Code Applicability

[PEDARRIN2]

Where does B31.1 applicability end and B31.9 begin.

I am designing the piping for a water treatment system for boiler feed water and need to know whether B31.1 or B31.9 applies.

 

[JohnBreen]

If your piping is at a Power Plant it is B31.1. The only exception to that is pulverized coal fuel piping which is explicitly excluded by B31.1 from its scope.

Both of the B31 documents that you have cited have a fairly unambiguous scope written into them. You REALLY need to read the documents. B31.9 is Building Services Piping and its scope limits it to relatively low pressures and temperatures, limited selection of materials and limited pipe sizes.

 

[MJCronin]

John Breen gives good advice...In my opinion, ASME could clean up thier guidelines in this area.....if they wanted to

It is certainly confusing when one is trying to establish the "Code of Record" for a project.

For the exact same water treatment system located in a chemical plant, a case could be made to design to the ASME B31.3 code....

Any others have comments on this issue ????

My opinion only...

MJC

 

[JohnBreen]

It used to be (a few years ago) that the B31 series of Codes were very explicit in what they specifically included and excluded and they used to include figures that graphically described the limits of applicability. That has changed and the explicit scope has been dropped in favor of "allowing" the owner to specify which Code he/she wants to have applied. The B31 Code Committee is transferring much more of the responsibility for the choice of Code documents to the owner across the board.

 

[PipingMaterials]

I endorse the views of some participant to use ASME B31.3 Piping Design Code for Chemical Plant Piping. Certainly I will not favour the use of B31.9 Code.