7/18/2017 Quick Guides Pressure Vessel Engineering

Lethal Service Quick Guide

Requirements for lethal service are scattered through VIII-1, the code cases,
interpretations and PTB-4 - all in one place.

Lethal Service Quick Guide

File: PVE-3856, Last updated June 6 2017 LRB / CT

Introduction
Requirements for lethal service are scattered through VIII-1, the code cases and the
interpretations. ASME VIII-1 section UW-2 has most of the requirements for lethal service. Two
definitions of lethal service are provided in UW-2. The second definition is also duplicated in the
end notes:

It is up to the user to determine if a service is lethal. We at Pressure Vessel Engineering do not

determine if the vessel service is lethal (but we might have opinions based on previous jobs).

ASME VIII-1 Lethal Service Code References

UW-2 Service Restrictions is a very important section for lethal service vessels and must be read
in its entirety. A few brief points from UW-2:

UW-2(a) and UW-11(a)(1) All butt welds shall be 100% radiographed

UW-2(a) ERW pipe (like some grades of SA-53) is not permitted but interpretation VIII-1-01-118
says it is acceptable if the long seam is fully radiographed
UW-2(a) Post weld heat treatment is required for CS and Low Alloy
UW-2(a)(1)(a) Category A welds shall be type 1 only (butt welded with no permanent backing strip)
UW-2(a)(1)(b&c) &Interpretation VIII-1 92-211 Category B & C welds shall be type 1 or 2 only
(butt welded). No slip on flanges! No Figure UW-13.2 Flange or Head to Shell attachments
Interpretation VIII-I-98-23 Category D welds (typically nozzles) shall be full penetration.
UW-2(a)(1)(c) Category C joints for stub ends have a long list of requirements
UW-2(a)(2 and 3) Heat exchangers have a long list of requirements

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Read all of UW-2 for more restrictions

When it has been determined that a vessel is in Lethal Service, some of the following code
sections will apply. Other code sections might also be required. (List last updated June 16 2015
based on the ASME 2013 VIII-1 code edition.)

U-2(a)(2) The user determines if the service is lethal.

UG-16(5)(a) Air cooled and cooling tower heat exchanger tube walls to be 1/16 min.
UG-24(6) Casting RT requirements.
UG-25(e) No telltale holes.
UG-99(g),(k) Hydro test visual leak inspection cannot be waived. Do not paint or line prior to the
hydro test.
UG-100(d)(4) Pneumatic tests cannot be used for lethal service vessels, but also see code cases
2046-2, 2055-2, 2407 regarding pneumatic instead of hydrostatic testing.
UG-100(e)(3) Do not paint or line prior to the pneumatic test.
UG-116(c) L stamping must be added to the nameplate.
UG-120(d)(1) lethal service is added to the data report
UW-2 Service Restrictions main source of info on Lethal Service (see lots more from UW-2
below)
UW-11(a)(1) All shell and head butt welds to be 100% RT
Fig UW-13.5 One possible lap joint stub end configuration see also interpretation BC-79-680 /
VIII-80-111
UB-3 Brazed vessels shall not be used
UCS-6 Do not use SA-36, 38W or SA-283
UCS-79 PWHT and extreme fiber elongation read for rules when heat treatment is required
UCI-2, UCD-2 Cast iron and ductile cast iron vessels are not allowed.
UIG-2(c) Metal parts for graphite vessels are to be designed to UIG requirements
UIG-23(b) Factor of safety for lethal service
UIG-60 Lethal service
UIG-99 Lethal service pressure tests
ULW-1 & ULW-26(b)(4) Layered vessels lethal restrictions apply to the inner shell and heads only
UHX-19.1(b) Heat exchanger markings
Appendix 2-5(d) & 2-6 Maximum Flange Bolt Spacing
Appendix 2-14(a) Mandatory flange flexibility
Appendix 7-1, 7-5 Steel casting examination for 100% quality factor
Appendix 9-8 if the jacket does not carry lethal substances, lethal service restrictions do not apply
to it
Appendix 17-2(a) Dimple jackets will not contain lethal substances
Appendix 35-3(c) & 35-7(d) Mass production rules
Appendix W Table W-3 Filing out the U forms
Appendix KK (note 12) Filling out User Design Requirements forms
Appendix NN Table NN-6-5 User or designated again determines if the contents are lethal
End notes 65 Definition of lethal service

