Piping Design Course

Lesson 1 • Piping Industry Overview

Introduces the role of piping in process plants and the key disciplines involved. Establishes context for all subsequent technical content.

Lesson 2 • Piping Components and Terminology

Defines pipes, fittings, flanges, valves, and specialty items. Provides the vocabulary needed for drawings and specifications.

Lesson 3 • Fluid Service Classification

Covers categorization of fluids by hazard, temperature, and pressure. Directly informs material selection and design pressure ratings.

Lesson 4 • Applicable Codes and Standards

Surveys governing codes for pressure piping design and fabrication. Students learn how to navigate and apply code requirements.

Lesson 1 • Metallic Pipe Materials

Covers carbon steel, alloy steel, and stainless steel grades and their mechanical properties. Links material choice to service conditions.

Lesson 2 • Gaskets, Bolting, and Sealing Materials

Covers sealing materials for flanged joints and their compatibility with fluids and temperatures. Ensures leak-free joint design.

Lesson 3 • Non-Metallic and Lined Pipe

Examines thermoplastics, FRP, and lined pipe for corrosive or high-purity services. Highlights pressure and temperature limitations.

Lesson 4 • Piping Material Specifications

Teaches how to compile and read a piping material specification document. Connects material choices to procurement and construction.

Lesson 1 • Fluid Flow Fundamentals

Reviews continuity, Bernoulli, and momentum equations as applied to pipe flow. Establishes the theoretical basis for sizing calculations.

Lesson 2 • Pressure Drop in Gas and Vapor Systems

Addresses compressible flow effects and two-phase flow considerations. Extends liquid methods to steam and process gas lines.

Lesson 3 • Pressure Drop in Liquid Systems

Applies the Darcy-Weisbach equation and friction factor correlations to liquid piping. Covers fittings losses using equivalent length method.

Lesson 4 • Hydraulic Simulation Tools

Introduces steady-state simulation software for network analysis. Students validate manual calculations and interpret simulation outputs.

Lesson 1 • Pipe Routing Principles

Teaches systematic routing of process, utility, and drain lines to minimize cost and stress. Connects routing decisions to layout and support design.

Lesson 2 • Plot Plan Development

Covers equipment arrangement principles, spacing requirements, and access corridors. Establishes the spatial framework for all piping routes.

Lesson 3 • Clearances and Safety Distances

Defines minimum clearances for personnel, equipment, and hazardous areas. Ensures layouts meet safety and operability requirements.

Lesson 4 • Pipe Rack and Sleeper Design

Addresses multi-tier pipe rack arrangement, spacing, and load estimation. Provides the basis for structural loading input.

Lesson 1 • Stress Categories and Limits

Defines sustained, occasional, and expansion stress categories and their allowable limits. Provides the framework for all stress evaluations.

Lesson 2 • Stress Analysis Software Workflow

Introduces pipe stress software modeling, load case setup, and result interpretation. Students run a complete analysis from model to report.

Lesson 3 • Support Types and Placement

Covers rigid, spring, and dynamic supports and their placement criteria. Links support design to stress analysis results.

Lesson 4 • Thermal Expansion and Flexibility

Quantifies thermal growth and explains how loops, offsets, and expansion joints absorb movement. Directly informs routing decisions.

Lesson 1 • Standard Support Components

Identifies catalog support hardware including shoes, clamps, trunnions, and rods. Enables correct component selection from standard libraries.

Lesson 2 • Special and Custom Support Design

Covers design of non-standard supports for large-bore, high-temperature, and cryogenic lines. Addresses unique loading and movement conditions.

Lesson 3 • Dynamic and Seismic Restraints

Addresses restraint design for pulsation, water hammer, and seismic events. Ensures system integrity under transient and dynamic loads.

Lesson 4 • Support Drawings and Documentation

Teaches preparation of support detail drawings, isometric markups, and load summaries. Produces construction-ready deliverables.

Lesson 1 • Isometric Drawing Preparation

Covers manual and software-generated isometric drawings including bill of materials. Isometrics are the primary fabrication and erection documents.

Lesson 2 • Document Control and Transmittals

Addresses drawing numbering, revision history, and inter-discipline transmittal procedures. Maintains project document integrity.

Lesson 3 • Line List and Equipment Datasheets

Explains line list attributes and how they link to material specs and stress analysis. Ensures data consistency across all deliverables.

Lesson 4 • Piping General Arrangement Drawings

Teaches plan, elevation, and section view preparation for piping layouts. Provides the spatial reference for construction and support design.

Lesson 1 • Inspection During Fabrication

Identifies weld inspection methods, NDE techniques, and quality hold points during shop and field fabrication. Prevents defects from reaching service.

Lesson 2 • Flushing and Cleaning Procedures

Covers water flushing, air blowing, and chemical cleaning to remove construction debris. Protects equipment from contamination at startup.

Lesson 3 • Pressure Testing Methods

Covers hydrostatic, pneumatic, and sensitive leak testing requirements and acceptance criteria. Ensures systems meet code integrity requirements.

Lesson 4 • Pre-Commissioning Walkdowns

Teaches systematic walkdown procedures to verify installation against design documents. Identifies punch list items before handover.