Expansion Loops for Heat Medium

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You have not given us enough information to come up with a valid answer.

Each of these lines (supply and return) came from somewhere and go somewhere.

So let's say each line has a point "A" at the upstream end and a point "B" at the downstream end.

Now for the supply line what happens before point "A" and what happens after point "B"?

For the return line what happens before it's point "A" and what happens after it's point "B"?

Maybe you could draw and post a sketch of each line or describe the routing of each line.

The design should prevent things like this:

http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/docsummary.php?docID=281

Bioramani

This should properly be addressed by a Piping Stress Engineer.

As a process Engineer my understanding is that it depends on a lot of stuff. The hotter the pipe the more it expands. It then depends how the pipe is fixed at each end as to how the heated pipe copes with the stress caused by the expansion. Also are your piping runs just straight. Because if you have elbows etc in the route from the header to the reboiler you may have naturally provided expansion routes with out the need for expansion loops.

From memory expansion loops are usually found on the main headers in the pipe rack

Typical expansion 15 e-6 m/mK for steel

Taking the heat rise from 0 - 170°C 82ft = 25m

Expansion = 6mm = 1/4"

As a wild non expert guess I would say that if you have a couple of elbows in the pipe routing it ought to be able to cope so maybe come off teh header in a different orientation to create the routing with elbows.

simonsd has it right....

However, it should be stated that the Lead piping engineer for the project is responsible to make sure that the piping meets the Contract "Code of Record".

He may (or may not) require the services of a piping stress engineer

All piping codes (such as ASME B31.1/B31.3) require a thermal flexibilty analysis of hot piping systems. Your system needs such an evaluation.

Piping expansion loops are a commonly used method to provide flexibility to very long piping runs. More importantly, these loops and pipe support guides ensure that piping expansion goes into directions that the engineer wants !

Expansion loops are not the only way to ensure flexibility....

There is a book by my friend Sam Kappanan ( Introduction to Pipe Stress Analysis) that discusses the design and placement of loops.

The Piping Handbook ( by Nayyar) also contains information

Abdel, yet again, provides solid specific advice.

It simply could have not been stated better....