The economic assessment of piping layout in compressor station yards relies on accurate prediction of pressure losses within the network. Methods currently used to predict pressure losses in station pipe work are unreliable. As a result inadequate and inaccurate information is being used when making economic assessments of piping layout and in the prediction of operating costs. By improving the design process substantial economic advantages may be gained in balancing pressure losses and compressor inlet flow conditions against investment in piping and components. Currently the existing data concentrate...
The economic assessment of piping layout in compressor station yards relies on accurate prediction of pressure losses within the network. Methods currently used to predict pressure losses in station pipe work are unreliable. As a result inadequate and inaccurate information is being used when making economic assessments of piping layout and in the prediction of operating costs. By improving the design process substantial economic advantages may be gained in balancing pressure losses and compressor inlet flow conditions against investment in piping and components. Currently the existing data concentrate on isolated component losses and there is a lack of reliable data on interaction of adjacent components frequently present in compressor yard layouts. Thus, in order to produce a comprehensive guide to compressor yard losses, there was considerable incentive to quantify these interactions. This report details the experimental work to provide reliable pressure loss data for an engineer's design handbook. The tee tests include the effect of branch to run radius and two area ratios. A total of 36 bend/tee combinations were tested. Results are presented as overall bend/tee pressure loss coefficients and interaction corrections. The latter are used in the design handbook. The factors affecting bend and tee performance are discussed. Bend/tee interactions are explained qualitatively in terms of interaction of the pressure and flow distributions within the components. The work covers pressure losses in bends, close coupled bend/bend combinations, tees (combining and dividing) and tee/bend combinations.