below –
- Lack of expertise & knowledge in underground pipeline design, construction, and management around the world.
- Inadequate understanding of pipe-soil interaction principles.
- The wide-ranging behavior of pipe materials.
- Claims and counterclaims of pipe manufacturers.
- Inconsistent design standards for different pipe materials.
- Inappropriate and inadequate utility mapping during design or construction of a pipeline.
- Improper designs and inadequate pipe factory and site supervision by engineers.
- Pipelines being used well beyond their intended design life.
- Improper operation and maintenance.
Article Provided By: INDOVANCE
