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Big Ton Spring Supports with Stainless Steel Rollers

Big Ton Springs Designed with Stainless Steel Rollers for a Chemical Plant

 

Innovation and customer focus have been at the core of our business since day one. A defining example of this commitment is the Big Ton Spring Support, a solution engineered to meet a critical customer need when no viable option existed in the marketplace.

The challenge was significant: support an extremely large vessel within a confined space while eliminating the need for expansion joints—components that are prohibited in many facilities due to the hazardous nature of the materials being processed. Our customer needed a safe, reliable, and space-efficient solution, and our engineering team delivered.

Drawing on decades of engineering expertise, we developed the Big Ton Spring Support to handle exceptionally high vertical loads over 78,000 pounds, all within a compact footprint and with easy post-installation adjustment. The result is a robust, adaptable system designed to perform where conventional supports fall short.

The Big Ton Spring Support is best described as a rigid load-distribution platform supported by multiple springs operating in parallel. This proven design approach—commonly used beneath horizontal pressure vessel saddle supports and paired with slide plates or roller systems—offers unmatched load capacity, flexibility, and reliability. Its modular, multi-spring configuration allows for customization while maintaining off-the-shelf availability, enabling faster lead times and reduced project risk.

By combining innovative engineering with practical, real-world solutions, the Big Ton Spring Support exemplifies our commitment to delivering high-performance products that solve complex challenges, enhance safety, and provide exceptional value to our customers.

When a chemical processing facility in Brazil required a highly specialized support solution, they turned to our engineering team to deliver a design that balanced strength, durability, and precise movement control under demanding conditions.

For this project, we custom-designed Big Ton spring supports equipped with stainless steel roller assemblies, tailored specifically to the plant’s operational and environmental requirements. The support frames were fabricated from carbon steel, while 2205 duplex stainless steel shim plates were selected to provide superior strength and corrosion resistance.

A key element of the design was a large, custom-fabricated “oil pan” constructed from AR400 abrasion-resistant steel, chosen for its exceptional durability and wear resistance. AR400 steel offers a minimum Brinell hardness of 360 and a nominal hardness of 400, making it ideal for long-term service in high-load applications.

The stainless steel rollers were engineered to fit precisely within the oil pan, with each Big Ton support positioned directly on top. The pan is filled with oil to provide continuous lubrication, allowing the system to accommodate axial and lateral movement smoothly while reducing friction and wear. To further enhance performance and reliability, the assemblies include specialized spring coils and neoprene drip shields, protecting both the coils and lubrication system from debris and contamination.

Each Big Ton unit measures 26-1/2″ × 33″ × 26-1/2″, delivers 0.499 inches of vertical movement, and features a spring rate of 13,450 lb/in. Designed for operating loads up to 78,318 pounds, every unit was load-tested prior to shipment to ensure performance, safety, and reliability in the field.

This project highlights what we do best—engineering solutions where standard products fall short. Backed by an experienced team of engineers and designers, we routinely transform unique and unconventional requirements into proven, practical solutions. By combining innovation, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of real-world applications, we help our customers turn complex challenges into successful outcomes.

 

The Role of Cold Piping in Your Data Center PUE Score

Pipe Guides from Piping Technology & Products help secure data center servers.

How Does Cold Piping Design Directly Impact Data Center Energy Efficiency and PUE?

In the relentless pursuit of energy efficiency, data center operators often focus on server-level optimization and massive cooling units. However, one of the most significant yet overlooked areas for improvement lies beneath the surface: the piping infrastructure.

The industry standard for measuring efficiency is the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) metric, calculated as:

 

Pue Formula: Understand the Role of Cold Piping in Your Data Center PUE Score

 

A perfect score is 1.0, meaning 100% of all energy goes directly to IT equipment. In reality, any energy consumed by cooling, lighting, and power delivery increases the PUE score. Any score below 1.2 is excellent; the US Department of Energy reported an average of 1.5 to 1.58 in 2022, and the current average is closer to 1.8 or 2.

The Cold Piping-PUE Connection

The chiller plant and distribution system, which rely entirely on piping, are a major part of the “Total Facility Energy.” A poorly designed or inadequately insulated piping system leads to thermal losses—heat gain in chilled-water lines or heat loss in hot-water lines—forcing chillers or heating units to work harder. This extra work is an energy penalty that increases your PUE score.

Simply put: Better-insulated, more efficiently designed piping means less energy spent on compensation, leading to a direct, measurable decrease in your PUE.

Engineering Excellence: Four Piping Components That Drive Down PUE

Maximizing efficiency requires a holistic approach to the piping system, treating every component as a critical defense against energy waste. Specifically, four key components work synergistically in a data center environment to maintain system integrity and thermal performance.

1. Pipe Supports: The Foundation of Thermal Integrity

Standard pipe supports (such as trapeze hangers or clamps) are essential for carrying the load of the piping and its contents. However, if a standard, conductive metal support is clamped directly to a chilled-water pipe, it creates a thermal bridge.

  • Thermal Bridging: This is a point of minimal resistance where heat from the surrounding environment can easily transfer to the cold fluid inside the pipe, increasing the fluid’s temperature.

This heat gain forces the chiller to expend more energy to re-cool the water, resulting in higher operational costs and a worse PUE.

2. The PUE Game-Changer: Pre-Insulated Pipe Supports

To combat thermal bridging, pre-insulated pipe supports (also known as cryogenic or low-temperature supports) are the most effective solution. These supports feature a non-conductive, high-density insulation material (like polyisocyanurate (PIR) or polyurethane foam) inserted between the pipe and the metal clamp.

  • PUE Benefit: By breaking the thermal connection between the pipe and the building structure, pre-insulated supports virtually eliminate heat transfer at the support point. This preserves the chilled water’s temperature, reducing the chiller’s load and lowering your data center’s PUE.

3. Pipe Guides: Controlling Movement for Insulation Longevity

Piping systems naturally expand and contract due to thermal changes. Pipe guides are mechanical devices that restrain lateral movement while allowing axial (lengthwise) movement.

  • PUE Benefit: Uncontrolled pipe movement can damage the pipe’s insulation jacket, leading to cracks, gaps, and eventual failure. These breaches in the insulation become new sources of heat gain. By correctly guiding the pipe, its insulation remains intact and functional for longer, maintaining the system’s thermal efficiency and its PUE advantage.

4. Expansion Joints: Managing Stress and Maintaining Seal Integrity

Expansion joints (or bellows) are flexible components installed in the piping system to absorb significant movements, vibrations, and thermal stresses.

  • PUE Benefit: A system without proper stress management can suffer from fatigue, leading to leaks or damage to the surrounding equipment. A leak in a chilled-water system requires constant replenishment of treated, cooled water—a significant source of energy and resource waste. Expansion joints ensure the structural integrity and sealing of the piping system, preventing energy and fluid loss, and keeping the PUE score low.

The Roadmap for Superior PUE Performance

The true power of these components is in their collaboration. In a data center cooling loop:

  1. Pre-insulated pipe supports lock in the cold temperature by preventing heat transfer.
  2. Pipe guides help extend the lifespan of the critical insulation jacket by managing movement.
  3. Expansion joints absorb significant thermal movement and mechanical stress, preventing structural failures and costly leaks.
  4. Well-designed piping minimizes pressure drop, reducing pump energy consumption.

When engineered as a complete system, this combination drastically minimizes the energy required for cooling, allowing the “Total Facility Energy” to drop significantly, and moving the data center closer to the coveted PUE of 1.0.

Q: What is the single most significant piping-related factor that raises a data center’s PUE score?

A: The single most significant factor is thermal bridging at standard, conductive pipe supports. This uncontrolled heat transfer forces chillers to run longer and harder, directly increasing the total energy consumption and the PUE score. Replacing standard supports with pre-insulated pipe supports is the most effective countermeasure.

Take the Next Step in Data Center Efficiency

Are your pipe supports costing you energy and money? Maximize Efficiency. Start Now.

Don’t let thermal bridging inflate your Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). Contact Piping Technology & Products to consult with our engineers on custom-designed, pre-insulated supports, pipe supports, and expansion joints tailored to your data center’s cooling needs.

 

Engineered Spring Supports General Information

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Piping Technology & Products, Inc. is a manufacturer and fabricator of all types of pipe supports. This section is devoted to variable spring and constant spring supports. In addition to the many standard supports you will find described here, we will design and custom-build special supports to meet your specific needs. In fact, many of the items you will see in this catalog were developed for the specific requirements of a customer who could not use the standard designs available in our industry. If you do not find what you need, or if you need technical advice, please contact us.

Designers of piping systems must provide for the pull of gravity and for movement due to thermal expansion. Spring supports—both variable and constant—are cost-effective, structurally sound solutions for addressing specific pipe support challenges. Constant supports do not introduce an additional load onto the piping or equipment and are therefore typically used in more critical applications, as described in detail in the Constant Spring Hangers section.

The illustration below shows three applications of spring supports and one involving a counterweight. In figure (A), a variable spring support is placed under the horizontal pipe just left of a vertical section that has a guide and rigid support. In (B) a variable hanger is suspended from above and connected to the elbow above the vertical section. In (C) the designer has chosen a constant load hanger because the vertical section is connected to a critical nozzle. A counterweight, such as shown in (D), may be useful when pipe weights are unknown and must be balanced in the field. Piping Technology & Products, Inc. will calculate and custom-fabricate such counterweights for you.

Engineered spring supports configurations

Efficiency on Tap: How Piping Solutions Safeguard Beer Flavor and Stability in Brewery Operations

Safeguard brewing operations with cryogenic supports, variable spring hangers and constant supports.

Why is Cold Chain Management the Most Critical Factor in Brewery Quality Control?

In the brewing world, “fresh” isn’t just a marketing buzzword; it’s a biological requirement. From the moment a beer finishes fermentation to the second it hits the consumer’s glass, temperature is the primary guardian of flavor.

The cold chain, the uninterrupted series of temperature-controlled storage and distribution activities, is where a brewery’s reputation is either solidified or lost. For modern breweries, managing this chain isn’t just about refrigerated trucks; it starts deep within the facility’s infrastructure, specifically in the complex network of chilled glycol lines and stainless-steel piping.

How Does Thermal Fluctuation Impact Chemical Stability and Shelf Life?

Beer is a volatile solution of proteins, esters, and hop compounds. When the cold chain is compromised, several chemical “dominoes” begin to fall:

  • Oxidation Acceleration: Chemical reactions roughly double in speed for every 10°C (18°F) increase in temperature. Warmth accelerates the development of trans-2-nonenal, the compound responsible for that dreaded “cardboard” off-flavor.
  • Microbial Spoilage: While alcohol and hops provide some protection, certain lactic acid bacteria thrive in warmer environments, leading to souring or “ropey” textures in non-pasteurized craft products.
  • CO2 Solubility Issues: As temperatures rise, carbon dioxide becomes less soluble in liquid. This creates “breakout” in the lines, leading to excessive foaming, inconsistent pours, and significant product waste at the tap or canning line.

