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Note: The source of the technical material in this volume is the Professional
Engineering Development Program (PEDP) of Engineering Services.
Warning: The material contained in this document was developed for Saudi
Aramco and is intended for the exclusive use of Saudi Aramcos employees.
Any material contained in this document which is not already in the public
domain may not be copied, reproduced, sold, given, or disclosed to third
parties, or otherwise used in whole, or in part, without the written permission
of the Vice President, Engineering Services, Saudi Aramco.
Chapter : Mechanical
File Reference: MEX-101.09
Engineering Encyclopedia
MODULE COMPONENT
PAGE
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 3
SAES-L-055, Inspection of Piping Systems ............................................ 4
SPECIFYING APPLICABLE METHODS OF WELD INSPECTION AND
ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA................................................................................. 6
Typical Weld Imperfections ..................................................................... 7
Types of Weld Inspection ........................................................................ 9
Visual Examination ....................................................................... 9
Radiography ................................................................................. 9
Magnetic Particle ........................................................................ 12
Liquid-Penetrant Examination..................................................... 16
Ultrasonic Examination............................................................... 19
Examination Requirements ................................................................... 20
DETERMINING TEST PRESSURES REQUIRED FOR
A PIPING SYSTEM.......................................................................................... 25
Types of Pressure Tests and Their Purposes ....................................... 26
Strength Test.............................................................................. 26
Tightness Test ............................................................................ 26
Leak Test.................................................................................... 26
System Test ............................................................................... 27
Service Test ............................................................................... 27
Revalidation Test........................................................................ 27
Plant Piping ................................................................................ 28
Cross-Country Pipelines............................................................. 30
Sample Problem 1................................................................................. 34
Solution ................................................................................................. 34
Sample Problem 2................................................................................. 34
Solution ................................................................................................. 35
SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 36
WORK AID 1: GUIDELINES FOR SPECIFYING METHODS OF WELD
INSPECTION ................................................................................................... 37
WORK AID 2: GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING PRESSURE
TESTS AND CALCULATING TEST PRESSURE ............................................ 38
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Pressure Test........................................................................................ 38
Function ................................................................................................ 38
Situation ................................................................................................ 38
Test Pressure........................................................................................ 38
GLOSSARY ..................................................................................................... 41
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INTRODUCTION
An engineer will often be asked to participate in the
design of a piping system by evaluating a contractor's
proposal, auditing a contractor's work, performing a
screening study for cost estimating purposes, or actually
designing and managing pieces of the project.
After a piping system has been designed and laid out, the
next step is to fabricate and construct it, as discussed in
MEX 101.08. Once the piping system is constructed, it
must be inspected for defects and tested before it is
placed into operation. The inspector must look for
defects through various examination methods, especially
in welded areas. An engineer may audit an inspection
contractor's work to ensure that Saudi Aramco and
industry inspection standards are met. After inspection is
completed, any defects that are found must be repaired
before the pipe is placed into operation, and a pressure
test must be conducted. When all requirements are met,
the piping system goes into operation and routine
maintenance and inspection must be done. (Routine
maintenance and inspection will be discussed in MEX
101.11). This module discusses the Saudi Aramco and
industry requirements for inspection and examination, the
types of inspection and examination, and pressure
testing. This module does not discuss the details of
every examination procedure. The emphasis of this
module is on the requirements and purpose of
examination and inspection.
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Undercut.
Cracks.
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TYPICAL WELD IMPERFECTIONS
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Incomplete Filling at Root on One Side Only
d) Incomplete Penetration of
Weld Groove
External Undercut
Internal Undercut
f) Undercut
Source: ASME/ANSI B31.3 -1988. With permission from the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers.
FIGURE 1
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FIGURE 2
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100% radiography applies only to girth- and mitergroove welds and to fabricated branch connection
welds.
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Magnetic Particle
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FIGURE 3
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FIGURE 4
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Liquid-Penetrant Examination
2.
Penetrant Application.
Liquid-penetrant solutions have high fluidity, low
viscosity, and high reliability to permit them to
penetrate defects via capillary action. They also
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4.
Development.
After excess penetrant is removed, developer is
immediately applied to make the flaws readily
visible. The developer aids in detecting penetrant
that is retained in surface flaws by aiding the
capillary bleed-out process. Developer emphasizes
the presence of a flaw by causing the penetrant that
is retained in the flaw to spread over a larger area.
It also acts as a color-contrasting background for the
dye that is used in visible penetrants, or for the
fluorescent material that is used in fluorescent
penetrants.
5.
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FIGURE 5
False or nonrelevant indications are not caused by
surface flaws. The primary causes of these indications
are poor liquid-penetrant application procedures, or
rough weld surfaces. The results of the liquid-penetrant
examination must be evaluated to determine if the flaws
indicated are real, their extent and exact nature, and
decide whether repairs must be made.
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Ultrasonic Examination
Ultrasonic examination is frequently used to detect subsurface flaws such as laminations or slag inclusions in
thick plates, welds, castings, or forgings. It is often used
in order to confirm that high weld quality is being
obtained in pressure-containing joints that cannot be
examined by radiography, such as at branch
connections.
In ultrasonic examination, sound waves are generated by
a power source and are applied to the test piece through
a transducer. A schematic of an ultrasonic examination
system is shown in Figure 6.
PULSE-ECHO ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION SYSTEM
FIGURE 6
In the pulse-echo system shown in Figure 6, the sound
waves pass through the test piece. They are reflected
back to the transducer either from the far side of the
piece or from a flaw that is in an intermediate location.
