pipewelder1999 (Industrial)

What industry codes and standards are used for leak testing of valves?
Any information is helpful along with any links to informative sites.
Thanks
cranekiran (Mechanical)
There are many:-

API(AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE)598,MSS SP68,AWWA C-504,ANSI B16.34(IT GIVES THE TEMPERAT

NOW,
For eg:-

you have a butterfly valve of 300 pressure class then how will you get the pressure rating,shell test press

you first confirm that the valve's pressure testing is as per API 598.Then go to ANSI B16.34 300# class to
material(body and disc).Under that you have diff. pressures for diff. temp. ranges,Confirm your medium's
line pressure for your valve.Go back to API 598 and see the shell test rating(it will be 1.5 times the rated
times the rated pressure).
There are lots of standards but the design always begins with the pressure class you want the valve to b
(3) valvetech (Industrial)

Here are Three of the more common ANSI Classes for valve leakage and the standard and test procedure
Class III

Class IV

0.1% of rated valve capacity

Air or water @ 50 - 125 F.
0.01% of rated valve capacity
Air or water @ 50 - 125 F.

45 - 60 psig or Maximum operating differential pressure w

45 - 60 psig or Maximum operating differential pressure w

Class VI
1" Port Diameter
0.15 ml per minute or 1 bubble per minute
whichever is less

Air or Nitrogen @ 50 - 125 F

50 psig

Simplified for most popular leakage classes. For complete specifications refer to ANSI/FCI 70-2
pipewelder1999 (Industrial)
Thank you both for your help.
valvetech (Industrial)

The general understanding is that the ANSI Standard for Control valve leakage allows for a specific perce
the seats when closed. The variation in standards is from 0.15 ml per minute (1 bubble) to 0.5% of rated
specific conditions of test.

You also may want to keep in mind the following. If a valve is tested and passes under the standard it is r
in the field at out side the exact test conditions the valve will perform differently. But it is still rated to tha
A valve tested in the factory on Air or Nitrogen at 50 - 125F at 50 psi, and does not pass more than one
meet the Class VI standard.
Put that valve in the field, with air at 300 psi at 200F and the valve may pass more than one bubble per

standard? Yes.

The point being that when a customer purchases a valve with an expected shutoff rating of ANSI Class V
conditions the valve may or may not perform to the standard.

(2) Burdy (Mechanical)

Just to add to these 'Industry' standards.
British Standard BS 6755 Pt1 specifies both pressures (including test durations) and leak rates or calls up
and hydrostatic testing of valves.
There are essentially two categories of basic designs, which are then controlled, these are 'resilient' or 's
used for either control or shut off services. 'Soft' seated valves are generally specified as 'bubble' tight i.
have a greater leakage rate, these are referenced in the individual design standard and other referenced
calls up BS5155 the design standard which then in turn calls for BS 5146 Pt1 another test standard.
A valve for Shut off or isolation service will be treated differently to that of a control valve, as the latter d
proportion have the ability to do both).
Have a look at Thread408-45258 within this site; cranekiran lists all the class leakages, stating what th
Of course there are all the 'standards' used within the individual corporations such as SHELL and MOBIL,
pressures generally remain the same).
JAlton (Mechanical)

For Leak Testing of Pressure Relief Valves, ASME Sec. VIII, Div. 1, Para. UG-136(d)(5) requires either a pub
Seat Tightness Test and Acceptance Criteria.

Manufacturers typically recommend API 527. Years ago, API 527 only addressed Closed Bonnet Safety-R
revised to include Open Yoke Designs as well. The Standard specifies the Test Criteia and allows more le
may adversely affect alignment anf thereby Seat Integrity. Soft (Resilient) Seated PRVs are tested for Zer
PRVs are tested for zero drops of liquid for 1 min at 90% of Set Pressure.

ASME Sec. VIII, Div. 1, Para. UG-136(d)(4) requires PRVs over 1" inlet size, when designed for discharge in
Lever, to be tested in the Secondary Pressure Zone for Leakage at any possible leak point, ie. Body/Bonn
Connection, etc. This test is to be conducted with a minimum of 30 psig or at the expected backpressure
referred to as a "Back Pressure" Test.

PRVs tested on Steam are expected to exhibit no visible leakage when viewed against a dark background

J. Alton Cox
President
DeLuca Test Equipment
www.delucatest,com
(2) NGiLuzzu (Mechanical)
Just for information, for those interested in European market, the relevant standards are:
DIN 3230, Part 3 (1982);
BS 6755, Part 1 (1986);
EN 1349 (2001), sub-clause 6.2;
IEC 60534-4 (1999), Amendment 1 (1986).
The last two apply to control valves and are pratically equivalent to FCI 70-2.
Regards, 'NGL
NGiLuzzu (Mechanical)
Sorry, yesterday in my list of standards I forgot:
ISO 5208 (1993).