The Infrastructure Gap: Where Most Cold Chains Fail

Many breweries focus on their walk-in coolers but ignore the “transit” areas of their facility. If your glycol lines are poorly insulated or if your piping supports are creating thermal bridges, you are bleeding energy and risking temperature spikes before the beer even leaves the building.

What Are the Technical Requirements for Maintaining a High-Performance Brewery Cold Chain?

To maintain a “True Cold” environment, brewery engineers must look beyond the thermostat and examine the mechanical integrity of their cooling systems.

1. Eliminating Thermal Bridging

Standard metal pipe hangers can act as thermal conductors, pulling heat from the environment directly into your chilled lines. Using pre-insulated pipe supports—designed specifically for cryogenic or chilled applications—creates a thermal break that maintains the fluid’s internal temperature.

2. Managing Thermal Expansion and Contraction

Brewery piping undergoes constant thermal cycling. When lines move, they can chafe against supports, leading to insulation failure and condensation. Condensation is the enemy of the cold chain; it leads to mold growth and “wet” insulation, which loses its R-value entirely.

3. Precision Fluid Dynamics

The efficiency of your heat exchangers and cooling jackets depends on consistent pressure. If piping supports fail or cause “sagging” in the lines, it can lead to air pockets or uneven glycol distribution, creating “hot spots” in fermentation tanks.

Essential Engineering Solutions for the Modern Brewhouse

To address these technical challenges, Piping Technology and Products (PT&P) provides a specialized suite of hardware designed to bulletproof your refrigeration infrastructure.

High-Efficiency Insulated Supports

  • Cryogenic Supports (Cold Shoes): The gold standard for chilled glycol and ammonia refrigeration. They eliminate thermal bridging, ensuring that the cold stays inside the pipe where it belongs.
  • Pre-Insulated U-Bolt Supports: Ideal for exterior piping or areas with high humidity, these provide 360-degree insulation to prevent condensation and the energy loss associated with “sweating” pipes.

Advanced Pipe Hangers and Movement Control

  • Variable Spring Hangers: These supports balance the weight of the pipe as it moves during thermal cycles. This is critical for fermentation tank jackets and chiller connections, where rigid supports could cause mechanical fatigue.
  • Constant Supports: For long horizontal runs of chilled lines, constant supports accommodate vertical movement without shifting the load, maintaining the structural integrity of your facility.

Expansion and Vibration Mitigation

  • Rubber Expansion Joints: Perfect for pump inlets and chiller headers, these joints absorb the mechanical vibration that can lead to leaks, while also quieting the “hum” of the brewhouse.
  • Metal Bellows Expansion Joints: For dual-purpose lines or steam-based Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems, these withstand higher pressures and temperatures while allowing for safe thermal expansion.

Structural Protection

  • Wear Pads and Slide Plates: By allowing pipes to move smoothly over structural steel, these components prevent insulation abrasion, a common failure point in older breweries.

What Are the Most Common Infrastructure Challenges in Brewery Cold Chains?

Brewery Cold Chain, Food and Beverage Production: Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does thermal bridging in piping systems affect brewery energy costs? 

Thermal bridging occurs when highly conductive materials, like metal pipe hangers, create a direct path for heat to transfer from the ambient environment into your chilled glycol lines. This “heat leak” forces your chiller to work significantly harder to maintain target temperatures. By installing specialized insulated pipe supports, breweries can eliminate these bridges, reducing chiller energy consumption by 15–20% and preventing condensation that can lead to mold and structural corrosion.

2. Why is condensation on glycol lines a major risk to brewery food safety? 

Condensation on uninsulated or poorly supported pipes creates a damp environment where mold and mildew thrive. In a brewery, this microbial growth can lead to cross-contamination in the cellar or packaging areas. Furthermore, persistent moisture often leads to Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI), which can cause sudden pipe failure. Using moisture-resistant, pre-insulated pipe supports ensures the “dew point” stays outside the insulation jacket, keeping your facility dry and sanitary.

3. What role do pipe supports play in preventing glycol system leaks? 

Piping systems in a brewery are subject to constant thermal expansion and contraction as they cycle between cooling and cleaning temperatures. Rigid or inadequate supports can cause “stress points” at joints and valves, eventually leading to glycol leaks. Using variable-spring hangers and expansion joints allows the piping to move naturally without placing mechanical strain on the system, significantly extending the lifespan of your infrastructure and preventing costly product loss.

Boost Efficiency in Your Brewing Operations: Piping Technology and Products (PT&P)

At Piping Technology and Products, we understand that in the food and beverage industry, a pipe is never “just a pipe”—it is a lifeline for your product. We specialize in engineering and manufacturing high-performance components designed to mitigate thermal losses and mechanical stress.

By implementing PT&P’s engineered solutions, breweries can:

  • Reduce Energy Costs: Minimize chillers’ workload by eliminating thermal leaks and bridging.
  • Ensure Product Consistency: Maintain precise temperature control from the fermentation tank to the canning line.
  • Extend Infrastructure Lifespan: Prevent corrosion under insulation (CUI) and mechanical fatigue caused by constant thermal cycling.

Bolster and Protect Your Brewery’s Infrastructure

Don’t let a hardware oversight ruin a premium batch of beer. Whether you are scaling up to regional distribution or improving your current operations, our engineers are ready to help you design a thermal-efficient system that protects your investment in piping infrastructure.

Contact our engineering and field services team to audit your chilled line supports and improve your brewery’s operations.

Constant Spring Supports with Stainless Steel & Graphite Slide Plates

U-Type Constant Spring Supports in Texas

Type: Constant Spring Supports
Size: 35-7/16″ Height & 75-3/4″ Length
Material: A36 Carbon Steel with HDG | 304 Stainless Steel
Design: 9″ Total Travel at 979°F | Operating Load 6,183 lb.
Testing: Hydro tested at 6,744 lb.

These products are used across a wide range of industrial facilities worldwide, including petroleum refineries, renewable diesel plants, chemical processing facilities (such as propane/propylene splitter units), and power plants. PT&P has the capability to custom design and manufacture constant spring supports for specific load requirements and diverse environmental conditions. Notably, just last year we supplied similar constant spring supports carrying loads in excess of 150,000 lb for crude oil processing at one of the largest refineries in the world.

Petroleum refineries convert crude oil into products such as jet fuel, gasoline, polypropylene, polyethylene, propane, sulfur, carbon black feedstock, and diesel, which are used for transportation, heating, chemical feedstocks, power generation, renewable energy applications, and roadway paving.

Constant spring supports use a spring coil or series of coils to accommodate pipe movement from the installed (cold) condition to the operating (hot) condition. A defining feature of constant supports is that the supported load remains uniform throughout the entire deflection range, ensuring no variation in load on the piping or connected equipment.

These 200 U-Type constant spring supports with slide plates were designed for a plant in Texas. They are fabricated from A36 carbon steel with an HDG finish and are typically designed for vertical movement only. However, when there is lateral or axial movement in the piping system, slide plates can be used in conjunction with these constants. In this instance, graphite slide plates are bolted to the constant’s load flange and used with an upper slide plate manufactured from 304 stainless steel with a mirror finish. The upper slide plate can be welded to the base of a pipe shoe, trunnion, or the saddle of a pressure vessel. Each of the constant spring dimensions is 35-7/16″ in height and 75-3/4″ in length. They are designed for a piping system with 9″ of total travel at 979°F and an operating load of 6,183 lb. Each of these units were load tested to meet the hydro test load of 6,744 lb. before shipment.
 Learn more about constant spring supports.

Scope Creep Prevention: Your 7-Point Checklist Before the Turnaround Clock Starts

Don't leave your project's safety and budget to chance. Invest in a comprehensive pipe stress analysis with Piping Technology and Products.

Scope Creep Prevention: Your 7-Point Checklist Before the Turnaround Clock Starts

The most effective way to avoid scope creep during your turnaround is to make it functionally impossible before the work starts. Once the Scope Freeze Date hits, every addition is a direct threat to your schedule and budget.

For turnaround managers and project engineers, here are the seven non-negotiable rules to enforce for a successful, on-time completion of the planned work.

Rule 1: Physically Verify Your MRO Inventory 

A database showing 12 units of an essential pipe guide or expansion joint doesn’t mean those items are on the shelf, accessible, or undamaged. Before the freeze date, a designated team member should physically confirm and tag each required Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) item within the scope. A scope addition resulting from a missing part is still a schedule killer.

Rule 2: Secure Final Sign-Off on Every P&ID Revision

Scope creep often hides in outdated documentation. Ensure that every single Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID), isometric drawing, and associated engineering document (including final pipe stress analysis reports) related to the planned work has been formally signed off by Engineering, Operations, and Maintenance. This ensures alignment on component types, sizes, and locations before the tools are staged.

Rule 3: Clearly Define What Qualifies as an “Emergency Change”

If everything is an emergency, nothing is. Establish strict criteria for any change request after the freeze date. The only acceptable triggers for breaking the scope should be:

  • Immediate safety hazard
  • Imminent environmental permit violation
  • Failure of an asset that prevents unit restart/integrity (e.g., a critical pipe support failure discovered upon opening a line).

Rule 4: Establish a 24-Hour Review Cycle for Field Change Requests (FCRs)

When a legitimate FCR does arise—such as the discovery of unforeseen corrosion under insulation (CUI) on a critical line—you cannot allow it to languish. Define a specific, cross-functional, or technical review board (TRB) that is mandated to approve or reject the FCR within 24 hours. Time spent waiting for approval is time lost on the schedule.

Rule 5: Perform a Site Walk with All Three Pillars: Maintenance, Operations, and Engineering

One week before the turnaround, conduct a final joint site walk.

  • Maintenance flags access issues.
  • Operations confirms isolation points.
  • Engineering (including those responsible for specialized equipment like expansion joints and high-temperature pipe supports) verifies component identification and confirms the physical reality matches the design drawings. This joint verification often reveals “known surprises” that can be scoped before the freeze.

Rule 6: Have a Pre-Approved List of Alternative Materials Ready

Sometimes, materials fail quality checks or are damaged during mobilization. To prevent a component sourcing delay from becoming a scope-addition crisis, engineering should provide a pre-approved list of acceptable alternatives for common components such as basic pipe guides, standard clamps, gaskets, and bolting. This allows site teams to quickly swap parts without triggering a formal FCR and halting work.

Rule 7: Ensure the Turnaround Manager is the Only Person Who Can Authorize Budget Exceeding the Baseline

Ultimate financial accountability must rest with one singular role. The Turnaround Manager (or designated sponsor) must have exclusive authority to authorize expenditures beyond the original scope of the budget. Decentralizing this power is the fastest route to uncontrolled cost and scope creep.

