Does It exist a simple way to find allowable level of vibration for gas piping systems with reciprocating compressors? Where should I look for any information?
Get ASME OM-3, Preoperational Vibration Testing of Class 1 Nuclear Power Plant Piping. The velocity and displacement limits provided therein were actually developed based on experience with gas piping with reciprocating compressors.
Another approach, in the 2004 edition of ASME B31.3, an "endurance limit" f factor of 0.15 is provided. So if the displacement stress range is less than 0.15[1.25(Sc + Sh) - SL], the system is considered good for an unlimited number of cycles.
Last I heard was maybe April. I doubt they're still going to call it the 2004 edition at this point. Apparently getting the big new release of the BP&V code caused B31.3 to slip.
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.
I am fairly sure it will remain the 2004 edition, just a late edition. When B31.1 came out a year late last time, it had the originally intended year of publication as the edition. Further, B31.3 remains on a two year schedule and the next edition will be 2006 (hopefully published this coming time in 2006). I also heard publication remains about a month away...........but I am not counting on any quoted date.
See the ASME Seminar Piping Design and stress Analysis Seminar, by Quy Trong or the paper Escape piping vibration while designing , by J C Wachel, Hydrocarbon Processing October 1976 ( can be downloaded )
Wachel & Bates, 1976, ASME Paper 76-Pet-18 give frequency-dependent allowable piping vibration limits in mils peak to peak. For 1,30 and 200 Hz frequencies and various corrective action states the values are:
Design-13,2.9,0.9 mils p-p
Marginal-29,5.5,1.9 mils p-p
Correct-58,11,3.6 mils p-p
Danger-130,30,9.5 mils p-p
