Compressor Piping Design & Stress Analysis Using Caesar II

• Gain practical expertise in compressor piping stress analysis using CAESAR II

• Learn industry-relevant techniques used in oil & gas, petrochemical, and process plants

• Understand how to evaluate compressor nozzle loads and piping flexibility effectively

• Develop skills to identify and mitigate vibration and pulsation problems in piping systems

• Improve knowledge of ASME B31.3, API 617, and API 618 code requirements

• Enhance capability to perform static and dynamic analysis of compressor piping networks

• Learn best practices for pipe support selection and restraint design

• Build confidence in troubleshooting real-life compressor piping issues and failures

• Gain hands-on exposure through practical examples and industrial case studies

• Improve career opportunities in piping design, stress analysis, and rotating equipment engineering

• Understand methods to improve piping reliability, safety, and operational performance

• Learn from practical engineering approaches adopted in major industrial projects

• clarify your doubts related to compressor piping stress analysis

This course aims to provide participants with practical knowledge and engineering skills required to perform stress analysis of centrifugal and reciprocating compressor connected piping systems using CAESAR II. The program focuses on understanding piping behavior under static and dynamic loading conditions, evaluating compressor nozzle loads, and ensuring compliance with industry codes and standards such as ASME B31.3, API 617, and API 618. Participants will learn how to identify vibration-related issues, optimize pipe support arrangements, and improve system reliability through effective modeling and analysis techniques widely used in oil & gas, petrochemical, and process industries.

This course covers the detailed methodology for analyzing compressor connected piping systems subjected to thermal expansion, pressure, weight, vibration, pulsation, and dynamic forces. The training includes modeling procedures in CAESAR II, load case development, flexibility assessment, restraint selection, and equipment interface evaluation. Special emphasis is placed on reciprocating compressor piping dynamics, acoustic considerations, and vibration mitigation practices. Participants will work through industry-oriented examples and case studies to understand practical troubleshooting approaches and design improvements. The course also introduces best engineering practices for achieving safe, operable, and code-compliant compressor piping systems in industrial applications.

• Some key features and differences between centrifugal and reciprocating compressors

• A typical process flow diagram of a centrifugal compressor

• A typical P&ID of a reciprocating compressor system

• Working Principle

• Centrifugal compressor piping- sources and types of vibration- Aerodynamic/fluid driven

• Dead leg and standing waves

• Explanation of acoustic modes

• How centrifugal compressor machine dynamics and other aerodynamic phenomenon affects Centrifugal compressor piping vibration

• Boundary layer separation and wake formation

• Rotating stall

• Blade pass frequency vs rotating stall

• AIV & FIV Theory

• The concepts and examples of fluid dynamic, monopole, dipole and quadrupole.

• Beam and shell modes of vibration

• Role of anti-surge line in vibration of piping systems connected to centrifugal compressors-Contribution to AIV & FIV

• Vibration associated with anti-surge line valve- causes and mitigations

• Causes of high velocity in anti-surge line

• Centrifugal compressor piping vibration -Mechanical/Rotor driven causes

• Concept of expectation values, variance, std. deviation and autocorrelation function

• Fourier transform

• Concepts and equations relevant to frequency domain analysis

• Broadband and white noise

• Identifying different sources of vibration in FFT plot

• Proximity probe and orbit plot

• What does Orbit plots tell us and their use

• Centrifugal compressor vibration- orbit plot

• Some good and bad ways of supporting small bore lines

• Suction & Discharge layout-Centrifugal compressor

• API 617 equations for nozzle loads-8th edition

• Slider-crank mechanism in reciprocating compressors

• Pressure pulsations-reciprocating compressors

• 2 –throw reciprocating compressor

• 3-Throw compressor arrangement

• A check-list of items required for pulsation study of reciprocating compressors

• Scope of work for pulsation study

• Attenuation lengths

• Acoustic termination

• A schematic description of a reciprocating compressor system and a volume-choke-volume dampener

• Helmholtz resonator

• Filtering mechanism by frequency regimes

• Helmholtz frequency calculation- API 688

• Typical pipe supports associated with reciprocating compressors

• Design approach selection API 618 5th edition

• Allowable Pressure pulsations levels

• Maximum allowable shaking force

• Allowable vibration level

• Allowable limits for cyclic stresses, Allowable limits for pressure drop

• Frequency separation margins

• Appendix P API 618

• Pulsation study of a reciprocating compressor and its piping systems- Background theory

• Governing equations of fluid dynamics for pulsation study

• Points to check by a pipe stress engineer to review a pulsation study work

• Modelling considerations

• API 617 Check CAESAR II

• Dynamic strain measurement-EIG

• Use of expansion joints in Reciprocating and Centrifugal compressor piping systems