Blog Category: ENGINEERED SPRING SUPPORTS | Piping Technology & Products, Inc.

Variable Springs with Clevis Hangers for an Ethylene Cracker Plant

January 31, 2023

Type:	Variable Spring Supports with Clevis Hangers
Material:	A36 Carbon Steel \| 304 Stainless Steel
Design:	800°F \| 619 lb. Ld. \| 0.5″ Up Travel
Testing:	Load and Travel Tests

Piping Technology & Products designed these B-Type variable spring supports with clevis hangers for an ethylene cracker plant in Texas. Interestingly enough, we recently supplied over 50,000 supports to one of the largest ethane cracker polymer plants in the US, which was completed last year. In addition to variables, we supplied slide bearing plates, hot and cold insulated shoes/supports, snubbers/sway braces/sway struts, pipe hanger hardware, expansion joints metal bellows, rectangular & circular spacers, davit arms, welded pipe shoes, rod hanger assembly, and wear Pads

On this client order, the variable spring supports, threaded rods, and hex nuts were fabricated from A36 carbon steel, and the clevis hangers from 304 stainless steel. The assemblies are 83-1/8″ in length, and the spring size is 6-80-B. They are designed for an operating temperature of 800°F, an operating load of 619 lb, and 0.5″ of movement. Standard load and travel tests were performed prior to shipment.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 06052018

B Type & C Type Constants for an Oil Refinery in Louisiana

January 3, 2023

Type:	B-Type & C-Type Constant Spring Supports
Size:	12″ x 18″ x 20″ to 12″ x 12″ x 32″
Material:	A36 Carbon Steel \| Hot-dipped Galvanized
Design:	Operating Load Range: 475 lb. to 1,250 lb. Movement of 2-1/4″ to 5″
Testing:	Q.C. Inspection \| Load and Travel Tests

PT&P fabricated multiple B-Type and C-Type constant spring supports for an oil refinery in Louisiana. The constants are fabricated from A36 carbon steel and hot-dipped galvanized. The dimensions range from 12” x 18” x 20” to 12” x 12” x 32”. The operating load range is 475 lb. to 1,250 lb. with movement of 2-1/4” to 5”. Standard load testing was completed to ensure quality and performance.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 05042020

Furnace Applications – Spring Supports, Expansion Joints & Furnace Seal Bags

December 6, 2022

Ptp furnace application products

An industrial furnace, also known as a direct heater or a direct-fired heater, is a device used to provide heat for an industrial process. Furnace designs vary as to their function, heating duty, type of fuel, and method of introducing combustion air. Heat is generated by an industrial furnace by mixing fuel with air or oxygen, or from electrical energy. The residual heat will exit the furnace as flue gas. Types of industrial furnaces include batch ovens, vacuum furnaces, and solar furnaces. Industrial furnaces are used in applications such as chemical reactions, cremation, oil refining, glasswork, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemicals, ceramic, and building materials. Industrial furnaces using fossil fuels are characterized by heat losses from flue gases with a temperature of 500°C and above.

PT&P supplies many products that are well-suited for furnace applications. The first category we’ll take a look at is engineered spring supports. We size furnace springs the same way as we would for a conventional variable or constant spring support. Construction may include a welded design instead of bolted and custom nameplates with the test data and ID tag. Most furnace spring supports are coated with red oxide primer to avoid potential hazards when exposed to high temperatures.

Ptp furnace application variables in service combined

PT&P specially designed and fabricated hundreds of altered Type-A variable spring hangers in order to accommodate the special travel and spring rate needed to support the furnace tubes of a hydrogen reformer in Venezuela. To accommodate customer-specified travel and spring rates, modified spring coils were required. With a travel of 8-7/8″, the variable spring hanger casing lengths were increased from the standard size of 32″ to over 6′ long. The calculated spring rate is 79 lb/sq in for an operating load of 2,804 lb. and an installed load of 3,505 lb. The housings are coated with heat-resistant paint, which protects the spring coils from corrosion and high temperatures in the furnace area.

Expansion joints are not installed inside furnaces due to the extremely high temperatures of the environment and the piping system. Expansion joints will typically be found on the ductwork and in the piping coming in and out of the furnace. In the last six months, we have shipped over 40% of our expansion joint jobs in less than 2 weeks to meet customer project deliverables.
Fabric expansion joint application

Fabric expansion joints that are in-service near furnaces, typically include a 3-layer belt consisting of silicone, fiberglass, PTFE, and mineral wool insulation. The configurations are either round, rectangular or square as seen in the examples below.

