ASME PCC-2 Repair of Pressure Equipment and Piping

1. Butt-Welded Insert Plates in Pressure Components

DESCRIPTION The repair of pressure components by butt-welded insert plates involves the replacement of pressure boundary material in a pressure component with an insert plate attached by full penetration butt welds.

DESIGN Insert plates and welds should be of the same material as the existing pressure component, or of another material that has at least equal notch toughness and allowable stress, Rectangular and square insert plates shall have corners rounded to a radius 13 mm (12 in.) thick up to 25 mm (1 in.) 75 mm (3 in.) or a larger. Over 25 mm (1 in.) thick 150 mm (6 in.) or a larger. Less than 13 mm (12 in.) thick may have smaller corner radii. (Normally 1 inch or greater) Minimum Size of Insert Plates. ( non-postweld heat-treated). lesser of 12t or 380 mm (15 in.) (where t is the thickness of the parent material). Flush Insert Plate (With or Without Nozzle/Manway) With Its Butt Weld Intersecting Existing Butt Weld in Shells or Heads NOTES: (1) Existing butt weld in vessel shell or head. (Fig. 2 shows butt weld in a cylindrical shell.) (2) Thirty deg minimum angle.

(3) Full RT or UT, or MT or PT both sides of existing butt weld, 100 mm (4 in.) min. each side of intersection with insert plate. (4) Insert plate butt weld. Full RT or UT, or MT or PT both sides of weld. (5) For nonpostweld heat-treated carbon and low alloy steel nozzle/manway assemblies, 150 mm (6 in.) minimum between the toe of the nozzle fillet weld and the nearest edge of the insert plate butt weld (see para. 3.8).

Intersecting "Doghouse" Type Insert Plate Butt Weld (With or Without Nozzle/Manway) With Shell Butt Weld in Vessel Shells and Heads NOTES: (1) Existing butt weld in vessel shell or head. (Fig. 3 shows butt weld in a cylindrical shell.) (2) Length of cut in shell butt weld, 150 mm (6 in.) minimum on each side of intersecting insert plate butt weld. (3) Insert plate butt weld. (4) Cut existing shell butt weld to 150 mm (6 in.) minimum on each side of intersecting insert plate butt weld and bevel edges (or arc gouge edges) to the desired edge bevels. Reweld after completion of insert plate butt weld. Full RT or UT, or MT or PT both sides of new weld. (5) For nonpostweld heat-treated carbon and low alloy steel nozzle/manway assemblies, 150 mm (6 in.) minimum between the toe of the nozzle fillet weld and the nearest edge of the insert plate butt weld (see para. 3.8).

FABRICATION One-Sided Welds. For flush inserts in pipe or tube or other pressure components that do not allow two-sidedwelding, gas tungsten arcwelding, or another welding process that provides an acceptable weld on the opposite side should be used for the initial pass joining the insert to the pipe wall.

Weld Spacing Between Nonintersecting Adjacent Butt Welds in Carbon Steel and Low Alloy Steel Pressure Components 4.3.1 Minimum Spacing Between Non-Postweld Heat-Treated Butt Welds. Non-postweld heat-treated butt welds around the periphery of insert plates shall be spaced no closer to existing non-postweld heattreated butt welds or reinforcing plate attachment welds than (a) for tw 13 mm (12 in.), 150 mm (6 in.) (b) for tw > 13 mm (12 in.), the greater of 250 mm (10 in.) and 8tw where tw p thickness of the thicker of the two adjacent butt welds, mm (in.) 4.3.2 Alternative Spacing Between Non-Postweld Heat-Treated ButtWelds. The spacing between adjacent non-postweld heat-treated carbon and low alloy steel

butt welds may be reduced to the lesser of 8tw or 200mm (8 in.) for tw 40 mm (112 in.), provided both butt welds are ground smooth, 100% RT or UT examined and 100% MT or PT examined after completion of welding in areas where the spacing between the adjacent butt welds is less than that specified in para. 4.3.1. As an alternative, the root pass and the weld, after half of the groove is filled, may be either 100% MT or PT examined in place of the 100% RT or UT examination requirement above. The butt welds with thicknesses less than 13 mm (12 in.) need only be MT or PT examined. See para. 5.1. 4.3.3 Spacing Betwen Stress-Relieved Butt Welds. The spacing between the adjacent butt welds shall be not less than 2tw if the first butt weld has been

EXAMINATION OF WELDS 5.1 Insert Plate Welds All insert plate welds to the existing pressure component in pressure vessels shall be examined by radiographic (RT) or ultrasonic (UT) examination methods to the extent required by the applicable code of construction or post-construction code for the pressure component. Where UT is used, examination of the root pass by either magnetic particle (MT) or liquid-penetrant (PT) methods is recommended. The procedures, personnel qualifications, and acceptance criteria shall be in accordance with the applicable code of construction or the

applicable post-construction code. 5.2 Finished Welded Surfaces Unless 100% RT or UT examination is required, all finished welded surfaces shall be examined by magnetic particle (MT) or liquid-penetrant (PT) methods. Examination by the MT or PT methods is recommended for the root pass of single-groove welds and for the backgouge of double-groove welds. No crack-like indications, incomplete fusion, or incomplete penetration are permissible. Additional Examination Requirements for Carbon and Low Alloy Steels 5.4.1 Rectangular and Square Insert Plates. For rectangular or square insert plates, the welds around the rounded corners, as a minimum, shall be either spot RT or UT examined. As an alternative, the root pass, the weld after half of the groove is filled, and the completed weld shall be either MT or PT examined. 5.4.2 Closely Spaced and Intersecting Welds. See paras. 4.3 and 4.4 for additional examination requirements for closely spaced welds and intersecting welds.

5.4.1 Rectangular and Square Insert Plates. For rectangular or square insert plates, the welds around the rounded corners, as a minimum, shall be either spot RT or UT examined. As an alternative, the root pass, the weld after half of the groove is filled, and the completed

weld shall be either MT or PT examined. 5.4.2 Closely Spaced and Intersecting Welds. See paras. 4.3 and 4.4 for additional examination requirements for closely spaced welds and intersecting welds.