Under what circumstances do pressure vessels containing explosive media need to undergo leak testing?
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This post was last edited by mq3456 on 2015-11-3 10:37. Under what circumstances do pressure vessels containing explosive media need to undergo leak testing?
Pressure vessels that are not designed to allow any trace of leakage must, in general, undergo a gas-tightness test for flammable and explosive media, as well as for other such media!
Our company basically doesn’t conduct leakage tests; it seems to be about determining whether a leak would cause any harm
According to clause 11.3.2 of HG_T20584-2011 \"Technical Requirements for the Manufacturing of Steel Chemical Vessels\", a leakage test shall be conducted on the vessel under the following conditions: 1 When the medium is explosive. 2 When the medium is extremely hazardous or highly hazardous. 3 When strict requirements are imposed on vacuum. 4 If there is a leak, it will endanger the safety of the container (such as the lining) and the operators. 5 When required by the design specifications.
Regarding the drawings from different design firms that we encounter these days, some require airtightness for the same explosive medium while others do not. Just imagine: if this kind of question appeared on an examiner’s test, should airtightness be ensured or not?
Can whether to achieve airtightness be determined based on the density of the medium? If the density of the explosive material is less than that of air, it will float upward after a leak and disperse with the wind, without accumulating. If its density is greater than that of air, it may settle in some corner of the facility, and the presence of an ignition source could lead to an explosion.
If the equipment is placed indoors or in a location with poor ventilation, it’s better to make the explosive medium airtight； If it’s placed outdoors, then there’s not really much point in making it airtight. Especially when the equipment has a large volume or a high design pressure, it is not worthwhile to insist on achieving airtightness. The standards don’t impose any mandatory requirements; the conservatives have their own ideas, and the radicals have their own approaches.
Conditions under which a leakage test is required: 1) After passing the pressure resistance test, leakage tests shall be conducted on pressure vessels whose medium is extremely or highly toxic, or for which minor leaks are not permitted due to design considerations； 2) It should be specified in the design drawings whether a pressure vessel required to undergo a pressure test also needs to undergo a leak test. Depending on the testing medium, leak tests are divided into airtightness tests as well as ammonia leak detection tests and halogen leak detection tests