Managing Changes in Design of Complex Pipeline Systems

Yu Juan

Abstract

Piping systems are designed according to piping specification procedure, which is the fundamental design standard in piping system. The advantage and disadvantage of piping specification procedure can impact piping system reliability and economic. Maximum to meet end user requirement is the piping specification procedure basic objective. Moreover, economy factor also have to be considered in system design. Nowadays, energy demand is growing quickly, a wide variety of energy exploiting require pipeline systems in complex design. With the improvement in the procedure of pipeline system design to be more flexibility, this paper explores procedure improvement for value-adding related to current designing pipeline procedure using different methodologies.

In the beginning, pipeline system designer need to refer to piping specification procedure provided proper application information as guide, to select design code, determine fluid service category, in consequence to select piping specification based on material, design pressure and temperature requested. Secondly, procedure improvement for value-adding was applied in the areas where flexibility can be incorporated into the system. One methodology is extended based on previous work done by Hu (2011). The limitation for Hu (2011) is looking for outside factor only; the extended method called Gold-Silver Ranking which is looking for inside factor as well. Next, Lim’s (2012) methodology was applied into pipe network modeling by adding value to the system in order to embedding flexibility within the system. Finally, two scenarios studies in pipeline system are then introduced to demonstrate the flexibility importance.

In the end, Monte Carlo simulation was used to compare conventional design and flexibility design, the outcome to show that the flexibility design is the optimal decision in pipe network system.