By proper calibration, the ultrasonic examination operator
will know whether a flaw has been detected, and if so, its
location and size.
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FIGURE 7
Examination Requirements
Prior to initial operation, each piping installation, including
individual components and overall workmanship, shall be
examined. The following requirements are based on
ASME/ANSI B31.3, Paragraph 341.4.
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Not less than 5% of circumferential butt- and mitergroove welds shall be examined fully by random
radiography or random ultrasonic examination.
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Branch
Fillet [Note
(3)] Connection [Note (4)]
Fillet [Note
(3)] Connection [Note (4)]
Branch
Methods
Types of Weld
Types of Weld
Visual
Magnetic Particle
Liquid Penetrant
Types of Weld
100% Radiography
Methods
Visual
Kind of
Imperfection
Criteria (A to M) for Types of Welds, for Service Conditions, and for Required Examination Methods [Note (1)]
Visual
GirthLongitudinal
And Miter Groove
Groove [Note (2
Crack
Lack of Fusion
NA
NA
C
Incomplete
Penetration
NA
NA
Internal Porosity
NA
NA
NA
NA
(a) Undercutting
Surface Porosity or
Exposed Slag
Inclusion [Note (5)]
Surface Finish
NA
NA
NA
Reinforcement or
Internal Protrusion
Source: ASME/ANSI B31.3 -1988. With permission from the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers.
FIGURE 8
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Source: ASME/ANSI B31.3 -1988. With permission from the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers.
FIGURE 8, Cont'd
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Tightness Test
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System Test
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Plant Piping
P T = 1.5 P S T
S
where:
PT
P =
ST
S =
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Cross-Country Pipelines
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(b)
(1)
(2)
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(c)
(2)
(3)
(e)
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Sample Problem 1
A new 1,050 mm (42 in.) crude oil transportation pipeline
must be pressure tested. The MAOP of the pipeline is
4,964 kPa (720 psig) and is limited by the 13 mm (0.500
in.) pipe wall thickness. The SMYS of API 5L Gr. X42
ERW pipe material is 289.6 MPa (42,000 psi.).
Specify the type of pressure tests and required test
pressures.
Solution
Work Aid 2 may be used to help solve this problem
1.
Strength Test.
PT =
=
Solution, Contd
2.
Tightness Test.
Pressure is 95% of strength test pressure.
(0.95)(900 psig) = 855 psig
Sample Problem 2
In order to add a third pump to an existing refinery piping
system, it is necessary to provide branch connections to
the suction and discharge headers. The branch
connections will be welded onto the headers, then
inspected and hydrotested. The design pressure is 3,448
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards
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ST
20, 000
= (1.5 )(500 )
15, 600
S
PT 2 = 961 psig
Solution, Contd
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SUMMARY
This module discussed the requirements of SAES-L-055,
SAES-A-004, and applicable ASME/ANSI B31 codes
regarding the inspection and testing of piping systems.
Weld inspection must be completed before the system
can operate. Once weld inspection is completed and
defects are repaired, pressure tests must be conducted
for all the appropriate parts of the system. MEX 101.10
discusses how to complete Safety Instruction Sheets for
piping systems. Once these forms are completed, the
system can be placed into operation.
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WORK AID 1:
Type
Visual
Radiography
Situation/Weld Type
Magnetic Particle
Liquid Penetrant
Ultrasonic
All welds.
Minor structural welds.
Butt welds.
Girth welds.
Miter groove welds.
Defect
Ferromagnetic
materials.
quality in pressure
containing joints.
Surface cracks.
Surface defects.
Surface and subsurface
cracks.
Subsurface defects.
Incomplete penetration.
Surface cracks.
Surface defects.
Surface cracks.
Surface defects.
Laminations.
Subsurface defects.
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WORK AID 2:
Pressure Test
Strength Test
Tightness Test
Leak Test
System Test
Service Test
Revalidation Test
Situation
New Plant Piping: hydrostatic strength
test
pressure
Plant Piping: hydrostatic strength tests
Test Pressure
Pressure to produce 90% of
SMYS, based on nominal
thickness less mill tolerance.
2(0.9)SMYS ET
PT =
D 2YT
Not less than 1-1/2 times the
design pressure.
Minimum test pressure shall be
calculated:
P T = 1.5 P S T
S
PT = Minimum hydrostatic test
gauge pressure.
P = Internal design gauge
pressure.
ST = Allowable stress at test
temperature.
S = Allowable stress at design
temperature.
ST/S shall not exceed 6.5.
Reduce test pressure calculated
above if necessary to ensure that
it will not produce a hoop stress
more than yield strength in the
pipe at test temperature.
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09/28/96
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WORK AID 2:
Test Pressure
PT =
Cross-Country Pipelines: tightness
test of new construction pipelines
2(0.9)SET
D
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GLOSSARY
angle testing
back reflection
bleed out
blowhole
blotting
capillary action
Category D Fluid
Service
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Category M Fluid
Service
cold crack
couplant
crack
defect
developer
discontinuity
dry powder
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examination
false indication
filled crack
flaw
flux lines
fusion
hot crack
hot tear
indication
inspection
interpretation
magnet
magnetic flux
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magnetic
discontinuity
nondestructive
examination
nonrelevant
indications
normal fluid
service
pores
porosity charts
pressurecontaining weld
prods
radiography
reference
radiographs
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severe cyclic
conditions
suspension
void
wet method
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