Insulate pipe rack

[ZHWIL28]

Does anyone have experience with insulating whole pipe rack instead of individul pipes on the rack? Is this good application to use on thermal oil piping about 600 deg F? Thanks for your comments.

 

[unclesyd]

We have miles of thermal heating fluid, both vapor and condensate, at 700F and it is all individually wrapped. We have never or never would consider anything but individual insulated lines.

I can see numerous problems with this arrangement.

 

[dcasto]

There isn't any cost benefit as you'll need some material betwen pipes to keep them from rubbing each other. I've seen the metal cover around two lines, each insulated seperately, that about it.

 

[BigInch]

I've run multiple hot oil line pipes 190 F through an insulated 8 Ft diameter corregated metal pipe all laid underground. The surrounding ground layer provided the insulation.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[STYMIEDPIPER]

You are creating a maintenance nightmare.

Image at some future date, plant personnel attempting to 'walk down' a specific line to add a new tap or branch connection. Nearly impossible. We have all walked down a line in a plant when the lines are individually insulated. At some plants it is still nearly impossible to completely 'walk down' a line when the headers are located in a large pipe rack.

Also, imagine if one(1) of the lines leak for any reason (i.e. gasket joint). The fluid would not be contained to any one location and identifying the source of the leak nearly impossible.

In addition, how would the plant add a line(s) at some future date.

 

[BigInch]

Are you saying underground lines arn't convenient? If so, don't let the pipeline industry know. For most of the last 15 years I've been putting not only pipelines undergound, but pump stations, meter stations, electric generating plants, HVAC plants, lube oil storage areas, filtration plants, living quarters, massive storage tanks (over 1 mm bbls)... you'd be surprized how much you can fit in down there.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[STYMIEDPIPER]

BigInch

Is an 8 ft dia pipe underground with mulpiple headers located inside considered a 'pipe rack'?

My experience has been with pipe racks above ground.

 

[BigInch]

Does it matter? The pipes arn't sitting on the bottom; they're on a rack inside the tube.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com