The winners of the 2023 Platinum Pipe Award Contest have been announced by Applied Flow Technology (AFT). This annual contest recognizes excellence in ducting and piping system modeling using AFT software. The Platinum Pipe Award (PPA) entries allow AFT to visualize how their software products are used in industries around the world. The entries help AFT demonstrate the software and how it can be applied in diverse situations and piping systems.

The AFT Platinum Pipe Award contest accepts entries each year until October 31. Engineers are welcome to provide a high-level overview of their projects while leaving out any proprietary information such as project names, locations, and client details. AFT is interested in model details only as they pertain to how the engineer utilized AFT software to determine solutions for optimal design, safety, and efficiency.

Most Interesting Model

Winner: Rajitha Papagari, Basell Polyolefins India, Mumbai, IN

Honorable Mention: Rajitha Papagari, Basell Polyolefins India, Mumbai, IN

Test/Data Correlation

Winner: C Suresh Ram, Tata Consulting Engineers Limited, India

Operational Benefits

Winner: Caitlin Roos, Hatch, Canada

Honorable Mention: Avinashkumar Karre, Worley, Baton Rouge, LA

Honorable Mention: Samarth Pawar, Kalpesh Birla, & Gaurav Bhende, Protton Synergy Private Limited, Mumbai, IN

Most Interesting Model

Winner: Rajitha Papagari, Basell Polyolefins India Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, IN | AFT Fathom | Slurry Hydraulics to Improve Reliability

Rajitha Papagari used AFT Fathom and the Settling Slurry (SSL) add-on module to identify areas where solids from a polymer slurry would settle and accumulate, which was confirmed in the physical system. Adjustments to system piping avoided settling, eliminating the need to purchase a larger pump and dramatically reduced maintenance cost and downtime.

Honorable Mention: Basell Polyolefins India Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, IN | AFT Fathom | Hydraulic Study for Debottlenecking

Rajitha Papagari used AFT Fathom to test modifications to chemical process piping for a 28% production increase and expansion. The study also addressed pump NPSH concerns, revealed faulty measurement equipment, and identified large pressure losses in the system to improve system efficiency.

Correlation to Test / Field Data

Winner: C Suresh Ram, Tata Consulting Engineers Limited, India | AFT Impulse | Feasibility Study on the Interconnection of Cooling Water Pumps

C Suresh Ram performed a feasibility study on a 630,000 m3/hr (2,770,000 gpm) sea water cooling system to address poor pump operation. The model was calibrated by adjusting system losses to match measured data before being modified to test design alternatives. The proposed design required one less pump and saved 5.5 MW from their original design. The team then performed a controlled and emergency pump trip analysis to confirm the safety of their proposed design.

Operational Benefits & Sustainability

Winner: Caitlin Roos, Hatch, Canada | AFT Fathom | Solution Mining Project

Caitlin Roos designed a modular piping system to transport brine for a 750 injection well potash mine totaling 45.5 km of piping. The piping was designed to be disassembled and reused at new injection wells as the mine developed, dramatically reducing system costs. Roos estimated capital savings of $9.8M by sizing pumps and selecting pipe size and material while considering the different stages of mine development.

Honorable Mention: Avinashkumar Karre, Worley, Baton Rouge, LA | AFT Fathom | Cooling Tower Network Optimization

Avinashkumar Karre developed a cooling water solution in AFT Fathom under harsh time constraints to resolve an issue that’s caused problems for nearly 15 years and several million dollars in replacements every 4 years. The AFT Fathom model was used to address high fluid velocity, flow distribution issues, and improve pump operation which reduces future downtime.

Protton Synergy Private Limited, Mumbai, IN | AFT Impulse | Surge Analysis of Pipeline carrying Thick Paste (Bingham Plastic Fluid) at Steel Plant

The team at Protton Synergy used AFT Impulse to perform a surge analysis for a Bingham Plastic paste disposal system in a steel production facility. Their analysis compared the maximum surge pressure against the maximum allowable working pressure for pump trip, valve closure, and pump trip with restart cases. The model led to several surge mitigation recommendations to keep the system within pressure and operational constraints.