Fermilab

Particle Physics Division

Mechanical Department Engineering Note
Number NOvA Document

Date: July 30, 2013

Project: NOvA Near Detector

Title:Piping Engineering Note - NOvA Near Detector Dry Gas
System
Author(s): Erik Voirin
Reviewer(s):
Key Words: NOvA Nitrogen Backup dry gas System ASME B31.9
Applicable Codes: ASME B31.9
Abstract Summary:
This document describes the NOvA dry gas system piping
which dry the APDs of the NOvA Detector. Contents of the system
are dry air and backup nitrogen. The system contains dry air at
several pressure levels. The system also contains 2 ASME
pressure vessels for dry air accumulation, these pressure vessel
notes are in the database. There is also a backup portion of the
system which will be used during power outages after reservoir
air is exhausted; this backup is provided by 4 ultra-high purity
Nitrogen cylinders. The system can be most simply broken in 3
parts for the purposed of this note, which will be the Nitrogen
portion, Air High Pressure portion, and Air low pressure portion.
This document shows the system conforms to FESHM 5031.1
Table 1, which states compressed air / inert gas systems shall be
designed to ASME 31.9. 5031.1 also states gas with pressure
below 150 psi does not require an engineering note or review, so
pg. 1

this document mainly focuses on the nitrogen portion of the

system, with the other parts mentioned only to explain how the
nitrogen is integrated with the rest of the system.
FESHM 5031.1 PIPING ENGINEERING NOTE FORM
Prepared by: Erik Voirin

Preparation Date: 7-

30-2013
Piping System Title: NOvA Near Detector Dry Gas System
Lab Location: Minos Tunnel

Location code: N/A

Purpose of system: Dry APDs with dry gas to prevent water/ice

accumulation
Piping System ID Number: none assigned yet
Appropriate governing piping code: ASME B31.9
Fluid Service Category (if B31.3): N/A
Fluid Contents: Dry Air / Nitrogen
Design Pressure: (Nitrogen) 2200 psi / (Air High: 100 psi) / (Air Low: 5
psi)
Piping Materials: (Nitrogen) 304SS / Air High: 304SS / Air Low: HDPE,
and Viton
Drawing Numbers (PIDs, weldments, etc.): 3929.500-MD-493880 Sheet
#1
Designer/Manufacturer: Fermilab
Test Pressure: 2200 psig

Test Fluid: Nitrogen

Test Date: TBD

Statements of Compliance
Piping system conforms to FESHM 5031.1, installation is not exceptional:
Yes
Piping system conforms to FESHM 5031.1, installation is exceptional and has
been
designed, fabricated, inspected, and tested using sound engineering
principles: N/A

pg. 2

Reviewed by: ______ ___________________________ (Print Name)

Signature: _____________________________________________Date: ___ ___________
D/S Head's Signature: ___________________________________Date: _____________
The following signatures are required for exceptional piping systems:
ES&H Director's Signature: _______________________________Date: _____________
Director's Signature or Designee: __________________________Date:
_____________
Pipe Characteristics
Size: N2: x 0.035 SS Tube and braided cylinder hose

Volume:

< 0.1 gal

Size: Air: x 0.035 SS Tube/ OD HDPE and Viton

Volume:

< 0.1 gal

Relief Valve Information:
Type: Spring Loaded
Manufacturer: N2: High Side Normal Fluid Service: SVC
(Included On Cylinders)
Manufacturer: Air High: Kingston / Air Low: Circle Seal
Set Pressure: not applicable Relief Capacity: 3360 psig / 100 psig / 5
psi
Relief Design Code: CGA / ASME / PED
Is the system designed to meet the identified governing code? Yes
Fabrication Quality Verification:
Process and Instrumentation diagram appended? Yes, Piping Note
Attachment #1

pg. 3

Process and Instrumentation component list appended? Yes, Piping Note

Attachment #2
Is an operating procedure necessary for safe operation? No
If yes, procedure must be appended.
Exceptional Piping System
Is the piping system or any part of it in the above category? No
If Yes, follow the requirements for an extended engineering note for
Exceptional
Piping Systems.
Quality Assurance
List vendor(s) for assemblies welded/brazed off site: None
List welder(s) for assemblies welded/brazed in-house: N/A
Append welder qualification Records for in-house welded/brazed assemblies.
N/A
Append all quality verification records required by the identified code (e.g.
examiner's certification, inspector's certification, test records, etc.) N/A

Table of Contents
Body:
1. Introduction / Piping and instrumentation diagram. .

