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Pipe Support design
2

Pipe Support design

Pipe Support design

(OP)
Hello all,

I am trying to get involved with pipe support design.  (We're going to re-vamp our standard support details a little bit in the next year or so)  I know a lot about a little with regards to support design, mainly due to being familiar with our existing standards, but I do realize I don't really know where they came from, or how to go about support selection, design, and load limits.  Can anyone point me toward a good book, or even website that gives a thourough, complete discussion on each step involved in designing supports?  It would be great if it was so generic as to explain how standards are developed.

For instance, say there is a T-pole made of 4" TS.  Our current standards give a load limit of ~4,000 lbs.  but, when I work through Euler's equation, I come up with a critial load of ~ 100,000 lbs!  Of course there are factors of safety, but I'd like to know what else I'm missing.  We've obviously not designed our supports standards strictly based upon the typical slender beam theory, or straight strength of material equations.

Thanks all for any guidance.  

RE: Pipe Support design

kryanl,
Go to www.pipingdesigners.com
Click on the training page and you will see the following:

Section III - Pipe Supports

A. Pipe Supports - Part 1, By: James O. Pennock
This is a discussion about the two basic categories of pipe supports (the primary pipe support systems, and the secondary pipe support systems).

B. Pipe Supports - Part 2, By: James O. Pennock
This is a discussion about the data requirements and the process of selection and qualification for the typical secondary pipe supports.

These articles may be of some help to you.
Good luck

RE: Pipe Support design

2
Hi kryanl,

Most old (existing) company standards need to be "freshened".

First of all you must recognize that the design of piping supports is completely controlled by Codes and Standards.  You should make yourself completely familiar with the ASME B31 Codes for Pressure Piping.  Go to ASME B31.1 (Power Piping) and read paragraph 120 (Loads on Piping Support Elements) and all its subparagraphs, paragraph 121 ( Design of Pipe Support Elements) and all its subparagraphs, paragraph 130 (Requirements for Fabricating and Attaching Pipe Supports) and all its subparagraphs.  Go to the ASME B31.3 (Process Piping) Code and read the analogous paragraphs.

Obtain the following MSS (Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry) Standards for your Company Library and become one with them:

MSS-SP-58 - Pipe Hangers and Supports: Materials, Design and Manufacture
MSS-SP-69 - Pipe Hangers and Supports: Selection and Application
MSS-SP-77 - Pipe Hangers and Supports: Guidelines for Pipe Support and Contractual Relationships
MSS-SP-89 - Pipe Hangers and Supports: Fabrication and Installation Practices
MSS-SP-90 - Pipe Hangers and Supports: Guidlines on Terminology for Pipe Hangers and Supports

The ASME B31 Pressure Piping Codes refer to the MSS Standards and thus make them part of the ASME B31 Codes.

Obtain copies of the catalogs of the major manufacturers of pipe hangers and supports.

Go here:

http://www.anvilintl.com/db/catalogs/Pipe_Hanger_Design-07.pdf

and download the Anvil-Grinnell Pipe Support design Manual and study it.

Look for a copy of the textbook titled "Piping and Pipe Support Systems by Tom Van Laan and Paul Smith.

Go Here:

http://catalog.asme.org/books/PrintBook/Process_Piping_Complete_Guide.cfm

and buy the book by Dr. Charles Becht IV.

This will give you a good start.  Then come back and ask some more questions.

Regards,John.

RE: Pipe Support design

it's too bad the forum format doesn't seem to allow for "stickies" - which are threads that are "stuck" at the top of the list so they are easy to find.

Methinks John's post should qualify for STICKY status.

Edward L. Klein
Pipe Stress Engineer
Houston, Texas

"All the world is a Spring"

All opinions expressed here are my own and not my company's.

RE: Pipe Support design

kryanl (Mechanical)

Piping Supports www.PIP.ORG

PNFS0001 - Pipe Supports Details

This Practice provides fabrication/installation details for pipe supports.  It describes the minimum requirements to fabricate and/or install supports for large and small bore piping.  PNFS0001 details provide dimensional and engineering requirements (excluding piping loads) for the selection and design of pipe supports.

 


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