Hanger Sizing

David Diehl

CAESAR II

Hanger Sizing Algorithm in

CAESAR II

© Intergraph 2013

Variable Supports

 Why are they required?

 A spring support can carry deadweight load
through some vertical travel.

© Intergraph 2013

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Selection Procedure –
1: Collect Data

 Calculate the “balancing load” at the specified

locations
 This load will remove all pipe sag due to weight
 This will be the design load for the operating position
(the operating load)
 (This load could also be chosen as the installed load.)

 Calculate the required (vertical) travel at each

location
 Determine the vertical travel to the operating position
but excluding weight sag

© Intergraph 2013

Selection Procedure –
1: How the Data is Collected

 Calculate the “balancing load” at the specified

locations
 Run a weight analysis with a rigid +Y restraint at each
hanger design location. [Assume “up” is +Y.]
 The +Y restraint load is the “balancing load”.

 Calculate the required (vertical) travel at each

location
 Replace the added +Y support with vertical (up) force
equal to the “balancing load”. Run an operating
analysis.
 Collect the vertical travel. Remove the added forces.

© Intergraph 2013

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Selection Procedure –
2: Find the Right Hanger

 What hanger can

carry 600 lbf after
traveling up 1/3
inch?
 Locate operating
load
 Find relative spring
position
 Move back to
installed position
 Read installed load © Intergraph 2013

Selection Procedure –
3: Check Load Variation

 Load Variation is defined as the change in load

as a percentage of the operating load.
 Oftentimes limited to 25%
 Here:
 Change in load is about 100 lbf
 Operating load is 600 lbf
 Load Variation is 16%

© Intergraph 2013

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Selection Procedure –
4: Identify the Hanger

 What hanger can

carry 600 lbf after
traveling up 1/3 inch?
 Size 8
 Short range spring
 Spring rate =
300 lbf/in
 Operating load =
600 lbf
 Change = 300*1/3
 Installed load = 700 lbf

© Intergraph 2013

Post Selection –
5: Include Selection in the Model

 The program may select a rigid restraint, a

spring support or a constant effort support.
 Selected supports are added to the model
for all piping system analyses
 Rigid restraints are represented as a rigid vertical
restraint
 Springs are represented as a flexible vertical
restraint (k=selected spring stiffness) AND a
preload (equal to the calculated installed load).
 Constant effort supports are represented as an
upward force and are listed in Restraint Reports.
© Intergraph 2013

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It’s that Simple

 Now, how do you get CAESAR II to do that?

© Intergraph 2013

CAESAR II Hanger Input Data

 There are four locations where hanger selection

data can be specified
 CAESAR II Configuration Settings
 Controls the current data folder in setting initial values
 Piping Input – Hanger Design Control Data
 Sets general control and initial setting values for the current
job
 Piping Input – Hanger Data (Checkbox)
 Sets selection parameters / specifies existing spring for the
job
 Load Case Setup – Load Case Options
 Establishes how hangers are treated in each load case
© Intergraph 2013

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Data Folder –
Configuration Settings (1/3)

 Hanger Default Restraint Stiffness

 1E12 by default; just like rigid stiffness
 Default Spring Hanger Table
 We currently reference 33 tables
 Hangers & Hanger CNode display (plot
colors)
 Suggest using different color for hangers
with CNodes (to identify different boundary
conditions)

© Intergraph 2013

Data Folder –
Configuration Settings (2/3)

 Ignore Spring Hanger Stiffness

 Used to match simpler, hand calculations (ignore
stiffness and apply only hot load)
 Can do this by hand
 NOT RECOMMENDED

© Intergraph 2013

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Data Folder –
Configuration Settings (3/3)

 Include Spring
Hanger Stiffness
in Hanger OPE
Travel Cases

© Intergraph 2013

Data Folder –
Configuration Settings (3/3)

 Include Spring Hanger Stiffness in Hanger OPE

Travel Cases
 This can reduce the travel demand on the hanger
 Sets Hanger Stiffness for “Operating for Hanger
Travel” to “As Designed” (instead of “Ignore”)

© Intergraph 2013

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Data Folder –
Configuration Settings (3/3)

 Include Spring Hanger Stiffness in Hanger OPE

Travel Cases
 Renames Theoretical Cold Load as Field Installed
Load
 Be careful. Confirm.