Ptp furnace application products

Furnace bags are used to seal high-temperature tubes that penetrate the furnace floor. The furnace bag consists of multiple layers of flexible, flame and heat-resistant, impervious fabric designed to operate from start-up to high-temperature design conditions. The bag will expand and contract with the varying furnace temperatures.

Furnace Bag

Stainless steel clamps or band straps connect one end of the pipe that goes through the penetration opening and the other to another sleeve in the furnace floor. A tapered steel coil is installed around the conduit inside the bag to prevent the fabric from collapsing inward during vacuum conditions. PT&P’s standard furnace seal bag is nickel reinforced, with a special coating that reduces airborne fibers and increases tensile strength.

Furnace application diagram

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 11092021

B-Type Variable Spring Hangers for an overseas LNG Facility

November 1, 2022

Type:	B-Type Variable Spring Support Assemblies
Size:	13″ to 120″ range pipe elevation
Design:	Operating Loads: 9,320 lb. to 28,2000 lb. Spring Rates 4,700 lb./in. & 5,320 lb./in
Material:	\| Hot-dipped Galvanized Carbon Steel
Testing:	Load & Travel Test \| Q.C. Inspection

These variables were supplied to an overseas LNG facility where accessibility is limited due to the remote location in the facility as well as the plant itself. Products shipped must be very dependable and long-lasting because of the difficulty of shipping to this location. Variables use coiled springs to support a load and allow movement. The resistance of the coil to a load change during compression is why these devices are called “variables”. We offer a variety of different designs of variable spring pipe supports. PT&P, with its long-standing history and experience, has set up optimized manufacturing to offer an unparalleled set of customization options with minimal impact on delivery timeframes to support JIT deliveries and help manage cash flows on such large capital-intensive projects. In addition to our standard (hot-dipped galvanized, neoprene coated spring coils) variable spring supports, we can customize our springs to accommodate special materials, finish, dimension, load, load adjustment, travel, and travel stops, as well as provide sensors for remote monitoring.

Given the shift in global LNG production due to volatile political situations outside the US, the US has become the largest exporter of LNG this year globally. US LNG exports will continue to grow because of increased LNG export capacity, increased international natural gas and LNG prices, and increased global demand, especially in Europe.

During the initial build-out in LNG globally in the late 1990s/early 2000s, PTP provided the platform to its customers and their clients for extensive innovation concerning all phases of development concerning pipe supports for LNG plants and terminals, starting with product design, testing, material, and climate considerations. As the “thought leaders” in product design, we helped develop and produce the now most commonly used cryogenic supports utilizing G-10 insulation. As LNG capital projects return to the US, you can count on PTP to provide an unparalleled track record and expertise to move your LNG projects along safely in a timely, cost-effective manner to meet world energy needs.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 04072020

Custom Designed Constant Spring Supports for a Chemical Plant in Singapore

August 23, 2022

Type:	Constant Spring Supports
Size:	15-¼” W x 17″ H x 46″ L with 9-¼” OD
Material:	Carbon Steel \| Hot-dipped Galvanized
Design:	2,379 lb. Load \| 10″ Upward Movement

PT&P custom designed and manufactured constant spring supports for a chemical plant in Singapore. The constants are fabricated from A36 carbon steel and include alloy coil springs. The dimensions are 15-¼” W x 17″ H x 46″ L with 9-¼” OD. They were designed for an operating load of 2,379 lb. and movement of 10” upward and were specially designed to incorporate “telescoping spring coil housings ” and painted to protect against corrosion. Standard load and travel tests were performed prior to shipment. As part of the standard quality control process, we test every constant that we build before it is shipped. We are ISO-9001:2015 certified by DNV GL. Last year we built over 1500 constants alone for our customers. Some were designed to support loads up to 150,000lbs with movements over 48 inches.

These specific constants were for a plant that manufactures industrial gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and synthesis gases. Constant spring assemblies are used in a variety of applications ranging from CDU (crude distillation units), hydrocracking units, RFCC (residual fluid catalytic cracking), naphtha hydrotreater and hydrodesulfurization units (also known as alkylation units), and sulphuric acid regeneration (SAR) units in refineries, LNG, geothermal, coker units, HRSG units, and other facilities where there is substantial thermal growth in the piping. They can be configured to accommodate horizontal or vertical movement.

