What are the PSSRs and what do they cover? The Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) cover the safe design and use of pressure systems with the aim to prevent serious injury from the hazard of stored energy (pressure) as a result of the failure of a pressure system or one of its component parts. The regulations are …
This article ‘Back to basics – Material Properties’ covers the essential properties when considering asset integrity. Material science in itself is a huge subject, with endless reference books and academic courses that cover the subject. Only a high-level understanding will be provided in this article. Stakeholders should be concerned with ensuring pressure equipment is safe to operate and the …
Pressure Relief Valves – Pressure equipment requires protection from over pressurisation. A common way to protect vessels is the installation of a pressure relief valve. A pressure relief device is actuated by inlet static pressure and designed to open during an emergency or abnormal conditions to prevent a rise of internal fluid pressure above the specified design value. This device …
Calculating Branch Connections: ASME B31.3 Para. 304.3.2 – Whenever a branch is added to the main pipe run (header) an opening is created by the removal of a predetermined amount of metal. We use Branch Connections: ASME B31.3 Para. 304.3.2 to consider the design. The header pipe is weakened as the metal removed is no longer there to resist the …
What is stress? Introduction In the most simplistic term, stress is simply a force divided by area. The most common unit we see in pressure equipment codes and standards is pounds per square inch (psi) for those that like imperial (and let’s face it, not many do). Or if you like to use SI units (metric) then we will often …
What is fitness for service? Fitness For Service (FFS) assessments are a set of methods that use quantitative data to determine if a degraded component is fit for continued service at the current operating parameters and to establish the useful remaining life of the component. Some case examples are found in this research paper. It is an analysis that …
Corrosion Basics Part 1 Salt is bad for your health! – Corrosion basics Definition: Corrosion is the degradation of a metal by its environment–it literally means to “eat-away”. Most metals do not naturally occur as a pure metal. In their natural state, they exist in the form of oxides. These metal oxides (or other metal compounds) must be refined to …
STATUTORY BOILER INSPECTION TRAINING FROM WILKINSON COUTTS Boiler Inspection Training Course at Wilkinson Coutts, we offer a selection of tailored courses on Statutory inspection of shell (package) boilers. Courses range from 2-4 days depending on the scope Statutory reporting to The PSSRs Specific exercises in writing shell boiler WSEs We have years of experience in inspecting shell boilers …
The Competence Loop At Wilkinson Coutts, we are often asked whether a training course “will make an individual competent in the subject matter?” Another popular question is, will a training course provide the competency required in a specific topic. Often followed by the question “what is the difference between competence and competency and where does training fit into all of …
Allowable Stress – What’s it all about? Find out here. The tensile test is used to establish the tensile strength of steel. If a tensile force is applied to a steel bar it will have some extension. Up to the yield point, stress and strain will remain proportional, signified by the straight line in Fig. 1. Not all steels have …