I agree with BURDY about the need to distinguish between stut-off and control valves, between "resilien

Bye,
'NGL
nfrihart (Electrical)
What is the difference between BS 6755 Part 1 and BS 6755 Part 2? Thank you.
NGiLuzzu (Mechanical)

Nfrihart,
BS 6755-1 (1986) is more general, as it regards "standard" TESTING OF VALVES - SPECIFICATION FOR
REQUIREMENTS: it is officilally superseded by BS EN 12266-1 and BS EN 12266-2 standards.
BS 6755-2 (1987) instead regards "special" TESTING OF VALVES - SPECIFICATION FOR FIRE TYPE-TES
Bye, 'NGL
nfrihart (Electrical)
NGL: Thank you very much for the information, it was very helpful.
Neil
Khusan (Specifier/Regulator)
Hello,
I jsut want to know and want the whole explainatory information about Leakage Classes in Vlaves, I only
divided , I want to know that..
NGiLuzzu (Mechanical)

As Burdy said above, just have a look at Thread408-45258 within this site, where cranekiran lists a
LSThill (Mechanical)
Team Members
Paulin Research Group Houston Texas 1
Flanged Joint Liquid Leakrate Predictions - DRAFT
May 26, 2003 (Rev. 2)
A.W. Paulin Jr.
Paulin Research Group www.palun.con
go to download
Leonard@thill.biz
www.thill.biz
Brayman (Mechanical)

Just a point BS6755 Part 2 has now been superseded and replaced by BS EN 10497 2004.
PEHasan (Mechanical)
Valve testing - API 598
JAlton (Mechanical)
Recent ASME Revision For Leak Testing of Pressure Relief Valves, ASME Sec. VIII, Div. 1, Para. UG-136(d)(5
Manufacturer or API 527 for Seat Tightness Test and Acceptance Criteria. Now you have a third option. T
another specification acceptable to the user" into UG-136(d)(5). This means an owner/uder may agree t
an audible test. Many PRVs installed above a rupture disc have little need for superior seat tightness. It
J. Alton Cox
www.delucatest.com
(2) cliff6361 (Materials)

I am amazed at the lack of knowledge in this important area by many of the responders. There are man

requirements for pressure testing valves and other pressure retention devices. The key is the purchaser
these standards and specifiy what it is he/she will accept.

The basic industry standards are:

ASME B16.34 (Pressure and Temperature ratings and test pressure rules)
MSS SP 61 (Good step by step guide to use to develope procedures from and provides good quantitative
API 598 (Provides test pressure, test sequence, hold times and seat leakage acceptance)
API 6A and D (Simular to all of the above)

Other standards will referance the above or outline testing by adding to the basic requirements as outlin

All above standards require each organization performing pressure testing formulat and write their own t

One pit fall to avoid is trying to clasifiy standard on-off valve seat leakage is to specify a Classes as defin
provides test methods and espected leakage rates applcable to control valves. If one takes the time to r
there is no class that provides zero leakage but many will argue different.
jsummerfield (Electrical)

Clif6361 makes a good point that the control valve leak test standard in not a block valve standard. I lac
IEC requirements. However, control valves are not block valves. Control valves leak. Usually we expect
not always true either.

API 598 and other standards mentioned address zero leakage, depending upon the size and soft vs meta
sheet for a small soft-seated valve by phrases such as API 598 Tested - ZERO LEAKAGE.
John
NGiLuzzu (Mechanical)
Dear All,
what do You mean, precisely, with "ZERO LEAKAGE"?
Please define...
(I've got my own idea, of course, but I'd like to hear the other ones before explaining mine)
Thanks and Regards,
'NGL
jsummerfield (Electrical)

API STD 598 Applies to Valve Inspection and Testing. Table 5 is the Maximum Allowable Leakage Rates fo
metal seated valves two-inch and smaller the note follows: bThere shall be no leakage for the minimum
test, 0 drops means no visible leakage per minimum specified test duration. For gas test, 0 bubbles mea
duration.

Now you have to see table 4. For closure valves two-inch and smaller the duration is 15 seconds, 2.5-inc
inch is two minutes.

This is often regarded as bubble tight. However, this is the new valve requirement. Do not bet your life
these figures in an operating plant. I estimate that 80% would not meet this requirement after testing an
scientific example with several hundred API-598 compliant API-6D ball valves.
John
cliff6361 (Materials)
Any leak rate must include volume vs time. General industry standards such as API 598 and MSS SP 61

Bubble tight valve seats should only be expected with new valves and on valves as they are tested unde
should only be counted over the specified test times. Several years ago no one beleived valve manufact

course this was not the truth but endusers and contracters set their own testing many in not so ideal con
testing anf testing to prove their point.

After valves have been installed one should not be surprised the torture construction, loop tests and blow
often.

Read More Threads Like This One