Why are piping supports used?

They bear the weight of the piping structure and help control movement, guiding changes in direction for transporting fluids to different parts of an industrial plant.

While the pipes are integrated to form an operating system, the supports help maintain the system’s position, stability, and integrity during operation.

An industrial case study on ScienceDirect provides an interesting perspective on the importance of pipe supports in reducing stress concentration and vibrations. The lack of such strong and adequate supports can even lead to pipe failure.

When properly designed, it protects both the piping and connected equipment from excessive stresses and forces.

This blog explores the importance of pipe supports and their design, the codes and standards that govern them, and the types of supports suitable for industrial facilities.

Importance of Pipe supports in Piping system design

Pharma, petrochemical, oil & gas, and power plants rely heavily on piping systems for manufacturing and processing. Therefore, pipe supports are an essential part of these systems.

But how do pipe supports protect piping systems? The following points elaborate on the importance and applications of pipe supports.

Maintain Positioning

The supports help restrain excessive pipe movement caused by vibrations, thermal expansion, or sudden movement. Mapping out optimal support locations helps analyse points of maximum stress and determine the appropriate support design and positioning.

Support Dynamic Loads

Piping systems are constantly under duress in industrial plants. This can be due to loads caused by movement or plant conditions. The loads can be classified as operational, sustained, and occasional. Materials and design are selected to suit the piping environment and operational needs.

Structural Stability

A good pipe support design combines pipe routing, material selection, structural strength and long-term stability to maintain the piping system integrity. Proper arrangement of pipe supports also ensures easy accessibility for inspection and future maintenance.

Absorb Shocks and Vibrations

Piping systems are prone to occasional shocks and continued vibrations when operating load increases. The correct pipe supports in appropriate locations across the piping system extend the life of equipment and prevent performance failures.

Types of Pipe supports in industrial plants

These supports carry the weight of the pipes, the components included with the pipe (screws, clamps, valves) and sustain temperature changes.

Each type of pipe support is used for different functions, and choosing the appropriate type helps manage potential stresses.

Rigid Supports

Anchors

They remain fixed at a particular point, allowing limited pipe movements. These are used to restrain linear and rotational motions at specific points along a pipeline.

Guides

These supports assist pipe movement along a pre-planned route. The guides are stationed at intervals along straight pipe runs to help the pipelines align them towards a particular direction.

Pipe Shoes

They prevent pipes from rubbing against each other and control axial (horizontal) pipe movement. These supports are welded to the pipes, rest on beams and provide flexibility during thermal expansion or contraction.

Trunnion Support

It is welded to both sides of a pipe perpendicularly. The attached pipe point is saved from local stresses and transfers the load to the structure supporting the pipe. It is a space-saving support design that can be utilised in tight spaces.

Flexible Supports

Spring Hangers

It’s a hanging string encasing the piping around a coiled steel casing. Constant spring hangers are ideal for normal loads and pipe movements, while variable spring hangers are preferred during excessive stress and load variation.

Snubbers

These absorb sudden movements in pipelines such as water hammer, equipment trips, and violent shakes. It monitors these movements and restrains excessive pipe movements without interfering with normal operations.

Hanger Rod Supports

It’s a rigid vertical hanging pipe support and hangs from a structural support from the ceiling. The rod hanger is attached to the pipe using a clamp or clevis, and its rigidity ensures limited pipe motion.

Saddle Supports

It cradles the pipeline from below and prevents structural damage by transferring the pipe weight to a base. These supports are ideal for limiting pipe sagging and deformation.

How are pipe supports designed?

Pipe support design involves determining potential pipe loads, optimising support location according to pipe spans and operating conditions, and selecting the appropriate support types.

Piping systems are designed based on available footprint, manufacturing process, mechanical considerations and relevant codes and standards.

An ideal pipe support design can support the load of a piping structure.

