I am practicing how to design a spring can with Caesar II.

I know that I can ask the program to select a

can using the free code, but for some reason it is forcing me to use a "rod hanger". Well since I am
using an example from an old project, I find that there is something wrong. The input is identical and the
example has the spring can for that location with a hot,cold, and spring rate. Can anyone help me step
by step how to model a can, meaning do I put a rigid support, then get a load from the output, then look
at the load tables from PTP? I am confused, please help.
In other words, how can I properly determine the hot load and movement?
The manual selection of a spring support requires two itms of information - the load to be carried and the
expected thermal movement. There are other data like allowable force variation of the spring, minimum
movement for selection, available space to install spring support, and the working range of force and
travel of a particular spring unit - but the load and movement are primary.

You could obtain the support load value from a weight analysis of the piping or approximate value from
adding up the weights of pipe, fittings, flanges, valves, and fluid content. The thermal movement could
be approximated from calculation of thermal expansion of piping and equipment connections.

The manual selection of spring unit for the load and thermal movement will be a lookup of values in the
spring manufacturer's table. One commonly used table is the Anvil International Co. (successor to
Grinnell Corp.)
**
download their 'Pipe Hanger Catalog PH-2006' and the table on pages 134-135 shows the loads and
movements that their spring supports will provide, as well as more instructions.

The CaesarII spring selection parameters include a threshold minimum travel, 'Rigid Support
Displacement Criteria' which can be set different from the default value of 0.1 inch, for which the spring
selection reverts to 'Rigid'. Why use a spring support when the piping does not move? So it will revert to
a rigid suppport.

Another spring selection outcome is 'Constant spring' if the allocated space is less than the dimensions of
a selected spring hanger or spring can. Also the selection outcome of 'Constant spring' is result of the
force variation (travel X spring rate) being greater than the specified allowable variation, usually 25% by
default but could be reset to allow more variation or less variation to control the maximum / minimum
forces from a spring unit.

Now you should appreciate using CaesarII to let the software select the spring. Instead of clicking the
box for 'Restraint', you click the box for 'Hanger', enter the node number to locate and identify the spring
hanger, and enter any other information. Set up the analysis load cases to include the spring hanger
loads (CaesarII is able to construct and recommend the load cases for you), and run the analysis. Done.

If you want to input your manual selection values for a spring, then you provide 'Predefined Hanger Data'
in the input fields at bottom after entering the hanger node number. The input of spring rate is required
along with either the cold installation load or constant effort support load.
Do I use a Y support or let it hang and run the analysis to take the load of the pipe from there (prior to
selecting a spring can)?
Its easy to choose a hanger, (two in my case) and bam! I pass with only 54% allowable, but I know its
important to stay within 25% variation. I am using the PTP Spring Selection tool, but I need to know if I
have the correct hot load. I have read everything from the internet.
In a perfect world some might say the hot load would be the same as cold installed load. A constant
effort spring is almost perfect with a +/- 5% variation of force over its travel range 10"+, but you don't
want to use or pay for them unless necessary. The typical 25% variation limit is usually accommodated
by the Fig B-268 or the Fig 98 double stack spring models. For small movements less than 0.50" a half
height spring like the Fig 82 is all that is required.

The requirements for 'correct' hot load for selected springs could be to keep the pipe stress within
allowables, but more often the spring supports are used to keep equipment connection loads within
limits. Again, ideally the piping would put zero loads on equipment connections, but thermal growth of
equipment and piping will result in weight loads being shifted between rigid supports and the
equipment. That is one of the reasons for the 'Free Y' at the equipment connection's restraint conditiion
of 'Anchor' or the displacements of its thermal growth. The 'Free Y' of restraint has the spring support
take all the weight of piping - no weight is supported by the equipment connection, at least for the sizing
of the spring force.
What I meant was "don't put a vertical restraint in and expect CAESAR II to design a hanger
there". Your manual step by step approach (put in a rigid support, determine the load, etc) is what
CAESAR II does in its hanger design load cases.
**
If in case that the piping is connected to a rotating equipment, such as a pump or if the
piping is subjected to high temperature. Is a spring hanger required for movement less than
2.5 mm? The quesion is shoud i need use the spring support in this case?
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I met a couple of engineers in the past that had the philosophy that if a support caused
problems (lift-off, pivoting, coupling, too much load, etc.) near rotating equipment they
would model a spring support in their analyis at the problem support to qualify the
equipment loads. If the spring displacements were less the 1/16" or 1/8" (up or down) they
would specify a rigid support for installation instead of the spring support used in the
analysis.

I NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW THEY COULD JUSTIFY THIS. HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY THE
QUALIFICATION OF EQUIPMENT LOADS WITH ONE SUPPORT SCHEME AND INSTALL
SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?
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To use spring hanger or not has to be decided by u. u can use even rigid hanger or resting
support in piping.

1) Rigid hanger restricts the motion of pipe down wards even though if the forces and
moments on pipe nozzle are below allowable, then you can go for rigid hanger.
2) If you use resting support on piping , friction also place role due to this forces may
increase on pipe nozzle .

if u face any problem with these 2 cases, then u have to go for spring hanger
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Just remember for all side or end pump nozzles, the thermal growth will ALWAYS be a small
number (<=1/8") since the vertical distance from the pump "anchor point" to the nozzle is
small.

IF THERE IS A SPRING IN THE CALC, THEN THERE SHALL BE A SPRING IN THE FIELD.

Otherwise redesign the piping to eliminate the need for the spring.

As mentioned in numerous PUMP posts, try to avoid springs in large diameter piping Pump
Systems due to fact that the spring will impose forces on the pump when the piping is
empty. This MUST be checked and considered.
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-I had faced similar kind of problem while analyzing 24" line connected with a side
suction/side discharge centrifugal pump anchored to the foundation.The first support after
the suction nozzle was lifting by 1.5 mm,as suction nozzle had some initial displacement of
2.00 mm. I opted for a spring support as rigid support was lifting off.Client suggested to
neglect the initial nozzle displacement in order to avoid spring support.
Hope it will help you.
--
A thought experiment...

Two concrete blocks with another concrete block supported between them. Place a jack in
the middle of the block before the block moves 0.001" you will be carrying the full load of
the block.

A spring offers resilience that a solid steel post lacks!
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