2. Piping and instrumentation diagram

3. Design code and evaluation criteria

4. Materials .

5. Internal Pressure Design

6
.

pg. 4

6. Relief Valves

A. Relief Valve and Orifice Sizing Calculations

11

Appendices:

8
B. Pressure Test Procedures and Results

pg. 5

1) Introduction / Piping and Instrument diagram

The NOvA dry gas system intends to flow dry gas through APDs to keep
the dew point low enough to prevent condensation / freezing of water on the
APD surfaces, which can reach -15oC. Most of the system contains dry air at
pressures below 100 psi, however, there is also a backup portion of the
system which will be used during power outages after reservoir air is
exhausted. This backup is provided by 4 ultra-high purity Nitrogen cylinders.
This document shows the system conforms to FESHM 5031.1, which states
compressed air / inert gas systems shall be designed to ASME 31.9. 5031.1
also states gas with pressure below 150 psi does not require an engineering
note or review, so this document mainly focuses on the nitrogen portion of
the system, with the other parts mentioned only to explain how the nitrogen
is integrated with the rest of the system. Figure #1 shows the portion of the
P&ID which includes the high pressure nitrogen section in blue, and low
pressure section in grey. The high pressure piping components are also
listed to the right. The full P&ID of the system and the valve and instrument
list are attached: Piping and Instrumentation Diagram Sheet 1, and Dryer
Valve and Inst. List.

pg. 6

Figure 1: High Pressure Backup Nitrogen portion of the system and all high
pressure components and pressure ratings.
2) Design codes and evaluation criteria
This nitrogen portion of the system meets the requirements of
section 5031.1 of the Fermilab ES&H Manual. Section 5031.1 states the
system piping shall be designed according to ASME B319. The lower
pressure dry air portions of the system are also designed to ASME 31.9,
but are not thoroughly documented since not required according to
FESHM 5031.1.
4) Materials
The tubing in the nitrogen portion of the system is standard
OD x 0.035 wall 304 stainless steel tube purchased from Swagelok.
The lowest allowable stress for this material from Table A-1 of ASME
B31.3 is 16,700 psi. The piping will be operated at ambient indoor
temperatures.
.

5) Internal pressure design

Calculations were done for internal pressure rating of the tubing.
All fittings are standard stainless steel or brass fittings, which meet
applicable ASTM standards, and have pressure rating given in Figure
#1.
The pressure rating of the seamless SS tube is evaluated
below, using the conservative 16.7 ksi allowable tensile stress criteria
from piping code. One can see tubing is rated for a nearly 5300 psi.

pg. 7

6) Relief Valves
As there are no additional sources of overpressure other than
what has already been addressed by the relief valves on the cylinders
themselves, no additional relief valves are used on the nitrogen portion
of the system. The cylinder relief valves included on each of the
cylinders set to 3360 psi, which is below the pressure rating of every
component selected for the nitrogen portion of the tubing. The lower
pressure air side of the system contains a relief valve (PSV-44) in case
of failure of the primary pressure regulator, (PR-42). An orifice (FO-41)
is used after the primary regulator to limit the flow to the 64 SCFM
relief capacity of PSV-44. Detailed calculations are in APPENIX A:

pg. 8

Internal Pressure Rating of Tube:

APPENDIX A

P D

2 ( S E W P Y)
Relief Valve and Orifice Sizing

solve P

2 E S W t
D 2 Y t

S W
16.7ksi
Y 1
E

tD0.035in
0.25in

Since
the downstream
side of flow
the regulator
(PR-42)
is the
protected
by afailure
100 psi
relief valve
(PSV-44),
The
orifice
(FO-41)
must
64orifice
SCFM
under
regulator
(PR-42)
butprobability
alsoit must of
Based
off these
calcs,
we limit
will choosetoan
with
a diameter
of 0.063in
which
hasscenario,
the lowest
be
able
to
vent
the
maximum
amount
of
flow
which
can
flow
through
the
upstream
regulator
(PR-42)
and
permit
enough flow (50 SCFH) under normal conditions to provide ample backup flow.. 2 E S W t
clogging.
Pressure

