
Piping Technology Courses


The University of Houston College of Technology in partnership with Piping Technology & Products, Inc. is pleased to offer the online, self-paced piping technology courses shown below.
Expansion Joint Design & Application
Note: Piping Technology Certificate Courses are being offered at 50% off (new cost $498) for the next four months (April, May, June & July).
Part 1: Introduction – Why Expansion Joints
This section serves as an introductory overview of expansion joints.
- Thermal Expansion of pipes
- Piping system designer tools
- Steps to acquire a metal bellows expansion joint
- A US Bellows example job
Part 2: System Design: Anchors, Guides and Expansion Joints
- Metal expansion joints
- Types and applications
- Single bellows
- Multiple bellows
- Slip type
Part 3: Fabric Expansion Joints and Bellows Geometry
- Refractory lined expansion joints
- Metal bellows convolution parameters
- Software and Databases
- Bellows instability & cycle life
- Fabric expansion joints
Part 4: Fabric Expansion Joints
- Metallic vs. Fabric
- Fabric materials
- Importance of the belt
Part 5: Expansion Joint Stress Analysis
- Metallic bellows materials
- Metallic bellows geometry
- Type of stresses in metal bellows
- Design considerations
Part 6: Forces and Movements
Forces and moments on piping systems due to spring and pressure forces of Metal Expansion Joints
- Equilibrium Conditions
- Main Anchors
- Anchor Force Calculations
Part 7: Field Services
Planning major turnarounds and Emergency shutdowns
- Inspection
- Turnarounds
- Unscheduled Maintenance
- Field Services
Part 8: Course Conclusion
- Houston plant facilities
- Business concerns
- Quality Control
- Course Review: Continuing Education
Piping Design & Analysis Influence on Pipe Support Selection & Design
Part 1: Introduction - Overview of Piping
This section serves as an introductory overview of piping system design.
- Effects of operating conditions, including flow rate, design pressure and temperature on piping design
- Impact of internal and external forces on the design
- Influences that the different modes of failure and the applicable codes have on the entire system
- Piping layout, an overview of the general support classifications
Part 2: Preliminary Piping Design - Piping System Components
- Concepts used in developing an initial piping layout
- Design principles including fluid properties, flow rate, and physical laws which influence the complete piping system layout
- Understand the effect of different piping system components, such as tanks, vessels, valves, and pumps, on the overall configuration
Part 3: Preliminary Piping Design - The Total System
- The total piping system
- The different types of equipment and components that define various types of piping systems
- Differences between series piping, parallel piping and branch piping as well as their specialized applications
- The piping system conditions such as static and dynamic head loss
- Influences on the selection and distribution of piping components throughout the entire system
Part 4: Basic Concepts of Stress Analysis - Flexibility Analysis
- Historical perspective of how earlier analysis techniques were developed in the absence of today's computer technology
- Review how earlier techniques have evolved ultimately leading to today's finite element practices
- The basic concepts of stress analysis will be covered, including failure theories, stress intensification factors, and the overall purpose of stress analysis
Part 5: Basic Concepts of Stress Analysis - Design Bases
- A review of the different phases of project evolution
- The design bases which form the foundation of all our analyses, including physical attributes, loading conditions and joint design
- Development of a Stress Model
- Rudimentary stress analysis assembly procedure
- How vibration affects the piping system
Part 6: Influences on Pipe Support Design - Rigid Supports
- Rigid Pipe Supports
- Support elements ranging from stock catalog items to completely customized parts
- Factors of the piping stress analysis that have an impact on the overall support design and feasibility
- How adjustability can be incorporated into the design to accommodate for on-site discrepancies
Part 7: Influences on Pipe Support Design - Spring Supports
- Resilient support elements including variable, constant, and big ton springs
- The operating conditions that define the ideal pipe support per application
- Uses of standard pipe support hardware in conjunction with stock spring components to design entire pipe support assemblies
- Modification of standard spring elements to fit unusual configurations in a piping system
Part 8: Influences on Pipe Support Design - Restraints
- Restraint devices used for transient loading conditions
- Types of components and their particular functions, including hydraulic snubbers, mechanical snubbers, and sway struts
- Design parameters to consider when selecting the most appropriate restraint device
- General guidelines focused on standardization and versatility of pipe supports throughout the piping system
Contact Us
Questions about the Course Curriculum?
Contact: Piping Technology & Products, Inc.
Email: info@pipingtech.com
Phone: 713-731-0030
Questions about Registration or Access?
Contact: Yada Holton, Program Coordinator
Email: ylholton@uh.edu
Phone: 713-743-9091