Piping Piping Supports and Hangers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a pipe support in a piping system?
- To increase flow velocity
- To bear the weight of the pipe and its contents (Correct answer)
- To reduce thermal expansion
- To improve pressure ratings
Correct answer: To bear the weight of the pipe and its contents
Pipe supports are primarily designed to bear the dead weight of the pipe, its insulation, and the fluid it carries.
Question 2: Which type of pipe hanger allows free movement of the pipe in any horizontal direction?
- Rigid hanger
- Constant support hanger
- Roller support (Correct answer)
- Resting saddle
Correct answer: Roller support
Roller supports allow the pipe to move freely in the horizontal direction by reducing friction, accommodating thermal expansion.
Question 3: A spring hanger is typically used when:
- The pipe experiences no thermal movement
- Vertical pipe movement due to thermal expansion must be accommodated (Correct answer)
- The pipe carries very high-pressure fluid
- The pipe is underground
Correct answer: Vertical pipe movement due to thermal expansion must be accommodated
Spring hangers are designed to support the pipe while permitting controlled vertical movement caused by thermal expansion or contraction.
Question 4: What is the standard reference for pipe hanger and support design in the United States?
- ASME B31.1
- MSS SP-58 (Correct answer)
- ASTM A36
- API 650
Correct answer: MSS SP-58
MSS SP-58 (Pipe Hangers and Supports – Materials, Design, Manufacture, Selection, Application, and Installation) is the primary standard for pipe supports.
Question 5: An anchor support is used in a piping system to:
- Allow axial movement of the pipe
- Permit rotation of the pipe
- Restrain all six degrees of freedom of movement (Correct answer)
- Only support vertical loads
Correct answer: Restrain all six degrees of freedom of movement
An anchor restrains the pipe completely, preventing movement in all six degrees of freedom including translation and rotation in all axes.
Question 6: What does the term 'cold load' refer to in pipe hanger design?
- The load on the hanger when the pipe carries a refrigerant
- The hanger load at ambient temperature before the system is pressurized or heated (Correct answer)
- The minimum design load for cold climates
- The load on cryogenic piping systems
Correct answer: The hanger load at ambient temperature before the system is pressurized or heated
Cold load is the load imposed on a hanger at ambient (installation) temperature before the system reaches its operating temperature.
Question 7: Which of the following support types is best suited to prevent pipe sag between two fixed points on a long horizontal run?
- Pipe guide
- Resting support (saddle) (Correct answer)
- Pipe anchor
- Snubber
Correct answer: Resting support (saddle)
Resting supports (saddles) are used at intermediate points along horizontal pipe runs to prevent sagging due to the pipe's dead weight.
Piping Piping Supports and Hangers 1
What is the primary purpose of a pipe support in a piping system?