6494
psi
orifice (FO-41). The flow capacity chartAvailable
of the relief
valve
is seen below, which
shows a 64 SCFM capacity
ratingTube
orifice
sizes:
D 2 Y t
at a 100 psi setting.
FlowCriteria 50SCFH
FlowRestrictionCriteria 64SCFM
( 17in 10in 10in 10in 2) 50ft 403.607 ft

d orifice 0.063in

Analyze maximum flow rates through orifice sizes based on diameter

Air

Area o

d
0.0031 in
4 orifice
Properties:

T1 60 F

J
Ru 8.3144621
mol K

Co 0.816

kg

1atm

Z 0.99861
k 1.67
M air 28.965
STD
________________________________________________________________________________
kmol
Ru

How much will the does the orifice

flow under standard conditions, it must flow 50 SCFH
k

1.223

kg
3

m
T1 8kg W
Pa
rad
inH2O
inHg

5.67

13600
1000

10
Pa

g
1in
kmol
kJMmol

1000

1000

J
air
minimum
3 2 46
m m 10
K

k 1
________________________________________________________________________________
CylinderPressure psi
k 1

PRegulatorSetPoint

35psi
P

1atm

P
49.696 psi
Choked

2.055
P

1070.671 psi

1
RegulatorSetPoint
PR
OrificeUpstreamMax
2
Choked PR
Is the resistance of the regulator (PR-42) alone enough to limit the flow
to the relief
fit functions
interp ( regress ( TempArray PropertyArray Curve
PolynomialOrder
) TempArray PropertyArray Temp )
valve (PSV-44) capacity?
P1
d max 0.025in
POrificeUpstreamMax
kg
1 Database Temperature
P2 33psi 1atm
1
89.076 Curve Fits
NIST
Cryogenic
kg
kg
1
R

3
mmHg
cmHg
13600
13600 gg11mm
cm
u Ru
m
33
T1 T
660

Pressure
1
m
m
M air
SG ( Temp 460)
v air
M
0.5
1.5
2
aa cc Tp ee Tp gg Temp
Cv q critical
solve q critical
aa ii Tp 1.8743

1.5
2 ft 3

660 Pressure
SG Temp 460
Flow Rate under
standard conditions
0.5
bb
W
k 1 1 bb Tp dd Tp ff Tp
SCFH

hh

Tp
0.41538

10

Temp 60
d 2
2
k
cc
hr
m K
4 o
k 1 1

0.6018

k P
2 k

FlowCapacitySonic
d

(F)
(psi)3

3
2200
oCylinder
o Pressure
dd
2 1 OrificeUpstreamMax
4
8 0.13294
P2( Tp
1STD

k Plog

1 ( Tp ) 5 gg log( Tp ) 6 hh log( Tp ) 7 ii log

ft
aa bb log( Tp
)P
cc log( TpM
) air
dd log
( Tp
) ee log
)
ff
( Tp ) W
k

SCFM
SG FlowCapacity
1
10 Co Area o 17.5 2
0.26426

56.606 SCFH

ee

min
m

K
STD
Z Ru T1 k 1
P1
P1

ff
0.0219
15.313
Cv regulator 0.09

Flow Criteria
FlowCapacity Meets
FlowCriteria
13.125
gg
0.051276
2

Flow Capacity (SCFM)

This is too much flow for the relief valve set at

hh
0.0014871
100 psi; we will use an orifice to limit
flow
to
10.938

0.003723

q critical
SCFH 95.512 SCFM
________________________________________________________________________________
ii at

the
rated
capacity
of
the
relief
valve
100
psi:
FlowCapacitySonic
d

in
SG Temp

460
o 8.75
Double Check: Will
the orifice restrict flow enough to lower flow to the relief valves capacity of 64
SCFM
SCFM under the scenario where6.563
the regulator fails?
________________________________________________________________________________
660 Cv regulator CylinderPressure

POrificeUpstreamMax

4.375

CylinderPressure psi
2.188
Choked PR

1070.671 psi

510

FlowRestrictionCriteria
FlowCapacitySonic
Find
maximum acceptable
orifice size dmax

0.01

P1 POrificeUpstreamMax
0.015

0.02

do 1

P0.025
1
Ru

Given
0.03 kg 0.035

89.076

m
T1
M

Find
d

in
orifice diameter d(inches)
max Meets
air
max 0.0692
Restriction
Criteria

pg. 9

Internal Pressure Rating of Tube:

