What to do if all the design documents for an in-service pressure vessel are lost?

Are you the organization using it? You can ask the original design and manufacturing party to complete it...

You need to check with the manufacturer, and it costs money.

Well, haha, you can just create it by yourself; it’s better than just imitating what others do

Let’s take a look at what the new regulations on the use and management of special equipment say

1. It should be possible to get a copy from the former employer. 2. An electronic version should be kept, in multiple copies

They are several buffer tanks located in the medium-pressure compressor; they have been in use for 20 years. They are imported equipment, and the manufacturer has long since gone out of business, so there is nothing that can be done.

For now, the only option is to conduct on-site surveys and redesign it; it’s not clear if there are any other methods, after all, the equipment is working very well at the moment. Replacing the installation is very troublesome.

Notice from the General Office of the Quality Inspection Administration regarding several issues related to the implementation of the \"Rules for the Use and Management of Special Equipment\" (Quality Inspection Office Circular [2017] No. 1015). Release date: July 31, 2017. To the quality and technical supervision bureaus (market supervision and management departments) of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government: The \"Rules for the Use and Management of Special Equipment\" (hereinafter referred to as the \"Use and Management Rules\") will come into effect on August 1, 2017. To ensure the standardized and effective implementation of the \"Usage Management Rules\", the relevant matters are hereby notified as follows. I. Regarding registration for use (1) Special equipment used in mobile operations. Special equipment for mobile operations (excluding lifting machinery) refers to special equipment such as mobile pressure vessels and specialized motor vehicles used on sites (factories), which can be used for mobile operations without the need for disassembly or reinstallation. Crane machinery shall be operated in accordance with the relevant requirements of the \"Regulations on Safety Supervision of Crane Machinery\". (II) Boilers. For coal-fired boilers for which the State Council or local authorities have imposed clear restrictions on new construction, the registration authority shall not grant usage registration, and the inspection agencies shall not carry out supervision inspections during installation. For coal-fired boilers that have exceeded the deadline set by the State Council or local authorities for retirement, inspection agencies shall not conduct regular inspections; the using units should promptly retire such boilers and go through the procedures for cancellation ； If the user fails to complete the cancellation procedures on time, the registration authority will cancel the use registration certificate by means of a public announcement. When applying for registration, a waste heat boiler does not require a boiler energy efficiency certificate. (III) Industrial pipes and gas cylinders (excluding vehicle gas cylinders). Before the implementation of the \"Rules for Use and Management,\" for cylinders that were registered for use on a per-unit basis (excluding vehicle cylinders) and industrial pipelines that were registered for use on a per-unit basis, the users must re-register them on a per-unit basis by March 31, 2018. When applying for registration of the use of industrial pipelines, for pipelines installed after the implementation of the Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China on Special Equipment, the user entity shall provide proof of installation supervision and inspection. (IV) Vehicle gas cylinders. The ownership of vehicle gas cylinders belongs to individuals, and the location of the ownership entity is the place where the motor vehicle is registered. (5) Steam (water) cylinders and pressure pipelines that are registered for use together with the boiler, as well as pressure pipelines that are registered for use together with pressure vessels. When issuing a registration certificate for the use of boilers or pressure vessels, the registration authority shall attach a form specifying the scope of the registered equipment, along with its official seal. (VI) Change registration. If the original registration certificate and usage registration form are lost or damaged and cannot be provided, when applying for changes such as modifications, relocations, name changes, or continued use after reaching the designed service life, the user entity or property owner shall issue a self-declaration stating that these documents are lost or damaged ； When there is a change in the entity, the original using entity or the property owner must issue a declaration stating that the document is lost or damaged before the change registration can be processed. When more than two of the following situations occur simultaneously – renovation, relocation, change of the user unit, or change in the name of the user unit – for special equipment registered by unit (set) – these can be handled together to simplify the procedures. II. Regarding certificates and licenses (I) Validity period of certificates and licenses. Prior to the implementation of the \"Rules for Use and Management,\" special equipment for which use registration was carried out on a per-unit basis continued to have valid use registration certificates, use labels, and license plates for specialized motor vehicles used within the facility, as these had already been issued. (II) Reissue using the registration certificate. Before the implementation of the \"Rules for Use Management,\" for those who had completed the use registration process but had not yet received a use registration certificate, the registration authority shall issue new-style use registration certificates by March 31, 2018. (III) Use of signs and license plate issuance. When handling changes related to the modification of special equipment, relocation, change of entity, or change of name, the registration authority shall issue new use marks. The usage mark after the regular inspection of the boiler is issued by the inspection agency once the internal inspection of the boiler is successful. When registering changes for special motor vehicles used within a site (factory), if the registration authority changes, the new authority shall issue new license plates for such vehicles and retrieve the original license plates. (IV) Reissue of certificates and licenses. When reissuing a registration certificate, a use mark, or a license plate for specialized motor vehicles used within a site (factory) due to loss or damage, the procedures and document requirements for such reissuance shall be established by the registration authority itself. When reissuing a lost document, the applying entity shall not be required to publish a loss notice in the media. III. Regarding safety management personnel: Full-time safety management personnel who must be employed in accordance with the Usage Management Rules shall hold the corresponding qualification certificates for safety management personnel of special equipment, while part-time safety management personnel employed by the using units are not required to hold such qualification certificates. IV. Regarding the annual safety status of gas cylinders and pressure pipelines: The content to be submitted regarding the annual safety status of such cylinders and pipelines can refer to Attachment 1. V. Regarding special equipment codes: The method for compiling codes for special equipment (excluding gas cylinders and pressure pipelines) is outlined in Attachment 2. In the event that the methods specified in relevant safety technical regulations differ from those stated in this notice, the provisions of this notice shall prevail. VI. Other related issues: (1) In the case where the safety technical specifications and regulatory documents for special equipment issued prior to January 16, 2017 are inconsistent with the \"Rules for Use and Management\", the \"Rules for Use and Management\" shall prevail. The \"Usage Management Rules\" do not specify otherwise; in the event that other safety technical specifications or regulatory documents contain special provisions, those provisions shall apply. (II) After August 1, 2017, the registration authorities shall upgrade the information system for the registration of special equipment use, and actively promote the handling of usage registration online as well as the printing of usage registration certificates. Mobile pressure vessels must undergo registration for use on the National Public Service Information Tracking Platform for Mobile Pressure Vessels. Attachments: 1. Annual Safety Status Table for Gas Cylinders and Pressure Pipelines; 2. Method for Assigning Code Numbers to Special Equipment. General Office of the Quality Inspection and Supervision Administration, July 28, 2017. (This document is publicly available.)

It’s been in use for 20 years, so it’s likely reached the end of its useful life. The volume of the tank isn’t very large either, and it won’t cost much to make it again. How about making it anew?

“\"Fined by the boiler inspection agency\"? Is that even possible?