Piping Pressure testing

Piping Design Submissions -

What not to Forget / Omit

Presented by:Djordje Srnic

Design Survey Manager

ABSA the pressure equipment safety authority

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Objectives

Code requirements Submission requirementsWhat not to forget / omit

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Hierarchy of Act and Regulations

Safety Codes Act

Regulations

Administrator’sDirectives andInterpretations

CSA B51

ASME Boiler andPressure Vessel

Codes

ASME Piping Codes

Other codes andStandards

Ministerial Orders

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Alberta regulatory requirements

Safety Codes Act (Section 40)– Pressure Equipment Safety Regulation

(Alta Reg 49/2006)– Pressure Equipment Exemption Order

(Alta Reg 56/2006)

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Owner’s Responsibilities

PESR 37– Do you ever ask yourself what your

responsibilities as a Plant Owner are under the Safety Codes Act and the Pressure Piping Codes that have been declared to be in force under the Act?

– Do you rely exclusively on your piping Contractor to meet all regulatory and Code requirements because he has the Certificate of Authorization from ABSA? If so, read the article PLANT PIPING – OWNER’S RESPONSIBILITIES in ABSA’s The Pressure News, Volume 5, Issue 4, Dec. 2000.

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Information Bulletins and “The Pressure News”

Information Bulletins - Administrator may issue– Directives– Variances– Interpretations– Alerts

The Pressure News – ABSA’s publication that – Informs public– Provides interpretations & clarifications– Alerts public

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CSA B51 – Boilers, Pressure Vessels and Pressure Piping Code

Clause 4.1 provides general requirements for registration of designs (including pressure piping designs).

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ASME Code for Pressure Piping

Collectively under ASME B31– B31.1, Power Piping– B31.3, Process Piping– B31.5, Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer

Components– B31.9, Building Services Piping

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Interpretations and Code Cases

Neither Interpretations nor Code Cases are mandatory parts of the Codes.Before trying to apply an Interpretation or Code Case, ensure that ABSA is amenable to its use.

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Design Registration Requirements

PESR Sections 4, 14 & 16– Section 4 provides partial exemptions for

piping systems. It is not applicable for boiler external piping.

– Section 14 provides general requirements for design registrations and exemption for piping systems with Volume<500 l (0.5 m3)

– Section 16 provides requirements for piping design registration.

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Piping Design Requirements

PESR 16(2) - The information referred to in subsection (1) must bear the stamp or seal of a professional engineer and the name of:

a) the owner of the design ; orb) the person who will be the manufacturer of

the pressure piping system.

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Special design requirements

If piping design includes special design requirements, the submission needs to include them:

– Nonmetallic piping materials– Category M Fluid Service– High Pressure Piping– Safeguarding– Metallic Bellows Expansion Joints

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Fittings in Pressure Piping Systems

PESR 16 & 17– Fittings must be registered (See Line 8 in

AB-96, General Engineering Requirements for Design & Registration of Pressure Piping Systems).

– Only fittings that are within the scope of registration may be used.

– Modifications or alteration of fittings is not allowed without re-registration of fitting design.

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Safety Valve Requirements

PESR Section 38(3)

An owner of pressure equipment must ensure that the overpressure protection system is designed and maintained so that the maximum pressure in the pressure equipment does not exceed the prescribed limit of overpressure allowed in the applicable code declared in force by this Regulation.

PRD to open before pressure exceeds MAWP. See section 38(2).

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Safety Valve Requirements (cont’d)

PESR Section 38(1)An owner of pressure equipment must ensure it has overpressure protection that is

(a ) a pressure relief valve that meets the requirements of the ASME Code;

(b) other means of overpressure protectionacceptable to the Administrator.

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Other means of overpressure protection acceptable to the Administrator

– Rupture discs. Rupture disks must be UD Stamped.

– Code Case 2211 (moved in Section VIII, Div. 1 UW- 140). Protection by system design is not recommended because the Safety Codes Act and Regulations do not allow for this type of protection.

– Allowance for occasional variations above design conditions (Section 102.2.4 of B31.1 or Section 302.2.4 of B31.3) is not in line with PESR 38(2).

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Proposal for the use of other means of overpressure protection must

– Include technical justification for the use of the Code Case.– Demonstrate compliance with the Code Case.– Include the acceptance from the owner. – Provide proposal for adding a warning plate on a vessel

protected by CC-2211. It needs to state that vessel isProtected by Code Case 2211 Designed for specific operation condition and any change in operating conditions require the owner’s and ABSA’s acceptance.

– Vessel drawings submitted for registration need to include Code case number note that the MDR will include CC-2211 under “Remarks”Warning plate information.

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Different requirements for safety valves in

– ASME BPVC, Section I and ASME B31.1. See PG67 through PG-73 of Section I and 107.8 and 122.1.7(D) of B31.1.

