Standard
Track updates
AS 3788:2024
[Current]Pressure equipment - In-service inspection
AS 3788:2024 specifies the minimum requirements for in-service inspection and fitness for service of pressure and associated equipment. This includes repairs, modifications, alterations and re rating of new and used equipment, manufactured anywhere, to any recognized standard, for all stages of pressure equipment life from commissioning until disposal
Published: 28/06/2024
Pages: 172
Table of contents
Cited references
Content history
Table of contents
Header
About this publication
Preface
1 Scope and general
1.1 Scope
1.2 Normative references
1.3 Terms and definitions
1.4 New designs and innovations
1.5 Safety
1.6 Special conditions and variations
1.7 Rounding of numerical values
1.8 Conversion of units
2 Inspection requirements
2.1 Objectives of inspection
2.2 Asset integrity life cycle
2.3 In-service inspection process
2.3.1 General
2.3.2 Selecting the inspection strategy
2.3.3 Determining the inspection date or interval
2.3.4 Determining the inspection scope
2.3.5 Preparing the inspection plan
2.3.6 Conducting the inspection
2.3.7 Documenting the inspection
3 Inspection management and personnel
3.1 General
3.2 Owner’s responsibilities
3.3 Inspection body
3.4 Safety during inspection
3.4.1 General
3.4.2 Preparation for inspection offline
3.4.3 Closure
3.4.4 Inspection of plant that is operating
3.5 Support organizations
3.6 Qualification of personnel
3.6.1 General
3.6.2 In-service inspection
3.6.3 Welding inspection
3.6.4 Non-destructive examination other than visual
4 Pressure equipment inspection
4.1 General
4.2 Commissioning inspection
4.2.1 General
4.2.2 Purpose
4.2.3 Scope
4.3 Inspection during service life
4.3.1 General
4.3.2 Inspection planning
4.3.3 Inspection methods and locations
4.3.3.1 General
4.3.3.2 Determining the method and location of inspection
4.3.4 Non-intrusive inspection
4.3.5 Inspection of equipment in similar service
4.3.5.1 General
4.3.5.2 Equipment in parallel streams
4.3.5.3 Equipment in series
4.3.6 Operations monitoring and surveillance
4.3.7 Pressure equipment not in use
4.4 Time-based inspection intervals
4.4.1 General
4.4.2 First in-service inspection
4.4.3 Internal and external inspections
4.4.4 Extended internal inspection intervals
4.4.5 Allowable deferral of inspection intervals
4.4.6 Special cases
4.5 Risk-based inspection
4.5.1 General
4.5.2 Conditions for adopting risk-based inspection methodology
4.5.3 Conducting the risk-based inspection assessment
4.5.3.1 Determination of probability of failure
4.5.3.2 Determination of consequence of failure
4.5.4 Inspection planning and optimization
4.5.5 Risk-based inspection reassessment
4.5.6 Risk-based inspection date
4.6 Pressure-relief devices
4.6.1 General
4.6.2 Commissioning
4.6.3 Online external visual inspection
4.6.4 Handling of pressure-relief devices
4.6.5 Scheduled testing and maintenance
4.6.5.1 General
4.6.5.2 Test interval
4.6.5.3 In situ testing
4.6.5.4 Testing pressure-relief devices on steam generating equipment
4.6.6 Maintenance and repair procedures
4.6.7 Re-adjustment and testing
4.6.8 Bursting discs
4.6.9 Rupture pin valves (buckling pin non-reclosing pressure-relief device)
4.6.10 Fusible plugs
4.7 Controls critical for safeguarding equipment
4.7.1 Pressure-actuated devices
4.7.2 Temperature-actuated devices
4.7.3 Excess flow and non-return valves
4.7.4 Quick-actuating closure interlocks and swing bolt doors
4.7.5 Relief valve isolation
4.8 Instrumentation and controls
4.9 Automatic firefighting systems used to protect pressure equipment
