pipe inspect/cleaning
pipe inspect/cleaning
(OP)
OK...I'm an aerospace guy who has suddenly been asked to design a small bio-diesel tank farm. So, obviously, I'm not familiar with petro chemical or standard piping practices. But you do what you have to do so....My first question really is about inspection and cleaning. Do I need to design the piping system so that it can be opened up periodically for routine maintenance? How often would this kind of internal inspection occur (standard industry practice)?





RE: pipe inspect/cleaning
Save that one for later.
My first question is what design specification are you using? Do you have a copy? B3.3? It is a stated in the code that you are required to have experience with the application of the code in order that you can perform a design using that code.
I strongly advise against this folly. It is not a situation in which you should suddenly find yourself. It should not happen until after you have about 5 years experience at designing chemical plants and piping under some engineer with 15 years or more of experience himself.
"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
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http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: pipe inspect/cleaning
Let's say you just got on an airplane. It is one of those BIG 747s. You settle in your seat. Row 73, Seat A.
While you are still at the gate here comes a flight attendent down the aisle. She stops at your row and says to you, "Go up front, you are going to be the pilot for this flight." You say "I'm not familiar with flying a plane or standard flight practices. But you do what you have to do so."
Would you put 400 peoples lives in danger? No!
If a novice gets involved in the designing of a process plant that is located close to a populated area and something happened because the design was wrong then many more than 400 people are at risk.
You need to tell your boss to find someone else.
RE: pipe inspect/cleaning
I'd be much more concerned about piping specs and welding.
Bio-diesel? I agree withe BigInch, avoid this folly.
<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying " Damn that was fun!" - Unknown>>
RE: pipe inspect/cleaning
I was thinking of going that route, "You're sitting in a 747 ... 45,000 ft... -80ºC ... somewhere over the far North Atlantic... and somebody tells you that BigInch designed the fuel system to B1.4 & A53"
uotec, depends on the bio-type you're making it with. Some of it can get pretty cruddy on the way through.
"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
***************
http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: pipe inspect/cleaning
As for the cruddy one, then you need to make provisions for maintenance flushing, not actually opening the pipe and cleaning it, I don't think.
If it is only a tank farm, this should be a low pressure, low temperature application. A sched 40-80 CS piping should suffice.
But we are talking just piping, there are a bunch of things that have to be considered when building a tank farm other than just the piping.
<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying " Damn that was fun!" - Unknown>>
RE: pipe inspect/cleaning
I just want my stuff to at least be in the realm of normal industry practice. I've been told there will be a process engineer to handle the final designs later.
RE: pipe inspect/cleaning
Whiskey - neat, please.
"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
***************
http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: pipe inspect/cleaning
<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying " Damn that was fun!" - Unknown>>
RE: pipe inspect/cleaning