Proceedings World Geothermal Congress 2000

Kyushu - Tohoku, Japan, May 28 - June 10, 2000

DETERMINATION OF THE OPTIMAL PIPE SUPPORT SPANS FOR GEOTHERMAL

PIPELINES

Kevin Koorey1
1
Century Drilling and Energy Services (NZ) Limited, 166 Karetoto Road, Wairakei, Box 341, Taupo, New Zealand

Key Words; geothermal, pipelines Piping design codes (eg. B31.1), give limits on the stress due
to sustained loads in terms of pressure (P) and bending
ABSTRACT moments due to pipe and contents weight (MA)

Optimising (maximising) the spacing of the supports on PDo 1000(.75i) M A

geothermal two phase, steam and water pipelines will produce + ≤ 1.0 S h (1)
4t n Z
construction cost savings. Equations for calculating the
maximum span for design code ASME B31.1 and continuous
pipelines are given. A method for optimising the pipe spans on Where:
a typical geothermal pipeline expansion loop is described. P= Design Pressure. MPa
Do = Outside diameter of pipe. mm
1 INTRODUCTION tn = Wall thickness of pipe less allowances. mm
i= Stress intensification factor. For straight pipe 0.75i = 1.
Geothermal pipelines typically consist of steel piping MA = the square root of the sum of the squares of the
supported at regular intervals on steel supports embedded in bending moments due to sustained loads. N.m
concrete foundations. Sh = Allowable stress (from code) (MPa)
Z= Section modulus. mm3
The distance between supports is the span.
For an infinitely long pipeline line with equal support
The supports consist of an upright embedded in the foundation, spacing.
the slipper (shoe) attached (welded) to the pipe and an optional
saddle between the slipper and the pipe. See figure 1. Saddles wl 2
MA = (2)
(reinforcing plates) are used when additional strength is 12
required at the point of attachment of the slipper to the pipe. Where:
To allow for the thermal expansion of the pipeline the slipper w= the unit weight of the pipe, insulation and contents.
slides on the support. (Nm-1)
l= the pipe span (m)
Designers use variations on the simple support, shown in
figure 1, to control the forces on the pipeline due to thermal Substituting for MA in (1) gives
expansion, earthquake and other loads. Fully fixed supports
(anchors) and supports that prevent sideways movement
PDo 10000wl 2
(guides) are commonly used. + ≤ Sh (3)
4t n 12Z
Pipelines are constructed with offsets or bends (elbows) to
compensate for thermal expansion. The bends allow the piping Solving for maximum l and substituting for Z gives
to move sideways rather than compress which would happen
if the pipeline was run in a straight line between anchors. See
figure 2. 
l max ≤  S h −
PDo
  (
 12  π D 4 − (D − 2t n )4 ) (4)
4t n  1000w  32 D 
   
A geothermal steamfield may consist of pipelines with
hundreds of supports. If each support costs, say $1000 to build
Applying equation (4) to an example of a 500NPS STD
then optimising (maximising) spans to give a 10 to 20%
water/brine line, 2mm wall thinning allowance and a design
decrease in the number of supports is worth while.
pressure of 25 bar.g gives a maximum span of 18.8m.
2 CALCULATION OF MAXIMUM PIPE SPAN
The above calculated span is considerably longer than the
suggested maximum span in B31.1, table 121.5 of only 9.1m.
2.1 General Stresses
Table 121.5 is conservative and only allows a bending stress
of 15.9MPa, where as the bending stress in the above
The stresses acting through the pipe wall at supports due to
example is 61.2MPa.
sustained loads are:
2.2 Local Stresses
1. Pressure stresses, longitudinal and hoop.
2. Gross bending stress due to the weight of the pipe,
Equation (4) does not consider local stresses through the pipe
contents and insulation.
wall at the point of attachment of the support slipper to the
3. Local stress at the point of slipper attachment
pipe. These local stresses must be considered in the
calculation of maximum pipe span.

1361
Koorey

Generally piping codes do not give methods for the calculation C, times the vertical gravity force. C is location and risk
of the local stresses. Standard BS5500 gives a method for dependent can typically range from 0.3 to 0.9.
calculating these stresses (at the supports of a pressure vessel).
Finite Element Analysis can also be used. For an infinitely long pipeline line with equal support
spacing.
BS5500 Annex G gives a method of finding the local stresses
as function of the geometry of the pipe/vessel support slipper Cwl 2
and the weight (force) on the pipe slipper. Annex G also allows MB = (10)
12
the stresses to be calculated when a reinforcing pad (saddle) is
used.
The first two terms in equation (9) are the same as the terms
The equations and graphs in BS5500 are complex and of equation (1). Also substituting for MB, Z, and k and
presenting these here would be tedious. solving for l gives.

To find the maximum span the maximum local, general

bending and pressures stresses are combined and must be less

l max ≤ 1.2 S h −
PDo 

12  ( )
 π D 4 − (D − 2t n )4 

4t n  (1 + C )1000w  32 D 
than the appropriate design stress.    
(11)
This combination can be reduced to:
Applying equation (11) to the example above of a 500NPS
KaFA + KbMA + KcP < S (5) STD water/brine line, 2mm wall thinning allowance and a
design pressure of 25 bar.g and earthquake coefficient of
For any given pipeline the design stress and pressure are 0.5g gives a maximum span of 17.8m.
constant, therefore equation (5) can be reduced to:
4 LOCATING SUPPORTS
K1FA + K2MA < 1 (6)
Equations (3), (8) and (11) apply to infinitely long pipelines
Where: with equal support spacing. In practice, pipelines will not
FA = the force on the pipe support (N) have equal spans and loads, therefore moments and forces at
K1, K2 = Factors dependent on design stress and pressure and each support will vary. The sustained moments and forces at
the pipe and slipper geometry. each support have to satisfy both equations (1) and (6).