Constants use a spring coil (or set of coils) to accommodate pipe movement from the initial (installed) condition to the final (operating) condition of the piping system. For all constant spring supports, there is no difference in the load to be supported. Instead, these spring supports are designed to accommodate movement due to thermal expansion or contraction. PT&P has set up its manufacturing department to offer an unparalleled set of customization options with minimal impact on delivery timeframes. In addition to our standard (hot-dipped galvanized, neoprene-coated spring coils) variable spring supports, we can customize any material, finish, dimension, load, load adjustment, travel, travel stops, and provide sensors for remote monitoring.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 12112018

Compact Springs for a Chemical Manufacturing Plant for Agriculture

August 16, 2022

Compact spring supports (also known as disc springs) were custom-designed for a chemical plant in the agricultural industry. We design each compact spring for specific applications. Usually, they are used in “tight” spaces where the conventional variable spring is too tall to fit the allowable space between the pipeline and supporting steel structures. In general, compact springs serve the same function as a conventional variable spring, to relieve vibration and stress in the pipeline and associated equipment. The springs supplied here are designed for loads ranging from 5,038 lb. to 15,144 lb. and spring rates from 5,904 lb./in. to 44,455 lb./in. Also, these disc springs were designed for thermal movement ranging from 0.011” to 0.46”. The assemblies are fabricated from 304 stainless steel and include Bronzphite® and stainless steel slide plates to lower the coefficient of friction due to lateral movement. Since there is lateral movement, the conventional variable spring would require “internally guided load columns”, however, these units incorporate a “guiding” feature within the spring’s design. They have an installed height of 10-1/2″ – 26”. Each assembly underwent load testing and other NDE and visual inspection by our QC department before shipment. Applications such as skid-mounted process equipment, pump and control skids, skid plants, and other types of skid packages where space is extremely limited are ideal applications for compact springs.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 07122021

Variable Springs for a High-Temperature Furnace Application

June 13, 2022

PT&P custom-designed and fabricated variable spring supports for a furnace application at a chemical plant in California. The furnace cans are manufactured from carbon steel and painted with red oxide primer because they are exposed to high temperatures where hot-dipped galvanizing is not feasible. The springs are designed for an operating load of 1,261 lb., with movement of 9″ and dimensions of 6″ x 52″ in length. Load tests were performed prior to a 12-14 week shipment.

Within a Reformer, heat-resistant cast alloy tubes are used to produce hydrogen during the process of desulfurization in refining plants, ammonia, methanol, and fertilizer plants. These catalyst tubes (also called reformer tubes) are periodically changed within the units after years of operating under high pressure and temperatures. The new or replacement tubes are manufactured from alloy material that can be lighter or heavier than the previous tubes installed. As a result of this weight change, new furnace springs may also need to be replaced.

Most recently we completed a project for a key client for the largest refinery in Central America with a specialized design using our nano-constant, the world’s smallest constant spring hanger. It supports 765 pounds of load and 7″ of travel in a 0.89 cubic foot envelope (7″ x 10″ x 22″). This particular furnace application required very stringent requirements of load deviation of less than 3% and all supports were made from stainless steel to meet furnace requirements. So, for these particular units, no coating was required since they were manufactured from stainless steel. In order to accomplish this special requirement, our engineering team designed and manufactured a new constant load test machine in-house.

We have manufactured various types of furnace springs and constants for a variety of EPC firms over the past few decades. Our experience and knowledge of the different designs and configurations have helped us to become one of the leading manufacturers of springs and pipe supports for furnace applications.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 07232018

Constant Supports Custom-Designed for an Ethane Cracker

May 24, 2022

These constant spring supports for an ethane cracker for one of our largest and oldest customers who we worked with almost daily for years. As a matter of fact, a majority of the hangers in this plant are supplied by PT&P dating back to 1971. Today, the new cracker project was designed to take advantage of cheap shale-derived ethane feedstock.