4.10 Static low temperature vessels (colder than −10 °C)
4.10.1 Vacuum-insulated vessels
4.10.2 Insulated, non-vacuum, non-jacketed/jacketed vessels
4.11 Pressure piping
4.11.1 General
4.11.2 Piping inspection intervals
5 Assessment of pressure equipment integrity
5.1 General
5.2 Fitness for service assessment
5.3 Investigation of defects
6 Repairs, modifications, alterations and re-rating
6.1 General
6.1.1 Scope
6.1.2 Remediation of pressure equipment
6.2 Retrospectivity
6.3 Requirements
6.3.1 Prior considerations
6.3.2 Methods
6.4 Repairs, modifications and alterations
6.4.1 General
6.4.2 Welding
6.4.3 Interim repairs
6.5 Repair of transportable vessels
6.6 Inspection after repair, modification or alteration
6.7 Re-rating
6.7.1 General
6.7.2 Conditions for re-rating
6.7.3 Provisions for re-rating
6.8 Replacement and disposal
6.8.1 Replacement
6.8.2 Disposal
7 Investigation of damage, deterioration and failures
7.1 General
7.2 Investigation
7.2.1 Regulatory requirements
7.2.2 Investigation purpose
7.2.3 Investigation process
7.2.4 Investigation outcomes
8 Pressure equipment documentation and identification
8.1 General
8.2 Information required
8.2.1 Equipment file
8.2.2 Register of pressure equipment
8.2.3 Inspection reports
8.3 Pressure equipment identification
8.4 Pressure equipment marking
8.4.1 General
8.4.2 Inadequate marking
8.5 Pressure equipment data
8.5.1 General
8.5.2 Missing documentation
8.6 Pressure equipment history
9 Specific equipment inspection requirements
9.1 General
9.2 Boilers — Additional inspection and testing
9.3 Transportable vessels
9.3.1 General
9.3.2 Welds subject to cyclic stresses
9.3.3 Other welds
9.3.4 Transportable vessels in anhydrous ammonia service
9.3.5 Non-vacuum insulated vessels
9.3.6 Vacuum insulated vessels
9.3.7 Thickness testing
9.3.8 Repair of transportable vessels
9.3.8.1 General
9.3.8.2 Transportable vessels involved in an accident
9.3.8.3 Non-destructive examination
9.3.8.4 Post weld heat treatment
9.3.9 Visual examination
9.3.9.1 General
9.3.9.2 External visual examination
9.3.9.3 Internal visual inspection
9.3.9.4 Non-destructive testing
9.4 Drums for transport of liquified gas
9.4.1 Application
9.4.2 In-service inspection and testing
9.4.3 External examination
9.4.3.1 General
9.4.3.2 Bulge
9.4.3.3 Burn
9.4.3.4 Dents
9.4.3.5 Cuts and gouges
9.4.3.6 Isolated pits
9.4.3.7 Chain pitting and line corrosion
9.4.3.8 General corrosion
9.4.3.8.1 Shell
9.4.3.8.2 Ends
9.4.3.9 Gas leakage
9.4.3.10 Fire damage
9.4.4 Internal examination
9.4.5 Cleaning
9.4.6 Weighing
9.4.7 Marking
9.4.8 Recording
9.4.9 Plugs and valves
9.5 Buried and mounded pressure equipment
9.5.1 General
9.5.2 External inspection of pressure vessels without cathodic protection
9.5.3 External inspection of pressure vessels with cathodic protection
9.5.4 Records
9.6 Heritage and historic pressure vessels
9.6.1 Introduction
9.6.2 Types of equipment and responsibilities
9.6.3 Type faults
9.6.3.1 Cracking of lap joints and use of test grooves
9.6.3.2 Radial cracking
9.6.4 Operational issues
9.6.4.1 Caustic cracking and water treatment
9.6.4.2 Mud, scale and restricted circulation
9.6.4.3 Stayed areas
9.6.4.4 Fusible plugs
9.6.4.5 Gauge glasses and safety valves
9.6.5 Equipment issues
9.6.5.1 Pressure vessels
9.6.5.2 Water tube boilers
9.6.5.2.1 Stirling boilers
9.6.5.2.1.1 Wrought iron front boilers
9.6.5.2.1.2 Water starvation
9.6.5.2.2 Cracking around feed water inlet
9.6.5.3 Fire tube boilers
9.6.5.3.1 Locomotive boilers
9.6.5.3.1.1 General
9.6.5.3.1.2 Trip inspection