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Weld restrictions by category

Special lap joint stub end for lethal service see also Fig All partial penetration nozzles
UW-13.3 and Fig 2-4(5) and (6)

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All figure UW-13.2 corner welds are prohibited No slip on flange

Code Cases
The following Code Cases refer to lethal service for VIII-1 vessels (2013 edition):
1750-20(g) A126 not to be used for PRVs, or rupture disks.
2249 Furnace Brazing
2318 slip on flanges in lethal service
2321-1 PWHT of P4 and P5A materials
2324 Ultrasonic inspection
2334 single fillet lap joint tubesheet to shell connection
2346-1 & 2537 Alternative rules for SE and F&D head to shell attachment
2369 Testing of covers separate from vessels
2377 RT of SA-612 steel
2421 Single fillet joints in Heat exchanger tubes
2437 Diffusion bonded heat exchangers
2527 Pneumatic testing of UM vessels
2537 alternative F&D and SE head to shell attachment is not for lethal service
2621 Diffusion bonding
2751 alternative spherical head to shell attachment is not for lethal service

Interpretations
With interpretations now available on line at cstools.asme.org/Interpretation/SearchInterpretation.cfm
it is now easier to find relevant and up to date interpretations. A search for BPV Section VIII Div
1 keyword: lethal returns many records. The comments on the most interesting lethal service
interpretations are listed below. Refer to the actual interpretations for the full text.
VIII-1-01-118 and VIII-1-83-77R ERW pipe may only be used if the long seam is radiographed

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VIII-82-65 volumetric examination of category D joints is not always required

VIII-1-01-42 and VIII-1-04-48 cone >30 and and corner joints not permitted
VIII-1-86-84 and VIII-1-95-138 prohibited flange attachments Fig UW-13.2(m) and Fig 2-4
sketches (7), (8), (8a), (8b), and (9)
VIII-1-92-112 full radiography of category C and D butt welds is required except for UW-11(a)(4)
VIII-1-92-194 full penetration angle joints are not permitted
VIII-1-92-211 Fig UW-13.2 attachments are not permissible
VIII-1-98-113 permissible repad and flange pad arrangements
VIII-1-98-23 Fig UW-16.1 (a) and (c) are permissible nozzle attachments, others are not discussed
VIII-77-62 It is the intent of Section VIII, Division 1 that Category B and C butt welds in nozzles
and communicating chambers that neither exceed 10 in. nominal pipe size or 1-1/8 wall thickness
are excluded from the provisions of radiography, even though the vessel is in lethal service. This
overrides the provisions of UW-2(a).
VIII-80-02 do not use corner joints from Fig UW-13.2 redesign to create butt joints that can be
radiographed
VIII-80-111 acceptable lap joint flanges include Fig. 2-4(1) and Fig. UW-13.3 and Fig. 2-4(5) and (6)
rec 15-634 PWHT and cladding, see also 14-1910
rec 15-1154 Full RT does not include the reinforcing rings per UG-29
rec 15-1264 welding of non-round vessels
rec 15-1288 lethal and non-lethal sections of heat exchangers per UW-2(a)(3)
rec 16-32 UG-25(e) telltale holes in the shell are not the same as UG-37(g) telltale holes in repads
rec 16-39 Fig 1-6(d) is category C
rec 16-72 clarification on RT-4 and UG-116(e)(4)
rec 17-11 UG-82(b) and attachments after hydrotest per UG-99(g)

PTB-4
ASME Section VIII Division 1 Example Problem Manual PTB-4-2013 provides illustrative
example for the use of VIII-1 rules.
E7.1 RT-1 radiography on a vessel to meet the requirements of lethal service. Required
radiography to meet RT-1 and the appropriate weld efficiencies are illustrated and commented on.
The sample illustrates items like sumps and nozzles that can be exempt from radiography based on
size and still maintain the RT-1 rating for the vessel.
E4.16.1 and E4.16.2 maximum allowed flange bolt spacing for lethal service per App 2-5(d)

Disclaimer: This material is provided for educational uses only. Only ASME can make code interpretations.

