Piping Best Practices

Best Practices in Piping Design for the Refining and Chemical Processing Industry

Custom-Engineered for Easier Maintenance, Improved Reliability and Performance, and Quicker Updates and Changes

Call on Armstrong for expert best piping practices, designed to meet the specific requirements of each unit, each refinery, or or your entire company, in locations throughout the world.

Schedule an On-site System Assessment

  • Drain Points

    • Steam Trap Location Points – Steam Main Header   

      Install condensate drain points with steam traps. Saturated Steam: Every 150-300 feet (25-50 m). Superheated Steam: Every 300-500 feet (50-75 m)

      Steam Trap Location Points – Steam Main Header

    • Steam Trap Location Points – Steam Valve Station Drainage   

      Install steam traps before normally closed manual valves, pressure reducing valves and control valves.

      Steam Trap Location Points – Steam Valve Station Drainage

      Steam Trap Location Points – Steam Valve Station Drainage

    • Steam Trap Location Points – Steam Main Header   

      Install condensate drain points with steam traps at the bottom of any vertical lift regardless of the steam flow direction.

      Steam Trap Location Points – Steam Main Header

    • Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main / Header / Line   

      Installation of air vents at end of main location will prevent air being trapped in steam header, especially during start-up periods.

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

      All steam distribution lines should be installed with a correct slope. Per ASME 31.1 and 31.3, lines that contain a steam/water mix, or require draining periodically, should be pitched downward approx. ½ inch per 10 foot in the direction of flow.

  • Drip Pockets

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Saturated (≤ 650 psig /45 barg)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Saturated (≤ 650 psig /45 barg)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

       

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Saturated (≤ 650 psig /45 barg)  

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated (≤ 650 psig & 600°F / 45 barg & 315°C)   

       

      Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated (≤ 650 psig & 600°F / 45 barg & 315°C)

      Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated (≤ 650 psig & 600°F / 45 barg & 315°C)

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated (≤ 650 psig & 600°F / 45 barg & 315°C)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated (≤ 650 psig & 600°F / 45 barg & 315°C)   

      Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated (≤ 650 psig & 600°F / 45 barg & 315°C)

      Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated (≤ 650 psig & 600°F / 45 barg & 315°C)

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Saturated (650 ≤ 1,800 psig / 45 ≤ 124 barg )   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap - Superheated Single Block and Bleed (650 ≤ 1,245 psig @ 900°F / 45 ≤ 86 barg @ 482°C)   

      Steam Main Header Drip Trap - Superheated Single Block and Bleed (650 ≤ 1,245 psig @ 900°F / 45 ≤ 86 barg @ 482°C)

      Steam Main Header Drip Trap - Superheated Single Block and Bleed (650 ≤ 1,245 psig @ 900°F / 45 ≤ 86 barg @ 482°C)

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Double Block and Bleed (650 ≤ 1,245 psig @ 900 °F / 45 ≤ 86 barg @ 482°C)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated, Double Block and Bleed (650 ≤ 1,245 psig @ 900 °F/45 ≤ 86 barg @ 482°C)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Steam Main Header Drip Trap – Superheated, Double Block and Bleed (650 ≤ 1,245 psig @ 900 °F / 45 ≤ 86 barg @ 482°C)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

  • Process Heaters

    • Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger – Horizontal – Saturated Steam on Shell Side (≤ 650 psig /45 barg)
 Constant Positive Differential Pressure (Non-Stall)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger – Horizontal – Saturated Steam on Shell Side (≤ 200 psig /14 barg)
 Modulating Differential Pressure (Stall) – Closed System   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger – Horizontal – Saturated Steam on Tube Side (≤ 650 psig /45 barg) 
Constant Positive Differential Pressure (Non-Stall)  

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger – Horizontal – Saturated Steam on Tube Side (≤ 200 psig / 14 barg) 
Modulating Differential Pressure (Stall) – Closed System  

       

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

       

    • Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger – Vertical – Saturated Steam on Tube Side (≤ 650 psig / 45 barg) 
Constant Positive Differential Pressure (Non-Stall)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger – Vertical – Saturated Steam on Shell Side (≤ 200 psig /14 barg)
 Modulating Differential Pressure (Stall) – Closed System  