9.6.5.3.1.3 Interim inspection
9.6.5.3.1.4 Annual inspection
9.6.5.3.1.5 Full internal inspection
9.6.5.3.1.6 Agricultural and road engines
9.6.6 Testing
9.6.6.1 Hydrostatic testing
9.6.6.2 Ultrasonic testing
9.6.7 Repairs
9.6.8 Records
Appendix A
A.1 General
A.2 Documentation
A.3 Surface preparation
A.4 Competence
A.5 Visual examination
A.5.1 General
A.5.2 External visual examination
A.5.3 Internal visual examination
A.6 Non-destructive examination
A.6.1 General
A.6.2 Thickness measurement
A.6.3 Radiographic examination
A.6.4 Ultrasonic testing
A.6.4.1 Ultrasonic shear-wave testing
A.6.4.2 Phased array ultrasonics testing
A.6.4.3 Time of flight diffraction
A.6.5 Magnetic particle examination
A.6.6 Penetrant examination
A.6.7 Infrared thermography
A.6.8 Other non-destructive examination methods
A.7 Metallurgical testing
A.7.1 Material identification
A.7.2 Hardness
A.7.3 Microscopy and replication
A.8 Hydrostatic proof test
A.8.1 General
A.8.2 Test pressure
A.8.3 Test medium
A.8.4 Test temperature
A.8.5 Hydrostatic test procedure
A.8.6 Reporting of results
A.9 Pneumatic proof test
A.9.1 Application
A.9.2 General precautions
A.9.3 Examination of welds
A.9.4 Test temperature
A.9.5 Test pressure
A.9.6 Test procedure
A.9.7 Reporting of results
A.10 Combined hydrostatic and pneumatic test
A.11 Leak testing
A.11.1 General
A.11.2 Pneumatic leak testing of low temperature vessels
A.12 Destructive testing
Appendix B
B.1 General
B.1.1 Scope
B.1.2 Symbols
B.2 Assessment of localized wall thinning of cylindrical, conical and spherical shells
B.2.1 General
B.2.2 Assessment procedure
B.2.2.1 Method
B.2.2.2 Definition of thinned area
B.2.2.3 Minimum calculated thickness
B.2.2.4 Characteristic shell length
B.2.2.5 Mean thickness of trapezoidal patches
B.2.2.6 Allowable minimum thickness
B.2.2.7 Acceptability criteria of thinned areas
B.2.2.8 Adjustments for cases not satisfying criteria
B.2.3 Treatment of thinned areas
B.2.4 Example of assessment of locally thinned wall
B.2.4.1 Example with no weld in thinned area
B.2.4.2 Example with a weld in thinned area
B.2.5 Example of mean diameter for corroded area within a vessel
B.2.6 Assessment of damage to flange sealing faces
B.3 Assessment of planar defects
B.3.1 General
B.3.2 Assessment
B.3.2.1 General
B.3.2.2 Original equipment design data
B.3.2.3 Maintenance and operating history
B.3.2.4 Material property data
B.3.2.5 Flaw characterization
B.3.3 Fitness for service assessment concepts
B.3.3.1 Subcritical crack growth
B.3.3.2 Leak before break analysis
B.3.3.3 Remaining life
B.3.4 Simplified fracture mechanics
B.3.4.1 General
B.3.4.2 Critical crack size
B.3.4.3 Crack growth due to fatigue
B.3.4.4 Safety factors
B.3.4.5 Examples of application of simplified fracture mechanics for assessing crack like defects
B.3.4.5.1 Definition of problem
B.3.4.5.2 Calculation of critical crack size
B.3.4.5.2.1 Crack A
B.3.4.5.2.2 Crack B
B.3.4.5.2.3 Cracks C and D
B.3.4.5.2.4 Crack C
B.3.4.5.2.5 Crack D
B.3.4.5.2.6 Effect of design stress
B.3.4.5.2.7 Crack growth due to fatigue at crack A
B.4 Remaining life assessment
B.4.1 Background
B.4.2 Factors affecting remaining life
B.4.3 Three-stage remaining life assessment
B.4.3.1 General
B.4.3.2 Stage 1 Review of remaining life — Design-based
B.4.3.3 Stage 2 Review of remaining life — Operational data and history based
B.4.3.4 Stage 3 Review of remaining life — Testing and inspection based
B.4.4 Pressure piping
B.4.5 Remaining life assessment
B.4.5.1 Investigation method
B.4.5.2 Fatigue
B.4.5.3 Creep
B.4.5.4 Combined creep and fatigue
