Pressure Vessel Inspections

The Pressure Vessel Inspections article provides you information about

the inspection of pressure vessels and pressure vessel tests in a
manufacturing shop.

This article provides you lots of invaluable information about the

following items:

 Inspection and Testing During the Manufacturing Phase

 Inspection and Testing During the Operation Phase
 Pressure Vessel Codes and Regulations
 Maintenance and Repairs

The Pressure vessel inspections article, alongside other linked articles

are useful for Manufacturer's Quality Control personnel, Second and
Third Party Inspectors, Purchasers, Sellers, Plant Inspectors, HSE
Engineers, Integrity Engineers, Operation and Maintenance Engineers
and any Other Interested Individuals.

Pressure Vessel Definition - Based on the ASME Code Section VIII,

pressure vessels are containers for the containment of pressure, either
internal or external.

This pressure may be obtained from an external source, or by the

application of heat from a direct or indirect source, or any combination
thereof.

Click on the above link for detailed information about pressure vessel
definition, scope, and boundaries based on ASME and API codes which
specifically focus on pressure vessel inspections.

ASME Code Section 8 - ASME Code Section 8 is the construction code

for Pressure Vessels.

This Code section addresses mandatory requirements, specific

prohibitions, and non-mandatory guidance for pressure vessel
materials, design, fabrication, examination, inspection, testing,
certification, and pressure relief.
You may know that ASME Code Section 8 has three divisions. Division
1 covers pressure up to 3,000 psi, Division 2 has an alternative rule
and covers up to 10,000 psi, and Division 3 can be used for pressure
higher than 10,000 psi.

This section is divided into three parts: subsections, mandatory

appendices, and non-mandatory appendices.

Subsection A consists of Part UG, covering the general requirements

applicable to all pressure vessels.

Subsection B covers specific requirements that are applicable to the

various methods used in the fabrication of pressure vessels. It consists
of Parts UW, UF, and UB, and deals with welded, forged, and brazed
methods, respectively.

Subsection C covers specific requirements applicable to the several

classes of materials used in pressure vessel construction.

It consists of Parts UCS, UNF, UHA, UCI, UCL, UCD, UHT, ULW, and
ULT dealing with carbon and low alloy steels, nonferrous metals, high
alloy steels, cast iron, clad and lined material, cast ductile iron, ferritic
steels with properties enhanced by heat treatment, layered
construction, and low temperature materials, respectively.

Click on the above link for detailed information about ASME code
section 8, which specifically focuses on pressure vessel inspections.

Pressure Vessel Plate Material - You have to be careful

when choosing Pressure Vessel Plate Materials; there are lots of
requirements and specific prohibitions in the ASME code.
Some of these requirements are ASME and Non ASME plate material,
plate specification, inspection requirement and material test report.

ASME Code Sec VIII DIV 1 requires that materials that used for
pressure containing parts are one of the materials specified in ASME
section II, but with some restrictions which are stated in ASME Code
Sec VIII Div 1 in subsection C e.g. UCS, UHF, UNF.

For example, SA 283 plate material is listed in ASME Sec II, but when
you refer to subsection C in Sec VIII Div 1, you see it is not allowed to
be used for lethal substance services as well as for unfired steam
boilers. Also, you cannot use this material when you need your
thickness to be greater than 5/8 of an inch.

Click on the above link for detailed information about pressure vessel
plate materials which are specifically focused on pressure vessel
inspections.

ASME Pressure Vessel Joint Efficiencies - You may know ASME

Pressure Vessel Joint Efficiencies are linked to the radiography testing
grades, and there is concession for full radiography testing per the
UW-11(a) (5) (b) clause, which it is a little bit confusing.

Based on ASME Code requirements, manufacturers have to mark the

type of RT, e.g. RT1, RT2, RT3 and RT4, in the pressure vessel name
plate and state the same in the Pressure Vessel Data Report.

We have seen many professionals including inspectors and quality

control engineers who are confused between RT1 and RT2, specifically
when they see that the ASME Pressure Vessel Joint Efficiencies for
both RT1 and RT2 is the same and is equal to 1(E=1);

They say both RT1 and RT2 are categorized in the “Full Radiography”
part in UW-11 clause. So why are some joints in RT2 radiographed in
spot? We are doing spot radiography, but it is categorized in full
radiography!!!

Click on the above link to answer to this question, which specifically

focuses on pressure vessel inspections.

ASME Impact Test Requirement - You need to take care about ASME
Impact Test Requirement. Suggest you have pressure vessel in the
design process and construction has not started yet.

