Chapter 7

ASME B31.3 - Process Piping

2016 Edition
 ASME B31.3 Process Piping

2016 Edition

CHAPTER I

300. General Statements

This section covers general information about the B31.3 document, if this is the first
time the user has seen this document it is of general interest.

Scope

Rules for the Process Piping Code Section B31.3 have been developed considering
piping typically found in petroleum refineries; chemical, pharmaceutical, textile,
paper, semiconductor, and cryogenic plants; and related processing plants and
terminals.

Content and coverage

The B31.3 prescribes the requirements for materials and components, design,
fabrication, assembly, erection, examination, inspection, and testing of pipe.

This code applies to piping for all fluids, including:

1) Raw, intermediate and finished chemicals;

2) Petroleum product;
3) Gas, steam, air and water;
4) Fluidized solids;
5) Refrigerants; and
6) Cryogenic fluids.

Package equipment piping

This code also applies to the interconnecting piping within a package equipment.

Exclusion

The code excludes the followings:

a) Piping internal pressure 0 to 15 psi, provided the fluid is non-flammable, non-

toxic and not harmful to human tissue. Design temperature from –29 to 186
degree C.
b) Power boiler in accordance with BPV code.
c) Boiler tubes and headers, fired heaters inside an enclosure.
d) Pressure vessels, heat exchangers, pumps, other equipment with internal piping
and connection for external piping.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 2

 Definitions

The participants should read this section in great detail and become familiar with
the terms and definitions listed. For welding terms not shown in this section,
definitions in accordance with ANSI/AWS Standard A3.0 apply.

Category D fluid service:

The fluid is non-flammable, non-toxic and not harmful to human tissue.
The gauge pressure does not exceed 150 psi.
The design temperature is between –29 and 186 degree C.

Category M fluid service:

The fluids that personal exposure through breathing or bodily contact can cause
serious irreversible harm.

High pressure fluid service:

Chapter IX specifies piping design and construction.

Normal fluid service

Fluid services not covered by Category D, M or high pressure fluid service.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 3

 CHAPTER II

Design

301.2. Design Pressure

The design pressure of each component in a piping system shall be not less that
the pressure at the most severe condition of coincident internal or external pressure
and temperature (minimum or maximum) expected during service. Consideration
must be given to pressure containment or relief in the piping system.

301.3. Design Temperature

The design temperature of each component in a piping system is the temperature

at which, under coincident pressure, the greatest thickness or highest component
rating is required. Fluid temperatures, ambient temperatures, solar radiation,
heating or cooling medium temperatures must be considered.

301.4. Ambient Effects

Ambient effects are in the form of cooling, fluid expansion atmospheric icing all from
atmospheric conditions.

301.5. Dynamic Effects

Impact, wind, earthquake, vibration and discharge reactions.

301.6. Weight Effects

Live loads include weight of medium carried, snow or ice due to environmental or
operating conditions. Dead loads consist of weight of piping components, insulation,
etc.

301.7. Thermal Expansion and Contraction Effects

Loads due to restraints, temperature gradients, expansion characteristics,

movements of supports and anchors, reduced ductility, cyclic, and air
condensation.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 4

302. Design Criteria

This section has been excluded from the API 570 examination with exception of:

302.3.3 Casting Quality Factor, Ec. Refer to (c) Increased Quality Factors. Casting
quality factors may be increased when supplementary examinations are performed
on each casting.

Table 302.3.3C states the increased casting quality factors, Ec, that may be used
for various combinations of supplementary examination.

Table 302.3.3D states the acceptance criteria for the examination methods
specified in the Notes to Table 302.3.3C. In no case shall the quality factor exceed
1.00.

302.3.4 Weld Joint Quality Factor, Ej. Refer to (b) Increased Quality Factors. Table
302.3.4 also indicates higher joint quality factors which may be substituted for those
in Table A-1B for certain kinds of welds if additional examination is performed
beyond that required by the product specification.

304. Pressure Design of Components

Straight Pipe

304.1.2 Minimum Required Thickness - Equation (2)

PD P(d  2c)
tm = t + c (3a) t  (3b) t 
2(SWE  PY) 2[SEW  P(1 Y)]

Notes: (3a) & (3b) are applicable for t < D/6

Notes: For t  D/6 or for P/SE > 0.385 require special consideration of factors such
as theory of failure, fatigue & thermal stress, etc.

tm = minimum required thickness, including mechanical, corrosion, and erosion

allowances

t = pressure design thickness for internal pressure. See 304.1.3 for external
pressure

c = the sum of the mechanical allowances

(thread or groove depth) plus corrosion and erosion allowances. For machined
surfaces or grooves where the tolerance is not specified, tolerance shall be
assumed to be 0.5 mm in addition to the specified depth of the cut.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 5

