232213-Steam Piping.docx

12-01-25

SECTION 23 22 13

STEAM AND CONDENSATE HEATING PIPING

GENERAL

DESCRIPTION

Steam, condensate, and vent piping inside buildings.

Boiler plant and outside steam distribution piping is covered in specification Section 33 63 00, STEAM ENERGY DISTRIBUTION and Section 23 21 11, BOILER PLANT PIPING SYSTEMS.

A complete listing of common acronyms and abbreviations are included in //Section 23 05 10, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR BOILER PLANT AND STEAM GENERATION// //Section 23 05 11, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR HVAC//.

RELATED WORK

Section 01 00 00, GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.

Section 01 33 23, SHOP DRAWINGS, PRODUCT DATA, AND SAMPLES.

//Section 23 05 11, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR HVAC.//

APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

The publications listed below form a part of this specification to the extent referenced. The publications are referenced in the text by the basic designation only. Where conflicts occur these specifications and the VHA standards shall govern.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME):

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM):

A216/A216M-2018 Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Carbon, Suitable for Fusion Welding, for High-Temperature Service American Welding Society (AWS):

SUBMITTALS

Submittals, including number of required copies, shall be submitted in accordance with Section 01 33 23, SHOP DRAWINGS, PRODUCT DATA, AND SAMPLES.

Information and material submitted under this section shall be marked “SUBMITTED UNDER SECTION 23 22 13, STEAM AND CONDENSATE HEATING PIPING”, with applicable paragraph identification.

Manufacturer's Literature and Data including: Full item description and optional features and accessories. Include dimensions, weights, materials, applications, standard compliance, model numbers, size, and capacity.

Pipe and tubing, with specification, class or type, and schedule.

Pipe fittings, including miscellaneous adapters and special fittings.

Flanges, gaskets and bolting.

Pipe alignment guides.

Expansion joints.

Expansion compensators.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Section 23 05 11, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR HVAC, which includes welding qualifications.

The products and execution of work specified in this section shall conform to the referenced codes and standards as required by the specifications. Local codes and amendments shall be enforced, along with requirements of local utility companies. The most stringent requirements of these specifications, local codes, or utility company requirements shall always apply. Any conflicts shall be brought to the attention of the COR.

Welding Qualifications: Before any welding is performed, contractor shall submit a certificate certifying that welders comply with the following requirements:

Qualify welding processes and operators for piping according to ASME BPVC Section IX, AWS Z49.1 and AWS B2.1/B2.1M.

Comply with provisions in //ASME B31.9// //ASME B31.1//.

Certify that each welder and welding operator has passed AWS qualification tests for welding processes involved and that certification is current and recent. Submit documentation to the COR.

All welds shall be stamped according to the provisions of the American Welding Society.

ASME Compliance: Comply with ASME B31.1 for materials, products, and installation. Safety valves and pressure vessels shall bear appropriate ASME labels.

PRODUCTS

PIPE AND EQUIPMENT SUPPORTS, PIPE SLEEVES, AND WALL AND CEILING PLATES

Provide in accordance with Section 23 05 11, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR HVAC.

PIPE AND TUBING

Steam Piping: Steel, ASTM A53/A53M, Grade B, seamless or ERW; ASTM A106/A106M Grade B, seamless; Schedule 40.

FITTINGS FOR STEEL PIPE

65 mm (2-1/2 inches) and Larger: Welded or flanged joints.

Cast iron fittings or piping is prohibited for steam and steam condensate piping.

Butt welding fittings: ASME B16.9 with same wall thickness as connecting piping. Elbows shall be long radius type, unless otherwise noted.

Welding flanges and bolting: ASME B16.5:

Steam service: Weld neck or slip-on, raised face, with non-asbestos gasket. Non-asbestos gasket shall either be stainless steel spiral wound strip with flexible graphite filler or compressed inorganic fiber with nitrile binder rated for saturated and superheated steam service 400 degrees C (750 degrees F) and 10,342 kPa (1500 psig).

Flange bolting: Bolts shall be high strength steel ASTM A193/A193M, Grade B7. Nuts shall be ASTM A194/A194M.

Welded Branch and Tap Connections: Forged steel weldolets, or branchlets and threadolets may be used for branch connections up to one pipe size smaller than the main. Forged steel half-couplings, ASME B16.11 may be used for drain, vent and gauge connections.

PIPE ALIGNMENT

Guides: Provide factory-built guides along the pipe line to permit axial movement only and to restrain lateral and angular movement. Guides shall be designed to withstand a minimum of 15 percent of the axial force which will be imposed on the expansion joints and anchors. Field-built guides may be used if detailed in the contract documents.

