When designing and manufacturing pressure vessels, it’s crucial to comply with ASME or other global standards to ensure their safety, quality, and performance. Here are 7 important safety considerations driven by ASME:
1-Material selection
In Apache’s background, 304 stainless, 316 stainless, Duplex, Hastelloy, Monel 300, AL6XN, and Alloy 20 are the most common materials used in high-compliance applications.
The choice of material is critical in the design of ASME pressure vessels, to:
-Provide strength under pressure
-Resist corrosion
-Provide long-term durable service
-Lower overall live cycle maintenance
-Withstand temperature extremes
Material is specified depending on the process and application of the vessel project.
2-Compliance Engineering
It is important to understand the compliance process for your vessel project. On complex projects, Apache works as a partner to identify expectations from customer goals to compliance certifications. Our project engineering process includes:
-Intent and Compliance Discovery
-Verification of Compliance Requirements, Design, and Process
-Determining technical and compliance specifications
-Compliant Design and Safety Component Review
-Customer approval
-Submission to Compliance
-Coordination of delivery requirements
3-Safety Devices
Gauges, valves, pressure outlets, and drainage are the safety components most required in ASME-designed pressure vessels. The proper selection of components and design is critically important to the safety and performance of the ASME vessel. The selection of safety components needs to be evaluated closely to define the required scope of supply.
4-Proper Manufacturing Practices
Construction and fabrication are also highly controlled by ASME and other global compliance factions. Material, wall thickness, and flange rating are determined by the pressure, temperature, corrosion allowance, and fluid flow. These conditions are calculated and reviewed/approved by the ASME inspector when required.
Welding practices must also follow ASME standards which define the quality, type, and finishing of the welds. Welders must be certified to a qualified weld specification per ASME code guidelines.
Stainless material must be handled carefully in the manufacturing environment, including protective surfaces throughout all processes.
ASME includes ASTM standards for the specification of finishes. Passivation, pickle passivation, and electropolishing processes meet ASTM requirements, including precleaning, chemical descaling, degreasing, and certification.
5-Quality Assurance
Quality assurance involves monitoring the entire manufacturing and compliance process. Apache’s Quality Team ensures rigorous testing, coordinates inspections and maintains adherence to ASME and other global standards to ensure safety, reliability, and compliance. A TOP (turn-over packet) including tests and certificates is also managed by the Quality Assurance team.
6-Testing and Certification
Project managers, the manufacturing team, and the quality assurance team work together to ensure that testing is conducted accurately for compliance requirements.
ASME testing and certification requirements include pneumatic, hydrostatic, liquid penetrant, saline, riboflavin, CIP coverage, material, base metal thickness, material trace, welder trace, Ferroxyl, PMI (Positive Material Identification) radiography, and UT.
7-Regular Maintenance and Inspection
It is important to keep ASME equipment in proper working condition. Outlet valves, seals, o-rings, and gaskets should be part of a preventative maintenance schedule. Heat jackets should be inspected regularly for leaks. Repairs or modifications to ASME vessels require an R-stamp repair and compliance documentation.
Consider an audit from Apache’s Field Services to check internal RA, inspect welds, and detect leaks.
Consult with Apache Stainless on our next ASME compliance vessel. We strive to create a positive customer experience and continuously improve our value in ASME proficiency and heavy-industrial vessel engineering and construction.