The constant supports were supplied with horizontal travelers with a special “brush strip” help limit the entry of foreign objects. The constants are designed to support an 8” diameter pipeline leading into a furnace. Each spring coil is neoprene coated and the spring can housing is hot-dipped galvanized to protect against corrosion. This type of rigid spring hanger uses a coil or series of coils to accommodate pipe movement throughout the piping system. These particular constant assemblies are designed for horizontal movements ranging from 1” to 6.6” and loads up to 1320 lb. We can customize any material, finish, dimension, load, load adjustment, travel, and travel stops, as well as provide sensors for remote monitoring.

This project was unique in design and testing requirements requested by the client and their customer. Every constant support we build is load-tested by our quality and production teams. In some cases, the customer will ask to witness the testing of a single unit which we do on a regular basis. However, for this project, every constant spring was witness tested with the client’s inspection and engineering teams located at our manufacturing facility utilizing our custom in-house designed test machine.

Constant Supports Designed with Bronzphite® Slide Plates for Oil Refinery in China

April 4, 2022

These big-ton constant spring supports with Bronzphite® slide plates were designed for a 400 KTA light oil processing and utilization unit in Southeast Asia. The constants are designed for high loads and utilize self-lubricating bearing plates consisting of high-quality bronze and graphite-filled grooves. Bronzphite® can be used where temperatures are up to 1100°F and for high loads, low-velocity applications, and in places where the use of oil or grease is undesirable or unfeasible.

PT&P custom-designed and manufactured a total of four big ton constant spring supports w/ Brozphite® slide plates for a 400 KTA light oil for a processing and utilization unit at one of the largest of largest oil refineries in China. In US refineries, crude oil still makes up a majority of what is produced today: Us energy info admin petroleum supply

These constant assemblies were fabricated from carbon steel and hot-dipped galvanized for extra protection against corrosion. The bronze plate acts as the bearing surface, supporting heavy loads, while the graphite inserts provide a solid, oil-free sliding surface. They are designed for operating temperatures up to 1100°F and an operating load of 187,393 lb., with 1-1/2″ total travel. It is through the combination of high-strength bearings and impregnated graphite that it is an ideal environment for maintaining excellent wear resistance and durability under severe operating conditions. Load and travel testing was performed prior to shipment.

Bronzphite slide plate

For this particular crude oil production and mining facility, we also supplied other key products from our portfolio, including variables, snubbers, sway braces, and sway struts. Petroleum refineries change crude oil into products such as jet fuel, gasoline, polypropylene, polyethylene, propane, sulfur, carbon black feed, and diesel that can be used for transportation, heating, feedstocks for making other chemicals, generating electricity, renewable energy, and paving roads.

As an industry leader in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries for over 47 years, we specialize in designing pipe supports, expansion joints, and insulated supports for unique applications involving both products readily available and products not readily available. Our products are used in the CDU (crude distillation units), hydrocracking units, RFCC (residual fluid catalytic cracking), naphtha hydrotreater, hydrodesulfurization units (also known as alkylation units), and sulphuric acid regeneration (SAR) units in refineries.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 09252017

152 Variable Spring Supports for a Furnace Application at an Ammonia Plant

March 7, 2022

PT&P custom-designed and manufactured over 150 variable spring supports for a furnace application at an ammonia plant. The ammonia plant was the largest single train plant of its kind in the world for the leader in mineral-based commodity and specialized fertilizer production. As an important base to material for fertilizers, ammonia helps put food on the table as the engine of plant growth. Over 85% of anhydrous ammonia is used as fertilizer for the three primary nutrients of fertilizer: nitrogen, phosphates, and potash. The plant and the EPC for which these were designed and manufactured were in Europe highlighting Piping Technology and Products’ robust international footprint in the marketplace for over 47 years. We serve over 90% of the countries in the world covering almost all continents. Outside of use in the fertilizer industry, ammonia is positioned to have a key role in our renewable-based, lower carbon footprint hydrogen economy supporting on-board hydrogen carrier for fuel cell activities given its high capacity for hydrogen storage based on its molecular structure.

These furnace springs are fabricated from carbon steel and painted with a red-oxide primer to help prevent corrosion. We also designed and manufactured 304 stainless steel pipe clamps to attach the furnace springs to catalysis tubes within the furnace. They are designed to support a cold load of almost 3,000 lb./in. while operating in an area where temperatures are higher than ambient. There were a total of 173 assemblies fabricated for this project, 152 variable hangers, 3 constant spring supports, 6 ball joint rigid struts, and 12 rigid rod hangers. Special load tests were performed before shipping.

PT&P REF. ORIGINAL POST 08072017