B.4.5.5 Wastage or general corrosion
B.4.5.6 Combined creep, fatigue and wastage
B.4.5.7 Review of design life of pressure equipment of advanced design and construction
B.4.5.8 Inspection before end of remaining life
B.4.6 Worked example of a three-stage remaining life assessment
B.4.6.1 General
B.4.6.2 Stage 1 Remaining life assessment
B.4.6.3 Stage 2 Remaining life assessment
B.4.6.4 Stage 3 Remaining life assessment
Appendix C
C.1 Inspection
C.1.1 General
C.1.2 Specific hazards during inspection
C.1.2.1 Hazard assessment
C.1.2.2 Confined spaces
C.1.2.3 Working at heights
C.1.2.4 Workplace environmental hazards
C.1.2.5 Hazards during inspection
C.1.3 Inspection, safety and protective equipment
C.2 Inspection of deaerators
C.2.1 General
C.2.2 Inspection and repair
C.3 Inspection of storage tanks conforming to API 620 or equivalent
C.3.1 Scope
C.3.2 Ambient temperature and heated tanks
C.3.3 Low temperature storage tanks (tanks normally operating below −10 °C)
C.3.3.1 Internal inspection of low temperature storage tanks
C.3.3.2 External inspection of low temperature storage tanks
C.4 Pressure-relief valves — Supplementary information
C.4.1 General
C.4.2 Testing of soft seated pop action relief valves for liquefiable gas service
C.4.2.1 General
C.4.2.2 Pressure gauges
C.4.2.3 Test procedure
C.4.2.4 Pass and fail criteria
C.5 Inspection of boilers
C.5.1 Pre shutdown inspection
C.5.2 Shutdown procedure
C.5.3 Preparation for shutdown inspection
C.5.4 Shutdown inspections
C.5.5 Inspection of boiler management systems
C.5.6 Inspection during recommissioning
C.5.7 Boiler ancillary equipment
C.6 Inspection of unfired pressure vessels — Stationary
C.6.1 General
C.6.2 Air receivers
C.6.3 Pressurized storage vessels
C.6.4 LP gas storage vessels
C.6.5 Process vessels
C.6.6 Auxiliary vessels
C.6.6.1 General
C.6.6.2 Accumulators
C.6.6.3 Particular auxiliary vessels
C.7 Inspection of heat exchangers, coolers and condensers
C.7.1 General
C.7.2 Shell and tube heat exchangers
C.7.3 Air cooled heat exchangers
C.7.4 Plate heat exchanger
C.8 Inspection of pressure piping
C.8.1 General
C.8.2 Piping integrity programs
C.8.3 Inspection intervals
C.8.4 Data and history records
C.8.4.1 Data
C.8.4.2 History records
C.8.5 Visual inspection
C.8.5.1 General external visual inspection
C.8.5.2 Inspection during operation and shutdown
C.8.5.3 Inspection during outage and start-up
C.8.6 Non-destructive testing
C.8.7 Buried piping
C.9 Inspection of fired heaters
C.9.1 General
C.9.2 Inspection of pressure components
C.9.3 Inspection of fireside components
C.9.4 External inspection
C.9.5 Testing
C.10 Inspection of foundations and structures
C.10.1 General
C.10.2 Foundations and structures
C.10.3 Inspection
C.10.4 Inspection interval
C.10.5 Reinforced concrete foundations and structures
C.10.6 Metallic structures
C.10.7 Bolts
C.11 Preservation and inspection of pressure equipment not in use
C.11.1 General
C.11.2 Preservation
C.11.3 External inspection
C.11.4 Internal inspection
C.11.5 Preservation procedure
C.11.6 Monitoring of pressure equipment not in use
C.11.7 Commissioning
Appendix D
Bibliography
Cited references in this standard
BS ISO 4126-2
Safety devices for protection against excessive pressure – Part 2: Bursting disc safety devices
[Current]
Non-destructive testing - Qualification and certification of NDT personnel
One-time Purchase
Access via web browser on any device
One-time purchase
Single publication
Offline access via PDF^
$306.44 AUD
Inclusive of GSTFormat *
Web Reader
Licenses *
1 user
Total$306.44 AUD
IMPORTANT