– ASME BPVC, Section VIII, Div.1 and ASME B31.3. See UG-126 through UG-133 of Section VIII and 322.6 of B31.3.

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PESR Section 16(1)(c)Piping design submission must include– A list of pressure relief devices.– The pressure relief set pressures.

PESR Section 16(1)(i)Additionally, design surveyors may ask for:– Drawing (flow or line diagram) number that

shows the safety valve.– A list of pressure vessels protected by this

safety valve.

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Hydrostatic Test

PESR Section 30

(1) All pressure piping leak tests must be conducted using the hydrostatic method.

(2) Despite subsection (1), the Administrator may accept, for a specific pressure piping system,alternative test methods that are allowed in a codeor standard that is declared in force.

(3) A pressure piping system shall not be tested at atemperature that is colder than its minimum design temperature.

(4) When conducting pressure tests, the ductile-to-brittletransition temperature and the possibility of brittlefracture must be considered by the contractor.

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Hydrostatic Test (cont’d)

Hydrostatic testing of pressure piping systems is

– to verify the integrity and leak tightness of the piping system (purpose).

– The last physical quality test in the fabrication process to verify the system is safe to operate.

– Performed prior to placing the system in service. – Preferred mainly due to safety considerations and

for ease of finding leaks. Should a component fail during a hydrostatic test, the energy stored in the water is quickly dissipated.

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Requirements for Boiler External Piping (BEP)

– BEP shall be hydrostatically tested in accordance with PG-99 of ASME BPVC, Section I

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Alternative test Methods

– Pneumatic test– Hydrostatic-Pneumatic Test– Initial Service Leak Test– Sensitive Leak Test– Alternative Test Methods in Lieu of

Hydrostatic Leak Testing for a Closure or Tie-In Welds

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Alternative test Method Procedures Must

– Provide technical justification for not completing the hydrostatic pressure test.

– Provide a written test procedure that will fully address the technical and safety considerations for the test.

– Be acceptable to the owner. The owner of the piping system must review the circumstances and decide to accept the risk of not hydrostatically testing the piping system

– Be reviewed and accepted by ABSA.

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Do not forget that– Hydrostatic test is mandatory according to

Section 38(1) of PESR 49/2006.– Piping system shall be tested to ensure system

integrity and tightness.– When considering any alternative to the

hydrostatic test prescribed under the Safety Codes Act, all risks and consequences must be carefully and thoroughly evaluated.

– If alternative test method is proposed, it must be acceptable to the owner & ABSA

– Alternative tests shall be performed by personnel other than those performing the production work.

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Piping Modules, Closure Welds and Tie-in Welds

Submissions to Design Survey must have the following:– List of all of the identified welds– Description of the procedure– Acceptance Criteria per ASME B31.3 344.7.1 and

additionallya. misalignment tolerancesb. gap tolerancec. preheats (if applicable)d. any additional NDE (MP, LPI)e. any other acceptability criteria for inspectors to

ensure weld is properly constructed– Full Radiography requirements (or phased array in lieu of –

Code Case 181) per 345.9.1– Hydrostatic testing requirements for all connection modules

before the start of welding.– Statement by Professional Engineer on the submission that

flexibility analysis per B31.3 345.9.2 has been addressed.

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Piping Modules, Closure Welds and Tie-in Welds

Field inspection requirements include the following:– The final Closure weld acceptance in the field

must be pre-determined on a travel sheet with set acceptance criteria prior to making the closure weld.

– The closure welds must be kept away from high stressed locations.

– Each side of the closure weld MUST be hydrostatically tested

– Start-up procedure must take into account that you have welds which have not been hydrostatically tested. Caution is requested here.

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Impact Testing requirements

Section 323.2.2 of ASME B31.3 specifies the lower temperature limits for listed materials.

Section 323.2.3 of ASME B31.3 specifies requirements for unlisted materials.

Section 323.3 of ASME B31.3 specifies Impact testing Methods and Acceptance Criteria.

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Impact Testing requirements

Example of pipe calculations:

Pipe: NPS 10 Sch 80, material A106-B (curve B - Table A-1)P=1480 psi T=100 deg. F MDMT = -20 deg. FS=20000 psi CA=0.125”tnom = 0.594” tmin =0.519”

treq ={(1480)*(10.75)/[2*(20000+(0.4)*(1480)]}+0.125treq =0.386 +0.125 = 0.511”Calculated stress in pipe is Sp =19598 psi

Per table 323.2.2A, MDMT is -2.5 deg.F for Tnom = 0.594”Stress ratio r=19598/20000=0.98Per table 323.2.2B temperature reduction is 2 deg.FThe adjusted MDMT is -2.5 -2 = -4.5 deg. F

Impact testing is required.

