Medical Gases Pty Ltd

Tel: 61 2 9714 2166 Fax: 61 2 9714 2199

ABN 61 121 276 079

mgs@medical-gas.com.au

Medical and Laboratory Gas Pipeline Design

Part 1
Pipeline versus Pressure and Design Impact
As you are no doubt aware gas pressure is one of the major variables that will
impact on the design of any gas pipeline, as pressure increases so do other
variables such as the materials of construction of the pipeline and the wall
thickness of the pipe being used. That is basic engineering practice, however
when pressure increases other variables come into play that are rarely taken into
consideration. Some gases, such as Carbon Dioxide, change state as the
pressure increases and while in its liquid phase if the temperature also increases
it will revert to its gas phase. If the opposite state is looked into and the CO2 is
being piped in its refrigerated liquid phase and the pressure falls (which may be
due to inadequate pipe diameter and increased flow) it can form Dry Ice, each of
these concerns must be taken into consideration when designing the system to
suit the current circumstances. This gas is available in various forms from the gas
manufacturers and each will need special design considerations.
Two other simple examples are High Pressure Carbon Monoxide (above 5,000
kPa) and Acetylene under all conditions. These two gases (among others) will
both fall outside the general rules of gas installations, one due to the effect that
the gas has under elevated pressures and the other due to its incompatibility with
a variety of commonly used materials.
If we look at the Carbon Monoxide first, this gas, at pressures of this magnitude,
will materially affect the structure of a variety of substances; most installers who
are requested to install something of this nature will immediately think that the
ideal pipe line material would be Stainless Steel with suitable wall thickness to
accommodate the elevated pressure. This would be incorrect, Carbon Monoxide
has known physical effects (SSC) that over time will degrade stainless steel, the
second concern about the installation of this gas at this pressure would be the
temperature that could be created under adiabatic conditions, at higher pressures
the gas temperature could exceed the auto-ignition temperature of the gas.
When we look at the second gas, Acetylene, we are confronted with a totally
different set of circumstances, to put it simply Acetylene cannot be installed in
copper pipe as under certain conditions it can create Acetylides that are unstable
and likely to explode. This gas has another set of limiting parameters that prevent
it from being piped at pressures that exceed 150 kPaG as the gas itself becomes
unstable and may explode.
Having taken two examples from the large variety of gases that are likely to be
piped it shows how easy it would be for an inexperienced designer or installer to
construct a piping system that could prove exceedingly dangerous.
One more gas that should also be mentioned here is Oxygen, the number of
pipelines that are installed throughout Australia in Hospitals, Laboratories and

Medical Gases Pty Ltd

Tel: 61 2 9714 2166 Fax: 61 2 9714 2199

ABN 61 121 276 079

mgs@medical-gas.com.au

industrial premises would be numbered in the thousands. Oxygen has a number

of properties that may also create dangerous situations, the most common is in
the presence of hydrocarbons, this is easily overcome by experienced designers
and installers but what about maximum velocities, compatibility with materials
such as valve seats, temperature and velocity changes through orifices and a
number of other commonly encountered installation conditions. There is a
considerable amount of engineering information available that is particularly
relevant to Oxygen and anybody contemplating pipeline design should utilise it
and become thoroughly conversant with the gas and indeed with any gas that
they propose to provide designs for. The American Society for Testing and
Materials has a number of publications on Oxygen systems and the associated
Fire Hazards as well as design concerns specifically related to Oxygen.
As basic principles we offer the following examples of typical information
necessary to design a gas pipeline, this is a short list as local conditions will add
to it.
1) What are the physical properties of the gas, e.g. Flammability limits in air,
cylinder delivery pressure, auto ignition temperature, compatibility with
materials of construction to name a few.
2) What does the end user need the gas to do
3) What conditions would render the gas unusable to the end user, e.g. low
pressure, contamination from external sources, .an insufficient flow.
4) What special properties does the gas have that may affect the pipeline
(e.g. Helium regulators should have metal seat and seals to prevent
diffusion). Do these properties change as pressure or flow changes.
5) Design Pressure required at the terminal end of the pipeline.
6) Effect of adiabatic compression at the pressure required in the pipeline,
especially if ball or solenoid valves are used.
7) Flow required from each outlet
8) Diversity factor for the system
9) Maximum pressure drop at each terminal outlet when operating that will be
acceptable to the end user.
10) Purity level of the gas being piped
11) Purity level of the gas required at the terminal unit by the end user
12) What happens to the waste gases after the process has been completed.
13) Compatibility of the pipeline material with the process that the end user is
undertaking
14) Compatibility of the gas with the proposed materials to be included in the
pipeline including valve seats and seals, connection jointing compounds,
cleaning requirements of inline equipment where necessary, this includes
all lubricants found within the valves and equipment, solvents used during
cleaning of components. It may be necessary to design the system using
the Oxygen Index for the various materials used to provide a safe working
model.

Medical Gases Pty Ltd

Tel: 61 2 9714 2166 Fax: 61 2 9714 2199

ABN 61 121 276 079

mgs@medical-gas.com.au

15) Compatibility of gas under the condition in which it will be piped, some
gases are compatible with some materials at low pressures but have
issues at elevated pressures and temperatures.
16) Compatibility of the pipeline and associated equipment with the conditions
under which the gas will be piped. (e.g. Temperature, Pressure)
17) Is it necessary to provide additional treatment to the gas stream prior to
use (e.g. molecular sieves)
18) Is it necessary to remove surface trapped gases to maintain purity.
19) What kind of storage facility will need to be constructed including delivery
access and provision for cylinders
20) Any OHS issues that need to be addressed for safe working conditions to
be provided for the end users, e.g. toxic, flammable gas monitoring etc.
21) What do the Workcover Authority and Dangerous Goods Regulation
require to provide adequate site safety.
22) Is certification of the cylinder store required
23) What Australian Standards are applicable to the installation.
24) What International Standards are applicable to the installation if no local
Standard is available.
After considering all of the above a system design should be provided that
indicates the formulas used, MSDSs, design considerations that have been
taken into account, local authorities that have been accessed and used and any
relevant reference documentation that will impact on the design. Pipeline designs
should also be provided indicating pressure drops that will be encountered and
diversity factors that have been used in the calculation of the design, for gases
that have other constraints velocities should also be included to prove that
maximum recommended levels are not exceeded.