1. EAGLE TESTING Jim Blankenship Sr. NDE Technician
Mechanical Integrity Specialist
API-510 Pressure Vessel Inspector
SNT TC-1A L-III (MT, PT, VT & UT)

2. Experience 30+ years in the NDE industry
Employed with Eagle Testing – 10 years
Velsicol Chemical
2007 – Certification API-510
2007 forward…
30+ years in the NDE industry – RECEIVED INITIAL NDE TRAINING IN 1980 AT OAK RIDGE Y-12 PLANT THROUGH UNION CARBIDE
Velsicol – ADMINISTERED A TANK AND VESSEL MECHANICAL INTEGRITY PROGRAM FOR VELSICOL CHEMICAL
2007 – Certification API-510 – ACHIEVED API-510 PRESSURE VESSEL INSPECTOR CERTIFICATION IN 2007 THROUGH THE AMERICAN PETROLEUM’S INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM ADMINSTERED BY CODE WEST, HOUSTON, TX
2007 forward… - SINCE 2007 HAVE WORKED FULL TIME AT A MAJOR GEORGIA ENERGY COMPANY – PERFORMING NDE INSPECTIONS AND LEADING A SMALL GROUP OF NDE INSPECTORS DURING MAINTENANCE OUTAGES ON BOILER, TURBINE AND AUXILLIARY COMPONENTS.
CURRENTLY ASSISTING CHEMICAL PROCESSING COMPANIES IN DALTON, GA AND WELLFORD, SC WITH MECHANICAL INTEGRITY INSPECTIONS AND API-510 PRESSURE VESSEL REVIEWS.

3. API-510 PRESSURE VESSEL INSPECTION CODE In-Service Inspection, Rating, Repair and Alteration
API-510 code covers the in-service inspection repair, alteration, and re-rating activities for pressure vessels and the pressure relieving devices protecting these vessels.
Application of this inspection code is restricted to owner/users that employ or have access to the following technically qualified individuals or organizations.
An authorized inspection agency
A repair organization
An engineer
An inspector
Examiner
API-510 code covers…….
VESSELS CONSTRUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN APPLICABLE CONSTRUCTION CODE.
VESSELS CONSTRUCCTED WITHOUT A CONSTRUCTION CODE (NON-CODE)-A VESSEL NOT FABRICATED TO A RECOGNIZED CONSTRUCTION CODE AND MEETING NO KNOWN RECOGNIZED STANDARD.
VESSELS CONSTRUCTED AND APPROVED AS JURISDICATIONAL SPECIAL BASED UPON JURISDICTION ACCEPTANCE OF PARTICULAR DESIGN, FABRICATION, INSPECTION, TESTING AND INSTALLATION.
NON-STANDARD VESSELS – A VESSEL FEBRICATED TO A RECOGNIZED CONSTRUCTION CODE BUT HAS LOST THE NAMEPLATE OR STAMPING.

4. American Petroleum Industry ASME Section VIII
Why did the American Petroleum develop its own pressure vessel inspection code and how does it relate to ASME Section VIII?
Inspections
Industry questions
Problems/Challenges
API-510 wrote Inspection Code with ASME Section VIII as the basis for comparing in- service vessels
Why did the American Petroleum develop its own…….. MOST OF THE PRESSURE VESSELS USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF PETROLEUM, NATURAL GAS AND CHEMICAL PROCESSING ARE CONSTRUCTED TO ASME SECTION VIII OR OTHER NEW CONSTRUCTION CODES.
DURING INSPECTION ACTIVITIES VARIOUS PROBLEMS WERE ENCOUNTERED INCLUDING CORROSION, EROSION, SHELL OR HEAD DISTORTIONS, THERMAL OR PROCESS CHEMISTRY CRACKING. These had to be evaluated to determine what repairs were necessary.
THE INDUSTRY SOUGHT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SUCH AS:
How can we evaluate vessels that have been in service for many years to determine if they still meet the critical safety standards that they were originally manufactured to?
For vessels that were not constructed to a construction code or have minimal or no documentation, how to evaluate those vessels in the context of providing operating limitations (pressure, temperature or vacuum)?
How do we evaluate and provide operating limitations for vessels that have lost their manufacturer’s name plate?
API – 510 wrote Inspection Code with ASME…………. THE ASME CODE AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION CODES ARE WRITTEN FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION; HOWEVER, MOST OF THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DESIGN, WELDING, NDE, AND MATERIALS CAN BE APPLIED TO THE INSPECTION, RE-RATING, REPAIR, AND ALTERATION OF IN-SERVICE PRESSURE VESSELS.