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Use of Unlisted Materials

ASME B31.1– Unlisted materials can not be used for

boiler external piping (BEP) according to section 123.1.2.

– For non-BEP, unlisted materials may be used if they satisfy all five requirements (A through E) of section 123.1.2.

– ABSA will require the owner’s acceptance for use of unlisted materials in accordance with 123.1.2(D).

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Use of Unlisted Materials (cont’d)

ASME B31.3– Allows the use of unlisted materials

according to section 323.1.2.– The allowable stresses of unlisted

materials shall be defined in accordance with section 302.3.2.

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Skid Packages not shown in the Piping Design Submission

Submissions to Design Survey must have the following:– Scope of registration– Information who will register skid

packages if they are not shown in the submission.

– Who is responsible for the joints between skid lines and the rest of the piping.

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Where do things go wrong?

Incomplete information in the submissionNo P. Eng. stamp on piping designsImproper application of - Pressure relief devices- Pressure piping testing requirements- Material specifications and flange classes- the low temperature rulesManual changes on drawings – improper revision practice Client’s failure to respond in a timely fashion

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How can ABSA help?

We encourage pre-job meetings with EPC’s, owners, and suppliers for major projects to iron out areas that may be unclear (2 – 3 hours at ABSA’s head office)We are happy to answer phone or e-mail questions

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How can you help?

Inform your vendors of the Alberta requirements.Keep in contact with your vendors to ensure that they are doing what they need to do to get their designs registered.Don’t permit shipment from the Manufacturer’s facility if there is no registration in place.

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Selected Articles to Pressure Piping from “The Pressure News”

http://www.absa.ca/newsletter/default.aspx– Piping Systems Constructed Outside Alberta, Volume

7, Issue 3, Sep. 2002– Pressure Piping Construction Documents, Volume 9,

Issue 3, Sep. 2004.– Permit Requirements for the Construction of

Instrumentation Tubing Systems, Volume 13, Issue 3, Sep. 2008.

– Correction/Clarification Pressure Piping Systems (Threaded piping is treated similar to welded piping), Volume 7, Issue 3, Sep. 2002.

– Pressure Piping Not Over 0.5m3 In Capacity, Volume 8, Issue 2, June 2003.

– Plant Piping – Owner’s Responsibilities, Volume 5, Issue 4, Dec. 2000.

http://www.absa.ca/newsletter/default.aspx

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http://www.absa.ca/newsletter/default.aspx– Owner s Inspector must Inspect & Certify Piping Data

Report, Volume 13, Issue 3, Sep. 2008.– Failure of Low Pressure Piping, Volume 9, Issue 1,

Mar. 2004.– Special Considerations for Alternative Leak Testing for

Closure Welds of Pressure Piping Fabricated to ASME B31.3, Volume 9, Issue 3, Sep. 2004.

– Installation of Pressure Relief Valves , Volume 13, Issue 3, Sep. 2008.

– Isolation Valves In A Pressure Relief Path, Volume 10, Issue 3, Sep. 2005.

– Flare Lines and Flare Knockouts, Volume 9, Issue 3, Sep. 2003.


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http://www.absa.ca/newsletter/default.aspx– Requirements for Boiler External Piping on ASME

Section I Power Boilers, Volume 10, Issue 3, Sep. 2005

– Pneumatic Test, Volume 7, Issue 2, June 2002.– Failure of 2˝

Y Strainer under Pneumatic Test,

Volume 10, Issue 1, June 2005.– Warning – Water Hammer Hazards, Volume 12,

Issue 2, June 2007.– Alert-Use of Registered Fittings, Volume 5, Issue

2, June 2000.– Alteration of Fittings, Volume 3, Issue 3, Sep.

1998.


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http://www.absa.ca/newsletter/default.aspx– On Stream Leak Sealing of Flanges, Valves,

Volume 2, Issue 1, Feb. 1997– Positive Material Identification, Volume 11, Issue

4, Dec. 2006.– Alerts (Brass Valve Failure and Rig Boiler

Fatality), Volume 9, Issue 1, Mar. 2004.– Flange Gaskets (Incorrect specification and

installation), Volume 8, Issue 1, Mar. 2003.– Hydrostatic Testing can be Dangerous Too,

Volume 13, Issue 3, Sep. 2008.


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Selected Information Bulletins & Alerts to Pressure Piping

http://www.absa.ca/IBIndex/default.aspx– Interpretation - Random Radiography for

designated lot of ASME B31.3 Piping, IB07-002– Pipe Nipple Failure, IB02-001– Brass Valve Failure in Power Boiler Service, IB04-

002– Alert to Pressure Equipment Owners and

Operators - Rig Boiler Fatality, IB04-003– Valve Failure (Stem came off due to improper

installation), IB04-005