The Piping Technology Tie-In: Proactive Pipe Stress Analysis

In heavy industries, scope creep is often triggered by the condition of critical assets such as pipe supports, snubbers, and expansion joints. Unexpected degradation in these areas requires immediate, unplanned work. By following these 7 rules—primarily through diligent pre-walkdowns (Rule 5) and strict inventory management (Rule 1)—you ensure that all necessary specialized components are accounted for, ready, and properly installed, turning potential crisis additions into planned replacements. Proactive pipe stress analysis is key to defining this necessary scope early.

Ready to Optimize Your Turnaround Planning?

Talk to a PT&P engineer today about pre-outage inspection services or customizing your MRO inventory of pipe supports and expansion joints to guarantee readiness for your next turnaround.

5 Critical Signs You Need a Field Service Inspection for Pipe Supports

The Field Services Team from Piping Technology and Products can help you achieve maximum reliability and safety for your critical piping systems.

Recognizing Early Warning Signals in Critical Infrastructure

A comprehensive field service inspection is a predictive measure designed to prevent catastrophic failures in industrial piping systems. Understanding when to initiate an inspection is crucial for maintaining operational integrity. Facility managers and maintenance personnel frequently observe key indicators, such as damaged components (e.g., a broken spring), deviations in system alignment (e.g., pipe sagging), and other critical issues that can turn up in surrounding components and equipment (e.g., rotating equipment balance problems). Proactive assessment during planned shutdowns or in response to unexpected observations ensures the longevity and safety of high-pressure, high-temperature environments.

How do you know it’s time to call the experts? Piping and support systems are designed to operate reliably for decades, but constant temperature cycling, vibration, and external elements can cause problems. Catching these issues early is the difference between a planned repair and a much more expensive emergency shutdown.

Here are five critical signs that signal you need to schedule a professional field service inspection:

1. Discovery of a Broken Rod on a Spring Can

A spring can—or variable/constant effort spring hanger—is designed to manage the vertical movement of piping while providing support. When a spring rod is found broken, it signifies a total, localized failure of that support. This means the entire load previously carried by the spring is now being transferred to adjacent supports or, worse, directly onto equipment or vulnerable pipe sections.

A broken rod is an unmistakable sign that your pipe stress limits have been exceeded, requiring immediate assessment of the entire line for secondary damage.

2. Noticing Line Sagging or Piping Misalignment

Line sagging issues occur when the pipe deviates noticeably from its intended path or slope. This is a common trigger for our customers and often indicates that fixed supports (such as anchors or guides) have failed, or that variable supports (such as spring cans) are underperforming or frozen.

Piping misalignment is not just an aesthetic issue; it creates unanticipated stress points, restricts thermal movement, and can lead to water hammer or flow restriction. An inspection is necessary to diagnose the root cause and recalibrate or replace the failed components.

3. Facing Rotating Equipment Balance Problems

While rotating equipment (pumps, compressors, turbines) has its own maintenance schedule, recurring balance or vibration problems can often be traced back to the attached piping. When a piping support system fails, the resulting stress or weight shift can pull the pipe connected to the equipment’s nozzle.

This imposed stress can distort the equipment casing, leading to shaft misalignment, excessive vibration, and premature bearing failure. If you have recurring equipment issues despite regular maintenance, an inspection of the connected piping supports is essential.

4. Visible Red Flags: Rust, Corrosion, and Missing Components

A visual inspection by your in-house team may reveal critical but straightforward issues. Look for heavy rust, pitting, or corrosion on support components, especially where they interface with the pipe (contact points). Additionally, missing nuts, bolts, U-bolts, clamps, or even entire sway struts are serious concerns.

These signs of external degradation compromise the load-bearing capacity and movement functionality of the supports. A professional inspection will quantify the damage and recommend precise component replacements.

5. Experiencing Unusual Noise or Sudden Vibration

Any sudden or unexplained change in the operational characteristics of a piping system should prompt an immediate investigation. This includes:

  • Clanking or Knocking: Often indicates that pipe guides have failed and the pipe is impacting structural steel or adjacent lines.
  • Squealing or Grinding: May be a sign that a support or slide plate is frozen, preventing the pipe from moving freely as temperatures change, causing friction.
  • Excessive Vibrations: Can signify loose components or the propagation of a structural issue through the piping system.

Discovery of issues often happens during planned shutdowns or unexpected failures. If you notice any of these signs, our team offers specialized inspection services to assess the condition of your spring hangers and piping supports.

The Field Services Team at Piping Technology and Products

Expert Technicians, Real Solutions, and On-Site Support with Piping Technology’s Field Services Team

For facility managers, maintenance engineers, and plant operators who need to ensure the maximum reliability and safety of their critical piping systems, Piping Technology and Products (PT&P) provides rapid-response field inspection services. Unlike general contractors, our specialized experts diagnose hidden stress, misalignment, and potential component failures across your entire support system, leveraging 50 years of engineering experience to identify problems and provide custom-engineered solutions that minimize downtime and prevent catastrophic events.

Schedule Your Assessment with Our Field Services Team

Don’t let a minor problem turn into a major shutdown. Address these critical warning signs immediately.

Contact our Field Services team today to schedule your system assessment and secure your operations.

Cryogenic Pipe Saddles with Micarta® Insulation for LNG Service

Insulated Pipe Supports for Low Temperatures

PT&P manufactured cryogenic pipe saddles for LNG transportation pipelines. These types of insulated supports have been utilized in LNG plants around the world. Insulated supports are also used on cold piping in semiconductor plants or plants that make batteries to eliminate condensation.

Cryogenic Pipe Saddles with Micarta® G-10 Insulation for LNG Service

A cold shoe is a pipe support used for cryogenic applications where the transfer of cold temps from the pipeline to the surrounding steel pipe rack is not desirable. These supports can be used for temperatures down to -320° Fahrenheit.  This particular type of insulated pipe saddle assembly was fabricated with a carbon steel base plate, 304L stainless steel saddle, and an insulation block. The overall size ranges from 25” x 19” x 12-¾” to 29” x 25” x 13-3/8”. These pipe shoes were manufactured to support pipe sizes ranging in diameter from 36″ to 42″ NPS.

For additional information about Insulated Pipe Supports go to our product page.

Cryogenic Pipe Saddles Made for LNG Project

For this job, our client was a new entrant into the LNG engineering and design market space, and this was one of their capstone projects internally and for the marketplace.  Given PTP’s long history and experience concerning LNG pipe supports, we served as strategic partners in the engagement.  We identified that the client was using a pre-existing standard that underestimated the amount of Micarta® insulation thickness needed to provide adequate insulation for the facility.

PT&P engineers recognized that the insulation was not sufficient, and we tested the existing design using a test fixture we developed to demonstrate our concern.  PT&P utilized thermal scanning (infrared technology) to measure temperature at various locations around the insulated pipe support. As a result of our tests, our client corrected the concern, saving dollars, man hours, and scheduled project completion.

pipe support thermal scanning image
pipe support on test

Our work with facilities such as these are a great example of our commitment to providing clean, affordable energy to the world.

To find additional information about our Cryogenic Pipe Saddles visit our product page.

 

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 03092021

Choosing the Right Materials for Cold Piping in Data Centers

Invest in effective insulation for the cold piping in your data center with cold shoes from Piping Technology and Products.

Data Center Cold Piping: Preventing Condensation and CUI with the Best Insulation and Pipe Supports

In a data center, chilled water or cold piping is the lifeline of the cooling infrastructure, directly affecting thermal stability, energy efficiency, and operational uptime. The challenge is in maintaining the pipe’s low temperature while navigating high ambient humidity. Selecting the best-fit insulation material and a thermally efficient pipe support system isn’t just best practice—it’s essential to preventing devastating problems like condensation, corrosion under insulation (CUI), and system failure. This article explores the best materials and support strategies to ensure your cold piping remains a reliable, high-performance asset.

Essential Materials: Closed-Cell Insulation and Insulated Cold Shoes for Chilled Water System Reliability

The primary enemies of cold piping are condensation and thermal heat gain. When chilled water is exposed to warm, humid data center air, moisture condenses on the pipe surface if its temperature drops below the dew point.

  • Condensation: Water is corrosive, and drips can damage sensitive electronic equipment, leading to costly outages. Even more insidious, water penetration into insulation destroys its thermal performance and leads to Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI), a silent killer of piping integrity.
  • Heat Gain: Any thermal energy absorbed by the chilled water forces the chillers to work harder, dramatically increasing the facility’s Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and operational costs.

Effective insulation should be both a superior thermal barrier and an impenetrable vapor barrier. Let’s look at some ideal materials for cold piping and their properties.

Choosing the Right Insulation Materials

The ideal insulation for data center cold piping is a closed-cell material with extremely low thermal conductivity and low water-vapor permeability. Closed-cell structures prevent the ingress and migration of water vapor, maintaining the insulation’s integrity over its lifespan.

Material Key Characteristics Advantages: Cold Piping
Flexible Elastomeric Foam Closed-cell, high flexibility. Excellent condensation control, built-in vapor retarder, and easy installation. Most common for HVAC/chilled lines.
Phenolic Foam Rigid, predominantly closed-cell, high R-value. Superior thermal performance (very low k-value), excellent fire resistance (Class A rating), and strong mechanical strength.
Cellular Glass 100% closed-cell, inorganic, rigid. Absolutely zero water absorption, non-combustible, excellent for CUI prevention, and long-term stability.
Polyisocyanurate (PIR) Rigid foam with very low k-value. Highly effective for industrial and sub-zero temperature systems.
Fiberglass Open-cell (requires a dedicated, sealed vapor retarder). Cost-effective, but requires a flawless All Service Jacketing (ASJ) vapor barrier to be effective on cold lines; highly susceptible to moisture-related degradation if the barrier is compromised.

The Role of Specialized Pipe Supports

Even the best pipe insulation can fail at the support points. Traditional metal pipe hangers can create a thermal bridge (or “short”) when the cold pipe makes direct contact with the ambient-temperature support structure. This contact point acts as a concentrated heat-transfer area, leading to localized condensation, insulation compression, and CUI.

To solve this, cold shoes or cryogenic supports are required for cold piping systems.

Features of High-Performance Cold Shoes:

  1. Load-Bearing Insulation: These supports incorporate a high-density, high-compressive-strength insulation material (such as high-density Polyurethane Foam or Cellular Glass) between the pipe and the metal support structure. This prevents the weight of the pipe and fluid from crushing the standard insulation.
  2. Thermal Break: The support effectively separates the cold pipe from the structural steel, maintaining the integrity of the vapor barrier and preventing a thermal short. This keeps the support’s exterior surface at or near the ambient temperature, eliminating localized condensation.
  3. Vapor Barrier Integrity: The design ensures the vapor barrier is continuous around the insulation block, preventing moisture from entering the system at this critical junction.
  4. Movement Accommodation: Supports must also be designed to accommodate the pipe’s thermal expansion and contraction (e.g., resting, sliding, or guided types), ensuring the insulation and vapor barrier are not damaged by pipe movement.

