October 19, 2016

CBD-P-007
Rev.00

PRESSURE TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR VALVES

Tabulated Pressure Testing Requirements for Valves as per API 598, ISO 5208
& EN 12266-1

NILESH MISTRY
ISO 9001 (2015) QMS Lead Auditor, QA-QC Engineer, B.E (Mechanical)
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
E-Mail: er.nileshmistry@gmail.com, nileshmistry@icloud.com
Web: conformityblog.wordpress.com
Mobile : +91-8469616406, +91-9429022762
 Contents

Sr # Description Page #
1 Valve Pressure Testing Requirements as per API 598 (2009) 1
2 Valve Pressure Testing Requirements as per ISO 5208 (2015) 2
3 Valve Pressure Testing Requirements as per EN 12266-1 (2003) 3
4 Required Pressure Tests for Valves according to API 598 (2009) 4
5 Required Pressure Tests for Valves according to ISO 5208 (2015) 5
6 Maximum Allowable Leakage Rates for Closure Tests according to API 598 6
7 Maximum Allowable Leakage Rates for Closure Tests according to ISO 5208 7
8 Maximum allowable seat leakage for each leakage rate – EN 12266-1 7

Page i
CBD-P-007 Rev.00 Page 1 of 7

Valve Pressure Testing Requirements as per API 598 (2009)

API 598 (2009) - Valve Inspection and Testing

Description Hydrostatic Tests Pneumatic Tests

Shell Test Backseat Test Seat Test Shell Test Backseat Test Seat Test

Kerosene, Water or a non-corrosive liquid having

Test Fluid Air or Inert Gas
viscosity not higher than of water

Temperature of Test Fluid 5 °C (41 °F) to 50 °C (122 °F) 5 °C (41 °F) to 50 °C (122 °F)

With the valve With the valve

fully open, fully open,
In-partially and the packing In-partially and the packing
Test Condition - -
open condition gland loose or open condition gland loose or
packing not packing not
installed. installed.

For testing of austenitic stainless steel valves, water

Other Requirements with chloride content -
not exceeding 100 ppm shall be used.

DN ≤ 50 15 (60 For 15 (60 For

15 15 15 15
(NPS ≤ 2) Check Valves) Check Valves)

DN 65 to 150
(NPS 2-1/16 60 60 60 60 60 60
Minimum
to 6)
Test
Duration
DN 200 to
(Seconds)
300 (NPS 8 to 120 60 120 120 60 120
12)

DN ≥ 350
300 60 120 300 60 120
(NPS ≥ 14)

1.1 x Working
1.5 x Working Pressure @ 38°C
Minimum Test Pressure Pressure @ 4 to 7 barg (60 to 100 psig)
(100°F)
38°C (100°F)

No Visible No Visible
Leakage for Leakage for
Resilent Seated Resilent Seated
Valves. Valves.
Allowable Allowable
Acceptance Criteria No Visible Leakage No Visible Leakage
Leakage Rates Leakage Rates
as per Table 6 as per Table 6
in API 598 in API 598
(2009) for Metal (2009) for Metal
Seated Valves. Seated Valves.

The equipment used by the valve manufacturer to perform the required pressure tests shall not apply external forces that affect seat leakage.

For valves with adjustable stem seals, leakage through the stem seals during the shell test shall not be cause for rejection. However, the manufacturer
shall demonstrate that the stem seals are capable of retaining pressure at least equal to the 38 °C (100 °F) valve rating without visible leakage.

When a liquid is used as the test fluid, the valve shall be essentially free from trapped air during the test.

Required protective coatings, such as paint, which may mask surface defects, shall not be applied to any surface before inspection or pressure testing.

For seat tests, a valve designed to close against pressure from one direction only and so marked, the pressure shall be applied on the pressure side of the
valve only. For a check valve, the pressure shall be applied on the downstream side.

Backseat test shall be performed on the valves which have backseat feature.

The test duration is the period of inspection after the valve is fully prepared and is under full test pressure.

The above mentioned test pressures are considered only for steel valves. For Cast Iron & Ductile Iron Valves, please refer Table 3 & Table in API 598
(2009)

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CBD-P-007 Rev.00 Page 2 of 7

Valve Pressure Testing Requirements as per ISO 5208 (2015)

ISO 5208 (2015) - Industrial Valves - Pressure Testing of Metallic Valves

Description Hydrostatic Tests Pneumatic Tests

Shell Test Backseat Test Seat Test Shell Test Backseat Test Seat Test

water, that may contain a corrosion inhibitor, kerosene

Test Fluid or other appropriate liquid having a viscosity not Air or Suitable Gas
greater than that of water

Temperature of Test Fluid 5 °C to 40 °C 5 °C to 40 °C

The stem seal The stem seal

adjustment shall adjustment shall
be set, so that be set, so that
In-partially In-partially
Test Condition the force-tending - the force-tending -
open condition open condition
effect on a seal effect on a seal
has been has been
negated. negated.

