PROPOSED NEW ASME B31P

STANDARD ON
PREHEAT & PWHT
AWS Heat Treating Conference
August 12 13, 2014 Arlington, TX

Richard D. Campbell, PE (rdcampbe@bechtel.com)
Bechtel

Phillip D. Flenner, PE (flnr@aol.com)
Flenner Engineering Services, LLC
ASME B31 Pressure Piping Code is comprised of 7 individual
Sections:
ASME B31.1 Power Piping
ASME B31.3 Process Piping
ASME B31.4 Pipeline Transportation Systems for
Liquids and Slurries
ASME B31.5 Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer
Components
ASME B31.8 Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping
Systems
ASME B31.9 Building Services Piping
ASME B31.11 Slurry Transportation Piping Systems
(incorporated into B31.4 in 2012)
ASME B31.12 Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines
Why is a New Standard Needed?
Each Section serves specific areas of the piping industry
Each Section has different:
Applications
Operating Pressures, Temperatures, Conditions
These Code Sections have diverged through the years in some
of their requirements, such as preheat and postweld heat
treatment (PWHT)
Rules in B31 Code Sections are different than those in the
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes
The result is a diversity of these requirements that are
confusing and difficult to administer and oversee
Why is a New Standard Needed?
The ASME B31 Standards Committee has made attempts to
provide consistency between various Sections by establishing
technical committees to oversee similar chapters in different
Sections
The B31 Committee approved a new Standard tentatively
titled ASME B31P Standard on Preheat and PWHT to
provide nearly identical rules for B31.1, B31.3, B31.5, and
B31.12
To begin this process, revisions have been made to B31.1 and
B31.3 for the 2014 Editions to provide consistent rules in
these Sections
These rules will provide the basis for the proposed Standard
Task assigned to B31 Fabrication and Examination
Committee and chaired by Phil Flenner
Why is a New Standard Needed?
P-Number 1 Steels:
ASME B31.1-2012
175F for > 1 in. and > 0.30% C
ASME B31.3-2012
175F for 1 in. (no carbon limit)
ASME B31.5-2013
175F for > 3/4 in. (no carbon limit)

Does a 1 in. thick pipe know the difference?
Varying Preheat Requirements
P-Numbers 5A and 5B Steels:
ASME B31.1-2012
400F for SMTS > 60 ksi or > 1/2 in. and % Cr > 6.0
300 F for all others
ASME B31.3-2012
350 F minimum preheat for all thicknesses
ASME B31.5-2013
300 F or 400 F minimum, but thickness ranges are
different than in B31.1
ASME B31.4-2012 and B31.9-2014
The WPS shall specify the minimum preheat temperature
& the method of heating (but provide no specific
temperatures)
Why are requirements different for same strength & thickness?
Varying Preheat Requirements
B31.3-2010
B31.3-2012
1
st
Step
Eliminate
Recommended
ASME B31.1 Power Piping
Preheat Requirements
Preheat requirements are mandatory values
Minimum preheat is 50F
Base metal temperature at or above minimum temperature in
all directions from point of welding for a distance the larger
of 3 in. or 1.5X the greater nominal thickness
Base metal temperature for tack welds shall be at or above
that required for a distance not less than 3 in. from the point
of welding
Two different P-Nos minimum preheat is higher of the two
Nominal material thickness is thickness of the pressure-
retaining materials being joined at the weld (slight
clarification from 2012 to 2014)
For P-Nos. 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 6, & 15E preheat shall be maintained
until PWHT performed (with some exceptions)
B31.1-2012
All in paragraph layout (no tables)
B31.1-2014
Put specific preheat requirements in a new Table 131.4.1
60 ksi
60 ksi
60 ksi

175
175


175
>1/2 %Cr > 6.0
400
B31.1
2014 Table with changes from 2012 requirements shown in red
2014 also added allowance to attach thermocouples
using low-energy capacitor discharge welding
ASME B31.3 Process Piping
Preheat Requirements
Minimum preheat is 50F
Preheat zone shall be at or above minimum temperature in
all directions from point of welding for a distance the larger
of 3 in. or 1.5X the greater nominal thickness (added in 2014
to match B31.1-2014)
Base metal temperature for tack welds shall be at or above
that required for a distance not less than 3 in. from the point
of welding (added in 2014)
Preheat requirements apply to all types of welding, including
tack welds, repair welds, and seal welds on threaded joints
ASME B31.3 Process Piping
Preheat Requirements (cont.)
Two different P-Nos minimum preheat is higher of the two
(shall in 2014 compared with recommended in 2012)
Nominal thickness is thickness of the thicker component
(slight clarification in 2014 from 2012 of thicker component
measured at the joint)
Allowance of attaching thermocouples with low energy
discharge welding (clarification in 2014 from that in 2012)
For P-Nos. 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 6, & 15E preheat shall be maintained
until PWHT performed (with some exceptions) (B31.3-2014
added several paragraphs from B31.1-2014)

