In this section of the site contributing authors submit interesting articles relating
to the various services, industries and research & development efforts of Becht.
The Pre-1955 Era Until 1955, the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes, and the ASME B31 Pressure Piping code provided rules of good design practice with quantitative criteria for pressure design. For example, quoting from ASME VIII Rules for the Construction of Unfired Pressure Vessels Section VIII A. S. M. E. Boiler Construction Code, 1927: […]
Below is a listing of recent enhancements to the BechtFFS software, designed to improve the software’s capabilities as well as user experience. In the brittle fracture module, for B31.3 process piping, the user has the option of using the stress basis (Eqn 3.3 in API 579-1/ASME FFS-1) for the longitudinal stresses. Implemented MAWP and minimum […]
A recent review of equipment installed in a power plant found a piping strut that was visibly bent. Would the bend in the strut reduce its load bearing capacity as a compression member? The answer is YES! The load bearing capacity of a bent strut against buckling is reduced. The reduction in buckling capacity is […]
Walking the Walk…Management Commitment My assumption is if you are reading this, you have some involvement in, or responsibility for, Process Safety Management (PSM) in your facility. OSHA’s Standard for Hazardous Materials, 29 CFR 1910.119, is a mere 21 pages long including 12 pages of “non-mandatory” appendices — but should it be your responsibility, what […]
This is the first in a series of Blogs on improving plant reliability programs through improvements in culture, programs and equipment performance. This Blog focuses on Bad Actor Elimination. The second part in this series is titled Reliability Beliefs – Driving Organizational Accountability (click) Most plants have many pieces of equipment that are chronic problems. […]
In many cases operating companies and financial institutions utilize Due Diligence studies for critical input on “Go/No Go” decisions for plant acquisitions. Once the decision is made to purchase the plant, the Due Diligence study is often put on the shelf. The company purchasing the new asset then faces significant challenges integrating the asset into […]
The evaluation of wall thinning corrosion in steel pipes is addressed in three ASME XI code cases: N-513, N-597, and N-806. I have no ambition here other than to summarize in a table the differences between these three code cases. A brief commentary follows the table. The brief commentary… Line A – While these are […]
Contributing Authors: Eileen Chant, Greg Epremian, Ranjan Nadarajah, Mark Stonehouse Summarized herein are the substantial changes to API 579-1/ASME FFS-1, Fitness for Service, that were incorporated in the 2016 edition, as reviewed by Becht Fitness for Service experts. API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 is a Standard jointly published by API and ASME. The purpose of the document […]
The NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 0326 refers to ASME III Appendix F as an acceptable method for the evaluation of “a degradation or nonconformance associated with piping or pipe supports …”. Appendix F provides five alternative methods for the qualification of pressure equipment, piping, and their supports. They are: (1) elastic analysis, (2) plastic analysis, (3) limit collapse analysis, […]
Download/View as PDF Summary – This article assists engineers in selecting ASME XI options for the repair of ASME III nuclear components. In summary, the repair options in ASME XI are dispersed throughout Section XI and Code Cases, while, in contrast, the ASME PCC-2 repair standard (for non-safety related components) lists repair options in a […]
