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What Is Valve Shell Test

The Valve Shell Test, also known as the body test, is conducted according to valve manufacturer specifications and industry standards to test for leaks in the valve body. The valve is mounted partially open on a test bench and pressurized hydrostatically. No leakage is acceptable from the body, packing gland, or other areas. Test pressure is determined based on valve material, size, and pressure rating according to tables in API 598 and ASME B16.34 standards. Test duration varies depending on valve size.

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333 views2 pages

What Is Valve Shell Test

The Valve Shell Test, also known as the body test, is conducted according to valve manufacturer specifications and industry standards to test for leaks in the valve body. The valve is mounted partially open on a test bench and pressurized hydrostatically. No leakage is acceptable from the body, packing gland, or other areas. Test pressure is determined based on valve material, size, and pressure rating according to tables in API 598 and ASME B16.34 standards. Test duration varies depending on valve size.

Uploaded by

MADHAN RAMAMOORTHY
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is Valve Shell Test (Body Test)?

The Valve Shell test or body test is conducted based on the valve manufacturer
approved test procedure. The most valve manufacturers standard procedures
are driven by the requirements of API 598 (Valve Inspection and Testing) and
ASME B16.34 (Valves — Flanged, Threaded, and Welding End)

The valve is mounted on the test bench and shall be partially open. The valve
body is subjected to the hydrostatic pressure. The result of the test will be
satisfactory if no leak observed from the valve body, packing gland, etc. No
leakage is acceptable. The pressure also shall not be dropped during the test.

Valve Shell Test Pressure


The API STD 598 refers you to the table 3 in the standard and provides the
test pressure for cast iron valves based on their ratings but you know the
majority of the industrial valves are made from cast steel.

For cast steel, the API 598 refers you to the ASME B16.34 for test pressure.
The ASME B16.34 indicates that the shell test shall not be less than 1.5 times
the 38°C (100°F) pressure rating, rounded off to the next higher 1 bar (25 psi)
increment.
For example, if you have a valve with cast steel material (A 216 Gr. WCB) and
rating of 2500, you should refer to the table 2.1.1 in ASME B16.34. The table
says your working pressure is 425.5 bar at 38°C (100°F). It equals to the
6524.85 psi. Now multiply this value by 1.5 and your test pressure will be
9382.3 psi. You have to round it to the next 25 psi, and it will be 9400 PSI.

Valve Shell Test Duration


On both API STD 598 and ASME B16.34 shell test duration depends on the
valve size. The valve size less or equal 2 inch the test duration will be 15
seconds, between 2 1/2 and 6 inch 60 seconds, between 8 and 12 inch 120
seconds and above 14 inch will be 300 seconds.

Other Requirements
The test water temperature shall be between 41°F (5°C) to 122°F (50°C). If the
valve material is the stainless steel, then chloride ion content shall be less than
100 ppm.

The applied pressure gages for shell test shall be calibrated and pressure gage
shall not be less than 1.5 times of test pressure and not be more than 4 times
of test pressure. In above example, a 15000 psi pressure gage will be
appropriate, but a 12000 psi pressure gage will not be accepted since the
range is less than 1.5 times of test pressure.

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