Factors K1 and K2 can be calculated from consideration of the Designers often design a pipeline using the maximum span
equations and graphs in BS5500 Annex G. from equations (3), (8) and (11) as a guide. Experience is
then used to reduce the spans close to elbows or valves etc.
For an infinitely long pipeline with equal support spacing The pipeline is then analysed with a piping design program.
The program calculates the forces and moments at each
FA = wl (7) support and tests for compliance with equations (1) and (9).
The forces and moments usually need to be manually
Substituting FA and MA in equation (6) gives. checked against equation (6).

If the forces and moments are excessive (or unnecessary low)

K 2 wl 2
K1 wl + <1 (8) the designer then has to reposition the supports (and analyse
12 again) or change the design of the slipper at the problem
supports. Using thicker pipe at supports can also reduce high
Applying equation (8) to the example above and assuming a stresses.
slipper 150mm wide and no saddle gives a maximum span of
only 7m. Adding a saddle gives a span of 15.2m. 4.1 Reducing Thermal Stresses

3 EARTH QUAKE LOADS Careful locating of supports will also reduce thermal stresses
and allow the designer to use smaller offsets for expansion
In B31.1 earthquake loads are regarded as Occasional Loads and reduce the total length of the pipeline.
and the moments generated from these loads must meet the
requirement of: B31.1 (and other codes) allows the difference between the
maximum allowable stress and actual stress for sustained
PDo 1000(.75i ) M A 1000(.75i ) M B loads, at a given point, to be added to the maximum
+ + ≤ kS h (9)
4t n Z Z allowable stress for thermal expansion. (B31.1 clause 102.3.2
(D))
Where:
MB = the square root of the sum of the squares of the bending
Therefore, if an elbow (for example) has low sustained stress
moments due to occasional loads. N.m
it can have higher expansion stress. Careful placement of
k= 1.2 for earth quake loads.
supports near elbows will minimise the sustained bending
moments/stresses and maximise the allowable thermal
The simplest method for modelling earthquake loads is to
expansion stress.
apply a static horizontal load to the pipeline which is a factor,

1362
 Koorey

4.2 Optimisation
we l 4
It is possible to mathematically model a typical expansion loop y= × 10 9 (12)
384 EI
like the one shown in figure 2 and optimise the placement of
each support.
Where:
The model would consist of three-moment equations (Roark pg y = The defection at mid span. mm
115) for each support, anchor and elbow in the loop. E= Elastic modulus MPa.
we = the unit weight of the pipe without contents. (Nm-1)
The boundary conditions, at the anchors at the start and finish I= Pipe Moment of Inertia, mm4
of the loop, are that the slope/rotation of the pipe is zero.
To allow the pipe to drain, then the slope of the pipeline must
The variables to alter are the pipe support spans and the length be greater than 2y/l. For the example above with a 15.2m
of the expansion loop. span the pipeline slope needs to be greater than 1:1300.

The conditions to satisfy would be: 5.4 Other loads

The pipeline may be subject to loads in addition to the loads

• Forces and moments at supports satisfy equation (8)
considered above. For example, small lines may become over
stressed if personnel walked on the pipeline or the weight of
• The bending moment at any point satisfies equation (1)
valves and or flanges could over stress the pipe. The spans
would need to be reduced to allow for this.
• The support spans are maximised
Design of support slippers needs to consider local stress due
• The bending moments at the elbow are minimised to horizontal and vertical components of thermal and
earthquake forces.
• The length of the expansion loop offset is minimised.
6 CONCLUSIONS
The next step would be to form a set of simultaneous equations
from the above equations and conditions. A computer The author and his colleagues have developed and used the
algorithm could then find the optimum solution. above design methods on New Zealand geothermal projects
over the past 20 years. This has seen a steady reduction in the
4.3 Reducing Earthquake Stresses construction cost of geothermal pipelines over this time.
As shown in equation (9) above, stresses due to earthquake The optimisation method described in section 4.2 above has
contain a sustained stress component. Reducing the pipeline not been used in practise. More work is required to develop
spans around a point with high earthquake stress will lower the equations for the forces and stresses at the elbow of a
these stresses. typical piping offset.
5 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
5.1 Lost Support Case. The author wishes to acknowledge Barry Pehi for his work in
this area and the assistance of the staff from Century Drilling
When determining maximum span some designers consider the & Energy Services' design office.
situation where a single pipe support may be lost, due to land
subsidence for example. This does not mean that the maximum REFERENCES
span would be only half span calculated above. In this case the
design does not have to consider the lost support case a (Standard)
sustained load or an earthquake happening at the same time British Standards Institute (1997). BS 5500: 1997
and can apply a suitable factor to the allowable design stress. Specification for Unfired Fusion Welded Pressure Vessels,
British Standards Institute, London. pp G/1 – G/20
5.2 Wind
(Book)
The effect of wind loads on the maximum span can be Roark, R.J. and Young W.C. (1975). Formulas for Stress and
calculated the same way earthquake loads are calculated Strain, Fifth Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York. pp 89 - 116
above.
(Standard)
5.3 Sag & Pipeline Drainage The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1995).
ASME B31.1 – 1995 Edition Power Piping, ASME, New
Generally, pipelines need to be free draining. If the sag in the York. pp 29 – 30
pipe between supports is not overcome by the slope of the
pipeline then the pipeline will not drain fully.

The sag can be calculated. For an infinitely long pipeline line

with equal support spacing the deflection at the mid point of
the span is:

1363
Koorey

Figure 1. Pipe Simple Support Details

Figure 2. Typical pipeline expansion loop

1364