B31.3-2012
B31.3-2014
Approved, but not yet published
The bad news is the preheat table has been drastically revised
from the 2012 Edition, including:
Thickness cutoffs (e.g. P-1 1 in. is now < 1 in.)
P-Nos. 7, 8, and 21-52 are now replaced with All other
materials
The great news is the preheat table is I DENTI CAL to B31.1-
2014!
P-Number 1 Steels:
ASME B31.1-2012
175F for > 1 in. and > 0.30% C
ASME B31.3-2012
175F for 1 in. (no carbon limit)
Replaced with:
ASME B31.1-2014 and B31.3-2014
200F for > 1 in. and > 0.30% C
Varying Preheat Requirements
P-Numbers 5A and 5B Steels:
ASME B31.1-2012
400F for SMTS > 60 ksi or > 1/2 in. and % Cr > 6.0
300 F for all others
ASME B31.3-2012
350 F minimum preheat for all thicknesses
Replaced with:
ASME B31.1-2014 and B31.3-2014
400F for SMTS > 60 ksi (5A & 5B)
400F for > 1/2 in. and % Cr > 6.0 (5B only)
300 F for all other 5A and 5B
Varying Preheat Requirements
ASME B31.1 Power Piping
Post Weld Heat Treatment Requirements
Must qualify WPS to Section IX, including PWHT
Welds with ferritic filler metal with > 3% Cr shall receive a
PWHT
The upper limit of PWHT temperature range is a
recommended value may be exceeded provided the actual
temperature does not exceed the lower critical temperature of
either material
When 2 different P-Nos. are welded, PWHT shall be for the
material requiring the higher PWHT
Use of material transition joints may be required (new in
2014)
PWHT is not required for nonferrous materials
ASME B31.1 Power Piping
PWHT Requirements (cont.)
Control thickness is lesser of:
Thickness of weld
Thickness of material being joined at the weld
Thickness of weld is:
Groove welds thicker of the two ends after weld
preparation, including I.D. machining
Fillet welds throat
Partial penetration welds depth of weld groove
Repair welds depth of cavity to be repaired
Branch welds various options
Heating and Cooling Requirements
> 600F heating and cooling at no greater than 600F/hr
ASME B31.1 Power Piping
PWHT Requirements (cont.)
Furnace Cooling
Should be used when practical
May be PWHT in more than one heat provided at least 1
ft. overlap
Furnace shall be calibrated so PWHT can be controlled
within the required temperature range (new in 2014)
Local Heating
Width of band shall be at least 3X wall thickness
Nozzle and attachment welds, width shall extend on each
side at least two times the run pipe thickness and
completely around the run pipe
Guidance for placement of thermocouples per AWS
D10.10
Keep above lower critical temperature
Care with P15E

B31.1-2014
Consolidated and Revised from 2012 Edition
B31.1-2014
Table 132 Notes:
B31.1-2014
Modifications to lower limit:
B31.1-2014
B31.1-2014
B31.1-2014
ASME B31.3 Process Piping
Post Weld Heat Treatment Requirements
PWHT shall be as required by the WPS
When dissimilar ferritic materials are welded, PWHT shall
be for the material requiring the higher PWHT
Use of material transition joints may be required (new in
2014)
For ferritic to austenitic weldments, PWHT shall be for the
ferritic materials
ASME B31.3 Process Piping
PWHT Requirements (cont.)
Control thickness is lesser of:
Thickness of weld
Thickness of material being joined at the weld
Thickness of weld is:
Groove welds thicker of the two ends after weld
preparation, including I.D. machining
Fillet welds throat
Partial penetration welds depth of weld groove
Repair welds depth of cavity to be repaired
Branch welds various options
Heating and Cooling Requirements (new in 2014)
> 600F heating and cooling at no greater than 600F/hr
ASME B31.3 Process Piping
PWHT Requirements (cont.)
Furnace Heating
May be PWHT in more than one heat provided at least 1
ft. overlap
Furnace shall be calibrated so PWHT can be controlled
within the required temperature range (new in 2014)
Local Heating (all new in 2014)
Width of band shall be at least 3X wall thickness
Nozzle and attachment welds, width shall extend on each
side at least two times the run pipe thickness and
completely around the run pipe
Guidance for placement of thermocouples per AWS
D10.10
Keep above lower critical temperature
Care with P15E

B31.3-2014
Approved, but not yet published
Similar to preheat tables, the bad news is the PWHT table
has been drastically revised from the 2012 Edition
The great news is the preheat table is I DENTI CAL to B31.1-
2014!
ASME B31P Draft
Proposed Sections:
Introduction

Glossary

Temperature Measurement
May expand on AWS D10.10 requirements

Temperature Control
Preheating methods
PWHT methods
Furnace
Local

ASME B31P Draft
Proposed Sections (cont.):
Welding Preheat
Table 5.1 (instead of text)

PWHT
Table 6 PWHT
Table 6.1 Alternate PWHT Requirements for Carbon
and Low Alloy Steels, P-Nos. 1 and 3
Table 6.2 Exemptions to Mandatory PWHT

Alternatives to Preheat and PWHT Requirements and
Exemptions
B31.1 and B31.3 2014 Editions have made changes to provide
consistent rules in these Code Sections
Eliminated mandatory PWHT for weld in P-No. 1 materials
These will provide the basis for the proposed ASME B31P
Standard on Preheat and PWHT to:
Provide requirements for methods and limitations of
preheat and PWHT
Consolidate these requirements
Allow each Code Section to reference this new
standard, but take exception where necessary
Provide expanded rules and alternative rules for a
wider variety of materials
Conclusions