Pressure Vessel Inspection

Pressure vessel inspection or pressure vessel testing includes the integrity of a new pressure vessel or non-destructive testing on previously replaced or repaired pressure equipment.

In the early days of pressure vessels, many of these vessels were under extreme pressure and would burst. This issue was part of the reason the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) was formed. This organization came up with specifications that dictated the way pressure vessels are manufactured and maintained. Today, ASME is still responsible for establishing standards for pressure vessels in the USA. Other countries have their standards for pressure vessels.

There are two standards that every manufacturer and pressure vessel user should be aware of:

ASME Part VIII: ASME Part VIII covers requirements for both fire and non-fire pressure receptacles, including how they are designed, how they are manufactured, how they are inspected and tested, and what is required to be certified.
API 510: Another standard to look out for is API 510, a review code from the American Petroleum Institute. This standard specifies how inspections, repairs, modifications, and other activities should be carried out on pressure vessels and pressure relief devices.

Some industries and government agencies may have strict standards governing requirements for pressure vessels. For example, NASA uses pressure vessels and systems to store gases and liquids used in launches and operations in orbit. Once these ships go into space, they are often unserviceable, so they must be meticulously inspected before leaving Earth. Therefore, NASA has its standards that it adheres to.

Manufacturers should consider all relevant standards when designing and constructing pressure vessels. However, simply trying to comply with the standards is not enough. Every pressure vessel that enters the market must have a way of confirming that it is safe. This is where the pressure vessel inspection takes place. There are several tests a professional can use to ensure that a pressure vessel meets the required pressure vessel testing requirements and is ready for use. For example, the inspector must check that the ship's hull is thick enough to hold the pressure.

Once a pressure vessel has passed from initial manufacture and testing to final application, it may undergo modifications or repairs. When this happens, the pressure vessel needs to be re-inspected to see if it still meets all requirements.

Pressure Vessel Inspection

While the two scenarios above are when pressure vessel inspections are necessary, a ship can experience issues that will cause it to break down over time and may be unsafe, especially if not properly maintained. Here, again, pressure vessel inspection plays an important role. An inspector may periodically check a pressure vessel to make sure it is working well and not posing a threat.

If any issues could lead to more serious problems, an inspector can point them out so necessary maintenance is done. This can cause a pressure vessel to fail and cause serious injury to workers and damage to a manufacturing facility or other facilities.