BC081077:UG99ProposedRevisions

Replacesubparagraph(f)abovewiththefollowing: (f)Singlewallvesselsandindividualpressurechambersof
combinationunitsdesignedforvacuumonly[MAWPless thanorequaltozero(0)]shallbesubjectedtoeither: (1)aninternalhydrostaticpressuretestinaccordance withUG99,orapneumaticpressuretestinaccordance withUG100.Theappliedtestpressureshallbenotless than1.3timesthespecifiedexternaldesignpressure;or (2)avacuumtestconductedatthelowestvalueof specifiedabsoluteinternaldesignpressure.Inconjunction withthevacuumtest,aleaktestshallbeperformed followingawrittenprocedurecomplyingwiththe applicabletechnicalrequirementsofSectionV,Article10 fortheleaktestmethodandtechniquespecifiedbythe user.Leaktestingpersonnelshallbequalifiedandcertified asrequiredbyT120(e)ofSectionV,Article1.

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BC081077:UG99ProposedRevisions

ForInformationOnly:
Thecurrentrequirementsdonotapplyameaningfultestforvacuumservicevessels.Toinvokeamore meaningfultest,theproposedrevisionstoUG99(f)havebeenprepared.Theserevisionsaccomplisha numberofthings: 1. ApplieseditorialrevisionstosimplifytheexistingwordingofUG99(f).Specificallyrequiresthe MAWPtobenotgreaterthanzero,withaspecifiedvalueforMAEWP,toensurethisparagraph isonlyappliedtovacuumorpartialvacuumvessels. 2. Addsavacuumtestasanacceptablealternativetotheinternalpressuretest.Thevacuumtest shallbeappliedattheminimumspecifiedabsoluteinternaldesignpressure,makingthetest relevanttotheintendedserviceofthevessel,whilemeetingtheCodesafetyobjectives.This testisatleastassevereastheintendedserviceconditions. 3. Addsarequirementforaleaktesttobeappliedinconjunctionwiththevacuumtest.NoASME pressuretestrequirementiscompletewithoutverifyingthevesseltobefreeofleaks.Inreality, allvacuumservicevesselshaveanobservedleakratewhichcanbemeasured,thoughthat leakratemaybeinsignificantdependingupontheserviceapplication.Someofthemore commonvacuumservicerangesareroughvacuum,highvacuumorultrahighvacuum. RoughVacuum:absolutepressuresbetween1x10 and760torr HighVacuum(HV):absolutepressuresbetween1x10 and1x10 torr UltraHighVacuum(UHV):absolutepressuresbetween1x10 and1x10 torr Theselevelsofvacuumservicearenotsignificantlydifferentfromasafetyperspective,asthey areallessentially14.7psiexternalpressure.However,theperformancecharacteristics associatedwiththesevariousvacuumlevelsaresubstantiallydifferent,andrequireahigher degreeofattentiontodetailandconstructionqualitytoensureacceptableperformance. Testingmethodsmustberelevanttoverifyingthelevelofvacuumservicerequired.Theuseris thebestonetodeterminetheleaktestmethodtobeapplied.Thetestmaybeassimpleas vacuumdecaymeasurementsforaroughvacuum.InHVorUHVserviceapplications,asensitive leaktest(usingheliummassspectrometerleaktestingHMSLT)and/oraResidualGasAnalysis (RGA)aretheindustrynormsforverifyingthevacuumperformanceofavesselorcomponent. HeliumMassSpectrometerLeakTesting(HMSLT):Asensitiveleaktestingmethodwhich measurestheleakrateofavacuumvessel.DetailedtechnicalinformationforconductingHMSLT isfoundinASMESectionV,Article10. ResidualGasAnalysis(RGA):Analysisoftheresidualgasesinavacuumvesseltodetermine theirchemicalconstituents,usedasadiagnostictooltohelpidentifythesourceofgasloadsina vacuumvessel. Page2of3
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BC081077:UG99ProposedRevisions

ForInformationOnly:
4. RequiresqualificationandcertificationofLeakTestingpersonnelinaccordancewithSectionV, Article1,T120(e).Thismeanstheemployermusthaveawrittenpracticepreparedin compliancewithSNTTC1AorCP189,inthesamemanneraswouldberequiredforvolumetric NDE.Theserequirementsarenecessary,sinceHMSLTisahighlysophisticatedtestmethod requiringtestpersonneltobeproperlytrained,experienced,andqualifiedinthetechniquesto produceconsistentandaccurateresults. 5. Vacuumservicevesselsaredesignedtofunctionatagivenabsolutepressure.Thispressureis establishedandmaintainedbyaspecificallydesignedpumpingsystemwhosethroughputrates aredeterminedbythespecifiedgasloadforthevessel. GasLoad:Theworkrequiredtomaintainabsolutepressureinavacuumvesselataspecified level,asafunctionoftheleakandoutgassingrates,expressedinunitsoftorrliters/second. LeakRate:Therateofvacuumdegradationresultingfromtheinfiltrationofexternalpressure. OftenmeasuredbyHMSLT,andexpressedinunitsoftorrliters/second. OutgassingRate:Therateatwhichgasesareemittedfrominternalsurfacecontaminantsor 3 susceptiblematerialsinavacuumenvironment(absolutepressures<1x10 torr).Outgassing ratesareexpressedinunitsoftorrliters/second/cm . Somerelevantunitsusedinvacuumengineeringcirclesare: StandardAtmosphere(stdatm):14.7psia@0oCatsealevel Torr:aunitofabsolutepressureequaltothehydrostaticheadof1mmofHg. 1stdatm=760torr 3 Micron:1x10 torror1millitorr.1stdatm=760,000microns/millitorr Pascal(Pa):SIunitforpressure.1stdatm=101,325Pa(101.3kPaor0.1MPa) 5 Bar:10 pascals.1stdatm=1.013bar Theuseoftheunitsoftorrandliters,thoughSIunitsinorigin,arestandardindustrypracticefor vacuumengineers.EquivalentUSCustomaryunitsarenotgenerallyused.
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BC08-1077 Proposed Implementing Code Case for Vacuum Vessel Certification

Case XXXX Alternative Rules for Vacuum Service Vessel Construction and Certification Section VIII, Division 1 Inquiry: Under what conditions may single walled pressure vessels or a pressure chamber of a combination unit designed for vacuum only [MAWP less than or equal to zero (0)] be certified and stamped with the U Code Symbol Stamp under the provisions of paragraph U-1(c)(2) when the Manufacturer is unable to comply with the rules of UG-99(f) for pressure testing? Reply: It is the opinion of the Committee that single walled pressure vessels or a pressure chamber of a combination unit designed for vacuum only [MAWP less than or equal to zero (0)] may be certified and stamped with the U Code Symbol Stamp under the provisions of paragraph U-1(c)(2) when the Manufacturer is unable to comply with the rules of UG-99(f) for pressure testing; provided the following conditions are met: (a) a vacuum test shall be conducted at the lowest value of specified absolute internal design pressure in lieu of the internal pressure test specified in UG-99(f),. (b) in conjunction with the vacuum test, a leak test shall be performed following a written procedure complying with the applicable technical requirements of Section V, Article 10 for the leak test method and technique specified by the user. Leak testing personnel shall be qualified and certified as required by T-120(e) of Section V, Article 1. (c) This Case number shall be shown on the Manufacturers Data Report.

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