46_CFR_61Pressure_Vessels_46CFR61.10-5.pdf

46 CFR Ch. I (10–1–08 Edition) § 61.10–1

Subpart 61.10—Tests and Inspections of Pressure Vessels

§ 61.10–1 Scope.

All pressure vessels aboard ships, mo-bile offshore drilling units, and barges are subject to periodic inspection.

[CGD 68–82, 33 FR 18890, Dec. 18, 1968, as amended by CGD 73–251, 43 FR 56801, Dec. 4, 1978; CGD 95–012, 60 FR 48050, Sept. 18, 1995]

§ 61.10–5 Pressure vessels in service.

(a) Basic requirements. Each pressure vessel must be examined or tested every 5 years. The extent of the test or examination should be that necessary to determine that the pressure vessel’s condition is satisfactory and that the pressure vessel is fit for the service in-tended.

(b) Internal and external tests and in-spections. (1) Each pressure vessel listed on the Certificate of Inspection must be thoroughly examined externally every 5 years.

(2) In addition, each pressure vessel listed on the Certificate of Inspection that is fitted with a manhole or other inspection opening so it can be satis-factorily examined internally, must be opened for internal examination every 5 years.

(3) No pressure vessel need be hydrostatically tested except when a defect is found that, in the marine in-spector’s opinion, may affect the safety of the pressure vessel. In this case, the pressure vessel should be hydrostatically tested at a pressure of 11⁄2 times the maximum allowable working pressure.

(c) Special purpose vessels. (1) If your vessel’s Certificate of Inspection is re-newed annually, the following must be examined under operating conditions at each inspection for certification: all tubular heat exchangers, hydraulic ac-cumulators, and all pressure vessels used in refrigeration service.

(2) If your vessel’s Certificate of In-spection is renewed less often than an-nually, the following must be examined under operating conditions twice every 5 years: all tubular heat exchangers, hydraulic accumulators, and all pres-sure vessels used in refrigeration serv-ice.

(3) No more than 3 years may elapse between any examination and its im-mediate predecessor.

(d) Hydrostatic tests under pressure.

Each pressure vessel, other than one exempted by this section, must be sub-jected to a hydrostatic test at a pres-sure of 11⁄4 times the maximum allow-able working pressure twice within any five-year period, except that no more than three years may elapse between any test and its immediate prede-cessor.

(e) Exemptions from hydrostatic tests.

The following pressure vessels will not normally be subjected to a hydrostatic test:

(1) Tubular heat exchangers.

(2) Pressure vessels used in refrigera-tion service.

(3) Hydraulic accumulators.

(4) Pressure vessels which have been satisfactorily examined internally by a marine inspector and in which no de-fects have been found which impair the safety of the pressure vessel.

(5) Pressure vessels which were ini-tially pneumatically tested in accord-ance with part 54 of this subchapter.

(6) Pressure vessels not stamped with the Coast Guard Symbol.

(f) Compressed gas or hazardous liquid pressure vessel tests. Cargo tanks of pressure vessel configuration con-taining liquefied, compressed gases or hazardous liquids must be inspected and tested as required by the applica-ble regulations published in subchapter D or subchapter I of this chapter.

(g) Bulk storage tanks. Each bulk stor-age tank containing refrigerated lique-fied CO2 for use aboard a vessel as a fire-extinguishing agent shall be sub-jected to a hydrostatic test of 11⁄2 times the maximum allowable working pres-sure in the tenth year of the installa-tion and at ten-year intervals there-after. After the test, the tank should be drained and an internal examination made. Parts of the jacket and lagging on the underside of the tank designated by the marine inspector must be re-moved at the time of the test so the marine inspector may determine the external condition of the tank.

(h) Pneumatic tests. (1) Pressure ves-sels that were pneumatically tested be-fore being stamped with the Coast

VerDate Aug<31>2005 13:25 Nov 13, 2008 Jkt 214189 PO 00000 Frm 00300 Fmt 8010 Sfmt 8010 Y:\SGML\214189.XXX 214189eb en th al l o n

P R

O D

1P C w ith C

F R

Coast Guard, Dept. of Homeland Security § 61.15–5

Guard Symbol must be examined inter-nally twice every 5 years and examined externally at each Inspection for Cer-tification. No more than 3 years may elapse between any external examina-tion and its immediate predecessor.

