Five Keys to a Cost-Effective Repair/Modification Package for Tanks-Vessels-Piping

: Process: Does the repair change the process chemistries, physics (fluid phase), and thermo-hydraulics (flow rates, pressures, temperatures)? Does the modification change the control room indications and the operating envelopes? Material: Are the selected metallic materials (base metal and welds) and non-metallic materials (gaskets, packings, etc.) compatible with the existing materials, with the environment, and […]

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12 Checks When Qualifying Piping Systems in Nuclear Applications

The analysis and qualification of piping systems in nuclear power plants involves more than meeting Code stress limits. Generally, a piping system is qualified if the following criteria have been met. These various qualification criteria are typically specified in the plant FSAR, the plant design procedures, or the ASME Code. Pressure design in accordance with […]

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Purpose of the Flange Bolt Rules in ASME VIII and ASME III

The partial objective of the ASME Appendices ASME VIII Div.1 Appendix 2, and ASME III Div.1 Appendix XI provide “Rules for Bolted Flange Connections” with ring-type gaskets. One of the rules provided applies to the calculation of the minimum required bolt area. In other words, what should be the minimum combined cross-section area of the […]

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Differential Thermal Expansion: A Challenge to Flange Joints

by George Antaki and Jeremy Lundquist It is not uncommon to use B7 low alloy high-strength bolts on stainless steel flanges. If that is the case, and if the flange operates at high temperature, then the thermal expansion-induced stress in the bolt should be checked. Consider, for example, a stainless steel flange SA-182 Grade F304, with […]

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