API Standard Question

[annu739]

Hello! i am operations engineers and deals with operations shift activity. I know very little about API standards. I always find difficult when i started to read any standard. Is there any rule of thumb for reading them or where from i should start?? Please help me.

Thanks in advance for you your replies.

Annu

 

[Duwe6]

I'd start with 570 and 650/653. These are the infrastructure for a refinery: pipe and tanks. respectively.

 

[JStephen]

Note that they are standards, and not intended as primers on the material. They assume a certain degree of familiarity with the topics covered.

 

[JLSeagull]

Examples may apply to your operating system technology. Perhaps things for natural gas, refining and petrochemicals differ somewhat regarding the more applicable standards. Also, some suppliers offer training that applies to their products related to applicable codes. Examples might include your relief valve and control system suppliers. Such training might make an introduction to codes thus their text could seem more easily understood.

API and some operating companies also publish guidance documents that are not standards. Some from API have no document number; others are listed as API PUBL and a number.

Many of the applicable API standards that you should learn related to instruments and control systems are part of the Manual of Petroleum Management Standard. This is really big.

BTW a really old engineer may have used many of the API standards; however for most old guys are not familiar with a large percentage. I have over 80 API standards downloaded on my PC. Most should be somewhat related to my instrumentation and control system background. The PDF files also permit document word searches that help find some special issue. And they may be updated sometime without the old engineer noticing.

Good luck; and enjoy a better response to your question.

Regards,

John

 

[kwaliteitshenk]

API 650 or 620?

What is the wrigth design code for a hot water storage tank.
API 650 or 620?
Dia. app. 25 mtr.
Cil. heigth 10-12 mrt.
The water with max. temperature of 95°C (203°F) will be blanked with Nitrogen, overpressure of 30 mBar (0.45 PSi)to prevent corrosion.
And is it allowed to build ac. to API 650 with material to EN standards?

Please advise.

 

[IFRs]

Water tank? Maybe AWWA D-100?

 

[Duwe6]

Either 650 or 620 will work for that hot water tank. I would use 650 if it was me. The tank design will need to address the 203° Operating Temp -- I would use a Design temp of 220°F. The derate of the material strength for those 20 degrees above the 650 norm of 200 is negligable.

Your 1/2 psi pressure will also be negligable in the design calc's, just be sure you address it.

The current edition of API-650 recognizes a number of EN steels.

 

[JStephen]

On a tank that large, that pressure will have a considerable effect on the design. But yes, API-650 using Appendix F would be one option, preferable to API-620.

 

[AndyVictor]

Answering to Annu739's original question, As an operations person, best way to get familiarised is to have some interaction with your plant inspection engineers on live problems in static equipment/piping and follow the leads you get from them by referring to the relevant code/standard. Reading a code/standard with no specific purpose is very dry and boring.

Searching for answers for your doubts in this forum and checking/understanding the referred sections (from relies) in the code is also useful.

Best of Luck