Pn e u m a t ic Te st in g

Presented by:
Djordje Srnic, Manager of Design Survey
Code Update Seminar
Edmonton, October 05, 2010
Calgary, October 07, 2010

ABSA

the pressure equipment safety authority

Obj e ct ive s
Un de r st a n d
Pu r pose of Pr e ssur e Te st in g
Re gu la t ion Re qu ir e m e n t s
H ydr ost a t ic vs. Pn e u m a t ic Te st
Risk
Pn e u m a t ic Te st in g Spe cific Re quir e m e n t s
Re gist r a t ion Re quir e m e n t s

W h a t is t h e Pu r pose of Pr e ssu r e
Te st in g?
To ve r ify
system integrity
leak tightness

W h y Pr e ssu r e t e st in g is r e qu ir e d?
Th e la st ph ysica l qu a lit y t e st in t h e
fa br ica t ion pr oce ss
Pe r for m e d pr ior t o pla cin g t h e syst e m in
t o se r vice
D on e in con t r olle d e n vir on m e n t
Pr e fe r r e d m a in ly du e t o sa fe t y
con side r a t ion s

Re gu la t ion Re qu ir e m e n t s
Se ct ion 3 0 of PESR 4 9 / 2 0 0 6
(1) All pressure piping leak tests must be conducted using
the hydrostatic method.
(2) Despite subsection (1), the Administrator may accept,
for a specific pressure piping system, alternative test
methods that are allowed in a code or standard that is
declared in force.
(3) A pressure piping system shall not be tested at a
temperature that is colder than its minimum design
temperature.
(4) When conducting pressure tests, the ductile-to-brittle
transition temperature and the possibility of brittle fracture
must be considered by the contractor.

Alt e r n a t ive t e st M e t h ods

Pn e u m a t ic t e st
H ydr ost a t ic- Pn e u m a t ic Te st
I n it ia l Se r vice Le a k Te st
Se n sit ive Le a k Te st
Alt e r n a t ive Te st M e t h ods in Lie u of
H ydr ost a t ic Le a k Te st in g for a Closu r e or
Tie - I n W e lds

W h y Pn e u m a t ic Te st in g is
Alt e r n a t ive t o H ydr ost a t ic Te st ?
D ifficu lt ie s w it h h ydr ost a t ic t e st in g

Supply & disposal of water, disposal of fluid

additives
Water leak can cause equipment damage
Freeze susceptibility
Structural support limitations
Contamination
Operational impacts - process contaminant
Affect dry-out of internal refractory linings

Ava ila bilit y

cle a n

a ir is r e a dily a va ila ble ,

H ydr ost a t ic vs. Pn e u m a t ic Te st

Qu a lit a t ive D iffe r e n ce s
W a t e r is n ot com pr e ssible
Energy storage is minimal
Pressure changes finite amount by infinitesimal
change in volume
Water filled balloon does not pop no
compressive energy
Air is com pr e ssible
Energy storage is large
Pressure change proportional to volume
change
Air filled balloon pops large, instantaneous
energy release

Risk

D a n ge r s Associa t e d W it h
Pn e u m a t ic Te st in g

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Pr im a r y con ce r n s
Pr e ssur e w a ve
Flyin g de br is

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D a m a ge cor r e la t ion
0.04 psi
0.10
0.15
0.30
0.50
0.70
1.0
2.0
2.4
2.5
3.0

Very loud noise [143 dB], sonic boom glass failure

Breakage of small windows under strain
Typical glass pressure induced failure
10% of windows broken
Windows shattered, minor damage to house structures
Upper limit for reversible effects on humans
Partial demolition of houses
Partial collapse of walls and roofs of houses
Eardrum rupture
Threshold for significant human lethality
Steel frame building distorted and pulled away from
foundation

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Flyin g D e br is
Fr a gm e n t a t ion Cr it e r ia
Primary fragments
Secondary fragments

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Pn e u m a t ic Te st Pr oce du r e ( PTP)
Re gist r a t ion is Re qu ir e d
D e sign Su r ve y w ill r e vie w a n d r e gist e r PTP if
p>315 psi or
V>0.5m3 or
Company does not have Standard PTP included in
their quality program and piping system p=<315
psi and V=<0.5m3
St a nda r d PTP m a y be in clu de d in t he qua lit y
syst e m a n d r e vie w e d by ABSA
p=< 315 psi and V=<0.5m3

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Pn e u m a t ic Te st Pr oce du r e M u st
Pr ovide t e ch nica l j ust ifica t ion for not com ple t ing
t h e h ydr ost a t ic pr e ssu r e t e st .
Pr ovide a w r it t e n t e st pr oce dur e t h a t w ill fu lly
a ddr e ss t h e t e ch nica l a n d sa fe t y conside r a t ions
for t h e t e st .
Be a cce pt a ble t o t h e ow ne r . Th e ow n e r of t h e
piping syst e m m ust r e vie w t h e cir cum st a n ce s
a n d de cide t o a cce pt t h e r isk of n ot
h ydr ost a t ica lly t e st ing t h e piping syst e m
Be r e vie w e d a n d a cce pt e d by ABSA.