Based on ASME impact test requirements, you need to make an

assessment to see that either your pressure vessel is exempted from
impact testing or you need to carry out the test.

There are 4 steps for impact test exemption assessment. You need to
go through these steps, and you might be exempted in the first,
second or third steps, and might not be exempted in step 4;

So if you are in step 4 and you have not exempted, then you need to
carry out the test. This article explains you this assessment process.

First, you have to keep your pressure vessel design data available and
then refer to UG-20 (f), if you are exempted from this clause, you do
not need proceed anymore.

But if you are not exempted by UG-20 (f), you have to proceed to
UCS-66(a). Again if you are exempted, there is no need for more
assessment.

But if not, you have to proceed to UCS-66(b). If you are exempted

now, no need for more assessment, otherwise you have to proceed to
UCS-68(c). Again, if you are still not exempted; you have to carry out
impact testing.

It means for some cases we might be exempted from ASME impact

test requirement in first stage in UG-20 (f), in others in UCS-66(a) or
UCS-66(b) or UCS-68(c) or might not be exempted and must prepare
for doing this costly test.

This test would be more costly out of the US because of the Laboratory
Accreditation requirement. The Accredited Laboratory based US
accreditation system is not used too much in Europe, the Middle East
and other locations.

Click on the above link for detailed information about the ASME Impact
Test Requirement, which specifically focuses on pressure vessel
inspections.

Pressure Vessel Dimension Inspection - Do you know what the

Pressure Vessel Dimension Inspection requirement is? You may know
some fabrication tolerances have not been addressed in ASME Code
Section VIII.

So you need to refer to other sources for inspection. Most dimensional

controls of Pressure Vessels are either addressed or not addressed in
the ASME Code. They consists of the following items:

Pressure Vessel Inspections - Dimension

 Mill Undertolerance of Plates and Pipes

 Tolerances for Formed Heads

 Out of Roundness of Shell

 Nozzles and Attachments Orientation

 Nozzles and Attachments Projection

 Nozzles and Attachments elevation

 Nozzles and Attachments levelness

 Weld Mismatch

 Weld Reinforcement

Click on the above link for detailed information about Pressure Vessel
Dimension Inspection, which specifically focuses on pressure vessel
inspections.

Pressure Vessel RT Test - Do you know what your Pressure Vessel RT

Tests Requirements are? Is full radiography mandatory for your
vessel? When the full radiography is mandatory? What the acceptance
criteria are? What the RT symbols are?

When one of following condition is existing, you need to do full

radiography:

1. All butt welds in vessels used to contain lethal substances

2. All butt welds in vessels in which the nominal thickness exceeds
specified values
 3. All butt welds in unfired steam boilers with design pressure > 50
psi
4. All category A and D butt welds in a vessel when “Full
Radiography” is optionally selected

As you see, the item numbers 1, 2 and 3 are really mandatory for the
full RT test;

But the pressure vessel manufacturer may make an optional decision

for full radiography in item number 4.

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Why would pressure vessel manufacturers want to spent more money

for full radiography in item Number 4?

Because joint efficiency in full radiography condition is 1, and the

higher joint efficiency in the pressure vessel wall thickness formula
causes less wall thickness, so the manufacturer might save lots of
money with a lower thickness plate material.

But code has given some bonuses to the manufacturer in item 4,

because it is not mandated to do really full radiography in all butt
welds. The manufacturer can do spot radiography in B and C joints
with the same joint efficiency of 1.

Click on the above link for detailed information about Pressure Vessel
RT Tests which are specifically focuses on pressure vessel inspections.

Vessel Pressure Testing - You need to do a hydro-static test after the

completion of construction process, but before the internal parts
assembly, and also before the painting process.

Please note that performing the pneumatic test instead of the hydro-
static testing is not allowed and it can be replaced only when it is not
possible due to design and process.

Vessel Pressure Testing requirements have been addressed in UG-99

and UG-100 in ASME Code Section VIII Div. 1.
The activities are done in 3 stages; the activities before start of the
test, the activities during test and the activities after the test.

Click on the above link for detailed information about pressure vessel
hydro-static testing which is specifically focuses on pressure vessel
inspections.

Pressure Vessel Certification - Do you know what the pressure vessel

certification process is? How Pressure Vessel Manufacturers can be
ASME Stamp Holders? How Third Party inspection companies can be
certified by ASME and be Authorized Inspection Agencies? What is a
“U” Stamped Pressure Vessel?

You may know pressure vessel manufacture certification is the same

as the Authorization for the ASME Stamp.