For testing of austenitic stainless steel valves, water

Other Requirements with chloride content not exceeding 100 ppm shall be -
used.

DN ≤ 50 15 (60 For 15 (60 For

15 15 15 15
(NPS ≤ 2) Check Valves) Check Valves)

DN 65 to 150
(NPS 2-1/16 60 60 60 60 60 60
Minimum
to 6)
Test
Duration
DN 200 to
(Seconds)
300 (NPS 8 120 60 120 120 60 120
to 12)

DN ≥ 350
300 60 120 300 60 120
(NPS ≥ 14)

1.1 x CWP or 6
Minimum Test Pressure 1.5 x CWP 1.1 x CWP
bar ± 1 bar

No Visible No Visible
Leakage for DN Leakage for DN
≤ 50. Allowable ≤ 50. Allowable
Acceptance Criteria No Visible Leakage Leakage Rates No Visible Leakage Leakage Rates
as per Table 4 as per Table 4
in ISO 5208 in ISO 5208
(2015) (2015)

Backseat test shall be performed on the valves which have backseat feature.

The test duration is the period of time for inspection after the test valve is fully prepared and under test pressure.

When testing with liquid, the valve chamber under test shall be essentially free of air. When testing with liquid, the valve chamber under test shall be
essentially free of air.

The test equipment shall be of such a design, that it does not subject the valve to externally applied loads that may affect the results of the test.

The equipment used for measuring test fluid pressure shall measure the fluid pressure with an accuracy of ± 5 % of the required test pressure.

Before the shell test, valves shall not be externally painted or otherwise coated with materials capable of sealing against leakage from external surfaces of
the shell.

For valves having bellows stem sealing, a backseat test is not required.

For shell tests, if the test fluid is a gas, the external surfaces of the shell shall be coated with a leak detection fluid or submerged in water not more than 50
mm below the upper surface and an examination shall be made for the continuous formation of bubbles.

For shell tests, when the test fluid is a liquid, stem seal leakage is permitted provided that there is no visually detectable leakage at the stem seal when the
test pressure is × 1,1 the CWP.

Pressure testing valves with shell components of austenitic stainless steel, using water as the test fluid, requires that the chloride content of the water shall
not exceed 100 × 10^−6 (100 ppm).

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CBD-P-007 Rev.00 Page 3 of 7

Valve Pressure Testing Requirements as per EN 12266-1 (2003)

EN 12266-1 (2003) - Industrial valves - Testing of valves - Part 1: Pressure tests, test procedures and
acceptance criteria — Mandatory requirements
Description
Hydrostatic Tests Pneumatic Tests

Shell Test Backseat Test Seat Test Shell Test Backseat Test Seat Test

Water which may contain a corrosion inhibitor, or any

Test Fluid other suitable liquid having a viscosity not greater than Gas (Air or other Suitable Gas)
water.

Temperature of Test Fluid 5 °C to 40 °C 5 °C to 40 °C

In a partially In a partially In a partially

Test Condition - -
open position open position open position

Other Requirements - -

DN ≤ 50 (NPS
15 15 15 15 15
≤ 2)

DN 65 to 200
(NPS 2-1/2 to 60 60 30 60 15
Minimum -
NPS 8)
Test
Duration
DN 250 to DN
(Seconds)
450 (NPS 10 180 180 60 180 30
to NPS 18)

DN 500 and 30 (60 for Soft

180 180 120 180
above Seated Valves)

1.5 x CWP or 6 1.1 x CWP or 6

Minimum Test Pressure 1.5 x CWP 1.5 x CWP 1.1 x CWP
bar ± 1 bar bar ± 1 bar

Allowable Allowable
Leakage Rates Leakage Rates
No Visible
Acceptance Criteria No Visible Leakage as per Table as per Table
Leakage
A.5 in EN A.5 in EN
12266-1 (2003) 12266-1 (2003)

The shell strength and shell tightness tests may be carried out at the same time when the test fluid used for the shell tightness test is a liquid.

The test equipment shall be of such a design, that it does not subject the valve to externally applied loads which may affect the results of the test.

The measuring equipment shall be capable of measuring the fluid pressure with an accuracy of ± 5 % of the required test pressure.

if the test fluid is a gas, the valve shall be immersed in water with the upper surface of the valve not more than 50 mm below the surface of the water. A
check shall be made for bubbles breaking the surface of the water.

For Shell tests, leakage from the operating mechanism sealing is permitted at the shell test pressure provided that there is no visually detectable leakage
when the test pressure is 1,1 times the allowable pressure at room temperature.

