Fugitive Emission Test For Valves 1

[Iranna Shettar]

Dear All,

please guide me for following points,

1. What are the criteria's for FET of Valves
2. what are the tests required for valves which are used in Sour services with Toxic Gas.
3. Need to Know Any Standard specifies the requirement of FET


regards
Iranna

 

[Subraman]

Hi,
FET - Fugitive Emission testing, for valve there are many international standards in the industry, most common ones are ISO 15848-1, API624, TALuft, generally applicable for both shut-off valves (Gate/globe) and also for control valves, ball valves etc, it involves endurance cycles 205 /1500/2500 etc hot/cold cycles,with test medium helium or methane, and Leakage rates A, B, C. You should get copy of the standard as it involves several aspects to be taken care. YOu have to use specially qualified gland packing, pls discuss with gland packing suppliers.

WHile API 624 is mandatory for all gate valves to API 600 and Gate / Globe valves to API 602, involves 310 hot (500 Deg F)/cold (Room T) cycles, test medium - Methane, and leakage rate max 100ppm, gland packing shall be API622 certified.

 

[gerhardl]

Hi Iranna Shettar,

Subramans answer says it all, with a good general summary. The world is big, and general questions will create general answers, and perhaps not what you want.

As often, answers will be better if you formulate a more precise question.

For instance:
FET: Several acronyms for transmission here. What exactly?
Sour service: also general. What market, customers. End users will generally differ on test types/requirements and refer to the actual local or company requirements.
Geographical area, state, country.
Fluid (Toxic gas?), temperature, pressure range.
Type of valve, size and pressure range.
Climatic conditions.
Surroundings, inside, outside, buried, submerged...

...and so on

 

[Dinu Stan]

hi

Please read and understand the standards ISO 15848 part 1 & 2 and SHELL Spec SPE 77/312.
these are the standards majorly accepted by the customers/end users throughout the world.
the test criteria & requirements, testing methods & types, required leakage class acceptance criteria are clearly mentioned in this standards.

Hope it will help to further to understand by your own... Thanks

Dinu...

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.

 

[Iranna Shettar]

Hi All,

Toxicity is a by product of any SOUR service product. The valve data sheet clearly mention SOUR service.
The question is simple;
How the valve manufacturer will prove that the valve is toxic gas leak proof if the valves are not subjected to FET?
I need an expert opinion to justify this and then can eliminate the FET requirement.
Please do the needful.


Iranna

 

[Danlap]

Hi Iranna,

The answer is simple, you or valve manufacturer cannot justify that Fugitive Emission is not required. If it is requested by end user, then supplier should adhere that requirement.
Not on behalf other end users, but we as (western) European end user are mandated by some sort of clean air or fugitive emission act. Applicable for either the whole Plant or some portion of it.
And we're being audited on periodic basis. Of course for example fire water or cooling water is not subject for such audit.

Some counter arguments:
Sour can mean gas and might also contain H2S. Thus with the right conditions can leak through gland, body-bonnet, etc.
There is no guarantee, that ordered valve by certain person (planner) eventually will be used for previously planned location. It can end up to very toxic application.
Auditor do random if not full check before commissioning based on certificates, and also during commissioning with sniffer or FLIR camera. Some high risk Plant, if we're not comply with such fugitive requirement, then we have to pay some fine.

Better safe than sorry.
If it is a good valve, should pass the test. I see no reason for deviating fugitive emission.
We understand the risk of using inferior valve e.g. with potentially miss-aligned stem or low quality packing. But we use this usually for water or nitrogen application.

Regards,
MR

https://nosuchvalve.com

All valves will last for years, except the ones that were poorly manufactured; are still wrongly operated and or were wrongly selected

http://www.eng-tips.com/faqs.cfm?&rat1=2&fid=376