(a) Every safety valve shall be tested to demonstrate its popping point, blowdown, and tightness. Every safety relief valve shall be tested to demonstrate its opening point and tightness. Safety valves shall be tested on steam or air and safety relief valves on water, steam, or air. When the blowdown is nonadjustable, the blowdown test may be performed on a sampling basis.
(b) A Manufacturer shall have a well-established program for the application, calibration, and maintenance of test gages.
(c) Testing time on safety valves shall be sufficient, depending on size and design, to insure that test results are repeatable and representative of field performance.
(d) Test fixtures and test drums shall be of adequate size and capacity to assure representative pop action and accuracy of blowdown adjustment.
(e) A tightness test shall be conducted at maximum expected operating pressure, but not at a pressure exceeding the reseating pressure of the valve.
HG-401.5 Design Requirements. At the time of the submission of valves for capacity certification, or testing in accordance with this Section, the ASME Designee has the authority to review the design for conformity with the requirements of this Section, and to reject or require modification of designs that do not conform, prior to capacity testing.
HG-402 DISCHARGE CAPACITIES OF SAFETY AND SAFETY RELIEF VALVES
HG-402.1 Valve Markings. Each safety or safety-relief valve shall be plainly marked with the required data by the Manufacturer in such a way that the markings will not be obliterated in service. The markings shall be stamped, etched, impressed, or cast on the valve or on a nameplate, which shall be securely fastened to the valve.
(a) The markings shall include the following:
(1) the name or an acceptable abbreviation of the Manufacturer
(2) Manufacturer's design or type number
(3) NPS size _____ in. (DN) (the nominal pipe size of the valve inlet)
(4) set pressure _____ psi
(5) capacity _____ lb/hr (kg/hr), or capacity _____ Btu/hr in accordance with HG-402.7 (a)
(6) year built or, alternatively, a coding may be marked on the valves such that the valve Manufacturer can identify the year the valve was assembled and tested, and
(7) ASME Symbol as shown in Fig. HG-402
(b) Nameplates of safety or safety-relief valves may be marked solely in metric units under the following conditions:
(1) The pressure-relief device will be installed in a location where metric units are required or accepted by local authorities, if any.
(2) Metric units shall be those required by the user when not mandated by enforcement authorities.
(3) The Manufacturer's quality control system shall provide for the conversion from U.S. customary units to the metric units that will be marked on the nameplate.
HG-402.2 Authorization to Use ASME Stamp. Each safety valve to which the Code Symbol (Fig. HG-402) is to be applied shall be produced by a Manufacturer and/or Assembler who is in possession of a valid Certificate of Authorization. (See HG-540.) For all valves to be stamped with the HV Symbol, a Certified Individual (CI) shall provide oversight to ensure that the use of the “HV" Code symbol on a safety valve or safety relief valve is in accordance with this Section and that the use of the “HV" Code symbol is documented on a Certificate of Conformance Form, HV-1.
(a) Requirements for the Certified Individual (CI). The CI shall
(1) be an employee of the Manufacturer.
(2) be qualified and certified by the Manufacturer. Qualification shall include the following as a minimum:
(a) knowledge of the requirements of this Section for the application of the “HV" Code Symbol
(b) knowledge of the Manufacturer's quality program
(c) training commensurate with the scope, complexity, or special nature of the activities to which oversight is to be provided
(3) have a record, maintained and certified by the Manufacturer, containing objective evidence of the qualifications of the CI and the training program provided
(b) Duties of the Certified Individual (CI). The CI shall
(1) verify that each item to which the Code Symbol is applied meets all applicable requirements of this Section and has a current capacity certification for the “HV" symbol
(2) review documentation for each lot of items to be stamped, to verify, for the lot, that the requirements of this Section have been completed
(3) sign the Certificate of Conformance Form (HV-1) prior to release of control of the item
(c) Certificate of Conformance Form (HV-1) (see Appendix N)
(1) The Certificate of Conformance shall be filled out by the Manufacturer and signed by the Certified Individual. Multiple duplicate pressure relief devices may be recorded on a single entry provided the devices are identical and produced in the same lot.
(2) The Manufacturer's written quality control program shall include requirements for completion of Certificates of Conformance forms and retention by the Manufacturer for a minimum of 5 years.
HG-402.3 Determination of Capacity to Be Stamped on Valves. The Manufacturer of the valves that are to be stamped with the Code symbol shall submit valves for testing to a place where adequate equipment and personnel are available to conduct pressure and relieving-capacity tests which shall be made in the presence of and certified by an authorized observer. The place, personnel, and authorized observer shall be approved by the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Committee. The valves shall be tested in one of the following three methods.
