When we think of Light Green Machine Institute Principles, there are many considerations to review. We’ll cover just one of these this month.
First, remember, that for every pound or kilogram one sees above ground, there are two pounds or kilograms in foundations. Now foundations and are usually made of rebar and concrete, sometimes in pile form, sometimes in floating slabs, depending on how light the load and the soils conditions. Foundation materials are certainly less expensive than finished equipment, but they add costs, including excavation and pile driving, beyond just their material costs.
One simple way to lighten the load is to remember the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. When it comes to piping, this is easy to apply. I once worked for a company that would not allow designers to run pipes at a diagonal because it wasn’t “pretty.” In a pulp mill, with very large pipes carrying very large loads, this was a costly beautification for primarily the enjoyment of the operators and the maintenance teams.
Take the well-known 3 – 4 – 5 triangle. A pipe run in the beautification manner is 3 + 4 = 7 feet or meters long (pick your measurement system). It may have the friction loss of 3 – 90-degree elbows depending on the end treatments. These elbows’ friction loss may dictate the size of the pumps and motors.
Alternatively, a pipe run on the hypotenuse will be 5 feet or meters long, a 28.5% reduction in length, resulting in a 28.5% reduction in piping costs, contents weight and linear friction loss. In the case of insulated pipes, same numbers work for insulation and lagging. There will be at least one less 90-degree elbow and possibly two, depending on how the pipe is terminated. This will eliminate at least two circumferential pipe welds. Elbows cost more than straight pipe and have a higher friction loss. Insulating elbows is orders of magnitude more costly than insulating straight runs. Pump and motor sizes may be reduced, depending where the system is on the pump curves. Overall, capital and operating costs are reduced.
And, at least theoretically, foundation weight has been reduced significantly, too.
Once you see the Light Green Machine Institute Principals, you can’t unsee them.
