Specifying S9 for ASTM A249

[kevlar49]

Is it common to specify s9 (Ultrasonic inspection )for ASTM A249 (welded tubing) especially when the pipe is to be used in high pressure reactor effluent service?

 

[EdStainless]

No, this is rather uncommon.
More common would be to purchase the tubing to A688 and require S1 Eddy Current testing. (just a note, S2 does not really exist)
In using welded tubing you are actually working to hihger saftey factors than with seamless. You have a physical 100% joint, but you are only working at 85% of the stress.

You can have tubing UT tested, but you need to understand the tests and why it would matter.
In welded tubing the most serious defects are weld inclusions and tranverse cracks. While both of these are rare they can be easily detected with ET.
In seamless tubing longitudinal defects are possible and these are best detected with UT.

There was an attemp a few years ago to use welded tubing that had been ET, UT and air underwater tested at 100% joint efficency. Let's just say that the comcept was not warmly recieved.

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Rust never sleeps
Neither should your protection

http://www.trent-tube.com/contact/Tech_Assist.cfm

 

[TVP]

I am by no means an expert when it comes to high pressure reactor piping, but the reason one would specify/use UT for large diameter welded pipe is to evaluate for longitudinal defects, just as EdStainless has pointed out. Tubes with poor weld seams, such as incomplete fusion on the ID, are difficult or impossible to detect with ECT, but can be detected with UT. If the tubes are welded, drawn, and then straightened, the last two operations can exacerbate existing defects that were not detected immediately after welding using ECT. Examination using UT after straightening is done with carbon steel pipes and tubes.