(2) For tanks whose design precludes a thorough internal or external exam-ination, the thickness must be deter-mined by a nondestructive method ac-ceptable to the Officer in Charge, Ma-rine Inspection.

(3) If (due to the product carried) your vessel’s inspection intervals are prescribed in subchapter D (Tank Ves-sels), subchapter I (Cargo and Miscella-neous Vessels), or subchapter I-A (Mo-bile Offshore Drilling Units), you must comply with the pneumatic test regu-lations there, instead of the ones in this section.

(i) Safety or relief valves on pressure vessels. (1) If your vessel’s Certificate of Inspection is renewed annually, the marine inspector must check the set-tings of the safety or relief valves on all pressure vessels, except cargo tanks, at each inspection for certifi-cation.

(2) If your vessel’s Certificate of In-spection is renewed less often than an-nually, the marine inspector must check the settings of the safety or re-lief valves on all pressure vessels, ex-cept cargo tanks, twice every 5 years.

No more than 3 years may elapse be-tween any check and its immediate predecessor.

(3) Cargo tank safety or relief valves must be checked at the interval re-quired in subchapter D (Tank Vessels) or subchapter I (Cargo and Miscella-neous Vessels) of this chapter.

[CGFR 68–82, 33 FR 18890, Dec. 18, 1968, as amended by CGFR 69–127, 35 FR 9980, June 17, 1970; CGD 73–251, 43 FR 56801, Dec. 4, 1978;

CGD 77–147, 47 FR 21811, May 20, 1982; CGD 86– 033, 53 FR 36024, Sept. 16, 1988; CGD 83–043, 60 FR 24782, May 10, 1995; CGD 95–028, 62 FR 51202, Sept. 30, 1997; USCG–1999–6216, 64 FR 53225, Oct. 1, 1999; USCG–1999–4976, 65 FR 6500, Feb. 9, 2000]

Subpart 61.15—Periodic Tests of Piping Systems

§ 61.15–1 Scope.

In conducting hydrostatic tests on piping, the required test pressure shall be maintained for a sufficient length of time to permit an inspection to be made of all joints and connections. The setting of the relief valve or safety valve will be considered as establishing the maximum allowable working pres-sure of the system.

[CGFR 68–82, 33 FR 18890, Dec. 18, 1968, as amended by CGD 95–012, 60 FR 48050, Sept. 18, 1995]

§ 61.15–5 Steam piping.

(a) Main steam piping shall be sub-jected to a hydrostatic test equal to 11⁄4 times the maximum allowable working pressure at the same periods prescribed for boilers in § 61.05–10. The hydrostatic test shall be applied from the boiler drum to the throttle valve. If the cov-ering of the piping is not removed, the test pressure shall be maintained on the piping for a period of ten minutes.

If any evidence of moisture or leakage is detected, the covering shall be re-moved and the piping thoroughly ex-amined.

(b) All steam piping subject to pres-sure from the main boiler should be subjected to a hydrostatic test at a pressure of 11⁄4 times the maximum al-lowable working pressure of the boiler after every five years of service except as otherwise provided for in paragraph

(a) of this section. Unless the covering of the piping is removed, the test pres-sure must be maintained on the piping for ten minutes. If any evidence of moisture or leakage is detected, the covering should be removed and the piping thoroughly examined. No piping with a nominal size of 3 inches or less need be hydrostatically tested.

(c) The setting of safety and relief valves installed in piping systems shall be checked by the marine inspector at each inspection for certification for vessels whose Certificates of Inspection are renewed each year. For other ves-sels, the setting must be checked twice within any 5-year period, and no more than 3 years may elapse between any check and its immediate predecessor.

[CGFR 68–82, 33 FR 18890, Dec. 18, 1968, as amended by CGD 73–248, 39 FR 30839, Aug. 26, 1974; CGD 83–043, 60 FR 24782, May 10, 1995;

USCG–1999–4976, 65 FR 6500, Feb. 9, 2000]

VerDate Aug<31>2005 13:25 Nov 13, 2008 Jkt 214189 PO 00000 Frm 00301 Fmt 8010 Sfmt 8010 Y:\SGML\214189.XXX 214189eb en th al l o n

P R

O D

1P C w ith C

F R