Crucial Consideration: When selecting supports, ensure they are rated for the pipe’s maximum expected load and that the embedded insulation block has the required compressive strength to prevent degradation of the insulation’s thermal properties over time.

Long-Term System Performance and Maintenance

Designing for a long system lifespan requires integrating the insulation and support system from the start.

  • Pre-Insulated Pipe Supports: Some systems opt for pre-insulated pipe supports where the insulation and protective jacketing are factory-applied, ensuring uniform, high-quality, and continuous coverage, which is highly beneficial in data center cooling.
  • Thermoplastic Alternatives: Modern data centers are increasingly using enhanced thermoplastic piping (such as CPVC or Polypropylene). These materials naturally have lower thermal conductivity than metal, significantly reducing the risk of condensation and eliminating the issue of internal pipe corrosion. However, they still require proper insulation and supports.
  • Vapor Retarder Sealing: Long-term performance hinges on the proper sealing of all seams and penetrations in the vapor barrier. Even a small tear or unsealed seam can allow vapor drive, which leads to immediate thermal degradation and CUI. Use matching vapor retarder tapes and mastics as specified by the manufacturer.

By choosing the right combination of high-R-value, closed-cell insulation and specialized, load-bearing cold shoe supports, data center operators can secure a cooling infrastructure that delivers maximum efficiency, prevents system downtime, and ensures long-term reliability.

Why Choose Piping Technology and Products (PT&P)

For data center engineers and facility managers, PT&P is the trusted authority in thermal integrity. In comparison, others offer components. Piping Technology designs and manufactures insulated pipe support systems (cold shoes) that eliminate thermal shorts and guarantee a continuous vapor barrier at the most vulnerable points of your chilled water infrastructure. We don’t just hold your pipes; we secure your uptime by preventing condensation and ensuring your cooling system performs reliably under the most demanding conditions.

Protect your data center’s cooling infrastructure. Learn how to choose the proper closed-cell insulation and insulated pipe supports (cold shoes) to prevent condensation, CUI, and energy loss in cold piping systems. Our team can conduct a pipe stress analysis to help inform the selection process and protect your critical infrastructure.

Protect Critical Data Center Infrastructure: Partner with Our Experts

Don’t compromise your cooling efficiency. Contact our team for an expert consultation and custom quote on engineered cold-shoe supports and insulation solutions that ensure thermal and structural integrity for your next data center project.

Securing Your Servers: The Crucial Link Between Pipe Guides and HVAC Reliability

Pipe Guides from Piping Technology & Products help secure data center servers.

Why are specialized pipe guides critical for maintaining continuous cooling in data centers?

In data centers, every second of downtime translates directly into lost revenue. While much attention is rightly paid to power supply, network redundancy, and server technology, one often-overlooked yet utterly critical component for continuous operation lies within the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) infrastructure: the indispensable pipe guide.

Data centers are hot. Very hot. Rows upon rows of servers generate enormous amounts of heat that must be continuously dissipated, primarily through chilled water or refrigerant lines. These hydronic piping systems are under constant thermal stress, cycling through temperature changes that cause pipes to expand and contract. Without precise management of this movement, through pipe guides, your entire system is at risk.

Table of Water Systems in Data Centers: 

System Type
Purpose
Common Piping Materials
Key Challenges/Design Considerations
Supports & Expansion Needs
Chilled Water Systems
Circulates chilled water from central chillers or cooling towers to CRAHs or in-row cooling units.
Carbon steel, copper, HDPE (underground)
Thermal expansion, condensation control, and flow balancing
Expansion joints, spring supports, guides to manage thermal movement & vibration
Condenser Water Systems
Transfers heat from chillers to cooling towers in water-cooled setups.
Carbon steel, stainless steel
Outdoor exposure, large diameters, thermal cycling
Anchors and flexible joints to manage thermal growth & structural movement
Technical / Process Water Systems
Supports auxiliary cooling, humidification, and process functions for IT equipment.
Stainless steel, PEX
Cleanliness, corrosion resistance
Insulated supports; smaller diameters, but still require thermal isolation
Glycol / Chilled-Water Mix Systems
Prevents freezing; used in direct-to-chip or rear-door cooling loops.
Copper, stainless steel, PEX
Chemical compatibility, temperature range
Similar to chilled water systems, attention to the glycol mix impacts
Liquid Cooling / Direct-to-Chip Loops
Circulates coolant directly to chips or servers for high-density cooling.
Stainless steel, PEX, reinforced polymer tubing
Precision flow control, equipment interface sensitivity
Highly engineered supports, vibration isolation, and precise alignment
Make-Up Water & Drain Systems
Supplies and removes water for cooling towers and thermal storage.
PVC, carbon steel, stainless steel
Varies by pressure and chemistry
U-loops, flexible connectors near pumps & tanks

Why do standard pipe supports fall short in high-precision data center environments?

Traditional pipe supports, while effective in many industrial applications, often lack the nuanced engineering required for the extreme demands of a data center. Imagine a long run of chilled water piping. As cold water flows through it, the pipe contracts. When the system is offline for maintenance or experiences a load change, the pipe warms up and expands. In modern high-density environments, these lines often feed into chilled distribution units (CDUs), which require perfectly stable pressure and alignment. This constant thermal movement, if not controlled, can lead to:

  1. Excessive Stress on Connections: Flanges, welds, and fittings are the weakest points in a piping system. Uncontrolled pipe movement can exert immense bending moments and shear forces on these connections, leading to fatigue, leaks, and eventually, catastrophic failure.
  2. Misalignment of Equipment: Pumps, chillers, and heat exchangers are precision machinery. If the attached piping pulls or pushes against their nozzles due to uncontrolled expansion, it can cause misalignment, bearing wear, and premature equipment failure.
  3. Pipe “Walking” Off Supports: In severe cases, uncontrolled lateral movement can cause pipes to “walk” off their supports, leading to complete system collapse.
  4. Abrasion and Wear: Pipes rubbing against rigid, unguided supports can experience wear and tear on their outer surface, compromising their integrity over time.

This is where precision-engineered pipe guides become not just beneficial, but essential.

The Role of Pipe Guides: Guiding Movement, Preventing Failure

A pipe guide is designed to control the direction of a pipe’s thermal movement, allowing it to expand and contract axially (along its length) while preventing unwanted lateral (side-to-side) or vertical displacement. This level of control is especially vital for lines carrying technical water, where even minor leaks can jeopardize sensitive IT assets.

Fig. 6: Cylinder Pipe Guide (Spider Guide) from Piping Technology and Products

Here’s how they ensure data center HVAC uptime:

  1. Directed Thermal Movement: Guides funnel the pipe’s expansion and contraction into a predictable path. This ensures that the primary movement is absorbed by expansion joints, loops, or bellows designed for this purpose, rather than transferring the load caused by the movement into the connections of the equipment attached to the piping.
  2. Reduced Stress on Critical Components: By controlling movement, guides drastically reduce the bending moments and shear forces on pumps, valves, and other sensitive equipment connections, extending their lifespan and preventing leaks.
  3. Enhanced System Stability: They keep pipes securely positioned on their support structures, even during thermal cycles, minor seismic events, or operational vibrations, preventing displacement.
  4. Protection of Insulation: Many pipe guides are designed to accommodate and protect the pipe insulation, ensuring thermal efficiency and preventing condensation on cold lines. Often, these supports incorporate a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) slide plate—a low-friction material that allows the pipe (or its insulation shield) to glide smoothly, minimizing wear and reducing the force required to move it.

Piping Technology and Products: Your Partner in HVAC Performance for Data Centers

 At Piping Technology, we understand that “good enough” is never actually good enough for data center infrastructure. We specialize in designing and manufacturing custom, high-precision pipe supports and guides engineered to your cooling systems’ exact specifications. Our solutions not only meet but exceed industry standards, providing the control necessary to manage thermal stresses and virtually eliminate the risks of pipe-related downtime. We transform potential points of failure into reliable, long-lasting assets.

Is your cooling infrastructure protected from thermal stress? Don’t leave your data center’s uptime to chance. Contact our team for a comprehensive pipe stress analysis and custom-engineered pipe guide solutions designed for maximum reliability. 

Compact Spring Supports Custom-Designed for Large Diameter Piping at a Chemical Plant

Compact Spring Supports Custom-Designed for Large Diameter Piping at a Chemical Plant

These compact spring supports were custom-designed to support large-diameter piping at a chemical plant that manufactures ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, propylene oxide, styrene monomer, and other derivatives and gasoline-blending products. They are designed for large loads (13,623 lb. to 24,038 lb.) and a small confined space with limited thermal movement (from 0.2″ to 0.3″). Compact spring supports (or disc springs) minimize excessive loads on sensitive equipment, so these types of spring support the same load as a conventional variable spring but with a smaller “working range” and utilize 25-50% less space. They are ideal for locating under equipment flanges or other locations where space is limited. The housing is fabricated from A-36 carbon steel and hot-dipped galvanized to protect against corrosion. They have an installed height of 13″ – 15″ and are 21″ in diameter. The “disc springs” are engineered using stainless steel. Each assembly underwent load testing and other NDE before shipment.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 01262021

The Trunnion’s Critical Role in Pipe Support

Piping Technology and Products 35 trunnion base ell supports for a cryogenic line (1)

Understanding Trunnions: A Core Component in Industrial Pipe Stress Management

A trunnion is a critical component in industrial piping, often unsung but vital to the structural integrity and longevity of a piping system. On the surface, it may seem like a simple piece of metal. Still, its function is complex: it serves as an interface to support and/or anchor the pipe.

What is a Trunnion and How Does it Function in Pipe Support?

A trunnion is essentially a short length of pipe or solid bar that is welded perpendicularly onto the main process pipe. It is generally a rigid pipe attachment, such as a steel pipe or a structural steel member, that supports a pipe from below. Unlike a standard pipe shoe or saddle that simply rests underneath the pipe, the trunnion extends out, allowing it to connect directly to the structural steel or a secondary support member.

The trunnion’s primary function is to transfer the load (weight of the pipe, fluid, insulation, and any potential dynamic forces) from the pipe to the primary support structure.

  • Load Distribution: It concentrates the load at a specific, engineered point, distributing the weight evenly across the main pipe’s circumference at the weld joint.
  • Preventing Stress Concentration: By providing a defined attachment point, it prevents the main pipe from experiencing undue local stresses that could lead to fatigue failure.
  • Anchoring: In some configurations, trunnions can act as anchors, restricting the pipe’s movement in one or more directions (e.g., axial, lateral, or vertical movement).

