Chapter 6 - Mechanical Equipment

Abstract

Mechanical equipment is applied to start, stop, heat, and separate the commodity flowing through the piping system. The discussion in this chapter concentrates on the pieces of equipment that are used in a majority of piping facilities. Horizontal vessels are cylindrical-shaped storage tanks whose long axis is parallel to the horizon. These vessels are used primarily as receiving and collecting containers for liquids and therefore have no internal moving parts. Vertical vessels are cylindrical vessels whose long axis is perpendicular to the horizon. Many vessels and other pieces of equipment are built to such heights that they become accessible only by ladders. Ladders allow workers to access the higher elevations of equipment for routine inspection and maintenance. Cages are designed to enclose a ladder and prevent a worker from falling away should he lose his grip on the rungs. Platforms are like small elevated walkways around the outside of a vessel, or between equipment and structures. Pumps are mechanical devices that move fluids under pressure from one location to another. Another common piece of mechanical equipment is the exchanger. Its purpose in a piping facility is to transfer heat from one commodity to another.