Inspection Openings Quick Guide

File: PVE-3856, Last updated June 6 2017 LRB / CT

Introduction

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Requirements for inspection openings are based on UG-46 with additional code passages,
code cases and interpretations.

ASME VIII-1 Inspection Opening References

UG-46 should be read in its entirety a few brief points:

UG-46(a) Vessels with compressed air or with corrosion, or with erosion, or with mechanical
abrasion need inspection openings. Exemptions:
Air dried to atmospheric dew point -50F or lower,
Shell side of fixed tube heat exchangers
Non-corrosive service
UG-46(b) use of telltale holes instead of inspection openings
UG-46(c,d&e) opening requirements and exemptions based on the diameter of the vessel
UG-46(f&g) what qualifies as an inspection opening based on size of the vessel and the opening
size
UG-46(h,i&j) design of the opening

Other VIII-1 code passages related to inspection openings:

UG-32(o) and UG-33(j) use the rules of UG-36 through UG-46 when designing openings in heads
UG-42(e) threaded inspection openings size vs threaded nozzle size
UG-45 exemption to mininum nozzle thickness requirements for inspection openings
UCI-36(a) and UCD-36(a) UG-46 applies to inspection openings in cast vessels with thickness
restrictions
UCL-25(b) telltale holes instead of inspection openings in clad vessels
ULW-16(a) and ULW-18(a&c) inspection openings in layered vessels
App 9-4(b) inspection openings in jackets
M-2(b) inspection openings shall be accessible

Code Cases
Code Case 2634 refer to exemption to inspection openings:
2634 Exemptions to inspection opening requirements when the vessel is contained in a sealed
container

Interpretations
Some interpretations from cstools.asme.org/Interpretation/SearchInterpretation.cfm. Refer to the
actual interpretations for the full text. Caution- old interpretations remain even after they have
been superseded by code changes that render them obsolete.
VIII-81-56 and VIII-77-11 it is the users job to determine if a service is corrosive (caution: VIII-1-04-
15 and VIII-1-07-63 define under what conditions air is considered non-corrosive)
VIII-1-04-15, VIII-1-07-63 and VIII-1-89-93 exemption per UG-46(a) for air, dried to -50F and not
VIII-1-86-31 inspection openings are not required for non-corrosive service
VIII-1-83-264 if openings are to be used for inspection, the plugs must be supplied by the
manufacturer
VIII-1-83-336 any size vessel can be non-corrosive and flexibility in sizing of openings
VIII-1-83-358 what qualifies as an inspection opening (this interpretation is probably superseded by
code changes made in 1987)

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VIII-77-101 inspection openings for heat exchangers and telltale holes (very old, probably
superseded by code changes to UG-46 directly related to heat exchangers and use of telltale holes)
VIII-80-93 configuration of threaded openings
rec 14-2223 inspection nozzle size limits for cold-stretched vessels
rec 15-748 understanding UG-46 opening size requirements
VIII-1-01-122 corrosive service requires inspection openings even if the corrosion allowance is
zero
VIII-1-92-136, VIII-79-12 and VIII-1-95-115 substitution of inspection nozzle sizes, and non-
corrosive service
VIII-1-95-46 if a corrosion allowance is specified, then the service is corrosive unless otherwise
stated on the MDR

PTB-4
ASME Section VIII Division 1 Example Problem Manual PTB-4-2013 provides example
E4.5.5 which briefly discusses exemptions to UG-45 rules for inspection only openings.

Disclaimer: This material is provided for educational uses only. Only ASME can make code interpretations.

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