Columns or Towers, used for distilling raw materials (Crude Oils) are very important equipments in any process

industry . Every process piping industry must have several columns. Lines of various diameter and properties ( rocess arameters) are connected to Columns at different elevations. !tress analysis of all large "ore lines connected to column are required to assess proper supporting and no##le loading. Loo$ing to the construction of column, it has num"er of trays at different elevation. Temperature at each tray location differs "ased on process. %n the following article % will try to e&plain the methodology followed for stress analysis of Column iping using Caesar %%. !tress analysis of Column iping will "e discussed in following points' (. %nputs required for analysis ). Temperature profile creation for the column*tower +. ,odelling in Caesar %% -. !upporting of Column Connected piping system and .. /o##le load qualification. 1. Inputs required for Analysis: The following data are required while modeling and analysing column connected lines' a) Column 0.1.drawing with all dimensions, no##le orientation, materials etc. ") Column temperature profile. c) Line 2esignation Ta"le* Line list*Line arameters and 3%2. d) Column line %!O. e) 1llowa"le no##le load ta"le as specified in ro4ect !pecification. 2. Temperature profile for Column/Tower: 2ifferent organi#ation uses different methods for creating column temperature profile. 5ere % will descri"e two methods which are most widely used. Temperature profiles for towers are normally created "ased on connected outlet lines. !o in the 3%2 mar$ the "ig si#e ("ig si#e means no##le si#e which will ma$e consideration impact in temperature change) column outlet no##les. Then write down the operating and design temperatures "eside those lines from line list. Lets assume that there are three "ig si#e (/(, /) and /+ as shown in 6ig. () outlet no##les in a typical tower. !o temperature profile for that column can "e created as shown in 6ig. (. This method is the most widely used method among prevailing E C industries.

6ig. (' Temperature profile creation for a typical tower7 ,ethod ( 1gain the temperature profile of the a"ove tower can "e generated using the method mentioned in 6ig. ). ,any of the organi#ations use this method too.

6ig. )' Temperature profile Creation for a typical Column 7,ethod ) 6ew organisation uses the operating and design temperatures mentioned in equipment 01 as the equipment operating and design temperature. 5owever the a"ove two methods mentioned will result in thermal growth close to reality. 3. Modeling the Column/Tower in Caesar II: 1ll equipment modeling are almost similar. !tart modeling the tower from the s$irt and go up or start from no##le of interest and go down till s$irt as per your choice. %t is a "etter practice to use node num"er such a way that the equipment nodes can easily "e separated from the piping nodes. % personally model equipments starting from node .888. Lets start from a typical no##le flange. !o model .8887.8)8 as no##le flange with no##le diameter and thic$ness as mentioned in equipment 01 drawing. !ometimes vendor 01 may not "e availa"le (during initial phase of the pro4ect), so in such situation use engineering drawing as the "asis for modeling. /ormally mechanical departments have minimum no##le thic$ness chart "ased on flange rating and corrosion allowance. Ta$e no##le thic$ness from that chart or otherwise assume no##le thic$ness as two si#e higher than the connected pipe thic$ness. 9se temperatures as mentioned in the a"ove two diagrams (6ig. ( or 6ig. )) from flange onwards, pressure, corrosion allowance, materials,

insulation thic$ness and density etc as mentioned in reference equipment drawing. Then model .8)8 to (8 as pipe element with length from reference drawing (/ormally no##le pro4ection from equipment centreline in provided, in that case calculate the no##le length "y su"tracting the equipment outside radius and flange length already modelled). rovide 1nchor at node (8 with Cnode at .8-8. roviding node num"er for no##les as (8, )8 etc will put all this nodes at initial nodes in restraint summary which helps me in chec$ing no##le loads very quic$ly. :ou can provide separate nodes if you wish. This completes the no##le model. /ow we will model the equipment. ,odel .8-8 to .8;8 as rigid "ody with #ero weight with length<half of equipment O2, material as provided in reference drawing, temperature as mentioned the a"ove figures, pressure and other parameters from reference equipment drawing. This element will ta$e you to the center of the equipment. 6rom this part onwards simply model the equipment as pipe elements ta$ing temperature profile as mentioned in the a"ove figures. Chec$ diameter and thic$ness in reference drawing as those values sometimes changes as you proceed from top towards s$irt. 6inally model the s$irt as pipe element with temperatures calculated as mention at the last paragraph of this topic and pressures, fluid density, corrosion allowance as #ero. rovide fi&ed anchor at "ottom of s$irt. =efer 6ig. + for a sample model of column. 2ifferent colors are for different temperatures.

6ig. +' 1 simple model of a Tower in Caesar %%

. !upporting of Column Conne"ted #iping !ystem: The pipes are normally supported from column itself. This type of supports are called cleat supports or clip supports. The first support from column no##le is a load ta$ing support which carries the total vertical load of the pipe. Try to place this load ta$ing support as near to the no##le as possi"le. =est all are guide supports. 1s the clips are connected to the tower "ody we have to model clips from column and connect the supports with a Cnode to ta$e the thermal effect of that location. The load "earing capacity of the clip supports are normally standardi#ed "y support standard. !o sometimes it may appear that the load at first load ta$ing support is e&ceeding the clip load "earing capa"ility (This could happen if a very large si#e line is connected towards the top of the column, overhead lines) . %n those cases we have to ta$e )nd support from no##le as a load ta$ing support as well. This support has to "e a !pring hanger support which will share part of the load of the first load ta$ing support. 6rom that point onwards guide supports will "e used "ased on standard guide span as specified in pro4ect specification. 1 sample Caesar %% model is shown in 6ig - for your reference to e&plain the clip supports. ,odel the clip as rigid "ody with #ero weight with equipment properties when inside equipment and with am"ient temperature when outside equipment.

6ig. -' Caesar %% model showing Clip*Cleat !upporting

$. %o&&le 'oad (ualifi"ation: 1llowa"le no##le loads are normally provided "y equipment vendor and mentioned in general arrangement drawing. 6ew organi#ation has standard load ta"le "ased on no##le diameter and flange rating. !o compare your calculated loads at no##le anchor point with this allowa"ale values to find if calculated loads are accepta"le or not. %f loads are e&ceeding the allowa"le values modify the supporting or routing to reduce your no##le loads. %n some situation when routing change is not feasi"le perform >=C as mentioned in one of my last articles or perform 6E1 (/o##le ro) to chec$ whether generated stresses are accepta"le. %n e&treme cases send your no##le loads to vendor for their acceptance. !)irt Temperature Cal"ulation: Calculate s$irt temperature following the given equation' 1verage !$irt Temperature<(T7Ta)?6@ TaA in degree centigrade 5ere Ta<1m"ient Temperature in degree CentigradeA T<Temperature at the top of the s$irtA 6<BC+.;* D(E?h*tF8..)@(...GHA E<insulation constant<(.8 for fire "ric$ insulation<(.; for non insulatedA h and t are s$irt height and thic$ness respectively.