What about the RBI inspection in pressure vessel testing?
Thread Content
Our company has many pressure vessels, making it difficult to hand them in; the downtime is short as well. The inspection department recommended that we use RBI. What is RBI like?
The RBI can’t replace regular inspections; it can only be used to determine whether your equipment’s inspection can be postponed.
RBI can be used in periodic inspections; based on risk analysis, the inspection methods will change. For example, if it is necessary to open the container to conduct an inspection, after risk assessment it may not be required to enter the container – thickness testing, magnetic particle testing, or ultrasonic testing can suffice instead. But it’s not known what the actual outcome will be when the RBI puts this into practice. I’d like to ask.
The RBI generally evaluates the entire installation as a whole. You are referring to the regular inspections carried out based on the RBI’s reports, with those inspections being conducted with reference to the RBI’s ratings and risk factors. Specifically, you should consult Hefei General Research Institute or the **Special Inspection Institute, as they handle RBI tasks.
These two companies have obtained the necessary qualifications, but special inspection agencies in other provinces also carry out such tasks, and the central authority has given its approval. The RBI is staffed by people with high educational qualifications; they have strong theoretical knowledge, but as for practical skills, it’s uncertain – there are certainly experts among them. Some advanced technical services are employed for risk assessment and similar purposes; this approach is generally used only for equipment in positions of high value or importance, as a backup option for state-owned enterprises.
The full name of RBI is Risk-Based Inspection; the process involves: collecting inspection data from the time of production and prior to that – conducting analysis and calculations – evaluating the results – determining an inspection strategy – and carrying out the inspection. The specific requirements for entities applying for RBI can be found in Article 8.10 of TSG21-2016.
Ordinary gas storage tanks require manholes to be opened for inspection, which I think is too strict.
So far, this RBI has not been properly implemented