5. API-510 – Additional Services
R-stamp repair company oversight
Required documents include:
Weld Procedure Specification (WPS)
Procedure Qualification Record (PQR)
Welder Performance Qualification (WPQ) & welder currency documentation
Material Test Reports (MTR) for all materials, plate, nozzle, flanges and filler metals.
NDE Testing of repair welding
R-stamp repair company oversight – TO MAKE SURE PROPER DOCUMENTATION IS IN PLACE PRIOR TO THE WELDER STRIKING AN ARC ON THE VESSEL.
NDE Testing of repair welding – DYE PENETRANT, X-RAY OR AS APPLICABLE) TO APPLICABLE CODES

6. API-510 – Additional Services
Pressure Test Calculations
Pressure Test Required
Nozzle Reinforcement
Integral Reinforcement
Pressure Test Required – IF A PRESSURE TEST IS REQUIRED BY THE API-510 AUTHORIZED INSPECTOR, THE TEST PRESSURE IS DETERMINED THROUGH APPLICABLE CALCULATIONS (AS PRESCRIBED IN ASME SEC VIII AND THE API-510 CODES)
Nozzle Reinforcement – NOZZLE REINFORCEMENT CALCULATIONS ON VESSEL NOZZLES OR PENETRATIONS (USUALLY NOZZLES LARGER THAN 3” NPS) THAT DO NOT HAVE REINFORCEMENT PADS .
Integral Reinforcement - PER ASME SEC VIII DIV 1 TO DETERMINE IF ACCEPTABLE “INTEGRAL” REINFORCEMENT EXISTS (EXCESS MATERIAL IN THE HEAD OR SHELL AND NOZZLE) THAT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ASME CODE NOT INCLUDING THICKNESS REQUIRED FOR PRESSURE, VACUUM AND TEMPERATURE

7. API-510 BENEFITS Corrosion addressed Corrosion rate
Shell loss – remaining wall 0.385”
Required wall – 0.418”
WHAT TO DO?
An answer can be found through the API-510 process.
RE-RATING
Corrosion rate
Remaining Service Life
Next Inspection Interval
Name Plate
Corrosion addressed – IF EXTENSIVE CORROSION HAS REDUCED THE SHELL, HEAD OR NOZZLE THICKNESS BELOW MINIMUM WALL VALUES REQUIRED IN ASME SEC VIII, DIV 1 –
IN THIS EXAMPLE LET’S SAY WE ARE LOOKING AT A CARBON STEEL SHELL MATERIAL THAT IS/WAS 0.500” THICK AND THE VESSEL IS RATED FOR 150 PSI AT 500 DEGREES F. AN ULTRASONIC THICKNESS SURVEY OF THE SHELL, HEADS AND NOZZLES HAS DETERMINED THE WALL THICKNESS TO BE 0.385” ASME DETERMINES THE REQUIRED THICKNESS IS 0.418”. OBVIOUSLY THE VESSEL DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ITS DESIGN LIMITATIONS (OR RATINGS). WHAT SHOULD BE DONE – ORDER A REPLACEMENT VESSEL? !!
ANSWER – THE ACTUAL OPERATING CONDITIONS FOR THIS VESSEL ARE NO MORE THAN 90 PSI AT 350 DEGREES F. THROUGH THE API-510 RE-RATING PROCESS, CALCULATIONS ARE AGAIN PERFORMED; THIS TIME FOR A RATING OF 100 PSI AT 400 DEGREES F. THIS SET OF CALCULATIONS REVEAL THAT A WALL THICKNESS OF 0.323” IS ACCEPTABLE.
Corrosion rate – Remaining Service Life – Next Inspection Internal – During the process of inspection the API-510 INSPECTOR WILL COMPLETE CALCULATIONS ACCORDING TO THE API-510 CODE FOR: Corrosion rate, Remaining Service Life and Next Inspection Interval.
IF ACCEPTABLE TO THE VESSEL’S OWNER AND ENGINEER, AN OWNER/USER NAME PLATE IS PRODUCED, STAMPED WITH DATE AND AUTHORIZATION (API-510 INSPECTOR CERFICIATION) AND IS ATTACHED TO THE VESSEL. THE ORIGINAL NAME PLATE IS VOIDED.
CHANGE IN SERVICE OUTSIDE OF THE NAME PLATE LIMITATIONS – A DESIRED INCREASE OF TEMPERATURE AND/OR PRESSURE…