For backseat tests, when the test fluid is a liquid, leakage from the operating mechanism sealing is permitted provided that there is no visually detectable
leakage when the test pressure is 1.1 times the allowable pressure at room temperature.

The pneumatic shell test is not required as per EN 12266-1 (2003). The standard doesn't specify the requirements for pneumatic shell test. However, the
pneumatic shell test can be performed as per other standards like API 598 & ISO 5208.

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CBD-P-007 Rev.00 Page 4 of 7

Required Pressure Tests for Valves according to API 598 (2009)

DN (NPS) ≤ DN 100 (NPS 4) and ASME Class ≤ 1500

DN (NPS) > DN 100 (NPS 4) and ASME Class ≤ 600

Valve Type

Test Description Butterfly and

Floating
Gate Globe Plug Check Trunnion
Ball
Mounted Ball

shell required required required required required required

backseat a required required NA NA NA NA

low-pressure
required optionalc requiredb optionalc required required
closure

high-pressure
optionalc,f requirede optionalb,c,f required optionalc,f optionalc,f
closure d

NOTE NA = Not applicable.

a The backseat test is required for all valves, except for bellows seal valves, that have the backseat feature.

b For lubricated plug valves, the high-pressure closure test is mandatory and the low-pressure closure test is optional.

c When the purchaser specifies an “optional” test, the test shall be performed in addition to the required tests.

d The high-pressure closure test of resilient-seated valves may degrade subsequent sealing performance in low-pressure service.

e For power-operated and manually operated gear actuated globe valves, including non-return type globe valves, the high-pressure closure test shall
be performed at 110 % of the design differential pressure used for sizing of the operator.

f A high-pressure closure test is required for all valves specified to be double block and bleed valves.

DN (NPS) ≤ DN 100 (NPS 4) and ASME Class > 1500

DN (NPS) > DN 100 (NPS 4) and ASME Class > 600

Valve Type

Test Description Butterfly and

Floating
Gate Globe Plug Check Trunnion
Ball
Mounted Ball

shell required required required required required required

backseat a required required NA NA NA NA

low-pressure
optionalb optionalb optionalb optionalb required optionalb
closure

high-pressure
required requiredd required required optionalb,e required
closure c

NOTE NA = Not applicable.

a The backseat test is required for all valves, except for bellows seal valves, that have the backseat feature.

b When an “optional” test is specified by the purchaser, the test shall be performed in addition to the required tests.

c The high-pressure closure test of resilient-seated valves may degrade subsequent sealing performance in low-pressure service.

d For power-operated and manually operated gear actuated globe valves, including nonreturn type globe valves, the high-pressure closure test shall be
performed at 110 % of the design differential pressure used for sizing of the operator.

e A high-pressure closure test is required for all valves specified to be double block and bleed valves.

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CBD-P-007 Rev.00 Page 5 of 7

Required Pressure Tests for Valves according to ISO 5208 (2015)

Eccentric
Floating
Butterfly
ball
Globe Plug valve Check or Concentric
Test DN PN or Class Gate valve or
valve a valve Trunnion Ball Valve
diaphragm
Mounted
valve
Ball Valve

Shell test
All All Required Required Required Required Required Required Required
Liquid test

Shell test
All All Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional
Gas Test

Backseat
Not Not Not Not Not
testb,c All All Optional Optional
required required required required required
Liquid test

Class ≤ 1
500 and PN Required Optional Required Optional Required Required Optional
≤ 250
DN ≤
100
Class > 1
500 and PN Optional Optional Optional Optional Required Optional —
Closure test
> 250
Gas
High-
Class ≤ 600
pressure
and PN ≤ Required Optional Optional Optional Required Required Optional
100
DN >
100
Class > 600
and PN > Optional Optional Optional Optional Required Optional —
100

Class ≤ 1
500 and PN Optional Required Optional Required Optional Optional Required
≤ 250
DN ≤
100
Class > 1
500 and PN Required Required Required Required Optional Required —
Closure test
> 250
Liquid
High-
Class ≤ 600
pressure
and PN ≤ Optional Required Optional Required Optional Optional Required
100
DN >
100
Class > 600
Required Required Required Required Required
and PN > Optional —
100

Closure test
Gas
All All Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional
High-
pressure

NOTE 1 Successful completion of an optional test does not relieve the manufacturer from also successfully completing the required test.

NOTE 2 In the case of soft seated valves, a high-pressure closure test may degrade subsequent closure sealing performance in low-pressure
applications. Therefore, this high-pressure closure test should only be used as type test.

a: Plug valves that rely on a sealing compound to effect a closure seal may be closure tested with the compound installed.

b: Successful completion of a backseat test should not be interpreted as a recommendation by the valve manufacturer that, while an installed valve is
pressurized, the stem seal may be altered, repaired or replaced when backseated.

c: In the case of bellows stem sealed valves, a backseat test is not required.

