ASME pressure piping codes and weld-o-lets 4

[sshakkour]

Hello all,
Sorry for sounding very ignorant, but is there under any of ASME pressure piping codes (or other codes you're familiar with) a mention of weld-o-lets and their acceptable method of installation?
Reason of my question is that on a 31.1 specified piping system, the contractor welded a 1/2" outlet on a 3" tee and another on an elbow and I want to check whether they're acceptable. Any help is appreciated.

 

[pennpiper]

I do not think you or anyone else can find any "Code" restriction for attaching a small "O-Let" fitting on a larger pipe, elbow, reducer or Tee fitting.

There are people who will submit comments here that will have all kinds of reasons against doing it. Most of their reasons will be based on "SIF" or "FEA" analysis and calculations.

These same people can use high level calculations to prove to you that a Bumble Bee cannot fly. Gee! that dumb Bumble Bee just goes on and fly's anyway.

I have done it lots of times in the past and when required I will do it in the future.

 

[trottiey]

In Section VIII Div. 1, I believe they fall under UW-16(f).

 

[Kiwi2671]

sshakkour,
Did the contractor use a qualified welder ? (as in qualified to that diameter) and did they use a qualified WPS (qualified to that diameter) ?
As stated above there are no restrictions in the code, generally that will be shown in the project specifications.
What is shown on the isometrics ? Have the designers noted these weldolets on the drawing or has the contractor just "whacked them on" for some reason ?
Regards,
Kiwi

 

[sshakkour]

Thank you all for the responses. Very helpful.
Pennpiper, that bumble bee does fly indeed; though in my case, I was wondering if it was flying in defiance of some code so to speak. Apparently not.
Kiwi, the contractor just put them there even though they did not appear on his shop drawing isometrics. Other than the usual issues of having to have engineer's approvals and so forth, I was just wondering about code.
Trottiey, division 1 of BPVC-VIII does not apply in my case, since the piping is not part of a boiler or a pressure vessel; but I'll check it out anyway.
Thanks again.

 

[MJCronin]

sshakkour...

I think that you got some good advice here, especially from pennpiper. However, I believe that it is important to discuss the particular piping system duty.

99% of the time, the addition of such small components causes no problem, but for certain piping systems, there should be a conern raised.

In otherwords, does you system transport river water or is it part of the Main Steam system at a power plant in 3500 psig/1050F conditions ?

I have always had a problem with the US Piping Codes (ASME B31.1/B31.3) because they do not, in my opinion, break piping systems into enough different "Quality Classes" where different levels of design, analysis and inspection can be defined.

ASME, never taking any respnsibility of course, "wimps out" and leaves such details to the designer.

The europeans have a different approach......

My opinion only,

-MJC