Engineers’ Guide to Pressure

Equipment

The Pocket Reference

Clifford Matthews
BSc, CEng, MBA, FIMechE

Professional Engineering Publishing Limited,

London and Bury St Edmunds, UK
 First published 2001

This publication is copyright under the Berne Convention and the

International Copyright Convention. All rights reserved. Apart from any
fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism, or review,
as permitted under the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988, no part may
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, electrical, chemical, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright
owners. Unlicensed multiple copying of this publication is illegal. Inquiries
should be addressed to: The Publishing Editor, Professional Engineering
Publishing Limited, Northgate Avenue, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32
6BW, UK.

ISBN 1 86058 298 2

© 2001 Clifford Matthews

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This book is intended to assist engineers and designers in understanding and

fulfilling their obligations and responsibilities. All interpretation contained
in this publication – concerning technical, regulatory, and design
information and data, unless specifically otherwise identified – carries no
authority. The information given here is not intended to be used for the
design, manufacture, repair, inspection, or certification of pressure
equipment, whether or not that equipment is subject to design codes and
statutory requirements. Engineers and designers dealing with pressure
equipment should not use the information in this book to demonstrate
compliance with any code, standard, or regulatory requirement. While great
care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, neither the author
nor the Publishers do warrant, guarantee, or make any representation
regarding the use of this publication in terms of correctness, accuracy,
reliability, currentness, comprehensiveness, or otherwise. Neither the
Publisher, Author, nor anyone, nor anybody who has been involved in the
creation, production, or delivery of this product shall be liable for any direct,
indirect, consequential, or incidental damages arising from its use.

Printed and bound in Great Britain by St Edmundsbury Press Limited,

Suffolk, UK
 About the Author

Cliff has extensive experience as consulting/inspection engineer on

power/chemical plant projects worldwide: Europe, Asia, Middle East, USA,
Central and South America, and Africa. He has been an expert witness in a
wide variety of insurance investigations and technical disputes in power
plants, ships, paper mills, and glass plants concerning values of $40m. Cliff
also performs factory inspections in all parts of the world including China,
USA, Western and Eastern Europe. He carries out site engineering in the
Caribbean – Jamaica, Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands.
Cliff is also the author of several books and training courses on pressure
equipment-related related subjects.
 Related Titles

IMechE Engineers’ Data C Matthews 1 86058 248 6

Book – Second Edition
A Practical Guide to Engineering C Matthews 1 86058 086 6
Failure Investigation
Handbook of Mechanical Works C Matthews 1 86058 047 5
Inspection – A guide to effective
practice
Process Machinery – Safety Edited by W Wong 1 86058 046 7
and Reliability
Plant Monitoring and IMechE Seminar 1 86058 087 4
Maintenance
Journal of Process Mechanical Procedings of The ISSN 0954-4089
Engineering IMechE, Part E

For the full range of titles published, by Professional Engineering

Publishing contact:
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Professional Engineering Publishing Limited
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Suffolk IP32 6BW
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1284 724384; Fax: +44 (0) 1284 718692
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www. pepublishing.com
 Foreword

During the course of my career working with pressure equipment, I have

come to realize the value of concise, introductory information such as is
provided in Engineers’ Guide to Pressure Equipment. It provides practising
engineers with a unique collection of essential, up-to-date information, in a
practical and easy-to-use form. This guide is most welcome within the
engineering community.
Pressure equipment technology continues to expand rapidly presenting
ever more complex and challenging issues and problems to the engineer,
safety expert, or operative. Recent developments in international,
particularly European, legislation, technical codes, and standards are
resulting in exciting changes within the industry. This handy reference –
Engineers’ Guide to Pressure Equipment, has been compiled in co-operation
with several highly experienced experts in the pressure equipment field. It is
my hope that it will be the first of many editions that will serve as a ready
source of data and information on legislative and technical developments.
This pocket guide provides an essential introduction to the technical and
administrative aspects of vessel manufacture and use. Engineers dealing
with rotating machinery and those concerned with fabrications and pressure
vessel manufacture will find this book of immense value and interest.
Clifford Matthews has produced a work which fulfils a major role in the
industry and is set to become a permanent feature.

Mr N Haver BEng
Senior Pressure Systems Certification Engineer