Treating an offshore compressor foundation as rigidly fixed — the standard onshore assumption — produces non-conservative results. Platform flexibility and vessel motion must be included in the model.
The support configuration that optimizes static thermal performance is not always the same one that controls vibration. Both analyses must be performed together, not sequentially.
Small-bore instrument connections are the most common fatigue failure location in compressor piping — and the most frequently overlooked in both design and inspection programs. Here’s why they fail.
Pipe support locations control the natural frequencies of the piping system. Supports placed by construction convenience rather than dynamic analysis consistently produce resonance problems in service.
Vibration fatigue and static stress are different failure mechanisms requiring different analysis approaches. A pipe that passes static stress checks can still fail from cyclic fatigue loading.