EXPANSION JOINTS

Factory built devices, inserted in the pipe lines, designed to absorb axial cyclical pipe movement which results from thermal expansion and contraction. This includes factory-built or field-fabricated guides located along the pipe lines to restrain lateral pipe motion and direct the axial pipe movement into the expansion joints.

Minimum Service Requirements:

Pressure Containment:

Steam Service 35-200 kPa (5-29 psig): Rated 345 kPa (50 psig) at 148 degrees C (298 degrees F).

Number of Full Reverse Cycles without failure: Minimum 1000.

Movement: As shown on contract documents plus recommended safety factor of manufacturer.

Manufacturing Quality Assurance: Conform to Expansion Joints Manufacturers Association Standards.

Bellows - Internally Pressurized Type:

Multiple corrugations of Type 304 or Type A240-321 stainless steel.

Internal stainless-steel sleeve entire length of bellows.

External cast iron equalizing rings for services exceeding 345 kPa (50 psig).

Welded ends.

Design shall conform to standards of EJMA and ASME B31.1.

External tie rods designed to withstand pressure thrust force upon anchor failure if one or both anchors for the joint are at change in direction of pipeline.

Integral external cover.

Bellows - Externally Pressurized Type:

Multiple corrugations of Type 304 stainless steel.

Internal and external guide integral with joint.

Design for external pressurization of bellows to eliminate squirm.

Welded ends.

Conform to the standards of EJMA and ASME B31.1.

Threaded connection at bottom, 25 mm (1 inch) minimum, for drain or drip point.

Integral external cover and internal sleeve.

Expansion Joint Identification: Provide stamped brass or stainless-steel nameplate on each expansion joint listing the manufacturer, the allowable movement, flow direction, design pressure and temperature, date of manufacture, and identifying the expansion joint by the identification number in the contract documents.

EXECUTION

GENERAL

If in the substantiated evaluation of the COR, the installation fails to meet the requirements of the construction documents with respect to function and maintainability, an installation is unsatisfactory to the COR, the Contractor shall correct the installation at no additional cost or time to the Government.

The contract documents show the general arrangement of pipe and equipment but do not show all required fittings and offsets that may be necessary to connect pipes to equipment, fan-coils, coils, radiators, etc., and to coordinate with other trades. Provide all necessary fittings, offsets and pipe runs based on field measurements and at no additional cost or time to the Government. Coordinate with other trades for space available and relative location of HVAC equipment and accessories to be connected on ceiling grid. Pipe location in the contract documents shall be altered by contractor where necessary to avoid interferences and clearance difficulties.

Store materials to avoid excessive exposure to weather or foreign materials. Keep inside of piping relatively clean during installation and protect open ends when work is not in progress.

Support piping securely. Refer to PART 3, Section 23 05 11, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR HVAC. Install convertors and other heat exchangers at height sufficient to provide gravity flow of condensate to the flash tank and condensate pump.

Install piping generally parallel to walls and column center lines, unless shown otherwise in the contract documents. Space piping, including insulation, to provide 25 mm (1 inch) minimum clearance between adjacent piping and another surface. Unless shown otherwise, slope steam, condensate and drain piping down in the direction of flow not less than 25 mm (1 inch) in 12 meter (40 feet). Provide eccentric reducers to keep bottom of sloped piping flat.

WELDING

The contractor is entirely responsible for the quality of the welding and shall:

Conduct tests of the welding procedures used on the project, verify the suitability of the procedures used, verify that the welds made will meet the required tests, and also verify that the welding operators have the ability to make sound welds under standard conditions.

Perform all welding operations required for construction and installation of the piping systems.

Qualification of Welders: Rules of procedure for qualification of all welders and general requirements for fusion welding shall conform with the applicable portions of ASME B31.1, AWS B2.1/B2.1M, AWS Z49.1, and also as outlined below.

Examining Welder: Examine each welder at job site, in the presence of the COR, to determine the ability of the welder to meet the qualifications required. Test welders for piping for all positions, including welds with the axis horizontal (not rolled) and with the axis vertical. Each welder shall be allowed to weld only in the position in which he has qualified and shall be required to identify his welds with his specific code marking signifying his name and number assigned.

Examination Results: Provide the COR with a list of names and corresponding code markings. Retest welders who fail to meet the prescribed welding qualifications. Disqualify welders, who fail the second test, for work on the project.