 304.5.3 Blanks

(b) The minimum required thickness of a permanent blank is calculated with this
formula:

3P
tm = d g √ +c
16SEW

where
c = sum of allowances (corrosion, thread or mechanical)
dg = inside diameter of gasket for raised or flat face flanges, or the gasket pitch
diameter for ring joint and fully retained gasketed flanges
E = weld joint quality factor (1.0 normally)
P = design gage pressure
S = allowable stress of material at design temperature
W = weld joint reduction factor (1.0 normally)

Straight Pipe under External Pressure

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam)

311. Welded Joints

Welded joints are allowed for any material which is possible to qualify welding
procedures, welders, and welding operators, see Chapter V, B31.3. Specific
requirements for welds for Category D Fluid Service, Severe Cyclic Conditions are
mentioned in this section, refer to Table 341.4.2 and Table 341.4.3.

Buttwelds with backing rings, socket welds, fillet welds and seal welds may be used,
as well as open root welds.

312. Flanged Joints

Note flange ratings and bolting torque.

313. Expanded Joints

Expanded joints may be used only under specific conditions.

314. Threaded Joints

The rules for threaded joints are listed. Avoid crevice corrosion, severe erosion, or
cyclic loading conditions. Do not use thread sealing compounds when threaded
joints are to be seal welded. Give special consideration to vibration and temperature
cycling.

315. Tubing Joints

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam)

319. Piping Flexibility

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 6

 Piping systems shall have sufficient flexibility to prevent thermal expansion or
contraction or movements of piping supports and terminals from causing failure,
leakage, and excessive thrusts or movements.

Displacement strains such as thermal displacement, restraint flexibility, externally

imposed displacements are defined in this section. Displacement stresses such as
elastic behaviour, overstrained behavior must also be considered.

Flexibility Analysis

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam)

321. Piping Support

The design of support structures are based on acting loads, transmitted into such
supports and include weight effects, loads induced by service pressures and
temperatures, vibration, wind, earthquake, shock, and displacement strain.

Objectives

The layout and design of piping and its supporting elements shall be directed toward
preventing the following:

 Piping stresses;
 Leakage at joints;
 Excessive thrusts and moments on equipment;
 Excessive stresses in the supporting elements;
 Resonance with imposed or fluid-induced vibrations;
 Excessive interference with thermal expansion and contraction;
 Unintentional disengagement of piping from its supports;
 Excessive piping sag in piping requiring drainage slope;
 Excessive distortion or sag of piping subject to creep under conditions of thermal
cycling;
 Excessive heat flow, exposing supporting elements to temperature extremes.

Support design is based on location, calculations and engineering judgment. The

details of pipe supports are outlined in the rest of this section.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 7

 Chapter III

Materials

323. General requirements

Chapter III states limitations and required qualifications for materials based on their
inherent properties.

323.1. Materials and Specifications

Materials must conform to listed specifications. Unlisted materials may be used if

they conform to a published specification and meet this code requirements.

Note materials of unknown specification shall not be used for pressure containing
piping components. Reclaimed materials may be used, providing they are properly
identified. Most materials have upper and lower temperature limits, see Table
323.2.2.

323.3. Impact Test Methods and Acceptance Criteria

This section outlines the impact testing methods and acceptance criteria. The
procedure and test specimen requirements are listed, see Figure 323.2.2A
Minimum Temperatures without Impact Testing for Carbon Steel Materials and
Table 323.3.1 Impact Testing Requirements for Metals.

A listed material may be used at any temperature not lower than the minimum
shown in Table A-1, the minimum temperature is defined by the applicable curve
and Notes in Fig. 323.2.2A. If a design minimum metal temperature-thickness
combination is on or above the curve, impact testing is not required.

Test temperatures for all Charpy impact tests shall be observed as 323.3.4 a or b.
Acceptance criteria is shown in Table 323.3.5 The requirements for lateral
expansion, weld impact test and other related tests are listed in this section.

Stress ratio

Fig. 323.2.2B stress ratio provides a further temperature reduction to the MDMT
found in Fig. 323.2.2A without impact testing. Stress ratio is used only when all of
the following complied:

 Not in elevated temperature service

 Not expected to experience shock loading or thermal fatigue
 Contain no dissimilar pipe materials weld joint (austenitic welded to ferritic)
 Stress ratio < 1.0

Stress ratio normally used when operating pressure is very low:

e.g. Operating pressure = 10 bar.
Design pressure = 20 bar
Stress ratio = 10/20 = 0.5 Temperature reduction = 60 oF
Final MDMT = initial MDMT – Temperature reduction

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 8

Fig. 323.2.2B Reduction in Lowest Exemption Temperature for Steels without Impact Testing

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 9

 Chapter IV

Standards for Piping Components

This section gives the dimensions and ratings of piping components.

