HST Procedure and Guid Lines

Table of Contents
1 Introduction..................................................... ............................................................................2
2 Safety ............................................................. ............................................................................2
2.1 Warning .......................................................... ............................................................................2
2.2 Safety precautions.......................................... ............................................................................2
3 Pressure gauge requirements....................................................................................................2
4 Control of the test equipment ......................... ............................................................................3
5 Pressure test procedure ................................. ............................................................................3
5.1 Test medium ................................................... ............................................................................3
5.2 Test System ................................................... ............................................................................3
5.3 Test pressure ................................................. ............................................................................3
5.4 Pressurization................................................. ............................................................................3
5.5 Test Duration .................................................. ............................................................................3
6 Hydrostatic Leak Testing ................................ ............................................................................4
6.1 Hydrostatic leak test procedure ..................................................................................................4
6.1.1 Filling ......................................................... .................................................................................4
6.1.2 Pressurizing............................................... .................................................................................4
6.1.3 Leak test .................................................... .................................................................................4
6.1.4 Depressurizing .......................................... .................................................................................4
7 Acceptance Criteria ................................... .................................................................................4
8 Quality Records ......................................... .................................................................................4
9 HST Preparation................................................................................................................................. 4-5
 1 Introduction:

Pressure testing is carried out to prove the strength of equipment designed to contain pressure head. It may also
be employed to check equipment for leaks.

2 Safety:
Safety is of vital importance. Pressure and leak tests can apply high stress to untried joints and parts in the system.
Failure can occur by leaking or by cata- strophic rupture that can cause sudden, violent movement.
In some cases, leakage may immediately precede catastrophic rupture.
Inadequate attention to safety precautions may result in damage to equipment or cause injury or death of
personnel. These losses may not necessarily be confined to the actual equipment under test and may also not be
confined to the personnel directly involved in test.

2.1 Warning:
Death or serious injury can result from failure at a joint or connection during pressure and leak testing.

Keep all persons a safe distance away during testing. In the interest of safety, all non-essential personnel should
be kept clear of the test area.

The test section is to be supervised at all times during the test. Ensure that all piping is restrained against possible
movement from catastrophic failure at a joint or connection. When pressurized, faulty joints or con- nections may
separate suddenly causing violent and dangerous movement of piping or parts.

2.2 Safety and precaution:

Before applying pressure, all compo- nents in the test section must be restrained against movement. This means
that if parts separate during the test, they cannot move enough to cause damage or injury. Never conduct leak
tests on unre- strained piping.

Heat fusion joints must be properly cooled before testing.

Mechanical connections must be completely installed and tightened per manufacturer’s instructions.

It is also dangerous and unnecessary to apply any form of shock loading, such as hammer testing, dur- ing
examination of equipment under test.
Never approach or attempt to repair or stop leaks while the test section is pressurized. Always depres- surize the
test section before making repairs.

3 Pressure gauge requirement:

Gauges must be periodically calibrated, and this cali- bration must be documented.
Method of calibration should be with a calibrated mas- ter gauge or a standard deadweight tester.
The gauge must have an indication range of not less than 1,2 and not more than 5 times the test pressure.
The gauge must be clearly visible to the operator controlling the pressure.
A gauge should not be used if there is any doubt about its accuracy or functional condition.

4 Control and test equipment:

Before applying the pressure the test equipment shall be examined to see that all connections are tight.
When applying high pressure hydrostatic testing, a thorough inspection of the test equipment should be performed
immediately prior to the test and supple- mentary non destructive testing is advisable.
Ensure that all connections to test equipment are secure. Disconnect or isolate all low pressure filling lines and all
other parts that are not to be subjected to test pressure.
Screwed plugs and connections should never be tightened during pressurization as these may blow out or
otherwise fail. For tightening the mechanism is to be set pressure-free.
For hydrostatic testing only, flange bolts may be tight- ened to a reasonable degree but excessive force should
not be applied.
Test pumps shall be disconnected when unattended for any appreciable length of time. For brief unat- tendances,
valve isolation will suffice.

5 Prssure test procedure

5.1 Test medium

The most common form of pressure testing is the hydrostatic test. As the word implies, the pressurizing medium
is water.

5.2 Test system:

Testing may be conducted on the full system.