Key Design Considerations for Effective Trunnion Installation

The successful use of a trunnion depends heavily on meticulous design and welding to ensure the integrity of the pipe wall. The design process must account for several factors:

1. Stress Analysis at the Weld Point

The most critical area is the trunnion-to-pipe weld connection. A specialized local stress analysis must be performed to ensure that the stress intensification factor (SIF) is acceptable.

  • The added force from the trunnion attachment can cause high, localized stresses in the main pipe wall.
  • Designers use standards such as ASME  B31.1 or B31.3 to govern allowable stresses and ensure the junction can withstand operational loads, including internal pressure, thermal expansion, and external forces.

2. Material and Dimensions

The trunnion material should be compatible with the pipe material to ensure a high-quality weld and similar thermal expansion properties.

  • Size: The trunnion size is carefully selected. A larger size spreads the load over a greater area, reducing localized stress, but it also adds more weight and can interfere with other components.
  • Length: The length must be sufficient to span the required distance from the main pipe to the support structure, often including insulation thickness.

3. Support Configuration

Trunnions often connect to different types of structural supports:

  • Slide Plates and Guides: The trunnion is frequently capped with a slide plate (made with PTFE or graphite) and placed within a pipe guide to allow for axial thermal movement while restraining lateral movement.
  • Support Shoes: When the pipe needs to be elevated, the trunnion can be attached to a secondary support shoe, further transferring the load to the primary steel.

Proper trunnion design is not just about holding the pipe up; it’s about managing dynamic movement and preventing fatigue failure over decades of operation. Choosing the right support technology, like custom-engineered supports from Piping Technology and Products, ensures these critical connections are executed flawlessly.

Is your piping system subject to extreme loads, high temperatures, or complex thermal movement? Don’t risk failure with standard supports. Contact our experts for a comprehensive pipe stress analysis and custom trunnion-based support solutions engineered for reliability.

 

Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) in EPC Projects: A Q&A with Lloyd Kirchner

PT&P adds value for companies that use Advanced work Packaging

Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) isn’t theory for Piping Technology and Products President and COO Lloyd Kirchner—it’s lived experience. With a background spanning EPC delivery and executive leadership as president and CEO of a construction engineering firm, Lloyd has seen firsthand how fragmented information, late materials, and unclear instructions derail field productivity. His perspective bridges engineering, procurement, and construction. With his multidisciplinary background in EPC leadership, he approaches AWP as an end-to-end discipline: plan early, reduce constraints, and hand crews complete, field-ready packages so they can finish what they start.

What is Advanced Work Packaging (AWP)?

Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) is a disciplined framework for capital project delivery that aligns engineering, procurement, and construction. Unlike traditional methods, where construction often inherits the “leftovers” of engineering schedules, AWP starts with the end in mind. It breaks the project down into manageable Work Packages—starting with Construction Work Packages (CWP) and feeding back into Engineering (EWP) and Procurement (PWP). This ensures that when a crew arrives at the job site, they have the drawings, materials, and equipment needed to perform work safely and efficiently, without idle time.

Benefits of AWP in EPC Execution

The primary advantage of AWP in Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects is the significant reduction in Total Installed Cost (TIC) and improved schedule predictability. By fostering interdisciplinary coordination early in the project lifecycle, AWP minimizes field rework, which is often the largest source of cost overruns. Furthermore, because AWP emphasizes “Path of Construction” planning, it enhances safety by reducing congested work areas and improves quality by ensuring that all support systems, such as pipe supports and expansion joints, are correctly staged and installed according to the engineering design.

AWP in Industrial & Energy Projects

In the industrial and energy sectors, where projects feature high-criticality piping and complex mechanical systems, AWP is a game-changer. These projects involve thousands of unique components that must be synchronized perfectly. AWP ensures that critical-path items—such as high-temperature expansion joints or custom-engineered pipe hangers—are not only procured but also tracked and delivered in the specific sequence required by the construction schedule. This “just-in-time” approach prevents the site from becoming a storage yard and keeps the focus on high-quality startup and commissioning.

Expert Insights: Q&A with Lloyd Kirchner

To better understand how these theoretical benefits translate into real-world results, we sat down with Lloyd Kirchner, a seasoned expert in EPC execution. With years of experience navigating the complexities of capital projects, Lloyd provides a boots-on-the-ground perspective on how AWP is reshaping how we think about project management and the critical role engineered-to-order components play in this framework.

Corporate headshots loydIn this Q&A, Lloyd explains how AWP emerged to solve chronic jobsite inefficiencies, breaks down its core components, and details how Piping Technology & Products supports EWPs, PWPs, and CWPs with the technical data, digital integrations, documentation, and delivery reliability that modern projects demand: plus the customization required to fit each contractor’s AWP ecosystem.

1: Tell us about AWP, how it originated, and why it was adopted.

LK: Advanced Work Packaging originated in the construction industry to address field inefficiencies where crews couldn’t finish planned work. Studies (e.g., CII) showed common blockers: missing tools, drawings, materials, instructions, or safety/quality sign-offs. The solution was to bundle everything a 5–7 person crew needs to complete 1–2 days of work into complete work packages, so crews start only what they can finish. Think “meal kit for construction,” enabled by planners and schedulers who verify readiness before release.

2: What are the major components of AWP? 

LK: The major components of AWP map to the way projects actually unfold: engineering, procurement, and construction. In engineering work packages, the goal is to decide what you’re going to build and document it so downstream teams don’t guess. That means specifications, load tables, and decisions captured in models and drawings—often BIM content—so the design is clear and clash-free before anyone buys or installs a thing. When engineering is buttoned up, procurement work packages translate that intent into vetted purchases with the appropriate documentation and timing: quotes tied to data sheets, material certifications and traceability, and realistic lead times and delivery windows that align with the schedule. 

Construction work packages then take the baton to the field. They bundle the work into scopes a crew can complete—think one to two days—with everything ready before release: installation instructions, safety and quality checks, weights and dimensions for lifts, handling requirements, and, when needed, a clear roll-down to installation work packages so the foreman can execute without surprises. When these three components are synchronized, planners can issue work that the crews can actually finish, and that’s the whole point of AWP: to organize execution from engineering through to construction. Here’s a breakdown of the major components:

  • Engineering Work Packages (EWP): engineering data, models, specs, and decisions that define what’s needed.
  • Procurement Work Packages (PWP): sourcing and buying the defined materials/equipment with the proper documentation and timing.
  • Construction Work Packages (CWP): field-ready bundles that break down scope and, when needed, roll down to Installation Work Packages (IWP) so crews can execute efficiently with no surprises.

3: How does Piping Technology and Products support EWP—Engineering Work Packages? 

LK: As a supplier, Piping Technology can help with technical data: specifications, load tables, and capacities to support proper selection. Here’s what we can deliver:

  • 2D/3D CAD and BIM: models engineers can drop directly into their 3D environments to reduce rework.
  • Bills of material and catalog content to streamline takeoffs.
  • Engineering services when requested: Piping Technology can perform pipe support engineering (e.g., based on layouts/PSA) and provide data sheets back to the engineer of record, or quote to an engineer’s spec when engineering is done on the owner/contractor side.
  • Structured digital deliverables: standard file formats compatible with common modeling/document control systems.

4: How does Piping Technology and Products support PWP—Procurement Work Packages?

LK: We can provide quotations aligned with engineering specs and data sheets, whether Piping Technology or the customer performs engineering. We can drive value by offering:

  • Material certifications and traceability (including country of origin and material test confirmations, e.g., verifying 316 vs. 304 stainless).
  • Lead times and delivery windows, with early identification of long-lead/custom items (often 6–18 weeks vs. “standard” 8–10).
  • Manufacturing status visibility and proactive updates so buyers and planners can adjust before issues hit the field.
  • Data in formats that feed AWP systems (via standard files or APIs) to reduce manual re-entry.

5: How does Piping Technology and Products support CWP—Construction Work Packages?

Aveva final 01 plant design

LK: Suppliers like PT&P can provide field-ready installation instructions and documentation for correct, predictable installations (e.g., how to install cold shoes and where to weld). We can help with the following:

  • Material attributes: weights, dimensions, and handling/field-fit constraints so sites plan offloading and lifts (forklifts/cranes) without delay.
  • Clear material identification and tracking: color-coded packaging (e.g., red shrink wrap) and RFID tagging when required to help link materials to CWPs/IWPs and find them fast.
  • Reliable delivery commitments with early alerts if anything shifts, enabling planners to issue or hold packages appropriately.
  • On-site field service support when crews need assistance installing products.
  • Optional pre-assembly/prefabrication, training, mockups, and VR/AR simulations to reduce field effort and uncertainty.

6: Lloyd, we understand that most companies have adopted their own version of AWP. Can you speak more about that customization?

LK: Absolutely. Contractors use different software and adopt AWP to varying degrees. At project kickoff, we align with each customer’s workflow, document control, and modeling ecosystem. We tailor deliverables—file formats (e.g., DWG), structured data for APIs, documentation sets, labeling/traceability methods, and even packaging—to fit their processes. 

For example, when a customer struggled to locate our materials in the warehouse for timely IWP release, we implemented distinct color-coded shrink wrap so teams could quickly identify our products and accelerate package issuance. The goal is to speak the customer’s AWP language and remove constraints before they reach the field.

Piping Technology & Products (PT&P) delivers measurable value to contractors practicing Advanced Work Packaging by aligning end-to-end with EWP, PWP, and CWP processes and the software ecosystems behind them. We provide standardized, yet easily customizable deliverables and data structures that drop cleanly into your AWP workflows and document control.

On the engineering front, we accelerate EWPs with engineering-grade inputs—specifications, load tables, capacities, BIM/CAD models, and bills of materials—that engineers can directly place into 3D models. When needed, our team performs pipe support engineering and returns data sheets to the engineer of record; when engineering is already complete, we quote precisely to your specification. Either way, you get structured digital outputs in the formats your systems require.

For procurement, we reduce risk with complete, transparent packages: quotations tied to engineering data, clear lead times and delivery windows, and flags for special fabrication and long-lead items. We support QA/QC with material certifications and full traceability, including country of origin and verification of alloy requirements, and we furnish structured data or API-ready files to minimize manual entry into your AWP tools.

In the field, we enhance both CWPs and IWPs with documentation and traceability that keep crews moving. We supply detailed installation instructions, including cold-shoe installation and weld locations, along with the practical attributes planners need: weights, dimensions, handling requirements, and field-fit constraints to plan lifts, staging, and sequencing correctly. 

To speed identification and linkage of materials to CWPs/IWPs, we enable RFID tagging when required and use distinct, clearly labeled packaging, such as red shrink wrap, so that teams can find the right items quickly. We also capture as-built updates to reflect field changes, ensuring accurate records and efficient closeout. Where it reduces risk and effort, we offer pre-assembly and prefabrication, as well as training, mockups, and VR/AR simulations.

