Gas Pipeline Hydraulics

Introduces the fundamental concepts, fluid mechanics, formulas, and economic aspects of gas pipeline systems
Demonstrates commonly used formulas such as Colebrook-White, AGA, Weymouth, and Panhandle
Discusses the piping requirements for long-distance gas transmission, including line pack, number of compressor stations, and power required
Illuminates the calculation of capital costs, operating costs, and tariff analysis to determine the optimum pipe size for a specific throughput
Contains abundant examples and problems in each chapter along with several case studies

In your day-to-day planning, design, operation, and optimization of pipelines, wading through complex formulas and theories is not the way to get the job done. Gas Pipeline Hydraulics acts as a quick-reference guide to formulas, codes, and standards encountered in the gas industry. Based on the author's 30 years of experience in manufacturing and the oil and gas industry, the book presents a step-by-step introduction to the concepts in a practical approach illustrated by real-world examples, case studies, and a wealth of problems at the end of each chapter.

Avoiding overly complex equations and theorems, Gas Pipeline Hydraulics demonstrates the calculation of pressure drop using various commonly accepted formulas. The author extends this discussion to determine total pressure required under various configurations, the necessity of pressure regulators and control valves, the comparative pros and cons of adding compressor stations versus pipe loops, mechanical strength of the pipeline, and thermal hydraulic analysis. He also introduces transient pressure analysis along with references for more in-depth study. The text concludes with the economic aspects of pipeline systems.

Containing valuable appendices that provide conversions from USCS to SI units, tables of properties of natural gas, commonly used pipe sizes, and allowable internal and hydrotest pressures, this is the most easy-to-use, hands-on reference for gas pipelines available.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Gas Pipeline Hydraulics 1. GasProperties

1.1 Mass and Weight
1.2 Volume
1.3 Density, specific weight and specific volume
1.4 Specific gravity
1.5 Viscosity
1.6 Ideal gases
1.7 Real gases
1.8 Natural gas mixtures
1.9 Pseudo Critical Properties from Gas Gravity
1.10 Impact of Sour Gas and Non-Hydrocarbon Components
1.11 Compressibility Factor
1.12 Heating Value
Summary
Problems

2. Pressure Drop Due To Friction

2.1 Bernoulli’s Equation
2.2 Flow Equation
2.3 General Flow Equation
2.4 Effect of pipe elevations
2.5 Average Pipe Segment Pressure
2.6 Velocity of gas in a pipeline
2.7 Erosional velocity
2.8 Reynolds Number of flow
2.9 Friction Factor
2.10 Colebrook-White Equation
2.11 Transmission Factor
2.12 Modified Colebrook-White Equation
2.13 American Gas Association (AGA) Equation
2.14 Weymouth Equation
2.15 Panhandle A Equation
2.16 Panhandle B Equation
2.17 Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) Equation
2.18 Spitzglass Equation
2.19 Mueller Equation
2.20 Fritzsche Equation
2.21 Effect of Pipe roughness
2.22 Comparison of flow equations
Summary
Problems

3. Pressure Required to Transport

3.1 Total pressure drop required
3.2 Frictional effect
3.3 Effect of pipeline elevation
3.4 Effect of changing pipe delivery pressure
3.5 Pipeline with intermediate injections and deliveries
3.6 Series Piping
3.7 Parallel Piping
3.8 Locating pipe loop
3.9 Hydraulic Pressure Gradient
3.10 Pressure Regulators and Relief valves
3.11 Temperature variation and gas pipeline modeling
3.12 Line Pack
Summary
Problems

4. Compressor Stations

4.1 Compressor station locations
4.2 Hydraulic Balance
4.3 Isothermal compression
4.4 Adiabatic compression
4.5 Polytropic compression
4.6 Discharge temperature of compressed gas
4.7 Horsepower required
4.8 Optimum Compressor Locations
4.9 Compressors in series and parallel
4.10 Types of compressors – centrifugal and positive displacement
4.11 Compressor performance curves
4.12 Compressor station piping losses
4.13 Compressor station schematic
Summary
Problems

5. Pipe Loops versus Compression

5.1 Purpose of a pipe loop
5.2 Purpose of compression
5.3 Increasing pipeline capacity
5.4 Reducing power requirements
5.5 Looping in distribution piping
Summary
Problems

6. Pipe Analysis

6.1 Pipe wall thickness
6.2 Barlow’s equation
6.3 Thick wall pipes
6.4 Derivation of Barlow’s Equation
6.5 Pipe material and grade
6.6 Internal design pressure equation
6.7 Class location
6.8 Mainline valves
6.9 Hydrostatic test pressure
6.10 Blowdown calculations
6.11 Determining Pipe Tonnage
Summary
Problems

7. Thermal Hydraulics

7.1 Isothermal versus thermal hydraulics
7.2 Temperature variation and gas pipeline modeling
7.3 Review of simulation model reports
Summary
Problems

8. Transient Analysis and Case Studies

8.1 Unsteady Flow
8.2 Case Studies
Summary
Problems

9. Valves and Flow Measurements

9.1 Purpose of valves
9.2 Types of valves
9.3 Material of construction
9.4 Codes for design and construction
9.5 Gate valve
9.6 Ball valve
9.7 Plug valve
9.8 Butterfly valve
9.9 Globe valve
9.10 Check valve
9.11 Pressure control valve
9.12 Pressure regulator
9.13 Pressure relief valve
9.14 Flow measurement
9.15 Flow Meters
9.16 Venturi Meter
9.17 Flow Nozzle
Summary
Problems

10. Pipeline Economics

10.1 Components of Cost
10.2 Capital Costs
10.3 Operating Costs
10.4 Determining economic pipe size
Summary
Problems

Appendix A - Units and Conversions
Appendix B - Physical Properties of various gases
Appendix C - Pipe Properties - US Customary System of Units
Appendix D - GASMOD output
Appendix E - Summary of Formulas