Fermilab

ES&H Manual 5034TA-

Date: May 24, 2013

APPENDIX B / EXHIBIT B
Pressure Testing Permit*
Type of Test: [ ] Hydrostatic

[X] Pneumatic

Test Pressure 2200 psig

PI-42-I)
Items to be Tested:
hoses,, regulator
Location of Test:
2013: 13:00

MAWP 3450 psig+ (Pressure gauge

x 0.035 SS tubing, fittings, manifold,

D-Zero_

Date and Time: August

Hazards Involved:
1.) Overpressure of pipe.
2.) Sudden release of pressure.
Safety Precautions Taken:
1). Relief Valve in Place on Cylinder
2.) Eye protection worn during test.
3.) Pressure Testing area restricted access / stay
clear area
Special Conditions or Requirements
None
Qualified Person and Test Coordinator: _Erik Voirin ___ Dept/Date:
PPD/_July 30, 2013_
Division/Section Safety Officer ___ Eric McHugh
PPD/_ July 30, 2013_

________ Dept/Date:

Results: ______Pass / No Leaks / Pressure held at 2200 psi for 10

minutes________________

pg. 10

Witness/Dept/Date: ____ _ - _ PPD/_June 3,

2013______________________________
(Safety Officer or Designee) ___Eric
McHugh____________________________________________________
* Must be signed by division/section safety officer prior to conducting test. It
is the responsibility of the test coordinator to obtain signatures.

Pressure Testing Procedures:

The Nitrogen portion of the system will be leak/pressure tested in
accordance with ASME B31.9 which states a pneumatic test shall be
performed and the test pressure shall not exceed 1.33 times the design
pressure. The lower pressure dry air portion of the system will be tested as
well, though that part of the system is not documented here as not required
by FESHM 5031.1.
Pressure Testing Schematic:
The equipment for pressure testing the system will be comprised of the
normal components of the system in place at its final installation position.

Preliminary Leak Check: Pressure Step 1: 25psig

1. All nitrogen cylinders shall start out closed,
2. CLOSE MV-43
3. Slowly and momentarily open one of the Nitrogen cylinder valves
to pressurize the system to 25 psig as read by PI-42-I.
4. Bubble test all components. If leaks are found, depressurizing
system by opening MV-43 before fixing leaks.
Pressure Test Step 1: 500 psig
1. Slowly and momentarily open one of the Nitrogen cylinder valves
to pressurize the system to 500 psig as read by PI-42-I.
2. Monitor Pressure via PI-42-I for 2 minutes, if pressure drops find
leaks by bubble testing.
a. If leaks are found, release pressure by opening MV-43, fix
leaks, close MV-43, then repeat Pressure Test Step 1.
b. If pressure stays constant, move to Pressure Test Step 2.

pg. 11

Pressure Test Step 2: 1000 psig

1. Slowly and momentarily open one of the Nitrogen cylinder valves
to pressurize the system to 1000 psig as read by PI-42-I.
2. Monitor Pressure via PI-42-I for 2 minutes, if pressure drops find
leaks by bubble testing.
a. If leaks are found, release pressure by opening MV-43, fix
leaks, close MV-43, then repeat Pressure Test Step 1.
b. If pressure stays constant, move to Pressure Test Step 3

Pressure Test Step 3: 1500 psig

1. Slowly and momentarily open one of the Nitrogen cylinder valves
to pressurize the system to 1500 psig as read by PI-42-I.
2. Monitor Pressure via PI-42-I for 2 minutes, if pressure drops find
leaks by bubble testing.
a. If leaks are found, release pressure by opening MV-43, fix
leaks, close MV-43, then repeat Pressure Test Step 1.
b. If pressure stays constant, move to Pressure Test Step 4.
Pressure Test Step 4: 2000 psig
1. Slowly and momentarily open one of the Nitrogen cylinder valves
to pressurize the system to 2000 psig as read by PI-42-I.
2. Monitor Pressure via PI-42-I for 2 minutes, if pressure drops find
leaks by bubble testing.
a. If leaks are found, release pressure by opening MV-43, fix
leaks, close MV-43, then repeat Pressure Test Step 1.
b. If pressure stays constant, move to Pressure Test Step 5.
Pressure Test Step 5: 2200 psig
1. Open all 4 cylinders, then close all 4.
3. Monitor Pressure via PI-42 for 10 minutes, if pressure drops find
leaks by bubble testing.
a. If leaks are found, release pressure by opening MV-43, fix
leaks, close MV-43, then repeat Pressure Test Step 1.
b. If pressure stays constant for 10 minutes, the system will
have passed the pressure test.

pg. 12

pg. 13