Execution reliability ties it all together. We make delivery commitments that protect your ability to release packages on time, and we communicate proactively with manufacturing status visibility and early alerts so planners can issue, hold, or resequence work before impacts occur. By identifying long-lead or custom items early—often 6–18 weeks, rather than the “standard” 8–10—we help you set realistic schedules and align delivery windows with site readiness.

The result is a smoother, constraint-free workflow from engineering through construction, improved predictability, and field crews equipped to finish what they start. Get started with a custom quote for your project today.

Custom All Stainless Steel Variable Spring Supports for a Floating LNG Platform in Singapore

Custom All Stainless Steel Variable Spring Supports for a Floating LNG Platform in Singapore

Type: Variable Spring Supports
Material: Alloy 2205 Duplex/SAE 5160H
Design: Operating Load up to 3,597 lbs./Operating Temperatures of -15-200°F
Testing: Standard Load & Travel Tests

 

Variable spring supports use helical coils to carry pipe loads while accommodating vertical movement. Because coil resistance changes with compression, the supported load varies through the operating range—hence the term “variable.” These supports are commonly used under rotating equipment (pumps, compressors) to reduce transmitted vibration and mitigate piping stresses. We manufacture multiple design configurations and offer extensive customization of materials, finishes, load ranges, travel, adjustment mechanisms, travel stops, and optional monitoring instrumentation.

For this project, we supplied custom variable spring supports for an FLNG platform in Singapore. The housings were fabricated from 2205 duplex stainless to address chloride-induced corrosion, and the coils were produced from SAE 5160H for improved corrosion and fatigue resistance. Installed heights ranged from 10-3/4″ to 12-1/16″, with operating loads up to 3,597 lb. Verification included load testing at -15°F and liquid penetrant inspection of all welds. The assemblies are rated for a service temperature range of -14°F to 200°F without reduction in load capacity.

We provide a full range of pipe supports and expansion joints for offshore service, including cryogenic systems on floating platforms for LNG transfer. Our engineering and field teams have supported subsea and topside inspections, including offshore dive assessments for emergency evaluations.

Our variable spring cans are designed for FLNG applications requiring predictable load behavior under thermal expansion, vertical displacement, and dynamic operating conditions. Manufacturing capabilities cover wide load and travel ranges in compact envelopes suited to topside modular layouts. We support material selection across carbon steel, stainless, duplex, Inconel, and other alloys to meet project-specific corrosion, weight, and compatibility requirements. All units undergo in-house load testing, hydrostatic proofing where applicable, and QA/QC in accordance with offshore and global project standards. Typical applications include supports for compressors, heat exchangers, risers, separation trains, and other critical process lines.

As FLNG deployment continues to grow at ~10% annually, PT&P and its subsidiaries are supporting associated infrastructure across renewable and clean-energy sectors. We have engineered and delivered products for solar, wind, water, geothermal, bioenergy, nuclear, hydrogen, and fuel-cell projects worldwide.

Considering All Movement in Pipe Support Design

When engineering industrial piping systems, a comprehensive pipe support design calculation is essential to account for all potential movements, including thermal expansion, vibration, and dynamic loads.

A properly engineered pipe support ensures that the system can safely handle these forces without transferring excessive stress to connected equipment.

Effective pipe support design must carefully evaluate the anticipated hot and cold states to maintain the correct piping position throughout the operational lifecycle. Failing to perform an accurate pipe support design calculation can result in structural failure, leaks, and costly downtime.

Why consider movement in the axial, lateral, and vertical directions when choosing or designing pipe supports?

Movement, a major piping design consideration

Each component of a piping system has a job to do. Making sure a system can function correctly and efficiently requires that designers thoroughly account for each component’s design from the conditions at installation (cold) to those during system operation (hot). One requirement of pipe supports, critical to every piping run, is that they accommodate pipe displacement, or movement, generated during operation without adding excessive stress to the overall system. Movement results from changes in temperature, load, or any other operating characteristics that affect the forces at play — whether inside the pipeline or in the environment surrounding the system.

Movement can occur in all axes (X, Y, and Z) during a complete process cycle

Anticipating both the magnitude and direction of every possible movement during a process can be complex, but doing so is vital. If the pipe support design does not accommodate all movements properly, the finished system will likely deteriorate or fail.

Designers must always remember that movement can occur in three dimensions: axially, laterally (perpendicular to but in the same plane as the pipe), and vertically (usually parallel to the pipe support, in the plane connecting the pipe to the structural element). Failure to consider these movements could result in time-consuming and costly retrofitting or repair in addition to any labor and materials that might have been wasted, damaged, or lost. Also, designers must consider that any particular support might move more than would be reflected if only the starting and ending positions of components in a process cycle are examined. In other words, the extent of intermediate movements can and often does exceed the net movement.

Using pipe supports to accommodate movement

Pipe support assemblies can be classified according to both their level of engagement (active or passive) and function (load-bearing, guiding, or anchoring).

We designate support configurations whose primary capabilities are always engaged as active, whereas passive support configurations simply follow the movement of the pipe during normal operation. However, disturbances such as severe weather, impact, abnormal vibration or seismic events, will activate these otherwise passive supports, which then function as active anchoring devices.

Pipe support functions include load bearing, guiding, or anchoring. A load-bearing support will uphold the weight of the pipe while allowing possible movement in all three dimensions. A guide will uphold the weight of the pipe while restricting movement in up to two dimensions. An anchor will completely restrict pipe movement in all three dimensions while bearing the weight, side, and thrust loads.

Active support components

  • Shoes: Used as anchors, bearings, and guides. Material used in fabrication usually matches piping material (e.g., carbon steel, stainless steel, chrome molybdenum or “chrome-moly”) and may also depend on operating temperatures.
  • Hangers: Used to support the pipe weight. Rigid hangers consist of components that do not permit vertical movement (in the axis connecting the pipe to the structural steel base) but do permit lateral or axial swinging. Spring hangers allow both vertical motion and either lateral or axial swinging. Pipe hangers usually consist of a carbon steel structural attachment (e.g., lug plate, beam clamp), a carbon steel rod or rod assembly, and a pipe attachment (e.g., clamp, clevis, roller) fabricated of a material matching that of the pipe.
  • Struts: Used in either tension or compression to withstand a pipe force. The movement allowed is determined by the strut’s orientation (hanging, horizontal, or vertical). Consists of an end bracket connected to a clamp element (e.g., yoke, clevis) fabricated of carbon steel.
  • Sway braces: Primarily used to restrain forces other than that of the supported pipe weight. Part of the pipe movement can be accommodated by changing the orientation of the brace, as with a sway strut, with the sway brace spring coil allowing additional movement via compression and decompression. Usually consists of a carbon steel structural attachment, a carbon steel spring coil, and a pipe attachment fabricated of a material matching that of the pipe.
  • Customized supports: A category that includes project- or industry-specific components. Examples include custom-built frames upon which pipe will rest and multi-pipe channel assemblies. Sometimes called random hangers.


Passive support components

  • Snubbers: Used to restrain piping undergoing unwanted abrupt movement in one axis. Under normal operating conditions, snubbers simply “follow” the movement of the pipe, but when subjected to shock loading, the snubber, which can be mechanical or hydraulic, is activated and thereafter acts as a rigid restraint. The amount of stroke provided as part of the snubber design determines how much pipe movement is allowed under normal conditions.

Designers must consider that the above support configurations all allow some movement depending upon the overall size, orientation, and configuration of the assembly. For example, hanger assemblies can accommodate translational motion producing swing angles of +/- 4 degrees maximum. This means that designers may be able to accommodate greater pipe movement by incorporating longer support assemblies into the design, rather than introducing additional support components.

Pipe Support Movement of Four Degrees

When active and passive support assemblies, composed of standard components, cannot meet specific system requirements, designers can add auxiliary components, which are designed to extend the range of motion that these supports can accommodate during normal operation.

Auxiliary components

  • Travelers: Used to translate the forces exerted on pipe hangers, a type of active support, across horizontal planes in conjunction with the movement of the pipe. Single horizontal travelers translate forces across one horizontal plane; dual horizontal travelers translate forces across two planes. Consists of a rectangular box with a lug protruding from the center and is usually fastened between the structural steel and the rest of the pipe support assembly. Usually fabricated from carbon steel.
  • Rollers: Used to translate forces at the support location on the pipe to a new position in the piping system. Consists of a rolling mechanism attached to the active support component; the other end can either be in direct contact with the pipe or connected via a saddle attached to the pipe. Commonly fabricated of carbon steel, fabrication with polyurethane reduces the overall weight of the component.
  • Slide plates (slide bearing plates): Used to reduce friction associated with axial and lateral movements. The reduction in the friction forces helps reduce stresses on  active support components during the pipe movement. Fabricated from carbon steel bonded to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), 25% glass filled, for systems operating in environments cooler than 400 ºF. Can also use graphite, Bronzphite®, or marinite bonded to steel.

 

In real life: the consequences of not accounting for all movement in a process cycle

The following is an example illustrating the necessity of thoroughly reviewing all movements associated with pipe deflection during a given thermal cycle. In the initial (cold) position, a hydraulic snubber, attached both to stationary structural steel via an end bracket and to a pipe element via a three-bolt clamp, was installed at a cylinder position of 1 inch extension, with a total stroke available of 6 inches. An overall analysis indicated that the final operating (hot) position of the pipe would require that the snubber extend 4.5 inches (which could be accommodated by the remaining stroke of the hydraulic snubber cylinder).

After being put into service, the seals of the snubber were damaged, indicating that the cylinder, at some point, had been completely retracted or extended. Review of the pipe’s position indicated that it was correct according to the original design specifications.

However, a more thorough review of the pipe system revealed that, prior to reaching full operating conditions, the movement of the pipe created a condition in which the overall length of the snubber should have been reduced (retracted) by 1.5 inches. But, because the original set point of the snubber allowed a maximum of only 1 inch of contraction, the continued pipe movement stressed the snubber beyond its capabilities once it reached its fully contracted position (zero extension), thus damaging the support assembly.

Installed Position and Operating Position of the Snubber

To correct the problem, the original snubber was replaced with one that had an overall available stroke of 12 inches, allowing the initial set point to be increased to a cylinder position of 3 inches of extension. This new snubber design accommodated all pipe deflection throughout the entire process cycle.

Recommendations for optimal use of pipe supports

•  Become familiar with Manufacturers Standardization Society Standard Practices 58 and any other industry- or company-specific codes that apply to your project, such as American Society of Mechanical Engineers B31.1 for power and B31.3 for process engineering (both of which refer to MSS SP-58). The manufacturer and installation team should also be familiar with these standards and how to accommodate any specific requirements that apply to your project.

• Collect and use good data: Know the full range of loads and movement the piping system will handle during a full operating cycle, and remember that movement in the real world occurs in all three dimensions.