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input – Specific

Hanger Design Control Data (1/2)

 Specific Settings found only here:

 Number of Hanger
Design Operating
Load Cases
 Multiple Load Case
Design Options
 Calculate Actual
Cold Loads

© Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input – Specific

Hanger Design Control Data (1/2)

 Number of Hanger Design Operating Load

Cases
 Specifies the number of load cases to be considered
when designing spring hangers. This value may be
between 1 and 9 and corresponds to the number of
thermal load cases to be used in hanger design. If
more than one operating case is to be considered in
the hanger design then you must also select the
Multiple Load Case Design Option to use.
 This entry will control the number of analyses
required to select the hangers.

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input – Specific

Hanger Design Control Data (1/2)

 Multiple Load Case Design Options

 Whenever more than one thermal load case is used
in the hanger sizing algorithm, CAESAR II must know
how you want to weigh the results from the different
cases.
 As thermal strain can affect support loads, both the
hanger’s operating load and deflection can change.
 A two-pump installation where only one pump
operates at a time is a good application for multiple
load case hanger design.
 This option can be (re)set as part of the individual
hanger specification
© Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input – Specific

Hanger Design Control Data (1/2)

 Multiple Load Case Design Options (13 in all)

 Design based on a single Load Case (#1 - #9)
 Design for the maximum operating load
 Design for maximum travel
 Design for the average load and the average travel
 Design for the maximum load and the maximum
travel

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input – Specific

Hanger Design Control Data (1/2)

 For example:
Operating Case 1 (LC1) Operating Case 2 (LC2)

Design
for LC1

Design
for LC2

© Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input – Specific

Hanger Design Control Data (1/2)

 Here, set the Hanger

Design Control Data:
 Number of Hanger Design
Operating Load Cases = 2
 Multiple Load Case
Design Options =
Operating Case 1
 In model input, reset the
right spring:
Multiple Load Case
Design Options =
Operating Case 2
© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input – Specific

Hanger Design Control Data (1/2)

 Calculate Actual Cold Loads

 Indicates that CAESAR II makes one additional
analysis after hanger selection is complete and the
supports are included in the model. This analysis will
determine the actual installed loads that should be
used when the hangers are first activated (unblocked).
 This calculation tends to be important in the following
situations:
 The stiffness of the piping system is small.
 The stiffness of the hanger selected is high.
 The hanger travel is large. This is usually more important in
smaller diameter piping systems that are spring supported
away from equipment nozzles.
© Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input – General

Hanger Design Control Data (2/2)

 Default settings for new entries AND unspecified

settings for existing hanger locations. Entries
here do not replace existing data.

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input – General

Hanger Design Control Data (2/2)

 Allow Short Range Springs

 Turn this switch off if you do not wish to select short
range springs
 Allowable Load Variation (%)
 Load Variation is defined as the change in hanger
load divided by the hot load.
 Load Variation should not exceed 25% by
specification (B31.1 & MSS SP-69)
 Reduce load variation near sensitive equipment (e.g.
constant effort hangers have a load variation of about
6%)

© Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input – General

Hanger Design Control Data (2/2)

 Rigid Support Displacement Criteria

 If the vertical growth at the hanger location is less
than this value, CAESAR II will select a rigid rod (a Y
restraint)
 Maximum Allowed Travel Limit
 If operating deflection exceeds this value, CAESAR II
will select a constant effort support

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input – General

Hanger Design Control Data (2/2)

 Hanger Table
 Select one of the 33 manufacturer’s data sets
 Check boxes (more later)
 Extended Range – go beyond the “recommended”
range
 Cold Load – size spring to balance the cold load;
useful in aligning equipment
 Hot Load Centered – try to select a ”better” spring

© Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input –
Hanger Data

Locating a hanger

Selecting a hanger

Specifying a hanger

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input –
Node Data (1/3)

 Node / CNode
 Node: You define where the support should be
located.
 CNode: Think of the CNode as the other end of the
hanger (which may have vertical growth to be
included in the selection).

© Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input –
Design Data (2/3)

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input –
Design Data (2/3)

 Hanger Table
 CAESAR II provides 33 hanger manufacturer catalogues
 All have 3 spring sizes (e.g. short, mid & long range)
 Some have a fourth (extra long) size

Hanger Manufacturers in CAESAR II

Anvil Bergen Power Piping NPS Industries Lisega Fronek
Power
Piping Capitol Piping Services Basic Engineers Inoflex E. Myatt
Technology
SINOPEC BHEL Flexider Carpenter & Pipe Supports Ltd. Witzenmann
Paterson
Sarathi Myricks China Power Pipe Supports USA Quality Pipe PiHASA
Supports
Binder Gradior NHK PSSI GmbH Seonghwa Mitsubishi

Yamashita Sanwa Tekki Techno

Industrie

© Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input –
Design Data (2/3)

 Three check boxes can be used in combination

 Extended Range
 Historically, manufacturers assume the calculated
weights are incorrect. Accordingly, they design away
from the top and bottom of travel to allow proper field
adjustment. CAESAR II will permit design based on total
hanger travel.
 Cold Load
 This switch will select a spring which balances the dead
load in the installed (rather than operating) position.
Useful in aligning equipment.
 Hot Load Centered
 If the next size larger spring operates closer to the center
of total travel it (a more dependable spring) will be
selected .
© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input –
Design Data (2/3)

 Available Space
 Specifies the amount of room above or below the pipe where
you can install the hanger or can. If the value is negative,
then CAESAR II assumes that a can is to be installed.
 CAESAR II will select the spring only if its basic hanger/can
length is below the entered value.
 No space provided for hardware.

CAESAR II
CAESAR II CAESAR II true
value for value for
hangers cans

© Intergraph 2013

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David Diehl

Piping Input –
Design Data (2/3)

 Allowable Load Variation

 The general default value (specified in general Hanger
Control Data) can be modified here; as near pumps
 Rigid Support Displacement Criteria
 Often used on flexible, horizontal runs near risers, this setting
will select a rigid rod if the vertical growth at the hanger node
is less than the entered value
 Max. Allowed Travel Limit
 CAESAR II will select a constant effort support if not spring
can be properly sized. This switch will force a constant
support selection if the vertical growth at the hanger node
exceeds the entered value.

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input –
Design Data (2/3)

 No. Hangers at Location

 Specify where a single hanger is not practical, e.g. on risers
where two or more hangers would be required
 Note that CAESAR II will divide the total design load to be
carried between this count
 Allow Short Range Springs
 A local switch for controlling use of short range springs
 Operating Load (Total at Location)
 Usually specified after reviewing previous results, this entry
overrides the calculated design (typically, operating) load for
the hanger. Useful in fine tuning supports around sensitive
equipment

© Intergraph 2013

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David Diehl

Piping Input –
Design Data (2/3)

 Hanger Hardware Weight

 Hardware weight between the pipe and spring (e.g. long rods
on light springs) may alter the installed and operating spring
loads
 The entered value will be added to the design load but it will
not appear in the program’s restraint listings
 Multiple Load Case Design Option
 Use this option when the piping must operate at more than
one operating condition.
 Specify a specific operating case (e.g. Operating Case #1),
or use average/maximum values for travel/load based on the
number of hanger design operating load cases.

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input –
Design Data (2/3)

 Free Restraint at Node (2 entries allowed)

 The initial weight analysis will distribute load to each
boundary condition based on system stiffness
 The purpose of selecting a spring may be to unload a system
boundary. For example, a support at the top of a riser off a
pump should carry most of the riser weight with little load on
the pump below.
 Restraints for this initial weight analysis can be excluded for
this load case only to relocate load to the hangers
 Displacement sets are treated as restraints here.

 Free Code
 Indicate the direction of freedom (up, up & X, up & other
horizontal, all translation, all 6 DOF).
 Up is suggested and only when hanger is above this
restraint. © Intergraph 2013

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Piping Input –
Predefined Hanger Data (3/3)

© Intergraph 2013

Piping Input –
Predefined Hanger Data (3/3)

 Specifying (an Existing) Support

 Spring Rate AND Theoretical Cold (Installation) Load
 A calculated value, Theoretical Cold Load =
operating load + (pipe growth times)*(spring stiffness)
-or-
 Constant Effort Support Load
 Unlike an applied load (e.g. F1), this support load is treated
as a sustained load component and included in the restraint
table output.

