ASME code help

[BoemaSM]

Hi All,

I am Salvo, I am a chemical engineer working for a Italian company. I have a large experience on making pressure vessel in Europe and, then, fairly confident with the PED certifications.

Recently, we took a job in USA (IDAHO, NAMPA) and, unfortunately, I am not very good with the ASME code. I wrote here hoping someone could give an hand and saving some time on reading the millions of pages on the ASME code ( and hope to give some help back with PED certifications when you need).

I have to design three things basically:

1) pressure vessel -- pressure below 15 psig, this should be outside the asme code so I should be quite free on the design (there is a very similar condition in Europe but it is below 0.5barg)
2) steam piping - steam at 3 barg (143°C) - Here I am having some difficults on finding some information. Do I have to provide some certification for the pipe? do I have to follow the ASME raccomandations, patented welders ( or for the valves connected to it)? Can I consider as pressure vessel below 6" (so outside ASME regulation)?
3) the third item is a jacket pipe ( fruit purea inside and brine at -8°C outside) - working conditions 20 bars)

Hope someone can help me

Thanks in advance

 

[fegenbush]

1) You are correct that this is outside the scope of ASME Section VIII Division 1.

2) Steam piping should be designed and fabricated per ASME B31.1 (Power Piping) or ASME B31.3 (Process Piping), whichever is applicable to your process and customer requirements.

3) Depending on the diameter of the pipe and the nature of the design, this could be either ASME Section VIII Division 1 or ASME B31.3. More details are required before and accurate determination can be made.

The ASME Codes can be difficult to follow, but if you are familiar with Recognized And Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practice with relation to pressure vessels, you are in a better starting place than most.

 

[MJCronin]

I agree with fegenbush....

However, I would consider having the low-pressure vessel, designed, constructed, inspected and tested to ASME-VIII, but no code stamp required.

I would use a design pressure of 14.9 psig

Many US fabrication shops are familiar with this practice.

Purchase a book on ASME B31.1 and B31.3 practices and read it. It will explain piping weld quality control, certifications etc.

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[BoemaSM]

Thank you very much for your help. Yes, I will definitely buy the documentation and read it but having talked to you will help.

When you say "Steam piping should be designed and fabricated per ASME B31.1 (Power Piping) or ASME B31.3 (Process Piping)" means it has to be constructed by certificated welders, inspected and tested (code stamp??)?

Regarding the point 3, it is a 3" pipe (AISI316). I think, this should be outside the ASME certification as well, but I am not sure.

Thanks again.

 

[weldstan]

Welders will be qualified and certified per ASME IX. Code stamp is not required for piping unless it is boiler external.
The 3" pipe will be treated as piping - not as a pressure vessel.

 

[Duwe6]

B31.1 and B31.3 both require a fair ammount of Quality Control and testing during fabrication. The fact that a Code Stamp is not required does not mean that it will be a "free for all". Same welder qualification and procedure quals as in Sect I work = ASME Sect IX. Mandatory inspections and percentage radiography.

If the code-of-construction of the piping was not specefied by the customer, I would use B31.3. It is a 'Process Piping' code, where B31.1 is strictly steam. Steam piping outside of the boiler's second valve [typically, and there are some exceptions] can be built under either B31.1 or B31.3. Simpler for you to use one book; and almost all process piping* - including steam - is built to B31.3 in the USA.

*as opposed to power generation piping.

 

[BoemaSM]

Thank a lot to all of you. I have been reading the ASME code and it is all clear now