• Make note of other factors that can affect piping loads, such as temperature, weight, states of matter, and external conditions.

 

FAQs

Q: What factors are included in a pipe support design calculation? 

A: A thorough pipe support design calculation determines the loads and movements that a pipe support must accommodate in an industrial piping system. Engineers evaluate factors such as pipe weight, fluid weight, insulation load, thermal expansion, and dynamic forces to ensure the piping system remains stable and operates within allowable stress limits.

 

Q: Why is maintaining the correct piping position so important? 

A: Keeping the system in its designed piping position prevents misalignment, which can cause severe stress on flanges, valves, and sensitive rotating equipment attached to the pipeline.

 

Q: How does thermal movement impact pipe support design? 

A: Thermal movement causes pipes to expand or contract as operating temperature changes. Effective pipe support design must accommodate this movement using sliding supports, variable-spring hangers, constant-spring supports, or expansion joints to prevent excessive pipe stress or damage to connected equipment.

 

Q: What happens if a pipe support is improperly specified? 

A: If a pipe support cannot handle the actual load or movement, it can fail, leading to sagging pipes, flange misalignment, leaks, equipment damage, or even catastrophic system failure.

 

Q: Do I need a new pipe support design calculation if I change the process temperature?

A: Yes. Pipe-support design calculations should be reviewed whenever operating conditions change, such as process temperature, pressure, pipe routing, or equipment configuration. Any change that affects thermal movement or loading conditions may require recalculating the support design.

Custom Designed Pipe Clamp and Sway Strut Assemblies for an Ethane Cracker Facility in Texas

Custom Designed Pipe Hanger and Pipe Clamp Assemblies for an Ethane Cracker Facility in Texas

Type: Pipe Clamp and Sway Strut Assemblies
Design: Operating load: 99,650 lb. | Temperature: 550°F
Material: A36 Carbon Steel
Size: Clamps: 149″ L x 14″ W x 2″ T | Load Bolt: 4-1/2″ | 68″ Dia. Pipe

Piping Technology & Products custom designed these pipe clamp and sway strut assemblies assemblies for an ethane cracker facility in Texas. The clamps were engineered for a 68-inch diameter pipe and utilize a bar measuring 149″ long × 14″ wide × 2″ thick. The load bolt is 4½ inches in diameter, while the inside bolts, rods, nuts, and turnbuckle are all 4 inches in diameter. The assemblies are fabricated entirely from A36 carbon steel and designed to operate at temperatures up to 550°F with a load capacity of 99,650 lb. Prior to shipment, PT&P performed a visual inspection using a sample pipe along with a full dimensional verification to ensure fit and performance. PT&P maintains an extensive inventory of pipe clamps and hardware for all types of pipe hanger and support assemblies, enabling rapid response to both standard and highly customized project needs.

Essential MSS Standards Every Piping Engineer Should Know

Mss logo

How Standards Hold Your Piping Together

For piping engineers, specifications are the bedrock of reliable and safe systems. Yet, behind every material requisition and fabrication drawing lies a crucial, often underappreciated, authority: the Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry (MSS). Adherence to MSS standards isn’t just a best practice; it is the non-negotiable blueprint for achieving optimal system integrity and avoiding costly field failures.

This post breaks down the core MSS standards that every piping engineer must not only know but actively implement in their daily work, ensuring your next project moves from design to commission with flawless execution.

The MSS Standards You Need to Understand

MSS SP-25: The Language of Identification

MSS SP-25, Standard Practice for Marking System for Valves, Fittings, Flanges, and Unions, is the most fundamental standard. It provides the required method of marking components, ensuring immediate and accurate identification of:

  • Manufacturer: Who made it?
  • Material: What it’s made of (e.g., A105, 316 SS).
  • Pressure/Temperature Rating: Its operational limits.
  • Size: Its nominal dimension.

Failure to verify SP-25 compliance can lead to installation errors, material mix-ups, and catastrophic failures.

MSS SP-97: The Strength of Branch Connections

When designing a branch connection (a smaller pipe joining a larger header), you must ensure adequate reinforcement. MSS SP-97, Integrally Reinforced Forged Branch Outlet Fittings—Socket Welding, Threaded, and Buttwelding Ends, sets the dimensional, tolerance, and strength requirements for these critical components, commonly known as O-lets (e.g., Weldolets, Thredolets).

  • Key Insight: SP-97 fittings are designed to provide the required area replacement for the hole cut in the header pipe, while maintaining the system’s original pressure capacity.

MSS SP-43: For the Corrosion-Resistant Systems

When working with light-wall, corrosion-resistant materials, such as those used in chemical or cryogenic service, you must reference MSS SP-43, Standard Practice for Wrought Stainless Steel Butt-Welding Fittings. This standard defines the dimensions and tolerances for stainless steel and related alloy fittings (e.g., elbows, tees, and reducers) with Schedule 5S or 10S wall thickness.

  • Why it Matters: Using the wrong dimensions here can lead to improper fit-up, requiring excessive welding or grinding, which compromises the integrity of the corrosion-resistant material.

MSS SP-58: The Support System

Pipesupportshangerscatw

Valves, pipes, and fittings are only as stable as their support structure. MSS SP-58, Pipe Hanger and Support—Materials, Design, Manufacture, Selection, Application, and Installation, is the bible for specifying pipe supports. It provides detailed guidance on:

  • Load Calculation: Determining the required capacity.
  • Material Selection: Choosing the right material for the operating environment.
  • Component Design: From rod hangers to spring supports.

Proper SP-58 application prevents excessive stress, vibration, and thermal expansion, which can drastically shorten the lifespan of your piping system. 

Piping Technology and Products: Your Guarantee of MSS Compliance

At Piping Technology and Products (PT&P), our in-house engineering and fabrication teams ensure every pipe support, expansion joint, and custom fabrication strictly adheres to the relevant MSS, ASME, and ASTM specifications. When you choose PT&P, you are not just purchasing a product; you are investing in assured compliance and minimized risk. We are your technical partner in specifying and supplying products that genuinely meet the rigorous demands of your industry.

Take Control of Your Piping Integrity Today

Every successful project starts with a bulletproof specification. Are you confident that the components you are currently sourcing meet the complete requirements of the applicable MSS standards?

  • Check Your Specs: Verify the MSS designation on your current material requisitions.
  • Consult Our Experts: Leverage our deep engineering expertise to address your complex piping challenges.

Contact our engineering and design team for a custom quote to ensure your next project is not just built, but built to last.

Excelling at Chemical Plant Design and Critical Piping Selection

 

PTP adds value in the design of chemical plants with custom pipe supports.

 

Designing a chemical plant is a monumental undertaking that requires rigorous planning, detailed engineering, and the careful selection of every component, especially the piping products that are the very lifeblood of the facility. The successful execution of a new plant relies on a structured, multi-phase process that minimizes risk, optimizes efficiency, and ensures safety and compliance. This blog post explores the key stages of chemical plant design and highlights the crucial role of different piping products in bringing these complex industrial visions to life.

The Foundation of Design: Essential Project Phases

The design process for a modern chemical plant typically comprises several phases, from conceptualization to final construction. This structured approach, known as Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) or, more broadly, the Project Management Process, ensures that technical viability and financial feasibility are confirmed before committing to large capital expenditures.

Step 1: The Block Flow Diagram (BFD)

The very first step in visualizing a plant is creating the Block Flow Diagram (BFD).

This is the simplest representation of the process. It uses blocks (rectangles) to represent major equipment, operations, or process areas (e.g., Reactor, Separator, Storage Tank). Arrows indicate the general flow of materials between these blocks. The BFD focuses on the overall process scheme, material balance, and energy integration without worrying about specific mechanical details or exact piping runs. It’s a crucial early communication tool for the entire team.

Step 2: Process and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID)

Once the BFD is approved, the design evolves into the Process and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID). This is arguably the most crucial engineering drawing in the entire plant design process.

The P&ID provides a detailed, schematic representation of the process equipment, piping, instrumentation, and control systems. Unlike the BFD, the P&ID includes every pipe run, valve, instrument, and control loop. It shows:

  • All major and minor equipment (pumps, vessels, heat exchangers).
  • The complete piping network, showing lines, sizes, and specifications.
  • Instrumentation (sensors, transmitters, controllers, and final control elements like control valves).
  • Safety systems (relief valves, rupture discs).

Engineers use the P&ID to verify the design’s operability, safety features, and compliance with regulations. It serves as the baseline document for all subsequent detailed engineering and procurement activities.

Step 3: The Front-End Loading Team (FEL)

While not a physical drawing, the Front-End Loading (FEL) process, also sometimes called Front-End Engineering Design (FEED), is a critical organizational phase. The FEL team is an interdisciplinary group of engineers, project managers, and financial analysts responsible for defining the project scope, evaluating technical risks, estimating costs, and establishing a detailed project execution plan.

The goal of the FEL team is to “front-load” the project with sufficient detail and analysis so that the final estimated cost is highly reliable. Successful FEL completion drastically reduces the risk of costly changes and delays during the later construction phases. The P&ID and preliminary equipment specifications are key outputs of the FEL phase.

Step 4: Geometric Model (3D Model)

The final stage of visualization involves creating the Geometric Model: the complete 3D model of the entire plant. Using specialized computer-aided design (CAD) software, engineers model the exact spatial relationship of every piece of equipment, structural steel, electrical conduit, and, most importantly, the piping. The 3D model is essential for:

  • Clash Detection: Identifying interferences where pipes, steel, or equipment physically collide before construction begins.
  • Safety and Maintenance: Ensuring sufficient access for operators, maintenance personnel, and emergency response.
  • Stress Analysis: Providing accurate routing data for piping stress analysis.
  • Fabrication Spools: Generating highly accurate bills of material and isometric drawings for pipe fabrication.

Types of Piping Products in Chemical Plant Design

The piping network is the plant’s nervous system, and its components must withstand a wide range of pressures, temperatures, and corrosive environments. The correct selection of piping products is vital for plant longevity and safety.

1. Pipes and Tubing

The main conduits are typically made of carbon steel for utility services (like water and steam) or stainless steel (304/316) for corrosive chemical applications. Exotic alloys like Hastelloy or Inconel are reserved for highly aggressive environments. Size is determined by flow rate, and wall thickness (schedule) by pressure.

2. Pipe Fittings

These components change the direction or size of a pipe run:

  • Elbows (90° and 45°): Change direction.
  • Tees and Wyes: Divide the flow.
  • Reducers: Change the pipe size.
  • Flanges: Join pipes, equipment, and valves, allowing for easy disassembly. They come in various types, such as weld neck, slip-on, and blind flanges.

3. Valves

Valves control, divert, or stop the flow of process fluid. Their type depends entirely on the service:

  • Gate Valves: Used for on/off isolation (completely open or fully closed).
  • Globe Valves: Used for throttling or regulating flow.
  • Ball Valves: Provide quick shut-off and are suitable for slurry service.
  • Check Valves: Prevent backflow.
  • Relief Valves: Essential safety devices that open automatically to relieve excess pressure.