Table 326.1 lists standards for piping components, such as flange, flange fitting and
valves.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 10

 Chapter V

Fabrication, Assembly and Erection

328.1 Welding Responsibility

Each employer is responsible for the welding done by the personnel of his
organization and shall conduct the tests required to qualify welding procedures, and
to qualify and as necessary re-qualify welders and welding operators.

328.2 Welding Qualifications

Welders and welding operators must be qualified to ASME Section IX, except as
modified by B31.3. The general details are listed in this section. Special attention
should be given to sub-paragraph F, this paragraph allows Table A-1 when
matching P-Numbers and S-Numbers.

Procedure Qualification by Others

Each employer is responsible for qualifying any welding procedure that personnel
of the organization will use. Subject to the specific approval of the Inspector.

a) The Inspector shall be satisfied that:

1) The proposed WPS has been prepared, qualified, and executed by a

responsible, organization with expertise in the field of welding; and
2) The employer has not made any change in the welding procedure.

b) The base metal P-number is either 1, 3, 4 Gr 1 (1¼ Cr max) or 8 and impact

testing is not required.
c) The base metals to be joined are of the same P-number, except P1, 3, and 4
Gr 1 may be welded to each other.
d) The material welded is not more than 19mm thick. PWHT is not required.
e) The design pressure not exceeds the ASME B16.5 Class 300 rating, and
design temperature is in the range –29 to 399 degree C.

Performance qualification by Others

To avoid duplication of effort, an employer may accept a performance qualification

made for another employer, provided the Inspector specifically approves.
Acceptance is limited to qualification on piping using the same procedure wherein
the essential variables are within the limits in Section IX.

Qualification Records

The employer shall maintain a self-certified record, available to the Inspector of

procedures and welders employed.

328.3 Welding Materials

Filler metal shall conform to Section IX. Others may be used with the owner's
approval if a procedure qualification test is first successfully made.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 11

328.4 Preparation for Welding

Internal and external surfaces to be cut or welded shall be clean and free from paint,
oil, rust, scale and other material that can be detrimental to the weld. End
preparation is acceptable only if the surface is reasonably smooth and true, and
slag is removed. Groove weld details are found in 328.4.2.

Alignment shall be aligned within the dimensional limits in the WPS and the
engineering design.

328.5 Welding Requirements

a) Welds shall be made in accordance with a qualified procedure and by qualified

welders or welding operators.
b) Each welder shall be assigned an identification symbol. The welds shall be
marked or appropriate records shall be filed.
c) Tack welds shall be made with filler metal equivalent to that used in the root
pass. Tack welds shall be made by a qualified welder. Tack welds shall be fused
with the root pass, cracked tacks shall be removed, and bridge tacks shall be
removed.
d) Peening is prohibited on the root pass and final pass of a weld.
e) No welding shall be done if there is impingement on the weld area of rain, snow,
sleet, or excessive wind, or if the weld area is frosted or wet.

Details of fillet and socket welds, seal welds, welded branch connection welds
are given in this section.

328.6 Weld Repair

A weld defect to be repaired shall be removed to sound metal. Repair welds shall
be made using a qualified welding procedure.

330. Preheating

Preheating is used to minimize the detrimental effects of high temperature and

severe thermal gradients inherent in welding. Minimum recommended preheat
temperatures are given in Table 330.1.1. If the ambient temperature is below
freezing, the recommendations in Table 330.1.1 become requirements.

The preheat zone shall extend at least 1 inch beyond each edge of the weld.

331. Heat Treatment

Heat treatment is used to avert or relieve the detrimental effects of high temperature
and severe temperature gradients inherent in welding, and to relieve residual
stresses created by bending and forming.

General heat treatment requirements include Table 331.1.1 (Thickness and

material grouping ranges) and must be specified in the WPS. The rest of this section
deals with the specific requirements for heat treatment.

Refer to Table 330.1.1 Preheat Temperatures and Table 331.1.1 Requirements for
Heat Treatment.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 12

 Chapter VI

Inspection, Examination and Testing

340. Inspection

The term "Inspector" refers to the owner's Inspector or the Inspector's delegates.

It is the owner's responsibility, through the owner's Inspector, to verify that all
required examinations and testing have been completed and to inspect the piping
to the extent necessary to be satisfied that it conforms to all applicable examination
requirements of the Code and the engineering design.