Beveling: Field bevels and shop bevels shall be done by mechanical means or by flame cutting. Where beveling is done by flame cutting, surfaces shall be thoroughly cleaned of scale and oxidation just prior to welding. Conform to specified standards.

Alignment: Provide approved welding method for joints on all pipes greater than 50 mm (2 inches) to assure proper alignment, complete weld penetration, and prevention of weld spatter reaching the interior of the pipe.

Erection: Piping shall not be split, bent, flattened, or otherwise damaged before, during, or after installation. If the pipe temperature falls to 0 degrees C (32 degrees F) or lower, the pipe shall be heated to approximately 38 degrees C (100 degrees F) for a distance of 300 mm (1 foot) on each side of the weld before welding, and the weld shall be finished before the pipe cools to 0 degrees C (32 degrees F).

Non-Destructive Examination of Piping Welds:

Perform radiographic examination of 50 percent of the first 10 welds made and 10 percent of all additional welds made. The COR reserves the right to identify individual welds for which the radiographic examination shall be performed. All welds shall be visually inspected by the COR. The VA reserves the right to require testing on additional welds up to 100 percent if greater than 25 percent of the examined welds fail the inspection.

An approved independent testing firm regularly engaged in radiographic testing shall perform the radiographic examination of pipe joint welds. All radiographs shall be reviewed and interpreted by an ASNT Certified Level III radiographer, employed by the testing firm, who shall sign the reading report.

Comply with ASME B31.1. Furnish a set of films showing each weld inspected, a reading report evaluating the quality of each weld, and a location plan showing the physical location where each weld is to be found in the completed project. The COR and the CxA shall be given a copy of all reports to be maintained as part of the project records and shall review all inspection records.

Defective Welds: Replace and reinspect defective welds. Repairing defective welds by adding weld material over the defect or by peening are prohibited. Welders responsible for defective welds shall be requalified prior to resuming work on the project.

Electrodes: Electrodes shall be stored in a dry heated area and be kept free of moisture and dampness during the fabrication operations. Discard electrodes that have lost part of their coating.

PIPE JOINTS

Welded: Beveling, spacing and other details shall conform to ASME B31.1 and AWS B2.1/B2.1M. See Welder’s qualification requirements under "Quality Assurance" in Section 23 05 11, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR HVAC.

Screwed: Threads shall conform to ASME B1.20.1; joint compound shall be applied to male threads only and joints made up so no more than three threads show. Coat exposed threads on steel pipe with joint compound, or red lead paint for corrosion protection.

125 Pound Cast Steel Flange (Plain Face): Mating flange shall have raised face, if any, removed to avoid overstressing the cast steel flange.

EXPANSION JOINTS (BELLOWS AND SLIP TYPE)

Anchors and Guides: Provide type, quantity and spacing as recommended by manufacturer of expansion joint and as shown. A professional engineer shall verify in writing that anchors and guides are properly designed for forces and moments which will be imposed.

Cold Set: Provide setting of joint travel at installation as recommended by the manufacturer for the ambient temperature during the installation.

Preparation for Service: Remove all apparatus provided to restrain joint during shipping or installation. Representative of manufacturer shall visit the site and verify that installation is proper.

Access: Expansion joints shall be located in readily accessible space. Locate joints to permit access without removing piping or other devices. Allow clear space to permit replacement of joints and to permit access to devices for inspection of all surfaces and for adding packing.

LEAK TESTING

Inspect all joints and connections for leaks and workmanship and make corrections as necessary to the satisfaction of the COR in accordance with the specified requirements. Testing shall be performed in accordance with the specification requirements.

An operating test at design pressure, and for hot systems, design maximum temperature.

A hydrostatic test at 1.5 times design pressure. For water systems, the design maximum pressure would usually be the static head, or expansion tank maximum pressure, plus pump head. Factory tested equipment (convertors, exchangers, coils, etc.) need not be field tested. Avoid excessive pressure on mechanical seals and safety devices.

Prepare and submit test and inspection reports to the COR within 5 working days of test completion and prior to covering the pipe.

All tests shall be witnessed by the COR, their representative, or the CxA and be documented by each section tested, date tested, and list or personnel present.

CLEANING PIPING SYSTEMS

Steam Piping: The piping system shall be cleaned prior to equipment connection. Cleaning includes cleaning all scale/dirt legs during installation. Contractor shall be responsible for damage caused by inadequately cleaned systems.

STARTUP AND TESTING

When any defects are detected, correct defects and repeat test at no additional cost or time to the Government.

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