Plant engineers go through this process to determine the right supports and design:

Select the right materials

Materials should be selected to account for expected variations in temperature and loads. Steel supports are ideal for industrial settings and can bear heavy operating loads, while insulation materials such as Teflon and silicone pads have high resistance to chemicals and varying temperature conditions.

Consider the pipe’s weight and operating loads

Pipe movements are evaluated using appropriate formulae under different load conditions. Support spacing and pipeline sag are estimated based on pipe weights when finalising supports.

Use the right support terminology

Pipe supports are defined by the direction of movement they control (vertical, axial, and lateral axes). Vertical axes indicate upward and downward pipe load movement, axial controls horizontal movement, and lateral controls perpendicular pipe load movement.

Use appropriate tools, codes and standards

Piping design is governed by (American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Petroleum Institute, and Manufacturers Standardisation Society Standard Practices) ASME, API, and MSS SP standards and local codes prescribed in different countries. The major tools used for pipe support design include AutoCAD, Plant 3D and PDMS.

Validate span limits and stress analysis

Piping support designs are approved after engineers verify stress compliance and the supports are spaced within the maximum allowable span. Permissible deflection, movements, and loads determine span length. Supports are placed after considering potential displacements and reactions of the pipe supports against different conditions.

Applicable Design Engineering Codes & Standards

These guidelines are created to ensure pipe supports are designed and selected to adequately support the piping systems according to international and industry-specific standards.

ASME B31.1 – Designing pipe supports for flexibility and thermal movement in power piping

ASME B31.3 – Allowable loads and stresses for pipe supports in process piping

ANSI/MSS SP-58 – Unified standard for selection, application, design, manufacture and installation of pipe hangers and support materials

MSS SP-127 – Designing brace supports for piping

EN 13480-3 – Design principles, conditions and detailed calculation of loads and pressure of metallic industrial piping systems

Pipe Support Design Guidelines

The scope of these guidelines is to ensure that design engineers fulfil the minimum requirements for pipe support design, enabling easy fabrication.

Calculate Pipe Spacing and Span

The support locations are determined after calculating the allowable spaces between supports and the span length required to prevent excessive sagging.

The pipe dimensions, material properties, and anticipated loads are key factors used to determine the appropriate support spacing and span length.

Material Compatibility

Pipe supports and piping system materials are in direct contact with each other. When the materials don’t work well together, the chances of galvanic corrosion, frictional damage, and cracks from pipe stress increase.

Plastic and rubber supports match with copper piping systems, helping prevent galvanic corrosion, while stainless steel supports for HDPE piping allow pipe flexibility.

Control and Restrain Pipe Movement

Piping systems are designed along the directional guide of three physical axes—lateral, axial, vertical. The supports lock down or guide the piping systems according to the gravitational directions of these axes.

This form of directional support controls the pipe movements in the required direction, ensuring optimal performance.

Markup and Calculation Indicators

Isometric drawings of pipes simplify complex 3D piping models as a 2D layout. Each of these drawings contains symbols and indicators representing the meaning of the piping network.

Including appropriate calculations—span limits, thermal displacement, stress ratio—and tagging the supports with unique identification numbers can help in understanding the basis for selecting support locations and materials.

Pipe Support Catalogue

It includes a list of standard pipe support components with details of materials, dimensions, and equipment codes. The documentation also includes pictorial representations of the materials, along with details for maintenance, erection and fitting into the piping system.

Maintain Item Register

These registers are attached to isometric drawings that detail the symbols and identify tags for each component. The supports can be designed based on the pipe routing represented in the drawings. This helps in keeping track of the components during the design, fabrication, and installation stages.

Build stronger Piping Systems with expert Pipe Support Design

In industrial plants, pipelines play a crucial role in transporting fluids and gases for manufacturing and processing. Without adequate structural support, even the strongest piping systems can deform and buckle under excessive operating loads.

Sedin Engineering combines technical piping design expertise with global standards to develop advanced pipe support solutions. Our expertly designed pipe supports help withstand complex industrial conditions, minimise piping stress and maintain system integrity.

Contact us to strengthen your piping systems from the ground up.