Nozzle loads are a crucial component in the design of petrochemical equipment and the piping attached thereto. Each nozzle will see forces in 3 directions, along with moments in 3 directions for a total of 6 loads. The magnitude of these loads can be varied infinitely between the 6 different loads for the nozzle’s structural integrity to stay intact. Therefore, there is not a single set of nozzle loads that is always applicable to all nozzles. However, it is very beneficial to start with a set of values, and commence with the design from this set of loads, varying their magnitudes as needed, if needed.
With SimuMech’s involvement in Pipe-Stress Analysis and Finite Element Analysis of pressure equipment, a set of standard nozzle loads was compiled. Usually, the nozzle loads are not available when the project-design starts, and therefore the set of nozzle loads – that we start the design process with – are made available here to allow the pipe-stress engineer and the pressure-equipment engineer to work simultaneously on the same project.
These loads can be used as a general guideline in the design process, but the structural integrity of the piping, the nozzle and the equipment it attaches to remains the responsibility of the design engineer. See Table 1 to 3 below for these nozzle loads of flange pressure classes 150LB, 300LB and 600LB. See Figure 1 below for the nozzle coordinate system.
Table 1: Nozzle loads of 150LB Flanges
Table 2: Nozzle loads of 300LB Flanges
Table 3: Nozzle loads of 600LB Flanges
Figure 1: Nozzle Coordinate System