Natural Gas Pipe sizing for 6,000,000 btuh 1

[TomWatson]

Could I get some help in verifing what N.G pressure would be required to move 6,000,000 btuh through 3" pipe 450 linear feet. I need 1-2 psig at the recieving end. Would 5 psig be adequate.

 

[KenRad]

Looking at the NG pipe sizing charts in the 2002 national fuel gas code, a 3" sch 40 pipe carrying about 40,000 cubic feet of NG per hour (about 40,000,000 BTU/hr) at an initial pressure of 5 psi will experience a 3.5 psi pressure drop for a 200 ft run. Obviously, your pressure drop will be much less at your 6,000,000 BTU/hr flow, even for a 450 ft run. I'm assuming that your pipe length includes the equivalent lengths for elbows and other fittings.

---KenRad

 

[katmar]

If the heating value of your NG is 1000 BTU/SCF then your flow is 6000 scfh or 100 scfm. By my calculation your presure drop would be less than 0.2 PSI in a 3" line. This agrees well with KenRad's numbers if you apply simple ratios.

The pressure drop would be less than 2 PSI in a 2" line. Looks like you've got yourself a nice safe situation.

 

[KenRad]

Thanks, karmar. I forgot to mention that I was assuming 1000 BTU/SCF, which will vary with different sources. The percentages of methane, ethane, etc in the mix will result in slightly different heating values.

---KenRad