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Parent Category: Safety Info Posts

Category: Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP)

Published: 07 January 2012

2015 UPDATE: Some of my refrigeration PSM buddies reminded me that the industry now has its own RAGAGEP for piping installation, ANSI/IIAR 4-2015, Installation of Closed-Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems.  I do applaud the IIAR for their work in establishing this ANSI standard for the industry, but for those so happy to "correct me" I like to point out the following from this IIAR RAGAGEP...

13.1.3 Pressure Testing

Pressure test shall be in accordance with Section 538 of ASME B31.5, 2013, Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer Components (ref.4.1.1.2).

So yes, the IIAR now has its own RAGAGEP for "Installation of Closed-Circuit Ammonia Refrigeration Systems"; however, it merely references B31.5 and requires what I have explained in this post.

I am confident after the flood of e-mails from Part 1 that most, if not nearly all, professionals responsible for process safety at their facility(s) are aware of “pressure testing” and "leak testing" requirements for their newly installed piping which contains their Highly Hazardous Chemicals (HHC) or as EPA calls them Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS). But when we begin to peel this onion we almost always find confusion regarding these fundamental process safety requirements. In this article, I hope to explain the difference between a “pressure test” and a “leak test” as well as how these tests MUST be done to comply with the most widely used piping RAGAGEP(s)… ASME B31 series.

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