The pressure vessel manufacturers can implement the ASME Quality

Control System and then apply for ASME Stamp.

It means that if a manufacture accredited by the ASME organization

for pressure vessel per ASME Code Section VIII Div. 1 can stamp the
letter “U” in the pressure vessel nameplate. These are the processes
for ASME Stamp Accreditation:

 Obtain Application Forms from ASME

 Sign a Service Agreement with an Authorized Inspection Agency

(AIA) - Authorized inspection Agencies are Third Party Inspection
Companies that have been accredited by the ASME organization
and their inspectors certified by the National Board Inspection
Code (NBIC).These Inspectors are named Authorized Inspectors
and hold Commission Cards issued by the NBIC
organization. Summary: AIAs are accredited by ASME, but the
inspectors are certified by NBIC.
 Submit Application Forms to ASME and Transfer Fees
 Purchase ASME Code Books

 Describe a QC-System according to the ASME Code Quality

Control manual and have the procedures prepared by the
manufacturer.
  Prepare a Demonstration Item - A representative demo pressure
vessel needs to be constructed and all drawings, calculations,
parts lists, purchase orders, material test reports, fabrications,
inspections, tests and reports should be based on the ASME code
section VIII requirement.

 Qualify Procedures and Personnel - Quality Control Procedures

and Personnel also need to be approved by manufacture.

 Pre-Joint Review by the Supervisor of AIA - It takes almost 4

months to fulfill the above requirements. Then an audit needs to
be conducted by a supervisor authorized inspector, which is
designated by the authorized inspection agency, which is under
contract with the manufacturer. This auditor would report non-
conformities found in the audit process, and then manufacturer
would have some time to correct them.

 Joint Review (Audit) with ASME Designee, Inspector and

Supervisor - Finally the Audit would be conducted by an ASME
designated Person, Supervisor Authorized Inspector and
Authorized Inspector. That is the reason this audit is called a
joint review.

 Issuance of Certificate and Stamp by ASME

If the result of the audit was satisfactory, the certificate would be

issued by ASME, and then the manufacturer would be authorized to
stamps nameplates with the “U” Stamp.

Click on the above link for detailed information about Pressure Vessel
Certification, which is specifically focuses on pressure vessel
inspections.

Pressure Vessel Heads - How many standard Pressure Vessel Heads

are in the ASME Code? What are their characteristics?

Ellipsoidal Head, Hemispherical Head and Torispherical Head are three

types of ASME Pressure Vessel Dished Heads.

Under the same design conditions, such as design pressure, design

temperature and material, your calculated wall thickness under
internal pressure for ellipsoidal head will be approximately equal to the
shell thickness. For a torispherical head, the thickness is equal to 1.77
times that of the ellipsoidal, and the shell thickness and for a
hemispherical head is equal to half the shell thickness.

For example, if you have calculated your shell thickness under internal
pressure and obtained 12 mm, your thickness for an ellipsoidal head
will be approximately 12 mm; for a torispherical head, 20.4 mm; and
for hemispherical head, 6 mm.

Click on the above link for detailed information about Pressure Vessel
Heads, which specifically focuses on pressure vessel inspections.

Third Party Inspection for Pressure Vessel - What is the third party
inspection requirement for pressure vessel inspection in a
manufacturing shop?

This article provides information about pressure vessel inspection from

material inspection to final inspection and dispatch to site.

Inspection and Test Plan for Pressure Vessel - The Inspection and
testing requirement is distributed in a different part of the construction
code.

The inspection and test plan have a tabulated format and collect all
these requirements in a simple table and determine the responsibly of
each party, i.e. the manufacturer, third party inspector and purchaser.

Pressure Vessel Handbook - When there is ASME Code Section VIII,

why do we need the Pressure Vessel Handbook? What are the
applications? All design formulas and calculations methods have not
been addressed in ASME Code, and also, there are no fabrication
tolerances in ASME Code.

So the Pressure Vessel Handbook assists us in covering all these

requirements.

The Pressure Vessel Handbook supports pressure vessel inspections

engineers, designers, pressure vessel manufacturer quality control
technicians and engineers, and any other people who deal with
pressure vessels.

Click on the above link for detailed information about the Pressure
Vessel Handbook, which specifically focuses on pressure vessel
inspection.

Spherical Pressure Vessel - What is the construction Code for a

Spherical Pressure Vessel? What is the In-Service Code for Spherical
Pressure Vessel? What are the Spherical Vessel applications? What are
the advantages?

Click on the above link to see the answer to the above questions,
which is specifically focuses on pressure vessel inspections.
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