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Te ch n ica l a n d Sa fe t y
Con side r a t ion s
D e fin e t e st bou nda r ie s ( List of pipin g & Pr e ssur e
ve sse ls in clu de d in t he t e st )
D e fin e syst e m volu m e a n d t e st flu id
Ca lcu la t e t e st pr e ssur e
Pr e ssur e r e lie f de vice s ( m a x se t pr e ssur e a t
1 1 0 % of t h e t e st pr e ssur e )
Sa fe t y pr e ca u t ions ( sa fe dist a n ce , ba r r ica de s,
m a r k in g t h e t e st a r e a , h our s w he n t e st m a y be
con du ct e d, w or k in g & e va cu a t ion pr oce dur e s,
e t c.)

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Te ch n ica l a n d Sa fe t y
Con side r a t ion s ( con t d)
St e ps t o m in im ize t h e ch a n ce of br it t le fa ilu r e
dur in g a pne um a t ic t e st
List of a ll pe r son ne l a llow e d w it h in t e st in g a r e a ,
r e quir e d t r a inin g a n d com pe t e nce s
Pr e ca u t ions t a k e n t o pr e ve n t ga s e x pa nsion
t e m pe r a t ur e dr op a n d t h e r m a l st r e ss du e t h e r m a l
gr a die n t s
M e t hod of t e st ing w it h de t a ils of pr e ssur e st e ps,
h oldin g t im e , inspe ct ion m e t h ods, de pr e ssu r izin g
Te st a cce pt a nce cr it e r ia a n d r e cor ds ( cr e a t in g a n d
m a in t a in in g r e cor ds)
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Te st Pr e ssu r e
P t = 1 .1 x P x S at/ S dt
Pt = test pressure
P = Maximum allowable working pressure
Sat = Allowable stress at the test
temperature
Sdt = Allowable stress at the design
Temperature

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M e t h odologie s for D e fin in g Sa fe

D ist a n ce
EPC com pa n ie s ha ve t h e ir ow n st a n da r ds
& m e t h ods
En d u se r s ha ve t h e ir ow n st a n da r ds
N ASA m e t h od
US D OD m e t h od
ASM E PCC- 2 Ar t icle 5 .1 m e t h od

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Com m on Sa fe D ist a n ce An a lysis

for Pn e u m a t ic Te st
D e fin e syst e m volu m e a n d t e st flu id
Ca lcu la t e t e st pr e ssu r e
Ca lcu la t e st or e d e n e r gy
D e fin e e quiva le n t a m ou n t of TN T
Ca lcu la t e t h e sa fe dist a n ce

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Ex a m ple :
Air ; p= 3 1 5 psi; V= 0 .5 m 3
St or e d e n e r gy = 1 ,6 7 7 k J
TN T e qu iva le n t = 0 .3 9 3 k g
Sa fe dist a n ce a ccor din g t o:
US DOD method R = 18.1 [m]
NASA method R = 19.8 [m]
ASME PCC-2 method R = 14.7 [m] *
*
R = 30 [m] because stored energy is
E=1,677 [kJ] < 135,500 [kJ]

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ABSA is con side r in g Usin g t h e

Equ iva le n t St or e d En e r gy
E= 1 ,6 7 7 [ k J] for piping syst e m w it h
p= 3 1 5 [ psi] a n d V= 0 .5 [ m 3 ]
Gr a ph e d st or e d e n e r gy for com bina t ion
of volu m e a n d pr e ssur e w h ich w ou ld
cr e a t e t h e sa m e st or e d e n e r gy a s piping
syst e m w it h p= 3 1 5 [ psi] a n d V= 0 .5 [ m 3 ]

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Gr a ph

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Con clu sion

Kn ow le dge of Re gu la t ion r e qu ir e m e n t s
Un de r st a n din g t h e Risk
Com pe t e n cy of pe r son n e l
Un de r st a n din g t e ch n ica l a n d sa fe t y
con side r a t ion s
D e ve lopm e n t a n d I m ple m e n t a t ion of t e st
pr oce du r e ( be for e , du r in g a n d a ft e r t h e
t e st )

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Qu e st ion s

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