PWHT Soaking Time Upper Limit

[AdnanMaqsood]

Dear All,

This is my first post, I hope I will get good response and my desired answer from this useful forum.

My question is very simple and basic but please forgive my ignorance. I want to ask about the PWHT soaking time upper limit, how much time we can increase from PQR soaking time for production welds, if impact testing is not essential.

As per ASME Sec. IX we have QW 407.2 which restricts the Soaking time upper limit for production welds but that is only in case of impact. As per ASME Sec. VIII Div. 1 there is no upper limit for soaking time, which is decided on the bases of material thickness.

So if there is no upper limit of soaking time (without impact requirement) then we can increase the production weldment soaking time irrespective of PQR soaking time? (e.g., PQR soaking time 1 hour and production weldment soaking time 2hours or more). I can not find any restriction to this in the code, so is it allowed?

 

[metengr]

Correct.

 

[racookpe1978]

Support very firmly the piece being left in the PWHT soak: At 1250+ degrees F, the metal will sag and distort, oxidize if open to air, and be out of shape after long periods of time. No, it is not liquid by any means, but it will droop.