 Note that if a Theoretical Cold Load is not entered,

CAESAR II will first attempt to use the existing spring
with recalculated loads
© Intergraph 2013

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David Diehl

Hanger Display

 Whether entered explicitly or specified for

design, CAESAR II shows these hangers in the
plot.
 If “Available Space” is negative, a different
symbol will be displayed.

© Intergraph 2013

Required Analyses
for Hanger Sizing

 With hanger selection indicated, CAESAR II will

display a note during error check stating the load
cases required for Hanger Selection:

Note the extra case if

Actual Installed Loads
are requested

© Intergraph 2013

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David Diehl

Load Case Setup –

Load Case Editor

Note
“StressType”

 Recommended Load Cases

 Estimate hanger operating load L1
 Estimate hanger travel L2
 Select supports and preloads from a catalog
 Calculate actual installed loads (if requested) L3
 Run additional load cases with selected supports and
preloads L4+ © Intergraph 2013

Load Case Setup –

Load Case Options

 Output Status
 General results for Load Cases with Stress Type of
HGR are suppressed
 As these results do not include the selected hangers,
it is unwise to activate their display (i.e. “Keep”)

© Intergraph 2013

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Load Case Setup –

Load Case Options

 Hanger Stiffness (Rigid, Ignore, As Designed)

 The initial weight case includes rigid +Y restraints.
 The operating travel for the spring (L2) has no
stiffness for the hangers. Deadweight sag is
eliminated by including the calculated (up) force from
L1.
© Intergraph 2013

Load Case Setup –

Multiple Hanger Design Cases

 Similar action when there are multiple operating

cases for hanger sizing. Here, two operating
cases are defined:

Error Check:

Load Case Editor:

© Intergraph 2013

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CAESAR II Hanger Results

© Intergraph 2013

CAESAR II Hanger Results

Hanger Table:

Hanger Table
with Text:

© Intergraph 2013

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Output (1/3)

 Hanger Table or Hanger Table W/ Text

4. Back-calculated
installed load = Hot Load
+ (k*vertical move.)

1. Calculated in initial 3. Here’s the spring

weight analysis rate that works
5. A single Anvil
Figure 82 (short) 2. Calculated in initial
size 7 spring operating analysis
selected at node 68.

© Intergraph 2013

Output (1/3)

 Hanger Table or Hanger Table W/ Text

7. The actual installed 6. Load

load was not calculated Variation shows the
change in load as a
percentage of the
design load

© Intergraph 2013

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Output (3/3)

 Hanger Table W/ Text

 Identifies other useful data:

8. Spring size

9. Minimum &
Maximum Spring Loads
are used to check
spring position
10. Clearance
required for
hanger/can body

© Intergraph 2013

Verify Program’s Selection

 “CAESAR II told me to buy that spring”

 Verify the purpose of the spring
 Hanger Report – Is the spring working near its
load limits?
 Restraint (Summary) Report –
 Is the spring carrying a proper load near equipment?
 What is the overall maximum & minimum load?
(CAESAR II does not “bottom out” of “lift off”,
automatically.)
 Displacement Report – Is there too much
horizontal deflection?
© Intergraph 2013

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Verify Program’s Selection

 Is the spring doing it’s job? Input:

© Intergraph 2013

Verify Program’s Selection

 Is the spring doing it’s job? Results:

 No, a bigger spring would pull more load off the pump!

 Spring:
Anvil Fig. 82
Size 6
Hot Load=390
k=168 Hanger
load

Pump load
© Intergraph 2013

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Verify Program’s Selection

 Is the spring doing it’s job? Fix:

© Intergraph 2013

Verify Program’s Selection

 Is the spring doing it’s job? Results:

 Much better!

