American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code:
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers set up a committee in 1911 to formulate
standard rules for the construction of steam boiler and other pressure vessels. This committee is
now called the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Committee.
The committee's function is to establish rules of safety governing the design, fabrication
and inspection during construction of boilers and unfired pressure vessels; and to interpret these
rules when questions arise regarding their intent. The committee has published the ASME Boiler
and Pressure Vessel Code (BPV code) as an American Standard. The first code was published in
1914 and revised and updated editions have been issued at regular intervals since. The ASME
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code contains the following sections:
Section I: Power boilers
This section includes rules and general requirements for all methods of construction for
power, electric and miniature boilers and high temperature water boilers used in stationary
service. This section also includes power boilers used in locomotives, portable and traction
service.
Section II: Materials specifications
Part A; Ferrous materials.
Part B; Non ferrous materials.
Part C; Welding rods, electrodes and filler metals.
This section is a service section to the other code sections providing material specifications
adequate for safety in the field of pressure equipment.
Section III: Rules for construction of nuclear power components
This section provides requirements for the materials design, fabrication, examination,
testing, inspection, installation, certification, stamping and overpressure protection of nuclear
power plant items such as vessels, concrete reactor vessels and concrete containments, storage
tanks, piping systems, pumps, valves, core support structures and component supports for use in,
or containment of, portions of the nuclear power system of any power plant. This system contains
the following two divisions:
Division I:
Subsection NB Class 1 Components.
Subsection NC Class 2 Components.
Subsection ND Class 3 Components.
Subsection NE Class MC Components.
Subsection NG Core Support Structure.
Division II:
Code for Concrete Reactor Vessels and Containments.
Section IV: Heating boilers
This section covers minimum safety requirements for designing, fabrication, installation
and inspection of steam generating boilers, and hot water boilers intended for low pressure
service that are directly fired by oil, gas, electricity or coal.
Section V: Non-destructive examination
This section contains requirements and methods for non-destructive examination which are
referenced and required by other code sections. This section also includes manufacturer's
examination responsibilities, duties of authourized inspectors and requirements for qualification
of personnel, inspection, and examination. Examination methods included in this section are
intended to detect surface and internal discontinuities in material, welds and fabricated parts and
components.
Section VI: Recommended rules for care and operation of heating boilers
This section covers the latest specifications, terminology, and basic fundamentals
applicable to steel and cast iron boilers limited to the operating ranges of section IV, Heating
boilers. This section also includes guidelines for associated controls and automatic fuel burning
equipment.
Section VII: Recommended rules for care of power boilers
In order to promote safety in the use of stationary, portable, and traction type heating
boilers, this section provides rules to assist operators of power boilers in maintaining their plants
as safe as possible.
Section VIII: Pressure vessels
This section is divided into two divisions. Division 1 covers the minimum safety
requirements applicable to the construction, design, and fabrication of pressure vessels under
either internal or external pressure for operation at pressure exceeding 15 psig and to vessels
having inside diameters exceeding six inches. Pressure vessels made according to the rules of
Division 2 require closer inspection of the required fabrication details, material inspection,
welding procedures and details, material inspection, welding procedures and welding and more
non-destructive examination, as the safety factor used for these vessels is less than the safety
factor used for vessels fabricated according to the rules of Division 1.
Section IX: Welding and brazing qualifications
This section covers rules relating to the qualification of welders, brazers, and welding and
brazing operators in order that they may perform welding or brazing as required by other code
sections in the manufacture of components.
Section X: Fibreglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) pressure vessels
This section covers minimum safety requirements for construction of FRP pressure vessels
in conformance with a manufacturer's design report. The production, processing, quality control
and inspection methods are prescribed to assure the quality of the vessel.
Section XI: Rules for in-service inspection of nuclear power plant component
division 1
This section provides rules and requirements for in-service inspection of Class 1, 2 and 3
pressure retaining components and their supports, and in-service testing of pumps, valves and
components in light-water cooled nuclear power plants. This division categorises the areas
subject to inspection and defines responsibilities, provisions for accessibility, examination
method and procedures, personnel qualifications, frequency of inspection, record keeping and
reporting requirements, procedures for evaluation of inspection results and subsequent deposition
of results of evaluation, and repair requirements. This division provides for the design,
fabrication, installation and inspection of replacements.
