What are the ASME
Codes for Pressure
Vessels & Pressure
Piping
ASME Section I and Section VIII
The ASME Code design criteria consist of rules for:
• Design method
• Design loads
• Allowable stress
• Acceptable materials
• Fabrication
• Testing
• Certification
• Inspection requirements
The ASME International Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code is made of 12 sections
and contains over 15 divisions and subsections.
Code Sections:
I. Power Boilers
II. Materials
III. Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components
IV. Heating Boilers
V. Nondestructive Examination
VI. Recommended Rules for the Care and Operation of Heating Boilers
VII. Recommended Guidelines for the Care of Power Boilers
VIII. Pressure Vessels
IX. Welding and Brazing Qualifications
X. Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Pressure Vessels
XI. Rules for In-service Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components
XII. Rules for Construction and Continued Service of Transport Tanks
SECTION I - Power Boilers:
This Section provides requirements for all methods of construction of power, electric,
and miniature boilers; high-temperature water boilers used in stationary service; and
power boilers used in locomotive, portable, and traction service.
1 GE Steam Boiler
SECTION II – Materials:
• Part A - Ferrous Material Specifications
• Part B - Nonferrous Material Specifications
• Part C - Specifications for Welding Rods, Electrodes, and Filler Metals
• Part D – Properties
SECTION III - Rules for
Construction of Nuclear
Facility Components:
Includes the “NV” (Nuclear Safety and Pressure
Relief Valves), Part A, Ferrous Materials, Part B,
Nonferrous Materials, Part
D, Properties, Customary or Metric and “N3” (N-Type
Certificates of Authorization and Certificates of
Accreditation).
This Subsection contains appendices, both mandatory and nonmandatory for
Section III. The Division 1 includes the Subsection NCA through NH as described
below.
• DIVISION 1
• Subsection NB- Class 1 Components
• Subsection NC- Class 2 Components
• Subsection ND- Class 3 Components
• Subsection NE- Class MC Components
• Subsection NF - Supports
• Subsection NG - Core Support Structures
• Subsection NH - Class 1 Components in Elevated Temperature Service
• DIVISION 2
• Code for Concrete Containments
• DIVISION 3
• Containments for Transportation and Storage
SECTION IV - Heating Boilers:
Requirements for design, fabrication, installation and inspection of steam generating
boilers, and hot water boilers intended for low pressure service that are directly fired
by oil, gas, electricity, or coal.
It contains appendices which cover approval of new material, methods of checking
safety valve, safety relief valve capacity, definitions relating to boiler design and
welding and quality control systems.
SECTION V - Nondestructive Examination:
Requirements and methods for nondestructive examination which are referenced
and required by other code Sections.
It also includes manufacturer's examination responsibilities, duties of authorized
inspectors and requirements for qualification of personnel, inspection and
examination.
SECTION VI - Recommended Rules for the
Care and Operation of Heating Boilers:
It defines general descriptions, terminology and guidelines applicable to steel and
cast iron boilers limited to the operating ranges of Section IV Heating Boilers.
It includes guidelines for associated controls and automatic fuel burning equipment.
SECTION VII - Recommended Guidelines for
the Care of Power Boilers:
Guidelines to promote safety in the use of stationary, portable, and traction type
heating boilers.
The section provides guidelines to assist operators of power boilers in maintaining
their plants as safely as possible.
Contains fuels for routine operation; Operating and maintaining boiler appliances;
Inspection and prevention of boiler failure; Design of installation;
Operation of boiler auxiliaries; Control of internal chemical conditions
SECTION VIII - Pressure Vessels:
• Division 1 - Provides requirements applicable to the design, fabrication,
inspection, testing, and certification of pressure vessels operating at either
internal or external pressures exceeding 15 psig.
• Division 2 - Alternative rules, provides requirements to the design, fabrication,
inspection, testing, and certification of pressure vessels operating at either
internal or external pressures exceeding 15 psig.
• Division 3 - Alternative rules for Construction of High Pressure Vessels,
provides requirements applicable to the design, fabrication, inspection,
testing, and certification of pressure vessels operating at either internal or
external pressures generally above 10,000 psi.
SECTION IX - Welding and Brazing
Qualifications:
Rules relating to the qualification of welding and brazing procedures as required by
other Code Sections for component manufacture. Covers rules are related to the
qualification and re-qualification of welders and welding and brazing operators in
order that they may perform welding or brazing as required by other Code Sections
in the manufacture of components.
SECTION X - Fiber-Reinforced Plastic
Pressure Vessels:
Requirements for construction of FRP (Fiber-Reinforced Plastic) pressure vessels in
conformance with a Manufacturer's design report. It includes production, processing,
fabrication, inspection and testing methods required.
SECTION XI - Rules for In-service Inspection
of Nuclear Power Plant Components:
Requirements for the examination, in-service testing and inspection, and repair and
replacement of components and systems in light-water cooled and liquidmetal
cooled nuclear power plants.
SECTION XII - Rules for Construction and
Continued Service of Transport Tanks:
Requirements for construction and continued service of pressure vessels for the
transportation of dangerous goods via highway, rail, air or water at pressures from
full vacuum to 3,000 psig and volumes greater than 120 gallons.
ASME PRESSURE PIPING
ASME-ANSI B31 Codes:
• ASME B31 was earlier known as ANSI B31. The B31 Code for Pressure
Piping, covers Power Piping, Fuel Gas Piping, Process Piping, Pipeline
Transportation Systems for Liquid Hydrocarbons and Other Liquids,
Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer Components and Building Services
Piping.
• Piping consists of pipe, flanges, bolting, gaskets, valves, relief devices, fittings
and the pressure containing parts of other piping components. It also includes
hangers and supports, and other equipment items necessary to prevent
overstressing the pressure containing parts. It does not include support
structures such as frames of buildings, buildings stanchions or foundations.