4. Pipe Hangers and Supports

These products are critical for stress management and stability. They carry the entire weight of the pipe, fluid, and insulation while also managing movement due to thermal expansion and vibration. Products include:

  • Rigid Supports: U-bolts, saddle supports, and anchor points.
  • Adjustable Supports: Threaded rods and clevis hangers.
  • Engineered Supports: Spring hangers or constant effort supports that are specifically designed to absorb significant vertical movement while maintaining a steady force on the pipe, crucial near sensitive equipment like pumps or turbines.

Key Tools in Modern Plant Design

Smart plant plant design software

The efficiency of modern plant design is mainly due to advanced software tools. The shift from 2D drafting to 3D modeling has revolutionized the industry.

  • P&ID Software: Programs such as AutoCAD P&ID and SmartPlant P&ID enable engineers to rapidly create intelligent, data-rich schematic diagrams that link directly to equipment databases.
  • 3D Modeling Suites (CAD): Tools such as AVEVA E3D (Everything3D) and SmartPlant 3D are used to create the detailed geometric model. These platforms are the engine of clash detection and are used to produce all fabrication drawings.
  • Pipe Stress Analysis Software: Specialized tools such as CAESAR II are used to model complex piping systems mathematically. They calculate the forces and moments acting on pipes and equipment nozzles under various operating conditions (e.g., hot/cold, wind, seismic loads), ensuring the proper specification of pipe supports and preventing mechanical failure.

The Critical Role of Pipe Supports in Plant Integrity

 The selection and installation of pipe hangers and supports is a frequently underestimated element of plant design. Poorly specified supports can lead to excessive equipment stress, fatigue-related pipe failure, and costly downtime. Engineers rely on sophisticated analysis to select supports that can withstand static weight, dynamic loads (such as wind and surge), and, most critically, the substantial movement caused by thermal expansion and contraction. High-quality, engineered supports are an investment in the plant’s long-term operational health and safety profile.

 Piping Technology & Products: Your Partner in Engineered Support Solutions

At the center of plant design and operations is the need for specialized piping components. Piping Technology understands that standard catalog products are often insufficient for the extreme demands of chemical processing. We engineer and manufacture custom supports, expansion joints, and pulsation dampeners built to the exact specifications of your P&IDs and stress analysis reports. Our focus is on mitigating the risks associated with corrosive environments and high cyclic stresses, ensuring the lifespan of your most critical infrastructure.

Our teams provide custom-engineered pipe hangers, supports, and specialty components that improve the performance of your chemical plant. We move beyond standard practices to deliver precision-fabricated solutions that withstand extreme thermal expansion and corrosive environments. Set up time with our field survey and inspection teams, and get started with a full review of your plant’s piping infrastructure.

 

The Role of Pressure Vessels in Renewable Energy: A Sweco Fab Perspective

Pressure Vessels in renewable energy. Sweco Fab designs custom-fabricated pressure vessels.

The Unseen Enablers of Green Energy

The global shift toward renewable energy, solar, wind, geothermal, and more, is one of the most essential industrial transformations of our time. When we think of this “green revolution,” images of vast solar farms and towering wind turbines often come to mind. However, beneath the surface of these high-profile projects is a critical component: the pressure vessel.

Pressure vessels are essential containers designed to hold liquids, vapors, or gases at pressures significantly above ambient. In the volatile and highly specialized world of renewable energy, their role is not just about storage—it’s about making intermittent energy sources reliable, transportable, and safe. Without custom-engineered pressure vessels, many of today’s most promising green technologies would simply be unviable.

Beyond the Grid: Storage and Conversion

The primary challenge for renewable energy is intermittency. The sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow. This is where high-integrity pressure vessels step in, serving as the backbone for advanced energy storage and conversion systems.

Hydrogen: The Future’s Energy Carrier

Hydrogen is quickly emerging as a zero-emission fuel and a vital energy carrier, but to be practical for storage and transport, it must be compressed to extremely high pressures (often up to 700 bar).

  • Secure Containment: Pressure vessels are custom-designed per ASME SEC. VIII Div 1 with materials suitable for application and robust wall thickness, and welds to contain this highly compressed, volatile gas safely. 
  • Scale and Mobility: Whether for large-scale grid-balancing storage or for smaller, mobile refueling stations, custom-fabricated vessels are required to meet precise volume and pressure specifications, ensuring both safety and efficiency.

Thermal Energy Storage (TES)

Hydrogen power plant technologist. man with laptop near h2 gas tanks. Sweco Fab offers custom fabricated pressure vessels to help with sustainable energy.

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, for instance, capture and store heat for later use. This heat is often stored using high-temperature mediums, such as molten salts, which remain liquid at hundreds of degrees Celsius.

  • Managing Extreme Heat: Pressure vessels built for TES must withstand not only high pressures but also extreme operating temperatures and the corrosive nature of the storage medium. Sweco Fab’s expertise in material selection and ASME-certified fabrication ensures these systems operate reliably, allowing power generation to continue long after sunset.

Sweco Fab: Precision in a High-Stakes Industry

Renewable energy projects operate under strict performance and safety standards. Using off-the-shelf vessels for these high-pressure, high-temperature, and often corrosive applications introduces unnecessary risk and inefficiency. This is why a custom-fabricated solution from an experienced partner is paramount.

Custom Fabrication for Best Performance

Every renewable energy system has unique demands. A custom-fabricated pressure vessel provides measurable advantages over a standard unit:

  • Application-Specific Material Selection: We select the precise grade of Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel (304/L or 316/L), or specialty alloys required to resist corrosion from specific chemicals (like those in carbon capture or biogas systems) or extreme heat.
  • Optimized Geometry and Integration: Custom vessels are engineered to fit seamlessly into complex plant layouts, with exact nozzle placement, size, and support structures (saddles, skirts) to maximize floor space and streamline piping, reducing installation time and costs.

Uncompromising Safety and Certification

In renewable energy, there is no margin for error. As an ASME U-Stamp and National Board R–Stamp holder, Sweco Fab. Inc. adheres to the most stringent international standards for both new vessel construction and repairs. This dedication to quality and safety is not just a certification—it’s a commitment to protecting your people, your investment, and the environment.

Ready to Power the Future with Sweco Fab?

The transition to a sustainable energy future depends on reliable infrastructure. From storing the next generation of hydrogen fuel to managing the extreme conditions of thermal energy storage, the right pressure vessel is the difference between a groundbreaking project and a costly failure.

Don’t let standard components limit your innovative renewable energy project.

Talk to a Sweco Fab engineer today about your specific pressure and thermal requirements. Let’s custom-design the ASME-certified vessel that will securely power your sustainable future. Click here to request a custom fabrication quote.

Pipe Support Selection: 5 Factors to Consider Before You Buy

15 Adjustable Pipe Saddle Supports with FRP Wear Pads

Choosing the right pipe supports is crucial for the lifespan and safety of any piping system. It’s not just about holding pipes in place; it’s about managing stress, accommodating movement, and protecting your entire infrastructure. Before you make a purchase, consider these five critical factors to ensure you’re making the best decision for your project.

The Foundation of Reliability: Understanding Your Needs

Every piping system is unique, and so are its support requirements. A thorough understanding of your specific application will help you select the most appropriate supports.

What Environmental Conditions Will the Supports Face?

The environment in which your pipe supports operate significantly impacts their material and design. Consider factors such as:

  • Temperature: Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can affect material properties. Supports in high-temperature environments need to withstand thermal expansion and contraction, while those in cold environments must resist embrittlement.
  • Corrosion: Will the supports be exposed to moisture, chemicals, or saltwater? Corrosion-resistant materials, such as stainless steel, or specialized coatings, may be necessary.
  • Vibration and Seismic Activity: In areas prone to earthquakes or systems with high vibration, specialized seismic bracing or vibration dampeners are essential to prevent damage and ensure stability.

Load and Stress Management: Supporting More Than Just Weight

Pipe supports do more than bear the static weight of the pipe and its contents. They play a critical role in managing various forces and stresses within the system.

  • Weight of the Pipe and Contents: This is the most obvious factor, but it’s essential to calculate accurately, including the weight of insulation, valves, and other components.
  • Thermal Expansion and Contraction: As pipes heat up and cool down, they expand and contract. Supports must allow for this movement without inducing excessive stress on the pipe or the support itself. This is where options such as constant or variable spring supports come into play.
  • Dynamic Loads: Consider forces from fluid surges, water hammer, or external impacts. These dynamic loads require supports designed for robust performance.

Material Matters: Choosing for Durability and Performance

The material of your pipe support directly influences its lifespan and effectiveness.

  • Carbon Steel: A common and cost-effective choice for many applications, especially in moderate environments.
  • Stainless Steel: Offers superior corrosion resistance, ideal for harsh environments or where cleanliness is paramount.
  • Alloys: For extreme temperatures or highly corrosive media, specialized alloys might be required.
  • Non-Metallic Materials: In specific applications, such as those requiring electrical isolation or chemical resistance, non-metallic materials, such as FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic), may be suitable.

Installation and Accessibility: Practical Considerations

Even the best pipe support is ineffective if it cannot be installed correctly or maintained easily.

  • Ease of Installation: Consider the complexity of installation and whether specialized tools or skills are required. Supports designed for quick and straightforward installation can save time and labor costs.
  • Accessibility for Maintenance: Ensure that supports are placed in locations that allow for easy inspection, adjustment, or replacement without significant disruption to the system.
  • Space Constraints: In confined spaces, compact designs or specialized supports may be necessary.

Cost-Effectiveness and Long-Term Value

While the initial purchase price is a factor, it’s crucial to consider the long-term value and total cost of ownership.

  • Life Cycle Costs: Factor in installation, maintenance, and potential replacement costs over the system’s lifespan. A slightly more expensive but durable support might be more cost-effective in the long run.
  • Compliance and Standards: Ensure the supports comply with relevant industry standards and regulations to avoid potential penalties or safety issues.
  • Supplier Reputation and Support: Choose a reputable manufacturer that offers high-quality products, technical support, and reliable delivery.

By carefully evaluating these five factors, you can make informed decisions that result in a reliable, cost-effective piping system.

Choose PT&P to Protect Your Critical Infrastructure

At Piping Technology and Products, our comprehensive in-house capabilities, from design and engineering to advanced manufacturing and testing, ensure that every support is precisely tailored to your unique operational demands. We eliminate guesswork by providing solutions that anticipate complex challenges,  such as thermal expansion, seismic activity, and corrosive environments.

When you’re ready to improve your piping system with the right supports, contact Piping Technology and Products for a custom quote and discover how our engineered solutions can drive the safety of your infrastructure.

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