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

       

    • Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger – Vertical – Saturated Steam on Tube Side (≤ 650 psig / 45 barg) 
Constant Positive Differential Pressure (Non-Stall)   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

    • Shell & Tube Heat Exchanger – Vertical – Saturated Steam on Tube Side (≤ 200 psig / 14 barg) 
Modulating Differential Pressure (Stall) – Closed System   

      Steam Trap Location Points – End of Steam Main/Header/Line

  • Open Systems

    • Condensate from Multiple Sources – Saturated (≤ 150 psig / 10 barg) Negative Differential Pressure – Open System   

      Condensate from Multiple Sources – Saturated (≤ 150 psig / 10 barg) Negative Differential Pressure – Open System

    • Condensing Steam Turbine – Saturated (≤ 150 psig / 10 barg) Negative Differential Pressure – Closed System   

      Condensing Steam Turbine – Saturated (≤ 150 psig / 10 barg) Negative Differential Pressure – Closed System

  • Turbines

    • Steam Turbine Saturated – Single Stage Positive Differential Pressure (≤ 650 Psig/ 45 Bar Saturated)   

      Steam Turbine Saturated – Single Stage Positive Differential Pressure (≤ 650 Psig/ 45 Bar Saturated)

    • Steam Turbine Saturated – Multiple Stages Positive Differential Pressure (≤ 650 Psig/ 45 Bar Saturated)   

      Steam Turbine Saturated – Multiple Stages Positive Differential Pressure (≤ 650 Psig/ 45 Bar Saturated)

    • Steam Turbine – Single Stage Positive Differential Pressure Low Pressure (≤ 450 Psig/ 31 Bar Superheated)   

      Steam Turbine – Single Stage Positive Differential Pressure Low Pressure (≤ 450 Psig/ 31 Bar Superheated)

    • Steam Turbine – Single Stage Positive Differential Pressure High Pressure (≤ 1245 Psig/ 86 Bar Superheated)   

      Steam Turbine – Single Stage Positive Differential Pressure High Pressure (≤ 1245 Psig/ 86 Bar Superheated)

    • Steam Turbine Superheated – Multiple Stages Positive Differential Pressure Low Pressure (≤ 450 Psig/ 31 Bar Superheated)   

      Steam Turbine Superheated – Multiple Stages Positive Differential Pressure Low Pressure

    • Steam Turbine – Multiple Stages Positive High Pressure (450 Psig ≤ 1245 Psig/ 31 Bar ≤ 86 Bar Superheated)   

      Steam Turbine – Multiple Stages Positive High Pressure (450 Psig ≤ 1245 Psig/ 31 Bar ≤ 86 Bar Superheated)

  • Flares

    • Flare Systems – Single Steam Supply (≤ 200 psig / 14 barg) Closed System   

      Flare Systems – Single Steam Supply (≤ 200 psig / 14 barg) Closed System

    • Flare Systems – Multiple Steam Supplies (≤ 150 psig / 10 barg) Open System   

      Flare Systems – Multiple Steam Supplies (≤ 150 psig / 10 barg) Open System

  • Storage Tanks

    • Storage Tank Coil Types   

      Storage Tank Coil Types

    • Storage Tank – Saturated – Single Steam Supply Constant Pressure (Non-Stall) (0 ≤ 650 psig / 0 ≤ 45 barg)   

      Storage Tank – Saturated – Single Steam Supply Constant Pressure (Non-Stall) (0 ≤ 650 psig / 0 ≤ 45 barg)

    • Storage Tank – Saturated – Single Steam Supply Modulating Pressure (Stall) (0 ≤ 200 psig / 0 ≤ 14 barg)   

      Storage Tank – Saturated – Single Steam Supply Modulating Pressure (Stall) (0 ≤ 200 psig / 0 ≤ 14 barg)

    • Multiple Storage Tanks – Saturated – Single Steam Supply Constant Pressure (≤ 150 psig /10 barg)   

      Multiple Storage Tanks – Saturated – Single Steam Supply Constant Pressure (≤ 150 psig /10 barg)

  • Tracing

    • Steam Tracing Systems   

      Steam Tracing Systems

      Steam Tracing Systems