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CBD-P-007 Rev.00 Page 6 of 7

Maximum Allowable Leakage Rates for Closure Tests according to API 598

Metal Seated Valves

Valve Size Metal Seated Check Valves
Except Check
All Resilient
Seated
Valves Liquid Testa Gas Test
Liquid Test
DN (mm) NPS (in.) (drops per (bubbles per Gas Test (m3/h) Gas Test (ft3/h)
(cc per min)
minute) minute)

≤ 50 ≤2 0 0b 0b 6 0.08 3

65 2-1/16 0 5 10 7.5 0.11 3.75

80 3 0 6 12 9 0.13 4.5

100 4 0 8 16 12 0.17 6

125 5 0 10 20 15 0.21 7.5

150 6 0 12 24 18 0.25 9

200 8 0 16 32 24 0.34 12

250 10 0 20 40 30 0.42 15

300 12 0 24 48 36 0.50 18

350 14 0 28 56 42 0.59 21

400 16 0 32 64 48 0.67 24

450 18 0 36 72 54 0.76 27

500 20 0 40 80 60 0.84 30

600 24 0 48 96 72 1.01 36

650 26 0 52 104 78 1.09 39

700 28 0 56 112 84 1.18 42

750 30 0 60 120 90 1.26 45

800 32 0 64 128 96 1.34 48

900 36 0 72 144 108 1.51 54

1000 40 0 80 160 120 1.68 60

1050 42 0 84 168 126 1.76 63

1200 48 0 96 192 144 2.02 72

a For the liquid test, 1 mL is considered equivalent to 16 drops.

b There shall be no leakage for the minimum specified test duration (see Table 5 in API 598-2009). For liquid test, 0 drops means no
visible leakage per minimum specified test duration. For gas test, 0 bubbles means less than 1 bubble per minimum specified test
duration.

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CBD-P-007 Rev.00 Page 7 of 7

Maximum Allowable Leakage Rates for Closure Tests according to ISO 5208

Test Unit leakage

Rate A Rate AA Rate B Rate C Rate CC Rate D Rate E Rate EE Rate F Rate G
fluid rates

0,006 × 0,01 × 0,03 × 0,08 × 0,39 ×

mm3/s 0,1 × DN 0,3 × DN 1 × DN 2 × DN
DN DN DN DN DN
Liquid
No visually
0,000 1 0,000 16 0,000 5 0,001 3 0,001 6 0,004 8 0,006 2 0,016 × 0,032 ×
drops/s detectable
× DN × DN × DN × DN × DN × DN × DN DN DN
leakage
for the
0,18 × 22,3 × 300 × 470 × 3 000 × 6 000 ×
mm3/s duration of 0,3 × DN 3 × DN 30 × DN
DN DN DN DN DN DN
the test
Gas
0,003 × 0,004 6 0,045 8 0,340 7 0,458 4 4,583 7 7,129 3 45,837 × 91,673 ×
bubbles/s
DN × DN × DN × DN × DN × DN × DN DN DN

NOTE 1 The leakage rates only apply when discharging test fluid to the atmosphere.

NOTE 2 The closure leakage rate that applies is either that identified in a valve product standard or a leakage rate identified in a purchaser’s valve
procurement purchase order that is more stringent than that specified in the product standard.

NOTE 3 For the definition of visually detectable leakage see 2.12 in ISO 5208 (2015).

NOTE 4 There is a correspondence between the leakage rate acceptance values of API 598 and the leakage values Rate A as applied to DN ≤ 50,
Rate AA-Gas and Rate CC-Liquid for other than metal seated check valves and for check valves Rate EE-Gas and Rate G-Liquid. Rates A, B, C, D
E, F and G correspond to values in EN 12266–1.

Maximum allowable seat leakage for each leakage rate – EN 12266-1

Test Fluid Rate A Rate B Rate C Rate D Rate E Rate F Rate G

Liquid No visually 0.01 X DN 0.03 X DN 0.1 X DN 0.3 X DN 1.0 X DN 2.0 X DN

detectable
leakage for the
Gas duration of the 0.3 X DN 3.0 X DN 30 X DN 300 X DN 3000 X DN 6000 X DN
test.

NOTE 1 The leakage rates only apply when discharging to room temperature.

Table A.1 of EN 12266-1 shall be used to establish the equivalent DN number for those valves which are designated other
NOTE 2
than by DN.

"No visually detectable leakage" means no visible weeping or formation of drops or bubbles. If leakage rate measurements
NOTE 3
are carried out by automatics means, this should be qualified by the manufacturer's quality system.

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