Interval/Frequency and Extent of Inspection

 due date may exceed the typical half-life interval used in a more conventional analysis
Piping Installation
 The purpose of installation inspection is to verify that the piping is clean and safe for operation, and
to initiate plant inspection records for the piping systems
 piping is installed correctly
 correct metallurgy
 supports are adequate
 exterior attachments
 flanged and other mechanical connections are properly assembled
 pressure-relieving devices satisfy design requirements
 This installation inspection should document base-line thickness measurements to be used as initial
thickness
Piping Service Change
 Inspection intervals shall be established for the new service condition
 review of applicable pressure relieving device settings
 If both the ownership and the location of the piping are changed, the piping shall be inspected
before it is reused
Piping Inspection Planning
 piping classification scheme in 6.3.4 is based on the consequence of a failure
Setting Inspection Intervals without the Use of RBI
 the corrosion rate and remaining life calculations
 the piping service classification
 the applicable jurisdictional requirements
 judgment of the inspector, the piping engineer, the piping engineer supervisor, or a materials
specialist(based on operating conditions, previous inspection history, current inspection results, and
conditions)
 owner/user or the inspector shall establish inspection intervals for thickness measurements and
external visual inspections
 For Class 1, 2, and 3 piping, the period between thickness measurements for CMLs or circuits should
not exceed one-half the remaining life or the maximum intervals recommended in Table 1,
whichever is less
Type of Circuit Thickness Measurements Visual External
Class 1 5 years 5 years
Class 2 10 years 5 years
Class 3 10 years 10 years
Class 4 Optional Optional
Injection points a 3 years By class
Soil to Air Interfaces b — By class

 Class 4 piping are left to the determination of the owner/user

 For piping that is in non-continuous service, the interval between thickness measurements may be
based on the number of years of actual service
 inspection interval shall be reviewed and adjusted as necessary after each inspection or significant
change in operating conditions and/or inspection results
Interval/Frequency and Extent of Inspection

Piping Service Classes

 All process piping systems shall be categorized into different piping classes except for piping that has
been planned based on RBI.
 focused on piping systems that
 may have the highest potential consequences if failure or loss of containment should occur
 Classifications should be based on potential safety and environmental effects should a leak occur
Class 1
 Flammable services that can auto-refrigerate and lead to brittle fracture
 Pressurized services that can rapidly vaporize during release
 Hydrogen sulfide (greater than 3 % weight)
 Anhydrous hydrogen chloride
 Hydrofluoric acid
 Flammable services operating above their auto-ignition temperature
Class 2
 includes the majority of unit process piping and selected off-site piping
 on-site hydrocarbons that will slowly vaporize
 below the boiling point but above the flash point
 on-site hydrogen, fuel gas, and natural gas
 on-site strong acids and caustics
Class 3
 either flammable but do not significantly vaporize i.e. below the flash point,
 Services that are potentially harmful to human tissue but are located in remote areas may be
included in this class
 on-site hydrocarbons that will not significantly vaporize during release such as those operating
below the flash point
 off-site distillate and product lines to and from storage and loading
 tank farm piping
 off-site acids and caustics
 off-site hydrogen, fuel gas and natural gas
 Other lower risk hydrocarbon piping
Class 4
 nonflammable and nontoxic
 steam and steam condensate;
 air;
 nitrogen;
 water, including boiler feed water or stripped sour water;
 lube oil, seal oil;
 ASME B31.3, Category D services;
 plumbing and sewers
Interval/Frequency and Extent of Inspection

Extent of Visual External and CUI Inspections

 external visual inspection for potential CUI is also to assess insulation condition and shall be
conducted on all piping systems susceptible to CUI
 Damaged insulation at higher elevations may result in CUI in lower areas remote from the damage.
 RT or insulation removal and visual inspection is normally required for this inspection at damaged or
suspect locations
 Other NDE assessment methods may be used where applicable
 If the inspection of the damaged or suspect areas has located significant CUI, additional areas should
be inspected and, where warranted, up to 100 % of the circuit should be inspected.
 several factors may affect the likelihood of CUI to
 include:
 a) local climatic conditions,
 b) insulation design and maintenance,
 c) coating quality,
 d) service conditions
 An exact accounting of the CUI inspection targets is not required
 the owner/user may confirm inspection targets with operational history or other documentation
 remaining life of over 10 years or that are adequately protected against external corrosion need not
be included for the NDE inspection
 condition of the insulating system or the outer jacketing, such as a cold-box shell, should be
observed periodically by operating or other personnel
Extent of Thickness Measurement Inspection and Data Analysis
 It is not the intent of this Code that every established CML needs to be measured each time.
 A statistical sampling of active CMLs may be monitored
 Some CMLs may be documented as inactive and therefore do not need to be measured and would
not be considered overdue.
 should include data for all the various types of components and orientations (horizontal and
vertical) found in each circuit
 CMLs to be monitored at each inspection shall be determined by the inspector in consultation with a
piping engineer and/or corrosion specialist
Point-to-Point Method
 An analysis method, whereby the corrosion rate, remaining life and re-inspection interval is
determined for each individual CML
 During a re-inspection of a piping system, all of the CMLs may be re-inspected or only those that are
coming due
 is generally not possible to apply a statistical analysis with the point-to-point method since
 it difficult to compare corrosion rates in the circuit or between CMLs
 Individual CML rates may be generated over significantly different times, when operating conditions
may have changed.
Circuit Analysis Method
 properly circuitized into common corrosion mechanisms and expected rates
Interval/Frequency and Extent of Inspection

 Approach is generally applicable to damage mechanisms that produce uniform and some mildly
localized corrosion environments.
Inspection and Maintenance of Pressure-relieving Devices (PRDs)
 PRDs shall be tested and repaired by a repair organization experienced in pressure relieving device
maintenance
 Pressure-relieving devices shall be tested and inspected at intervals that are frequent enough to
verify that the valves perform reliably in the particular service conditions
 Other pressure-relieving devices (e.g. rupture disks and vacuum breaker valves) shall be inspected at
intervals based on service conditions.
 determined by the inspector, engineer, or other qualified individual per the owner/user's quality
assurance system
 5 years for typical process services, and
 10 years for clean (non-fouling) and noncorrosive services
 use a max 150 % of set pressure beyond which the valve is classified as stuck shut if it does not pop,
and the test is discontinued