(a) Coefficient Method. Tests shall be made to determine the lift, popping, and blowdown pressures, and the capacity of at least three valves each of three representative sizes (a total of nine valves). Each valve of a given size shall be set at a different pressure. However, safety valves for steam boilers shall have all nine valves set at 15 psig (100 kPa). A coefficient shall be established for each test as follows:
The average of the coefficients KD of the nine tests required shall be multiplied by 0.90, and this product shall be taken as the coefficient K of that design. The stamped capacity for all sizes and pressures shall not exceed the value determined from the following formulas:
For 45 deg seat,
(US. Customary Units)
W = 51.5 pDLP × 0.707K
(SI Units)
W = 5.25 pDLP × 0.707K
For flat seat,
(U.S. Customary Units)
W = 51.5 pDLPK
(SI Units)
W = 5.25 pDLPK
For nozzle,
(U.S. Customary Units)
W = 51.5APK
(SI Units)
W = 5.25APK
where
A = nozzle-throat area
D = seat diameter
K = coefficient of discharge for the design
L = lift
P = (1.10 × set pressure + 14.7) psia or (1.10 × set pressure + 0.101) MPa, for hot water applications or
= (5.0 psi + 15 psi set + 14.7) psia or (0.035 MPa + 0.100 MPa set + 0.101) MPa, for steam boilers
W = weight of steam/hr
Note: The maximum and minimum coefficient determined by the tests of a valve design shall not vary more than ±5% from the average. If one or more tests are outside the acceptable limits, one valve of the Manufacturer's choice shall be replaced with another valve of the same size and pressure setting or by a modification of the original valve. Following this test a new average coefficient shall be calculated, excluding the replaced valve test. If one or more tests are now outside the acceptable limits, as determined by the new average coefficient, a valve of the Manufacturer's choice must be replaced by two valves of the same size and pressure as the rejected valve. A new average coefficient, including the replacement valves, shall be calculated. If any valve, excluding the two replaced valves, now falls outside the acceptable limits, the tests shall be considered unsatisfactory.
(b) Slope Method. If a Manufacturer wishes to apply the Code Symbol to a design of pressure relief valves, four valves of each combination of pipe and orifice size shall be tested. These four valves shall be set at pressures that cover the approximate range of pressures for which the valve will be used, or that cover the range available at the certified test facility that shall conduct the tests. The capacities shall be based on these four tests as follows:
(1) The slope (W/P) of the actual measured capacity versus the flow pressure for each test point shall be calculated and averaged:
All values derived from the testing must fall within ±5% of the average value:
minimum slope = 0.95 × average slope
maximum slope = 1.05 × average slope
If the values derived from the testing do not fall between the minimum and maximum slope values, the Authorized Observer shall require that additional valves be tested at the rate of two for each valve beyond the maximum and minimum values with a limit of four additional valves.
(2) The relieving capacity to be stamped on the valve shall not exceed 90% of the average slope times the absolute accumulation pressure:
rated slope = 0.90 × average slope
stamped capacity = rated slope × (1.10
× set pressure + 14.7) psia or (1.10 × set pressure + 101) kPa for hot water applications
(c) Three-Valve Method. If a Manufacturer wishes to apply the Code Symbol to steam safety valves or safety relief valves of one or more sizes of a design set at one pressure, he shall submit three valves of each size of each design set at one pressure for testing and the stamped capacity of each size shall not exceed 90% of the average capacity of the three valves tested.
Note: The discharge capacity as determined by the test of each valve tested shall not vary by more than ±5% of the average capacity of the three valves tested. If one of the three valve tests falls outside of the limits, it may be replaced by two valves and a new average calculated based on all four valves, excluding the replaced valve.
ARTICLE 6
INSTRUMENTS, FITTINGS, AND CONTROLS
HG-600 GENERAL
All instruments, fittings, and controls described in this Article shall be installed prior to operation.
HG-601 FOR STEAM HEATING BOILERS
HG-602 STEAM GAGES
(a) Each steam boiler shall have a steam gage or a compound steam gage connected to its steam space or to its water column or to its steam connection. The gage or piping to the gage shall contain a siphon or equivalent device that will develop and maintain a water seal that will prevent steam from entering the gage tube. The piping shall be so arranged that the gage cannot be shut off from the boiler except by a cock placed in the pipe at the gage and provided with a tee- or lever-handle arranged to be parallel to the pipe in which it is located when the cock is open. The gage connection boiler tapping, external siphon, or piping to the boiler shall not be less than NPS ¼ (DN 8). Where steel or wrought iron pipe or tubing is used, the boiler connection and external siphon shall be not less than NPS ½ (DN 15). Ferrous and nonferrous tubing having inside diameters at least equal to that of standard pipe sizes listed above may be substituted for pipe.
(b) The scale on the dial of a steam boiler gage shall be graduated to not less than 30 psi (200 kPa) nor more than 60 psi (414 kPa). The travel of the pointer from 0 psi to 30 psi (0 kPa to 200 kPa) pressure shall be at least 3 in. (75 mm).
HG-603 WATER GAGE GLASSES
(a) Each steam boiler shall have one or more water gage glasses attached to the water column or boiler by means of valved fittings not less than NPS ½ (DN 15), with the lower fitting provided with a drain valve of a type having an unrestricted drain opening not less than ¼ in. (6 mm) in diameter to facilitate cleaning. Gage glass replacement shall be possible with the boiler under pressure. Water glass fittings may be attached directly to a boiler.
Boilers having an internal vertical height of less than 10 in. (250 mm) may be equipped with a water level indicator of the Glass Bull's-Eye type provided the indicator is of sufficient size to show the water at both normal operating and low-water cutoff levels.
(b) The lowest visible part of the water gage glass shall be at least 1 in. (25 mm) above the lowest permissible water level recommended by the boiler Manufacturer. With the boiler operating at this lowest permissible water level, there shall be no danger of overheating any part of the boiler.
Each boiler shall be provided at the time of the manufacture with a permanent marker indicating the lowest permissible water level. The marker shall be stamped, etched, or cast in metal; or it shall be a metallic plate attached by rivets, screws, or welding; or it shall consist of material with documented tests showing its suitability as a permanent marking for the application. This marker shall be visible at all times. Where the boiler is shipped with a jacket, this marker may be located on the jacket.