B31.1 - Power Piping:
• Required piping for industrial plants and marine applications. This code
prescribes requirements for the design, materials, fabrication, erection, test,
and inspection of power and auxiliary service piping systems for electric
generation stations, industrial institutional plants, central and district heating
plants. The code covers boiler external piping for power boilers and high
temperature, high pressure water boilers in which steam or vapor is
generated at a pressure of more than 15 PSIG; and high temperature water is
generated at pressures exceeding 160 PSIG and/or temperatures exceeding
250 degrees F.
B31.2 - Fuel Gas Piping:
• This has been withdrawn as a National Standard and replaced by ANSI/NFPA
Z223.1, but B31.2 is still available from ASME and is a good reference for the
design of gas piping systems (from the meter to the appliance).
B31.3 - Process Piping:
• Code rules for design of chemical, petroleum plants, refineries, hydrocarbons,
water and steam. This Code contains rules for piping typically found in
petroleum refineries; chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, paper, semiconductor,
and cryogenic plants; and related processing plants and terminals. It
prescribes requirements for materials and Components, design, fabrication,
assembly, erection, examination, inspection, and testing of piping. Also
included is piping which interconnects pieces or stages within a packaged
equipment assembly.
B31.4 - Pipeline Transportation Systems for
Liquid Hydrocarbons and Other Liquids:
This Code prescribes requirements for the design, materials, construction, assembly,
inspection, and testing of piping transporting liquids such as crude oil, condensate,
natural gasoline, natural gas liquids, liquefied petroleum gas, carbon dioxide, liquid
alcohol, liquid anhydrous ammonia and liquid petroleum products between
producers' lease facilities, tank farms, natural gas processing plants, refineries,
stations, ammonia plants, terminals (marine, rail and truck) and other delivery and
receiving points. The requirements for offshore pipelines are found in Chapter IX.
Also included within the scope of this Code are:
• Primary and associated auxiliary liquid petroleum and liquid anhydrous
ammonia piping at pipeline terminals (marine, rail and truck), tank farms,
pump stations, pressure reducing stations and metering stations, including
scraper traps, strainers, and proper loops;
• Storage and working tanks including pipe-type storage fabricated from pipe
and fittings, and piping interconnecting these facilities; Liquid petroleum and
liquid anhydrous ammonia piping located on property which has been set
aside for such piping within petroleum refinery, natural gasoline, gas
processing, ammonia, and bulk plants;
• Those aspects of operation and maintenance of liquid pipeline systems
relating to the safety and protection of the general public, operating company
personnel, environment, property and the piping systems.
B31.5 - Refrigeration Piping and Heat
Transfer Components:
• This Code prescribes requirements for the materials, design, fabrication,
assembly, erection, test, and inspection of refrigerant, heat transfer
components, and secondary coolant piping for temperatures as low as 320 °F
(-196 °C), whether erected on the premises or factory assembled, except as
specifically excluded in the following paragraphs.
• Users are advised that other piping Code Sections may provide requirements
for refrigeration piping in their respective jurisdictions.
This Code shall not apply to:
• Any self-contained or unit systems subject to the requirements of
Underwriters Laboratories or other nationally recognized testing laboratory:
• Water piping and piping designed for external or internal gage pressure not
exceeding 15 psi (105 kPa) regardless of size; or
• Pressure vessels, compressors, or pumps, but does include all connecting
refrigerant and secondary coolant piping starting at the first joint adjacent to
such apparatus.
B31.8 - Gas Transmission and Distribution
Piping Systems:
This Code covers the design, fabrication, installation, inspection, and testing of
pipeline facilities used for the transportation of gas. This Code also covers safety
aspects of the operation and maintenance of those facilities.
B31.8S - Managing System Integrity of Gas Pipelines:
This Standard applies to on-shore pipeline systems constructed with ferrous
materials and that transport gas. Pipeline system means all parts of physical facilities
through which gas is transported, including pipe, valves, appurtenances attached to
pipe, compressor units, metering stations, regulator stations, delivery stations,
holders and fabricated assemblies.
The principles and processes are applicable to all pipeline systems. This Standard is
specifically designed to provide the operator (as defined in section 13) with the
information necessary to develop and implement an effective integrity management
program utilizing proven industry practices and processes. The processes and
approaches within this Standard are applicable to the entire pipeline system.
B31.9 - Building Services Piping:
This Section has rules for the piping in industrial, institutional, commercial and public
buildings, and multiunit residences, which does not require range of sizes,
pressures, and temperatures covered in B31.1. This Code prescribes requirements
for the design, materials, fabrication, installation, inspection, examination and testing
of piping systems for building services. It includes piping systems in the building or
within the property limits.
B31.11 - Slurry Transportation
Piping Systems:
Rule for design, construction, inspection and security requirements of slurry piping
systems. This code covers piping systems that transport aqueous slurries of no
hazardous materials, such as coal, mineral ores and other solids between a slurry
processing plant and the receiving plant.
B31G - Manual for Determining Remaining
Strength of Corroded Pipelines:
The scope of this Manual includes all pipelines within the scope of the pipeline codes
that are part of ASME B31 Code for Pressure Piping, ASME B31.4, Liquid
Transportation Systems for Hydrocarbons, Liquid Petroleum Gas, Anhydrous
Ammonia, and Alcohols; ASME B31.8, Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping
Systems; and ASME B31.11, Slurry Transportation Piping Systems. Parts 2, 3, and 4
are based on material included in ASME Guide for Gas Transmission and
Distribution Piping Systems, 1983 Edition.
