The confusion of young pipeline workers!
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I often hear veteran colleagues say: 1. When installing pipes, minimize the number of bends and strive to keep them straight and horizontal to maintain an attractive appearance of the piping. 2. For pipelines under stress (which is the case for most pipelines), it is recommended to have more bends in order to minimize the stress as much as possible. These two viewpoints seem contradictory, confusing many young colleagues new to piping work. I would appreciate some advice from experienced colleagues and experts with many years of experience in piping work on how to better resolve this contradiction. Thanks! This post was last edited by hutom123 on 2009-3-24 16:53]
It’s clearly the same principle as having to choose between fish and bear paws...
In fact, there is no contradiction. For pipelines with large diameters and large temperature differences, it is necessary to install appropriate bends to compensate for stresses and prevent equipment damage. However, more bends are not necessarily better; calculations are required to determine the number and length of bends needed to meet the compensation requirements.
Saying “fish and bear paws” isn’t quite appropriate. Technology is a highly precise field; aesthetics are a requirement that comes after ensuring technical quality. Those involved in pipeline layout should understand that all piping methods are designed to meet process requirements, pipeline layout standards, as well as safety, health, and environmental considerations. Only after all these conditions are met can factors such as convenience, neatness, and aesthetics be taken into account. Therefore, there is a clear distinction between the above two points; they are not to be viewed on an equal footing.
For applications with stress requirements, the needs of stress calculation must be met first; on that basis, elbows should be used as little as possible. There is no contradiction.
I think it depends on an individual’s experience; to do a good job with piping, I believe at least 5 years of design experience is required
The design of pipelines may seem simple, but it actually requires balancing various factors; otherwise, many unexpected problems will arise during construction and maintenance
Try to take as few turns as possible; avoid unnecessary turns. The necessary bends, which are required to achieve the desired flexibility of the pipeline, cannot be omitted. As mentioned on the 4th floor: those familiar with pipeline layout should understand that all methods of piping are designed to meet the requirements of the process flow, pipeline layout standards, as well as safety, health, and environmental protection considerations. Only after these requirements are met can factors such as convenience, neatness, and aesthetics be taken into account. . .
Reducing stress is the most important; aesthetic considerations should be taken into account only once the stress requirements are met
It is necessary to ensure that the pipelines remain as straight and level as possible to maintain an attractive appearance. For pipelines under stress, they should still look good while meeting the stress requirements; of course, this is not absolute – sometimes there are requirements for them to be tilted at a certain angle. It’s necessary to consider each situation individually
All piping methods are designed with the process requirements, pipeline layout specifications, as well as safety, health, and environmental protection in mind; only after meeting these criteria can considerations such as convenience, neatness, and aesthetics be taken into account.
The pipe must first meet the stress requirements at bends; if these stress conditions are satisfied, there is no need to add additional elbows.
I basically agree with what was said on the 3rd floor; what the original poster mentioned isn’t contradictory. In situations where there is a large temperature difference between the inside and outside of the pipes, such as in steam pipes that are over 50 meters long, an expansion joint should be installed to reduce the stress caused by thermal expansion of the pipes and thus prevent damage. When excluding destructive environments, try to minimize the use of elbows during piping to reduce pressure losses.
Pipes under stress must have measures taken to avoid such conditions. Increasing the number of bends is inevitable, but more bends are not necessarily better; moreover, additional bends affect pressure and flow velocity
Consider aesthetics while meeting stress requirements
My feeling is that it’s not about the number of turns, but rather the overall impression. When looking at the device at a glance, if it seems to have only horizontal and vertical elements, then the piping is well-designed; if there are also horizontal, vertical, and diagonal elements, or if it even resembles a **network**, then the design lacks order.
I’ve just started working in this area, and it seems that there’s a lot to know about piping systems; I have a lot to learn.
The key is the issue of stress calculation.
It is important to note that flexible pipes must first meet the stress requirements; of course, they should also be aesthetically pleasing while satisfying those stress criteria. For pipes where stress is not a concern, it is sufficient to minimize bends as long as the process requirements are met. This makes it look better.
Avoiding unnecessary turns means not adding extra, pointless turns; for example, if a path in the shape of an “L” can be used, avoid using a path in the shape of a “Z”.
Being horizontal and vertical helps to reduce flow resistance; avoiding sharp turns also serves to reduce resistance, while it is necessary to ensure airtightness to prevent leaks