Pressure Equipment Directive

[jgibbs22]

Hey Everyone:

I had a question regarding vessel construction in Europe and the various construction codes.

Does Spain recognize ASME to be in compliance with their Pressure vessel requirements?

Sorry if that seems vague, but I am curious if I construct a vessel to ASME Div. 1 Standards if it will be accepted for use in Spain?

Thanks!

 

[MrBTU]

ASME is recognised as an approved Code of construction under the European Pressure Equipment Directive - in other words, you can design to ASME and have the vessel accepted into Spain.... However, there are many other hurdles that you need to clear.... materials and the approval of your design by a Notarized Body (NOBO) who is recognized in the EU (has an office in Europe) are a couple of the hurdles. Our AI is Hartford, and they luckily are a NOBO, so we submit to them. Materials go something like this: "we'll recognize SA-516 GR70 plate, but you need to have additional Charpies, and the MRT needs to be stamped by a NOBO that we recognize" so it is fairly painstaking...

 

[jgibbs22]

MrBTU, Thank you for the quick response!

If you isntead designed/constructed the vessel to PD5500 instead, would you bypass these additional hurdles? Also, what is the equivalent to an ASME stamp? Is that the CE thing I have read about?

 

[nashof]

ASME is of course an accepted code by PED, but as it was said in this post, if you design using ASME VII for example you will have some additional requirements.
However, there are certain rules that are considered "Harmonized", so, if you use them as your design code the compliance with PED is considered as fully done.
EN 13445 is an harmonized code.

 

[jgibbs22]

Thank you for the response Nashof! Sp as far as "harmonized" codes, where does PD5500 fall into this?

 

[micalbrch]

In any case your vessel must be CE stamped and approved by a notified body. It does not matter whether or not ASME overrules the European Pressure Directive, but any pressure vessel which is subjected to the European Standard must fullfil the European Pressure Directive requirements and must be stamped accordingly. That is the law, in Spain and in the other European countries, too.

 

[MortenA]

I think what they are trying to say is: Anything is possible - at a price.

Alsdo: You should be aware that each country in the EU has implemented the directive into their own laws. There is deviations in almost every country - and these deviations should be observed.

With regards to construction: The "Easiest" methode today should be to construct according to the harmonised stadard e.g. EN 13445 or EN 13480 (that would be methode 2). Methode 1 would be after e.g. ASME or PD5500.Methode one requires a verification that al major safte issues has been considered.

Heres a short list of comon hrmonised standards:

• EN 12953, Shell Boilers
• EN 12952, Water Tube Boilers
• EN13480, Industrial Piping and Pipelines.
• EN13445, Unfired Pressure Vessels

Best regards

The CE mark is added to show that the vessel is in compliance with code. The manufactor can add this himself - but it has legal consequences to do so!

Morten

With regards to PD5500: It appears not to be easier than following ASME

 

[micalbrch]

MortonA: It is correct that each country has implemented the directive into their own laws but all laws must comply with the directive. The approval of the notified body is done acc. to the European Pressure Vessel Directive. That means no customer from Spain can reject a vessel from France for technical reasons if this vessel is in compliance with the directive. The purpose of the European directives is just to avoid this. What a Spanish customer can do with a French vessel is to require additional approvals but these approvals can only overrule the Pressure Directive or can add certain requirements for different industries. But in general: A pressure vessel manufactured in compliance with the directive must be accepted anywhere in Europe. 15 years ago every country had its own standard but now that is harmonized.

 

[jgibbs22]

Thank you for all the responses everyone, but I am still slightly confused, but I think it is just terminology that is doing it.

The comment was made that all laws must compy with the European Pressure Vessel Directive. What exactly is the directive? Is it a design document or just a "code" that says your vessel will meet the following standards....

What is the difference between PD5500 and EN 13455? I have not seen the complete 13455 document yet but looking at PD5500 it is pretty thurough for fusion welded pressure vessels.