 Spring:
Anvil Fig. 82
Size 7
Hot Load=558
k=224 Hanger
load

Pump load
© Intergraph 2013

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David Diehl

Verify Program’s Selection

 Is the spring doing it’s job? Fine Tuning:

 Pump load
ranges from
+41 (cold) to
-124 (hot)
 If spring carries
an additional
42, pump is
+83 (cold) to
-82 (hot) 
 New hot spring
load = 558+42
© Intergraph 2013

Verify Program’s Selection

 Is the spring doing it’s job? Results:

Specified
HGR Load

Same spring, different set load

“Balanced”
Pump Load

© Intergraph 2013

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Odds & Ends

© Intergraph 2013

Zero Load

 Review hanger
locations when
CAESAR II notes
that hangers are
not carrying
weight.
 During Solution

© Intergraph 2013

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Zero Load

 Review hanger
locations when
CAESAR II notes
that hangers are
not carrying
weight.
 In the Solver
 In the Hanger
Table

© Intergraph 2013

Zero Load

 Investigate by replicating the weight case


© Intergraph 2013

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Hot Load Centered

 Many designers prefer that the hot load be as

close as possible to the middle of the spring
table. This provides as much variability as
possible in both directions.
 The CAESAR II design algorithm will move to a
higher size spring if the design load is closer to
the middle of the larger spring's range.
 CAESAR II attempts to move the hot load to the
next higher spring (of the same type) when it is
within 10% of the maximum travel range for the
spring.
© Intergraph 2013

Hot Load Centered

 Hot Load Centered – Inactive

Hot Load
within 10%

© Intergraph 2013

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Hot Load Centered

 Hot Load = 653 lbf / Vertical Growth = -0.35 in

548


635

574

635
10%

© Intergraph 2013

Hot Load Centered

 Hot Load Centered – Active

© Intergraph 2013

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Two springs

 Read the number!

 If a single, large spring is too big to fit in the

available space, CAESAR II may select two
smaller springs.
 (Also a hanger selection specification.)
© Intergraph 2013

Actual Cold Load

 Why calculate “Actual” Cold Load?

 A hanger designed to balanced the operating load is
out of balance in the installed position. Using the
“Theoretical Cold Load” as the installed spring set
point may prevent easy removal of blocks to place the
hanger in service.
 Adjusting rods to provide this “Theoretical Cold Load”
may move the pipe rather than compress the spring –
so operating load will be off.
 Better to provide “Hot Load” and “Actual Cold Load”
when ordering the spring.

© Intergraph 2013

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Actual Cold Load

 Variation between “Theoretical Cold Load” &

“Actual Cold Load” is caused by:
 Relative stiffness between piping system and the
spring
 Large load variation with a flexible line
 Available dead load when springs are unblocked (e.g.
adjusting a spring to carry fluid weight while the pipe
is empty.

© Intergraph 2013

Actual Cold Load

 At times, accounting for this difference (between

actual and theoretical) cold load may reduce the
required spring travel.
 Perhaps allowing the use of a shorter range spring
 Try using the “Include Spring Hanger Stiffness in
Hanger OPE Travel Cases” switch or set the Load
Case Option.

© Intergraph 2013

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Actual Cold Load

Default
selection

Include spring
stiffness in
initial
operating
analysis

© Intergraph 2013

Actual Cold Load

 Groups of springs can cause additional issues

 Here there many hangers selected for a flexible

run. The combined load differential (installed v.
operating) along with the added spring stiffness
pulls the line more than necessary. And the
selected hangers show this.

© Intergraph 2013

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Actual Cold Load

Default Selection Include Stiffness
Same (Total) Loads

Different Springs!

Different Travels

© Intergraph 2013

Springs Loads Change as Pipe

Moves Vertically

 One balance position with springs

 That’s our design load
 Default is operating (“hot”) but can be set to installed
(“Cold Load Design”)
 Other positions are out of balance
 Limited by Load Variation (default limit is 25%)
 Usually this is acceptable

 You will see this out of balance by (minor) spring

deflection in the installed (SUS) analysis

© Intergraph 2013

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Hanger Sizing Algorithm

in CAESAR II

 Questions? Comments?

© Intergraph 2013

Hanger Sizing Algorithm in

CAESAR II

Thank You

© Intergraph 2013

CAU Express 2013 37