Quick-actuating closures have been used on ASME pressure vessels for more than 50 years. This chapter was written because of the number of lawsuits filed against manufacturers of quick-actuating closures even though these were operated by the owners of pressure vessels for 20, even 30 and more, years without any serious accidents. This is because, in order to bring forth litigation, lawyers would skillfully take words in the ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code completely out of context. Or, some attorneys for the injured party may misinterpret the Code rules to accuse the manufacturer of not having complied with the Code when the closure was made. So, based on experience, the author warns the writers of the ASME Code to assure that the rules are clear, concise, and understandable to the common man. He hopes that the rules in Section VIII, Division 1 will incorporate many of the suggestions mentioned in this chapter. To understand the current Code requirements for quick-actuating closures, the author identifies each of the changes made to the Code rules in Section VIII, Division 1, from 1952 Edition to the 2007 Edition of the ASME Code. The chapter includes an Appendix that provides guidance in the form of recommendations for the installation, operation, and maintenance of quick-actuating closures. This guidance is primarily for the use of the Owner and the User. The safety of the quick-actuating closure is the responsibility of the user. This includes the requirement for the user to provide training for all operating personnel, follow safety procedures, periodically inspect the closure, provide scheduled maintenance, and have all necessary repairs made in a timely fashion. The chapter also contains guidance for use by the designer. The chapter concludes with a list of suggested future changes in the Code for quick-actuating closures on pressure vessels. History Roger Reedy is the original author of this chapter introduced in the third edition and has updated it for the fourth, fifth and the current online edition.
This chapter provides a commentary on the principles of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code to help users apply common sense when using the Code. It provides engineers, owners, inspectors, regulatory institutions, and other Code users with a better understanding of the basic principles of the Code. The chapter begins with a discussion on the design factors used by the ASME Committee to determine allowable stress and the requirements for a Design Specification and a Stress Report. It then provides information on the seismic design requirements and describes the use of Service Levels A, B, C, and D to provide increased allowable stresses for upset, emergency, and faulted plant conditions, as appropriate. The chapter emphasizes the need for good engineering judgment by knowledgeable professional engineers. This is essential for understanding which computer output should be used or how the output must be modified. The chapter discusses the revision made in the Foreword to the ASME Code in the 1992 Addenda to specify that engineering dimensions require tolerances and that Code-specified dimensions are based on nominal sizes. A brief note is provided on the identification of the proper allowance for erosion and corrosion caused by service conditions. The chapter also points out concerns with the use of finite element analysis in design activities. Forming operations for pressure vessels and postweld heat treatment of some welded configurations are briefly covered. In addition, the chapter discusses the importance of performance-based quality assurance programs and the use of thermal relief devices to protect pressure vessels or piping against pressure that results from the heat of the fluid contained in the component. Other issues addressed include the evaluation of new hypothetical loads on equipment that has been Code Stamped, and the purpose of hydrostatic testing of pressurized equipment.
Quick-actuating closures have been used on ASME pressure vessels for more than 50 years. This chapter was written because of the number of lawsuits filed against manufacturers of quick-actuating closures even though these were operated by the owners of pressure vessels for 20, even 30 and more, years without any serious accidents. This is because, in order to bring forth litigation, lawyers would skillfully take words in the ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code completely out of context. Or, some attorneys for the injured party may misinterpret the Code rules to accuse the manufacturer of not having complied with the Code when the closure was made. So, based on experience, the author warns the writers of the ASME Code to assure that the rules are clear, concise, and understandable to the common man. He hopes that the rules in Section VIII, Division 1 will incorporate many of the suggestions mentioned in this chapter. To understand the current Code requirements for quick-actuating closures, the author identifies each of the changes made to the Code rules in Section VIII, Division 1, from 1952 Edition to the 2007 Edition of the ASME Code. The chapter includes an Appendix that provides guidance in the form of recommendations for the installation, operation, and maintenance of quick-actuating closures. This guidance is primarily for the use of the Owner and the User. The safety of the quick-actuating closure is the responsibility of the user. This includes the requirement for the user to provide training for all operating personnel, follow safety procedures, periodically inspect the closure, provide scheduled maintenance, and have all necessary repairs made in a timely fashion. The chapter also contains guidance for use by the designer. The chapter concludes with a list of suggested future changes in the Code for quick-actuating closures on pressure vessels. History Roger Reedy is the original author of this chapter introduced in the third edition and has updated it for the fourth, fifth and the current online edition.
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