 

[micalbrch]

You can download the directive here:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/pressure-and-gas/documents/ped/

Look here for some explanations:

http://www.bindt.org/downloads/PED20.doc

Or enter 97/23/EG at Google. You will get many results.

Are you from US? There are some US vessel manufacturers who have approval acc. to pressure vessel directive. So, I assume there are authorities in the US for approval.

 

[MortenA]

The law is the law and each country in Europe are still souvereign states! Some deviation may very well be for natinalistic reasons/trade barriers.

You make have your day in he court - but who would like to be the test case?

Check with the Spanish implementation!

PED is a "directive" or a "regulation" not a code/standard. Thats EU slang for someting that eacj country should then make into a (set of) law(s) mimiking the words in the directive (since the directive has no legal meaning in each member country).

PED covers all pressure containing equipment (with some exceptions) with a MAWP higher than 0.5 barg. The exections are pipelines, house heating, pumps, compressors, internal combustion engines and turbines, pneumatic/hydraulic actuatiors and engine air intake and exhaust systems (including muflers).

The CE marking places full responsibility on the maker of the items covers by PED (this resposibility cannot be transferred to e.g. a verifying body).

In each country there will be a "National authority (in Denmark its "Arbejdstilsynet" - they do NOT verify equipment or installations. Then there can be a number of "Notified bodies" (NoBo) each identified by a four digit no - these companies will make a verification. The involment of the NoBo depends on wich modules that are relevant for your project.

As it has been said: Take a look at PED yourself - you will see that

-PED will not tell you how to construct the vessel
-PED will give some mandatory technical safety measures
-PED does make requirements for QA systems to be in place
-PED also has requirements for modifications and repairs of systems build before PED

Best regards

Morten

 

[MortenA]

one more thing: There are a numbr of official "guide lines". these are often the most interesting reads - from a technical point of view.

The annexes (especially I and II) are also interesting. Look at annex II for how to categorise your equipment/installlation and how to select QA module.

Best regards

Morten

 

[MortenA]

MrBTU_ You state that "ASME is recognised as an approved Code of construction under the European Pressure Equipment Directive". I would like to ask where in the PED ASME (or PD5500 or DIN for that matter) is mentioned?

I have been able to locate a reference in guideline 6/12 - but thats not a stricly positive one.

Best regards

Morten

 

[micalbrch]

MortonA,

We might not find an agreement but beleive me: A pressure vessel which is manufactured in Spain acc. to the Pressure Vessel Directive 97/23/EG must not be rejected by a Danish or French customer unless additional (!), specific application rules were not considered. The purpose of harmonized standards within the European Community is to avoid that this happens. You are right that each country has to turn a directive into national law but the national law must not disagree with the European directive. I'm European and we supply pressure vessels as a part of our equipment.

Right, CE marking is something the vessel manufacturer does. The manufacturer puts the CE mark on the vessel and issues a Declaration of Conformity with all legal consequences. From a certain size and pressure on a notified body must check the calculations before manufacturing and the manufactured vessel itself. This notified body issues certificates which must be supplied with the vessel. These certificates are mandatory to take the vessel into operation (this step must be approved again) and for the periodical examination of the vessel.

The problem for jgibbs22 is to find the corresponding category his vessel is subjected to.

Legally ASME is not recognised as an approved code of construction under PED. That's for sure. And an ASME stamped vessel must not be market in the European Community without CE marking. Whether or not an additional approval by a notified body is nececessary depends upon the size and the pressure of the vessel.

 

[cardin]

If you design your vessel to PD5500 code it's most likely that you will get your vessel PED approved in europe. The PD5500 is partly used to build the EN13445. The only thing is the use of the materials. You will need a material approval this approval should be no big hurdle many ASME code materials have a material code equivalent to EU codes or can be allowed to use based on the data available for this material (material certificates for axample).

 

[cardin]

Forgot to mention. A NOBO is not there to destroy your design. They are there to help you keep a design save. Just call a NOBO in spain to help you out.