Before filling the test system with liquid, the arrange- ment should be checked to ensure that all air could be vented.
In addition to aiding leak detection, this also serves to minimize the energy stored and the poten- tial hazard.

A calibrated pressure gauge is installed on the top of the test system to record the test pressure.
A pump of adequate pumping capacity is connected to the test system via a hose with the required pres- sure
rating.

5.3 Test Pressure:

The test pressure is 150 % of the maximum allowable working pressure.

5.4 Pressurization:

Apply pressure through a pump connected to the pipe line.

During pressurization all flanged joints and screwed plugs should be checked for leakages and tightened and
sealed before continuing.

Raise the pressure as shown in the graph bellow

Pressure is then lowered to the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of the test system and held for a
visual inspection of all joints and connections

5.5 Test Duration:

When the required test pressure has been reached it should be held for a minimum time of 15 to 20 minutes.
During that period, the test system should be checked for any leaks in welded joints and any other source of leakage
from the test system. There should be no unexpected bulges or distortion of the test system.

CAUTION: Testing at excessive pressure or for ex- cessive time may damage the system.

After the test is performed, the section shall be de- pressurized and drained of all water.

6 Hydrostatic leak Testing

 6.1 Hydrostatic leak test procedure
Hydrostatic Leak Testing requires that a component be completely filled with a liquid such as water. Pres- sure
is slowly applied to the liquid until the required pressure is reached. This pressure is held for the required time at
which point the component is in- spected visually to locate leaks.

6.1.1 Filling
Fill the system, valves and con- tainers completely with water.
Ensure that there is no air trapped in the test system. Failure with entrapped air can result in explosive re- lease.
Use equipment vents at high points to remove air.

6.1.2 Pressurizing

The Penstokc system(Bifurcations and Branch penstocks) should be gradually brought up to normal
operating pressure, and held at normal operating pressure for at least 15 minutes. During this time,
joints and connections shall be visually examined for leakage

6.1.3 Leak test

When the required test pressure has been reached it should be held for a minimum time of 10 minutes.
During that period, the test system should be checked for any leaks in welded joints and any other source of leakage
from the test section

6.1.4 Depressurizing
At the conclusion of the test, carefully depressurize the test section by the controlled release of water.

7 Acceptance Criteria
If not specified in the pressure test schema or in spe- cific testing specifications, no leaks or drop of pres- sure are
evident during duration of test, the test shall be accepted.
If the pressure does not remain constant, then the leak will have to be located and repaired. The test procedure
will then be repeated again.

8 Quality Records
For each inspection a report „Pressure / Leak Test” shall be generated.

9 HST Preparation

The final tests for the bifurcation and branches welding works must be performed and ensure the weld joints are
accepted. The permission for the pressure test has to be given in prior.

All the construction spider support should be remove and area shall be cleared for permonace of hydro static test.

Bulk heads, all the accessories shall be attached as per the respective drawing.

The test pressure is 50% above the design pressure (maximum static head plus water hammer. According to
Hydraulic Transient Report, the Maximum pressure rise) 20.4kg/cm2. So, the Test pressure is 30.6 kg/cm2.

Before starting the pressure test, all connections should be properly done and saddle support shall be carried
and grouted properly to rest the total component.
The entire component which is going for hydro test must be filled with water and the traped air totally vented out.
HST shall be performed step by step, at each pressure step, pressure shall be held for duration of 10 minutes.
During this time inspection shall be carried to check the leakage or abnormal effect (cracking, destortion etc...),
record all the observations
Release the pressure as specified in the pressure diagram in order to relieve the stress in component,
Repeet the pressurisation for next step, continue the process as per pressurediagram upto the the final testing
pressure, hole the Pressure upto 15 to 20 minuts (at testing pressure 30.6 Kg/cm2).
Generally, there are 4 or 5 steps up to the maximum pressure. The pressure diagram is given below:

y - Pressure
35
30.6 30.6
30 (HST pressure)
20.4 KG/cm2
(Woorking pressure) 25 25
25
Pressure kg/cm2

20.4 20 20
20 20
15 15 15 15 20
15 15
10 10 10 15
10 10
10
6 10
5
5
5 6
3 0
0 3 0 0
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Time (Minute)