Donald Ditter, CPD, GPD, a Senior Engineering Technician with H.F. Lenz Company in Pittsburgh, is working on a service garage that requires bulk grease and motor oil systems for lubricating and oil changes. He searched for information on piping materials and sizing methods for these systems but was unable to find much, so he went to ASPE Connect to ask if any of our experts had information to share.
Many of our experts pointed to PEI as a great resource. PEI is an international trade association whose members manufacture, distribute, and service petroleum marketing and liquid handling equipment, and it publishes Recommended Practices for the Design and Maintenance of Fluid Distribution Systems at Vehicle Maintenance Facilities along with other references on regulatory updates, recommended practices, and business management. (Note: If you or someone at your firm is an ASHRAE member, you can get PEI publications at a significant discount through Techstreet.)
Piping Material Recommendations
One expert, Michael Scholze, once oversaw Port Authority bus garages in Pittsburgh. In those projects, the gear lube piping was ¾-inch NPS welded Schedule 160 black steel, and the engine oil and transmission fluid piping was ¾-inch NPS welded Schedule 80 black steel. The reasoning was based on the high shock factors associated with the constant pumping action required due to the fluid viscosities and the length of pipe runs from the fluids room to the vehicle maintenance bays (50–200 feet).
David Dexter, PE, FASPE, FNSPE, and James Tullis, CPD, recommend stainless steel tubing with high-pressure compression fittings for such systems. Stainless steel has a “clean” interior surface as compared to black steel, and you wouldn’t want to add metal particles to the grease or oil being used to lubricate a mechanical system.
Sizing/Design Tips
It is very important that you take into account pressure spikes and vibration from hammering of the pumps that are often used on these systems. It is also very important that you account for thermal expansion of piping and of the fluid trapped within the piping system.
Keep in mind that most of the oils are run through the lines in tens of pounds per square inch (psi), while chassis grease is in hundreds of psi.
Also, be sure to investigate any requirements for secondary containment for both the storage and distribution in the specific location.
Other Resources
NFPA 30 and OSHA 1926 also contain requirements for flammable fluids, as does the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Part 112 and Part 279.
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