Why valves shall be mounted in the horizontal position during Fire Test? (API 607) 1

[Diego C.]

Dear All!

We are studying the fire test normatives, and we find this requirement in most of them. According API 607 and ISO 10497:
Mount the test valve in the test apparatus such that the stem and bore of the valve are in the horizontal position.[...].
In both normatives the horizontal installation is mandatory for all kind of valves. Why? In API 598 or ASME B16.34 there is no mention of the position of the valve during the leakage test.

I really appreciate any kind of responses.

 

[gerhardl]

Any destructive test of a product is designed to be as close to a normal, general or worst case use as deemed best suited to screen the product for 'acceptable design'.

If two tests have equal criteria, not described in similar comparable tests, the last constructed test will probably have included this criteria as a sensible criteria to make the tests as equal/comparable as possible.

A given orientation of a valve for fire-test is sensible, as the heat differences surrounding a valve, and especially the stem sealing construction in a limited fire, will vary according to orientation.

 

[Diego C.]

This was our first thought, the intention to burn the complete body and bonnet and assure the temperature on packing. But there is no mention of the intention at the standard, and all the standard is a little bit doubtful.

Thanks for the response!

 

[gerhardl]

Doubtful? How?