Steam Powered Turbin Piping #2

[littlechappy]

About a week ago, I wrote a question about my employer putting a 1 3/8 pipe in place of a 5" one. The pipe that I said was incorrect, it should be 1 3/4. I asked if it was safe and if it would acutally reduce the amount of steam to lower the horsepower.. I would like to thank those that helped and ask this:
Someone had brought to my attention that this length of pipe should be 10 feet long to affectively reduce the horsepower. The pipe they installed is only a few inches long.. What I was wondering, if they install the pipe the right way, do you think this would reduce the scream of the steam going through it? If the pipe is suppose to be this long, isn't it unsafe being this short?
I have brought my concerns to the safety board that my employer has set up, and they have said that they are working on a way to try to insulate the noise. They said that they checked the DBA's in the area and have found it to be within regulations. The problem is, I don't know when they tested it, or if they even tested it at all. They could've tested it when both turbins were at an idle or even when they weren't running.. I know that when the turbins are running near top RPM, the steam going through that pipe can't be with in reguations..
I have a feeling that this is going to be a fight, but I can not sit here and let them destroy my hearing.. I am trying to gather enough information to bring to OSHA..

Any help with be great appreciated..

Thanks again..

Chappy

 

[TBP]

What you do will largely depend on how much you really care about this particular job. From what you describe, the plant management think that they're only breaking the rules if they actually get caught. (Sniff-sniff - the distinct aroma of MBAs running every aspect of the show...) Many times, people who complain about legitimate, serious safety & code issues find themselves subject to "the calculation". Will it be cheaper to effectively deal with the problem indentified in a responsible manner, or simply fire the squeaky wheel? I'd bet that at least half the time, the squeaky wheel finds himself standing outside the plant gate, looking in at where he used to work. I very much doubt, assuming that the steam line was properly sized to begin with, that the noise level of the steam shrieking through the drastically reduced line is anything short of spectacular. It likely sounds very much like a jet engine. The morally right thing for you to do, is demand to see the test noise level test results, and the qualifications of the person who did the test, and press the issue. However, if you have a mortgage and family, the morally right thing to do doesn't make the payments or buy groceries. You shouldn't HAVE to make this choice. It's not right, but it is often, sadly, reality. Good luck.

 

[davefitz]

The longer section of 1 3/8 pipe will reduce the noise since the flow will be frictionally choked instead of acoustically choked.