8. PREPARATION VESSEL INSPECTION
Lock-Out, Tag-Out for vessel entry
Vessel clean-out for inspection
Insulation removal
Insulation plug cutting
Insulation removal – MIGHT BE NEEDED FOR SOME NOZZLES – TO AID IN EXTERNAL INSPECTION AND NOZZLE THICKNESS TESTING
Insulation plug cutting – TO PROVIDE POINTS FOR EXTERNAL VISUAL ACCESS AND ULTRASONIC THICKENSS TESTING (UNLESS ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENTS CAN BE TAKEN INTERNALLY).

9. DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED (copies)
Manufacturer’s Data Reports
U-1, U-1A, U2 & U4
Manufacturer’s Construction Drawings
Repair or Alteration Documentation
R-1
Operating Conditions
Pressure, Temperature, Vacuum, etc.
Information on each Vessel
Dates of inspection, etc.
Information on each Vessel – PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES OR OTHER PROTECTIVE DEVICES, DATES OF INSPECTION
PRESSURE RELIEF CALCULATIONS (INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL ENGINEERING
KNOWN UPSET EVENTS OR CONDITIONS
VESSEL INSPECTION
SHELL, HEAD OR NOZZLE DISTORTIONS

10. REFERENCES Available upon request
The most recent editions of the following standards, codes, and specifications are cited in this inspection code.
API:
RP571 Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry
RP572 Inspection of Pressure Vessels
RP 576 Inspection of Pressure-Relieving Devices
RP577 Welding Inspection and Metallurgy
RP 578 Material Verification Program for New and Existing Alloy Piping Systems
RP579 Fitness-For Service
RP 580 Risk-Based Inspection
Publ581 Risk-Based Inspection- Base Resource Document
RP 582 Recommended Practice and Supplementary Welding Guidelines/or the Chemical, Oil, and Gas Industries
Publ2201 Procedures for Welding or Hot Tapping on Equipment in Service
API 510 Inspector Certification Examination Body of Knowledge
ASME1. Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
Section V: Non Destructive Examination
Section VIII: Division 1, Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels
Section VIII: Division 2, Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels-Alternative Rules
Section IX: Welding and Brazing Qualifications
PCC-1 Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly
ASNT2 / CP-189 Standard for Qualification and Certification of Nondestructive Testing Personnel
SNT-TC-1A Personnel Qualification and Certification in Nondestructive Testing
NACE3 /
RP0472 Methods and Controls to Prevent In-Service Environmental Cracking of Carbon Steel Weldments In Corrosive
Petroleum Refining Environments
MR Materials Resistant to Sulfide Stress Cracking in Corrosive Petroleum Refining Environments
National Board4 National Board Inspection Code
NB-23 /
WRC5 Bulletin 412 Challenges and Solutions in Repair Welding for Power and Processing Plants
OSHA6 29 CFR Part 1910 Occupational Safety and Health Standards
OSHA6
29 CFR Part 1910 Occupational Safety and Health Standards
1. ASME International, Three Park Avenue, New York, New York ,
2. The American Society for Nondestructive Testing, 1711 Arlingate Lane, Columbus Ohio ,
3. NACE International, 440 South Creek Drive, Houston, Texas 77084,
4. The National Board ofBoi1er and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, 1055 Crupper Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43229,
5. Welding Research Council, P.O. Box , Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120,
6. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210, gov