Looking Forward… [to 2023 and beyond]

This blog provides some personal views on the future.  First, I believe the future is very bright for the USA.  With good demographics, a high value add work force, low cost energy, great resources, lots of land (with much of it arable), plenty of resources and financial strength, the United States has a lot going […]

Continue Reading

Becht 2022 Year In Review

This past year was notable for geopolitical events and higher margins.  It was great for us to once again be able to meet with our clients, and our colleagues, in person.  Throughout the year, Becht continued to work on ways to bring higher value to our clients. Some of the areas our clients found this […]

Continue Reading

Process Piping – The New Complete Guide to ASME B31.3 Is Available

  Fully updated for the 2020 Edition of the ASME B31.3 Code, this fourth edition provides background information, historical perspective, and expert commentary on the ASME B31.3 Code requirements for process piping design and construction. It provides the most complete coverage of the Code that is available today and is packed with additional information useful […]

Continue Reading

Becht Acquires EPS Customer Solutions

Becht Acquisition of EPS Customer Solutions to Grow Europe, Middle East and Africa Support in Refining, Petrochemical and Renewables Industries Becht Europe B.V. and EPS Customer Solutions B.V. have come together to better serve Refining, Petrochemical, and Renewable customers in the European, Middle Eastern, and African regions. Becht has built a strong reputation for providing […]

Continue Reading
Tags:

Becht Year in Review – 2020

2020 has been a year filled with many challenges and we extend our sympathy to those who have been affected by hardships, both professionally and personally. This year we refocused on our mission to Help Our Clients Succeed by developing products to navigate the challenges of 2020 and beyond. Prior to COVID, our industry faced […]

Continue Reading

When Should the Rules for Severe Cyclic Conditions (Service) in ASME B31.3 Be Used?

This posting (November 2019) is an update to an October 2013 post which reflects changes to the ASME B31.3 Code relative to severe cyclic service that have occurred since the original post. There has been a fair amount of confusion as to when the rules for severe cyclic conditions in ASME B31.3 should be used, […]

Continue Reading

Elastic Follow-up Can Result in Failures in Systems that Comply with Piping Code Rules

The analysis procedures in the Code essentially assume that the strain range in the system can be determined from an elastic analysis. That is, strains are proportional to elastically calculated stresses. The stress range is limited to less than two times the yield stress, in part to achieve this. However, in some systems, strain concentration […]

Continue Reading

Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Transfer Line Flexibility – Analysis and Design Considerations

FCC’s are complex units – and the design of their transfer lines has some unique considerations. While many of the lines are refractory lined to permit construction with carbon steel piping, some sections are hot walled, at temperatures well into the creep range, for the purpose of balancing thermal expansion or, in the case of piping […]

Continue Reading

Reduced Toughness Properties of Some Modern Carbon Steels Create Brittle Fracture Risk

Changes in steelmaking practice are reported to be causing some carbon steel piping components that are assumed by ASME Codes to behave in a ductile manner at ambient temperatures, to behave instead in a brittle manner.  Barry Messer from Fluor made a presentation on this subject at the Spring 2016 meeting of the ASME B31.3, […]

Continue Reading
Becht default post image

Designing Elevated Temperature Equipment with Internal Pressure

If the behavior of discontinuity stresses due to pressure is not properly understood in elevated temperature design, unconservative designs can result. One particular issue with pressure stresses is the behavior of the discontinuity bending stresses. An example of discontinuity stresses would be with a pipe welded to a flange. When pressured, the pipe will radially […]

Continue Reading
Let Becht Turn Your Problem
Into Peace of Mind