The Inspector shall have access to any place where work concerned with the piping
installation is being performed. The Inspector shall be designated by the owner and
shall be the owner, an employee of the owner, an employee of an engineering or
scientific organization, or of a recognized insurance or inspection company acting
as the owner's agent.

The Inspector shall have not less than 10 years experiences in the design,
fabrication, or inspection of industrial pressure piping.

341. Examination

Examination applies to quality control functions performed by the manufacturer.

Inspection does not relieve the manufacturer of the responsibility for:

(a) providing materials, components, and workmanship

(b) performing all required examinations; and
(c) Preparing suitable records of examinations and tests for the Inspector's use.

The examiner shall be assured, by examination of certifications, records, and other

evidence, that the materials and components are of the specified grades and that
they have received required heat treatment, examination, and testing. The
examiner shall provide the Inspector with a certification that all the quality control
requirements of the code and the engineering design have been carried out.

342. Examination Personnel

Examiners shall have training and experience commensurate with the needs of the
specified examinations (ASNT SNT-TC-1A). Certifications by employers are
recognized. Note, for in-process examination, the examinations shall be performed
by personnel other than those performing the production work.

343. Examination Procedures

Any examination shall be performed in accordance with a written procedure that

conforms to ASME Section V.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 13

344. Types of Examination

 100% - complete examination

 Random – complete examination of a percentage
 Spot – partial examination
 Random spot – a specified partial examination of a percentage

344.2 Visual Examination

Visual examination (VT) is observation of the portion of components, joints, and

other piping elements that are or can be exposed to view before, during, or after
manufacture, fabrication, assembly, erection, examination, or testing.

Visual examination shall be performed in accordance with ASME Section V, Article

9.

344.3 Magnetic Particle Examination

Magnetic Particle (MT) examination shall be performed in accordance with section

V, Article 6.

344.4 Liquid Penetrant Examination

Liquid Penetrant (PT) examination shall be performed in accordance with Section

V, Article 6.

344.5 Radiographic Examination

Radiographic (RT) examination shall be performed in accordance with Section V,

Article 2.

 100% - applies only to girth and miter groove welds and to fabricated branch
connection welds.
 Random Radiography - Applies only to girth and miter groove welds.
 Spot Radiography - A single exposure radiograph.

344.6 Ultrasonic Examination

Ultrasonic (UT) examination shall be performed in accordance with Section V,

Article 5. Note: acceptance criteria are listed in paragraph 344.6.2.

344.7 In-Process Examination (Welding)

Welding in-process examination includes joint preparation and cleanliness;

preheating; preheating; fit-up, joint clearance, and internal alignment; variables
specified by the procedure, including filler metal and position; condition of the root
pass, slag removal and weld condition between passes; and appearance of the
finished joint. The examination is visual.

345. Testing (see ASME B31.3, 345.1c, 1 and 2) and (345.9.1)

Leak test, including hydrostatic, pneumatic or a combined hydrostatic pneumatic

test. Details of testing are listed in this section.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 14

346. Records

It is the responsibility of the piping designer, the manufacturer, the fabricator, and
the erector, as applicable, to prepare the records required by B 31.3. Examination
procedures and examination personnel qualifications records shall be retained for
at least 5 years after the record is generated.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 15

Chapter VII Non-metallic piping and piping lined with non-metals

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam)

Chapter VIII Piping for category M Fluid Service

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam)

Chapter IX High Pressure Piping

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix A Allowable stresses and quality factors for metallic piping and bolt
materials

Table A1 to Table A2 (Note with the introduction of Addenda 96 and 97,

many of the stress values have changed)

Appendix B Stress Tables and Allowable Pressure Tables for Nonmetals

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix C Physical Properties of Piping Materials

Table C1-C8

Refer to Table C-1 Total Thermal Expansion. Candidates are required to

be able to answer questions on total thermal expansion of a material
between temperatures.

Thermal Growth calculations

FL
G= G = Growth in inch
100
F = Factor from Table C-1
L = Length in feet

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 16

Appendix D Flexibility and Stress Intensification Factors

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix E Reference Standards

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix F Precautionary Considerations

Appendix G Safeguarding

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix H Sample Calculations for Branch Reinforcement

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix J Nomenclature

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix K Allowable stresses for High Pressure Piping

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix L Aluminum Alloy Pipe Flanges

Appendix M Guide To Classifying Fluid Services

Appendix V Allowable Variations In Elevated Temperature Service

Appendix X Metallic Bellows Expansion Joints

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Appendix Z Preparation of Technical Inquiries

(This section has been excluded from the API 570 exam.)

Index This can be an extremely useful tool in looking for items in B 31.3.

Chapter 7 – ASME B31.3 (2019 May) 17