Piping Sliding Supports - Shoes

[bucs2047]

We have some areas where the cooling water piping without any sliding supports or shoes. The iso. drawing calls for this inside the enclosures, I've looked in B31.1 and 31.3 but found nothing stating when not to use shoes or when acceptable. Again this is 6" cooling water piping (CS) with a max temp of 100F; we will not see temperature extremes causing expansion - but I would like to confirm that I am not out of code on this issue

 

[abcmex]

A cooling water line temperature is depending on the enviromental conditions, according where it is installed you probably will have small or big temperature changes according to the season (winter/summer).
Also when your load changes, so may change your temperatures and even when you shutdown the system for maintenance the sun may cause expansion/contraction.
You may not have substantial temperature differences but you will probably have thermal expansion.
You may have to evaluate your system, check the calculations and be aware that a U bolt may act as a sliding support; only the friction coeficient may be higher.
Regards

 

[bvi]

Shoes are not required by B31.1 or B31.3. Shoes tend to be used with insulated pipe to provide a support projecting through the insulation, for large diameter pipe for stress reasons. Some people also use them in sliding circumstances to protect the paint/coating. This is for metallic pipe. For fiberglass pipe, the pipe has to be protected from sliding on supports (e.g. with a strapped on slide plate), which can damage the fiberglass.

 

[bucs2047]

Thanks for the responses, in B31.1 - 121.7 Fixtures: this has suggested pipe support spacing, but I will look into the calc also.

 

[lilliput1]

So what type support was actually provided? The sliding support do not restraint horizontal movement (but limit it if restrained sliding supports are used) but restraints downward movement. It does not restrain upward movemrnt (but limit it if restrained type sliding support is used). Where are the anchor points of the piping. Are flexible piping connections required by cooling tower manufacturer?