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Reply to "Continuing Saga …"

Thanks all. This is a very challenging project. We've been watching the Genius program On-Demand, generally the commercials are a little less.

Did a lot of finicky pipe work today. I'm having trouble with the plans. There are dotted lines indicating the structural steel that lies under the upper platform AND more dotted lines showing hidden piping. It's quite challenging to figure out which is which. Furthermore, the plans show the center top pipe leading to the overhead top discharge from the distillation column, but the booklet photos show this center top position as a relief valve location and the line running straight into the ground. I'm using the input from the column in my design. The column needs a receiver for the top flow and it's a bigger diameter line (gas vs. liquid) and the plans show this. Where I'm having the most trouble is figuring out what all the underneath piping is.

I added the lines to the receiver. After messing around trying to get the piping to stabilize, I finally add some "welded" braces to it since there was no place to put a Plastruct pipe support. I don't know if this is prototypical, but I really needed it since the piping was very fragile and kept breaking loose. I find the white ABS piping does not weld as securely as the gray. You think it's adhered and then suddenly it just lets go.

Additional Pipe Supports

I also had to fit one of the bottom entry pipes coming from the smallest vessel below. This pipe isn't going to be connected until the tanks and platform are separately painted. I had to tape the receiver into position to hold it steady enough so I could measure the distances involved.

Under tank connection

I added the pipe to the medium-sized receiver. This too will be separately painted. Due to the restricted overhead space, I used and angle valve. This was not included in the kit. I had it leftover from the boiler house project. I added a drop of medium CA under the S-curve to stabilize this pipe also.

Angle Valve

I decided to start building the pump sets. They're not all piped the same. This first one feeds the big storage tank. It has two gate valves and two check valves on the discharge side. The instructions say (and I quote), "Assemble the pumps". That's it! It doesn't say that there are not holes for pipe fittings. It doesn't show where the intake and discharge sides are. It doesn't talk about how big or thick the base should be, or the spacing of the plumbing. I drilled them out 1/8", but then realized that I wanted to use the small diameter pipe fittings so I glue in the small diameter tubing in the holes.

Pumps 1

I added the discharge side piping, but after checking the plans had the T facing the wrong direction.

Pumps 3\

Here's the completed array with the check valves and the piping facing in the correct direction. If I wanted to be silly, I would cut spokes in all those valve wheels, but I don't want to be silly since this stuff will be buried in piping.

Pumps 4

I'm going to build all five pumping stations now since I'm getting the routine down. Next up will be the large demethanizer vessel. It too has the usual array of nozzles, valving, and piping.

Attachments

Images (6)
  • Additional Pipe Supports
  • Under tank connection
  • Angle Valve
  • Pumps 1
  • Pumps 3
  • Pumps 4

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