Suction lines supply fluids to pumps or compressors in various settings, including chemical processing, refrigeration, and oil drilling. Design considerations include flow rate, pressure drop, and viscosity. Regular maintenance is necessary to prevent clogging and starvation of the pump. Suction lines are also used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems, where an accumulator is added to trap excess liquid.
A suction line is a tube, hose or pipe that supplies a fluid to the suction or inlet side of a pump or compressor. These types of devices are used in a variety of different settings and may look and function a little differently depending on the main machine in question. In general, these lines supply fluids for chemical process, refrigeration system and vacuum pump applications and can also supply critical fluids for oil and water well drilling. They can be thin or thick, long or short; some or optimized for aggressive or corrosive fluids, while others carry mainly water. The lines can deliver virtually any product a pump or compressor can handle, including gas and petroleum products. Well drilling muds or other liquid-solid mixtures can also be transported in this way, along with adhesives and epoxies.
Basic concept
The main job of any suction pipe or line is to facilitate the movement of fluids from one place to another. There are usually several reasons why this is important. The fluids are often used as refrigerants and can also be used as an energy source. In storage situations, lines can act as dispensers, allowing operators to test or release certain metered quantities without disrupting the main well. The lines often look like simple pipes, but are almost always pressurized and can usually function as a valve, either shutting off or alternatively priming the flow. When they work properly, they can regulate temperature and pressure with great precision.
Design considerations
The design of the suction lines involves both determining the required flow rate and an adequate pressure drop to prevent the so-called “idle” of the pump or compressor. The viscosity or thickness and weight of the pumped fluid are key design variables. Often designers are concerned with the net positive head. This means having enough positive fluid pressure at the pump inlet to prevent the formation of gas bubbles, called cavitation, which can damage a pump.
Pump suction can be impaired if the pump feed point is at a lower elevation than the pump or if the suction lines are too small. Also, a large number of fittings or bends can cause a pressure drop, and incorrect sizing can also compromise suction. Regular maintenance of suction devices such as filters or traps is generally recommended to avoid clogging and starvation of the pump.
Role in oil drilling
Oil drilling uses suction line piping to supply drilling mud to the rig. Drilling mud is a mixture of clay and water used to cool and lubricate the drill head and to remove waste material from the hole. A mud pit or mud tank holds the drilling mud, and a suction line is connected from the mud tank to the mud feed pump to supply pressurized mud to the drill set.
Chemical processing applications
Chemical processing can involve the pressurization and movement of gases or liquids. The gas compressor or liquid pump draws material from storage or a previous processing step through a line, discharging the fluid into a downstream processing or storage step. Many liquid chemicals can evaporate easily if positive pressure is not maintained on the pump, so a suction tank can be installed before the line to ensure adequate pressure and supply.
In refrigeration and air conditioning
Refrigeration and air conditioning systems also use these lines to supply the refrigerant gas from the evaporator to the compressor. Most refrigeration systems circulate a mixture of liquid or gas refrigerant and a liquid lubricating oil for the compressor. Reciprocating compressors can be damaged by excess liquid flowing back through the line, so an accumulator is usually added to trap the liquid and provide a more constant liquid flow.
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