Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Steady State
Flow induced turbulence (FIT):
Mechanical excitation
High frequency acoustic excitation (HFAE):
Pulsation
reciprocating machinery or rotating stall
flow induced excitation
Cavitation and Flashing
Transient Issues
Fast acting valves
Vibration Mechanisms
Assessment Process Energy Inst. Guidelines
Approach relevant
to all stages of
project life.
Should be
addressed at
FEED
Particularly
important for
process or plant
changes (MoC)
Assessment Approach (Energy Inst. Guidelines)
3 Lines
Screening Survey Outputs
Small Bore Connection Assessment
Small Bore Connection Bracing
Examples of Good and the Less Good
Case Study 1: Compressor Pipework
Background:
Suction
Dead Leg A Line
Recycle
Line Dead Leg B
Discharge
Line
Analysis of Deadlegs
Quarter Wave
d
Acoustic Frequencies Side Branch
L
Vortex Shedding
Frequencies
Vortices
Flow Flow
140
Quarter Wave Vortex Shedding
Acoustic Frequencies Frequencies
120
f5/4
Natural Frequency (Hz)
100
80
2,1
location of valve
40
20 f1/4 1,1
0
0 50000 100000 150000 200000 250000 300000 350000 400000 450000 500000
Flow Rate (kg/hr)
Case Study 2: RV Piping
Danger
0.1
Correction
Marginal
Design
Perception Level
0.01
1 10 100 1000
Frequency (Hz)
Detailed Analysis: Vortex Shedding Frequency
Spectral densities of flow kinetic energy and pressure traces at the RV take-off
mouths are used to estimate dominant vortex shedding frequencies at each
mouth. Examples are shown below.
Dominant shedding
frequency is 10.5 Hz
for this 18 inch take-off
Flow
Root Cause of Vibration
Field data and analysis indicate that the root cause of vibrations is due to
lock-in of RV take-off mouth vortex shedding frequency and RV take-off
piping (standing wave) acoustic resonant frequency.
Flow
Analysis Summary
Vortex shedding frequencies and first acoustic natural frequencies of RV piping
are too close!
Based on flow & acoustic analyses a response curve (for the 18 inch take-offs)
which predicts the onset of pulsations can be constructed:
Move the relief valves closer to the take-off points. This will have the effect of
increasing the acoustic resonant frequencies of the RV piping.
Modify the RV take-off mouths to minimize / weaken vortex shedding. Example:
Forge entrance pieces to provide a 45-deg funnel into the RV piping. Minimize
flow-tripping weld protrusions when welding the piece in place. Some
simulation work is recommended to ensure that a design would work.
Install orifice plates just upstream of the take-off points. The plates will
suppress vortex shedding and increase the acoustic resonant frequencies of the
RV piping. The plates would have to be carefully designed to retain original
relief capacity.
Detailed Analysis Potential Approaches
Conclusions