UNDERSTANDING OF ASME B 31.

3 CODE

PART 4

CODE WISE PUNCH POINTS

IMPORTANT PUNCH POINTS

ASME B 31.3 PROCESS PIPING
1. ASME B 31.3 piping is used for construction of new piping installation and is applicable to all piping within the battery limits of process plants (except power plants and petroleum refinery. !. "e#ised edition and addenda of ASME B 31.3 $ode may be used from beginning with date of issue. But they become mandatory from % months after issue date. 3. $ode statements with &shall' mean it is a mandatory re(uirement. $ode statements with &should' means it is a recommendation and $ode statements with &may' means it is a optional matter. ). $ode B31.3 classifies fluids as $ategory * (1+ , 1+- psi design .r. $ategory M (toxic / and category 0 (high pressure . +. 1he fluids which are not category */ M or 0 are called &2ormal' fluids. %. Safe stress #alues shall be ta3en from 1able A , 1A (stress table . 4. 1he material can be normally used up to the lower temperature gi#en in Min. 1emp. $olumn of 1able A , 1A (stress table . 5. 6t can not be used for lower temperature (if double line is to the left or higher temperature (if double line is to the right . 7. 1able A81B of B 31.3 $ode gi#es weld 9oint (uality factor for manufactured pipes. 1he factor can be increased for Electric

:usion welded pipes by conducting additional radiography (spot or full as per 1able 3-!.3.). 1-. Minimum "e(uired 1hic3ness (tm for a pipe of outside diameter (* /weld point factor (E and made from material ha#ing safe stress (S / Material co8efficient (; pressure (. is gi#en by< .* Min."e(.1hic3ness tm = 8888888888888 > $ !(SE > .; where $ = corrosion allowance. 11. 1he thic3ness calculated shall be corrected for 1!.+? negati#e mill tolerance. 1!. 1hic3ness of a permanent blan3 for the pipe is gi#en by<
tm = dg 3P +C 16SE

and sub9ected to internal

@here/ dg = gas3et inside diameter 13. Materials can be used up to gi#en minimum temperature in table A1 (stress table without impact testing. 1). :or lower temperatures/ go to :ig. 3!3.!.!. 6f temperature A thic3ness combination point falls on or abo#e the material cur#e (:ig. 3!3.!! / impact testing is 2B1 re(uired. (6f below the cur#e , impact testing is re(uired. 1+. 1o 3now which material is represented by which cur#e (:ig. 3!3.!.!/ cur#es A/ B/ $/ * / go to table A81 (stress table .

1%. 1ypically/ $ur#e A materials are Most Brittle. 14. :or impact testing/ 3 specimens are re(uired. 6f the a#erage of 3 specimens C = "e(uired A#erage and #alue of only one specimen is less than a#erage but more than minimum for one specimen D Accept. 15. 6f two specimens are below re(uired a#erage/ or one specimen is less than a#erage but also less than minimum for one specimen D "etest. 17. After retest all three must e(ual or exceed the a#erage. !-. :or 9oining une(ual schedule pipe/ tapering or step8slot shall be made inside thic3er pipe for weld fit8up. !1. :or fillet weld/ the throat of fillet weld is calculated as throat = -.4-4 siEe of weld. !!. All welding shall be done by (ualifying procedures and welders according to ASME Sec. 6F. !3. 1able 33-.1.1 gi#es re(uired and recommended pre8heat temperature. "ecommendation becomes re(uirement if ambient temp is G-H$. !). 6n dissimilar pipe 9oints higher temperature of the two is to be used for pre8heating. 1he pre8heat Eone shall extend at least one inch beyond the edge of the weld.

!+. .re8heating/ whene#er specified ie applied to Strength welds/ tac3 welds and seal welds. !%. .@I1 1able (331.1.1 gi#es temperature range/ minimum holding time and maximum hardness #alues. !4. .@I1 conducted properly should reduce the hardness in weld and IAJ. $ode gi#es the maximum Brinell Iardness Kalues after .@I1 !5. @here a hardness limit is specified in 1able 331.1.1/ at least 1- ? of welds/ hot bends/ and hot formed components in each furnace heat treated batch and 1--? of those locally heat treated shall be tested for hardness. !7. All 2*1 (.1/ "1/ M1/ K1/ L1 shall be carried out according to ASME Sec. K. 3-. Acceptance criteria shall be as per 1able 3)1.3.!. 31. 6f two #alues are separated by MandN lower #alue becomes the acceptance limit. 6f two #alues are separated by MorN then higher #alue becomes the acceptance limit. 3!. According to ASME B 31.3/ BwnerNs inspector should ha#e 1- years minimum experience in the design/ fabrication/ or inspection of industrial pressure piping. 33. After fabrication and inspection of piping/ but before first operation/ hydrostatic pressure test shall be carried out on completed piping.

3). Bnly if hydrostatic test is not practicable/ pneumatic test may be conducted. 3+. 1est pressure in both cases shall be held for minimum 1- minutes. 3%. Iydrostatic .ressure = 1.+ x *esign .ressure x Stress "atio
Stress at test temperature ( Ambient ) Stress at design temperature

34. Stress "atio =

35. .neumatic 1est .ressure = 1.1 x *esign .ressure 37. .neumatic .ressure should be initially raised up to +-? of test pressure

or !+ psi (whiche#er is less and a preliminary chec3 shall be made. After preliminary chec3 pressure can be increased slowly to reach up to test pressure. )-. 6n pneumatic lea3 test/ final inspection pressure for lea3 chec3 is *esign .ressure of the .iping System. )1. :or category * fluids the lea3 testing at operating pressure can be performed with the product itself directly. )!. :or pressure testing of piping systems/ pneumatic test should be done using air but other non toxic gases may be used. )3. :or hydro testing water should be used as testing medium but other non toxic li(uid may be used if water is not suitable due to possibility of freeEing or due to process reasons .

)). :or pneumatic testing preferred medium is air but other non8toxic gases also may be used )+. 1he inspection procedure records shall be retained for at least + years. )%. 1hermal expansion and contraction for different temperatures is gi#en in 1able $81. 1his information is used to decide expansion and contraction margins re(uired for pipe supports and other purposes.

PUNCH POINTS
ASME B 1%.+ A.6 +4-, .6.E :OA2PES A2* :OA2PE* :61162PS
1. B 1%.+ $o#ers :langes and flanged fittings with rating class designation 1+-. 3--/ )--/ %--/ 7--/ 1+--/ and !+-- in siEes 2.S 1Q! through 2.S !) 2. ASME B 16.5 permits Blind flanges made from plates . 3. 1he System Iydrostatic 1est pressure for flanges and flanged fittings is 1.+ times the pressure rating at 1-- deg. : rounded to higher !+ psi. ). :or finding out the re(uired flange class as per B1%.+/ first find out which table (.ressure , 1emperature rating table to refer for that material. :lange rating then can be read out from that table for gi#en condition of design pressure and design temperature. +. :langes are not re(uired to be pressure tested. Each flanged fitting shall be gi#en a shell pressure test %. 1he shell pressure test for flanged fittings shall be at a pressure no less than 1.+ times the 35H$ (1--H: pressure rating rounded off to the next higher 1 bar (!+ psi increment. 4. :langed fittings shall be pressure tested for lea3 tightness using water. Bther test fluids may also be used if re(uired. 1he test duration shall be< SiEe G 2.S ! 2.S !1Q! to 2.S 5 C 2.S 1*uration/ sec %1!15-