Don’t Forget About Your Spring Supports

By Ashfaq Anwer, Inspection Engineer. This article appears in the January/February 2020 issue of Inspectioneering Journal.

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Introduction

A spring support is a critical and functional component of piping systems in a processing facility. Spring supports are specially designed and installed to not only bear the load, but also may account for any piping movement. The presence of a spring support in a piping system indicates that the piping is expected to move and that movement must be controlled within a certain limit. Although the health of piping and piping supports is critical to processing facilities, there are very few facilities where a documented inspection program exists for spring supports.

Sites lacking an inspection plan for spring supports should first identify and document all spring supports at the facility. This list should contain...

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About the Authors

Ashfaq Anwer, Inspection Engineer

Ashfaq Anwer is an Inspection Engineer with 15 years of experience in ammonia-urea complexes, petrochemical units, and oil & gas industries with major expertise in material selection, corrosion mapping and control, fitness-for-service studies, defining inspection frameworks, and implementing inspection plans for old and new units. Read more »

Comments and Discussion

Posted by Qaisar Abbas on March 1, 2020

Very interesting and less discussed topic related... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Freddy Stouthamer on March 3, 2020

Under estimated issue especially with the older... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Jabran Younas on March 3, 2020

Is it justified to replace all rusted coils?... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Ashfaq Anwer on March 3, 2020

Jabran, there are cases where rusted coils are... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Christos Christoglou on March 24, 2020

I would expect (but surely it will not be this... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Marei Hamad on March 27, 2020 (Edited on March 27, 2020)

Great article summarising inspection key points... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Savet Playchum on March 30, 2020

Should API or any standard/code Organization... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Ravi Bhan on September 17, 2020

Is it recommended to lock the spring... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Umar Ali Khan on October 31, 2023

Great article. Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

Posted by Syed Idrus on January 2, 2024

If i can have your opinion on spring support in... Log in or register to read the rest of this comment.

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