Process Plant Piping Design Guide: Burner, Offsite, Yard & Tank Farm

II JAY SHRI KRISHNA II

Piping systems are the lifeblood of any process plant, ensuring the seamless flow of fluids, gases, and energy throughout the facility. The design and construction of these systems require careful consideration of numerous factors to ensure safety, efficiency, and reliability. This article delves into critical aspects of piping design in process plants, focusing on burner piping, offsite and yard piping, and tank farm piping.

Burner, Offsite - Yard and Tank Farm Piping

Burner piping, a crucial component of fired heaters, necessitates meticulous design to ensure optimal combustion and prevent safety hazards. Proper sizing, material selection, and installation are essential for efficient fuel delivery and minimizing the risk of leaks or fires.

Process Plant Piping
Design Guide

Offsite and yard piping, encompassing a wide range of systems from raw material storage to product dispatch, demands careful planning and routing to optimize space utilization, minimize construction costs, and ensure easy maintenance.

Tank farm piping presents unique challenges due to the potential for tank settlement and the need for reliable connections between storage tanks and associated equipment. This section will explore best practices for designing and installing tank farm piping, including the use of valve manifolds, considerations for tank movement, and the importance of proper pipe support.

By understanding these key considerations, engineers and contractors can design and construct robust and efficient piping systems that contribute to the overall success of process plants. Now, let's explore each of these areas in more detail.

Burner Piping at Fired Heaters

1. Burner Piping Considerations:

To ensure safe and efficient operation, burner piping must be strategically located.

Avoid obstructing access points and observation windows of the heater.

Maintain ample space for the removal of heater tubes during maintenance.

Incorporate unions and flexible connectors in the piping for easy burner removal and maintenance.

2. Fuel Gas Supply Piping:

The fuel gas supply piping system must be designed to deliver fuel evenly to all burners.

Essential components like condensate legs, knockout pots, or other approved methods should be included to effectively remove condensate.

Offsite and Yard Piping

1. Offsite Piping Systems:
Offsite and Yard Piping

Offsite piping encompasses various critical systems, including:

Raw product import and storage facilities.

Intermediate/finished product storage tanks.

Product dispatch and loading terminals.

2. Utility Systems:

Essential utility systems include:

Steam, condensate, and boiler feedwater systems.

Compressed air systems (including service and instrument air).

Cooling water systems.

Caustic soda systems.

Flare systems.

Fire protection systems.

Storage Tanks

1. Types of Storage Tanks:

Cone roof tanks.

Floating roof tanks.

2. Tank Farm Design:

Storage tanks are typically grouped within earthen dykes (tank farms) for containment.

Tank farm design and arrangement are subject to strict regulations and require approval from the Chief Inspector of Explosives to ensure safety and fire protection.

Key considerations include:

Proper tank spacing based on product classification.

Prohibition of any support structures, electrical installations, or unrelated equipment within the tank farm, except for those directly connected to the tanks.

Restriction on tank dyke height, typically not exceeding 2 meters.

Pumping Stations

Types of Pumping Facilities:

1. Feed charge pumps:

These pumps are crucial for transferring fluids from storage tanks to process units.

They are often designed for high flow rates and may incorporate features like variable speed drives to optimize energy consumption.

2. Intertransfer pumps:

These pumps facilitate the movement of fluids between different storage tanks within the plant or between different storage locations within the facility.

They are essential for inventory management and may be required to handle various fluid properties and viscosities.

3. Loading pumps:

These pumps are used to transfer products from storage tanks to loading terminals for transportation to offsite locations.

They are typically designed to meet specific loading rates and may require specialized features such as metering pumps for accurate product delivery.

Pumping Station Guidelines:

1. Group pumps for common services together in a single location for improved efficiency and maintenance. This centralized approach allows for shared infrastructure, such as power supplies and control systems, and simplifies maintenance activities.

It also facilitates the implementation of common safety and environmental protection measures.

2. Ensure easy accessibility of pumping stations from roadways. This ensures that maintenance crews and emergency response teams can quickly reach the pumping station in case of any issues or incidents.

Easy accessibility also improves the efficiency of logistics operations, such as the delivery of spare parts and the removal of equipment for maintenance.

3. Provide ample space around pumps to facilitate operation and maintenance activities. Sufficient space allows for safe and efficient installation, operation, and maintenance of pumps and associated equipment.

It also prevents interference with other plant operations and minimizes the risk of accidents.

4. Implement a proper drainage system to collect and dispose of pump leakage and valve drippings. This helps to prevent environmental contamination and ensures compliance with environmental regulations.

A well-designed drainage system also minimizes the risk of slips, trips, and falls due to accumulated fluids.

Tank Farm Piping

1. Valve Manifolds:
Tank Farm Piping

In cases where multiple tanks share common inlet and outlet points, valve manifolds are used to connect incoming and outgoing lines.

These manifolds should be located outside the tank farm for easy accessibility from roadways.

Valves, operating platforms, and crossovers should be strategically installed to facilitate operations.

2. Tank Settlement Considerations:

Excessive tank settlement can induce stress on the connected piping.

This issue can be mitigated by careful piping analysis and by placing the first pipe support sufficiently far from the tank nozzle.

Drawings

1. General Arrangement Drawings:

These drawings provide an overall view of the piping system, incorporating all the considerations mentioned above. They serve as the foundation for subsequent detailed design and construction.

2. Isometric Drawings:

Isometric drawings are created based on the general arrangement drawings.

These drawings are proportionally accurate but not to scale.

Typically, isometric drawings are prepared for lines 2 inches and above and serve as the basis for piping fabrication.

Conclusion:

This document outlines critical considerations for designing and constructing burner piping, offsite and yard piping, and tank farm piping systems in process plants. By adhering to the guidelines outlined, including proper pipe sizing and support, adequate drainage, and strategic equipment placement, engineers and contractors can ensure the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of these vital components within the process plant.

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