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Supplementary guidance to HSG 28 on chlorine jointing

good practice

Issued November 2010

Revised June 2019
Document Reference CSG6
Approved at Chlorine Covenant meeting 20 June 2019
© Chemical Industries Association
Responsible Care:
continuously improving health, safety
and environmental performance
Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service

Contents

1. Introduction 3
2. Flange design 4
3. Gasket material 5
4. Joint breaking/assembly 6
5. Fitting resource 9
6. Documentation/control 9
7. Testing and inspection 10

Chemical Industries Association

All rights reserved. Except for normal review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced, utilised, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by
any information, storage, or retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher.

2 Approved at Chlorine Covenant meeting 20 June 2019

© Chemical Industries Association
Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service

1 Introduction There are no limitations on further distribution of this guideline

to other organisations outside of the CIA Chlorine Users’
Network, provided that:
This guidance document describes good practice that should
• The Chlorine Covenant members accept no responsibility in
be followed when considering jointing good practice be used
terms of the use or misuse of this document.
on chlorine installations.
• The report is distributed in a read only format, such that the
It is an expectation that Covenant members will have
name and content is not changed.
performed a gap analysis against the requirements of HSG28
and the Covenant Expectation guidance within this document. • It is understood that no warranty is given in relation to the
Where gaps are identified, an action plan or reasoned accuracy or completeness of information contained in the
demonstration that risks are ALARP will be needed. report except that it is believed to be correct at the time of
publication.
This guidance updates and expands upon HSG28 paragraph
56, bullets f, h, i and j. It recognises the importance of
the highest standards of jointing in avoidance of loss of
containment from chlorine pipe work systems. Particular care
is necessary for liquid chlorine containing systems where
even small leaks represent a significant hazard to people. This
guidance document focuses on liquid chlorine systems but
can be applied to chlorine gas systems particular at higher
pressures. Even very low leak rates (e.g. permeation) can also
give rise to an extremely corrosive environment around bolting
on lagged joints which could result in gross joint failure.
It is expected that any situations where guidance is not fully
adopted that the risks are assessed by site management. The
purpose of the risk assessment is to ensure that all hazards
and risk potentials have been identified and that there are
adequate control measures in place to ensure the correct
mitigations are carried out prior to commencing the task.
This includes isolations, competency and resource, gasket
materials, tools, testing method and inspection.
The guidance has been reviewed by signatories to the UK
Chlorine Covenant (chlorine manufacturing and industrial user
companies, the HSE, Environment Agency and SEPA, and
agreed as representing good practice. Following the guidance
is not compulsory and organisations are free to take other
action. However, the Competent Authority, in seeking to
secure compliance with the law, may refer to this guidance as
illustrating good practice.

Approved at Chlorine Covenant meeting 20 June 2019 3

© Chemical Industries Association
Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service

2 Flange design Pipe work design should consider both normal operation and
also the potential for mechanical damage e.g. from impact. In
addition to the measures identified in HSG28 paragraph 56 it
The standard used on liquid chlorine systems in the UK is therefore good practice on liquid chlorine systems to:
are weld neck raised face flanges with a serrated grooved
• specify a minimum pipe bore of at least 1”, preferably 1½”
finish (spiral/gramophone or concentric circle) with a surface
roughness of typically Ra 3.2 to 6.4μm or CLA 125 to 250. • use above standard pipe schedules at smaller diameters
However, a narrower range surface finish may be required for (schedule 80 to at least 2” nominal bore)
some gaskets and should be agreed with the gasket supplier. • avoid ‘set on’ or ‘set through’ branches at small sizes and
For example, where compressed fibre or filled PTFE gaskets preferably use either tees or reinforced branch connections
are used a finish of Ra 6.5 to 12.5 μm is often preferred: for such as weldolets.
camprofile or spiral wound gaskets RA 3.2 to 6.3 μm is often
preferred
Slip on flanges are an option for use on gaseous chlorine
systems.
Tongue and groove flange designs give improved sealing
integrity, but this benefit is considered to be outweighed by
the increased difficulties of maintenance work.
Minimum flange ratings are defined based on the required
design pressures and temperatures using ASME B16.5 or
EN 1759-1. On liquid chlorine systems, however, a minimum
flange rating of Class 300 (ASME B16.5) or PN40 (EN1759-
1) is generally adopted to give improved sealing from the
increased flange thicknesses and bolt numbers (at small
diameters).
Stud bolts are used to the following specifications:
• Grade L7 studs with L4 nuts
or
• Grade B7 studs with H2 nuts that comply with BS4882
(minimum design temperature -50°C) or ASTM A193
(minimum design temperature -48°C for bolts up to 2.5”
diameter).
Further details can be found in BS4882, ASTM A193 and GEST
88/134.

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© Chemical Industries Association
Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service
3 Gasket material
The Asbestos (Prohibitions) (Amendment) Regulations 1999,
which came into effect on 24 November 1999, prohibited the
importation, supply and use of white asbestos and of products
containing white asbestos. This included CAF gaskets which
were the standard gasket type used on chlorine pipe work.
Given the variety of gaskets that can be used successfully
on chlorine applications, no one gasket type has since
become the UK industry standard. CAF gaskets that were
in service prior to November 1999 will be replaced with
alternative materials as an when they are disturbed through
maintenance.
The gaskets used in the UK with success fall generally into
4 main groups:
• Filled PTFE
• Camprofile
• Spiral wound gaskets
• Fibre based.
Substrated joints (e.g. Camprofile, spiral wound) offer
additional protection against segmental blowout failure which
is particularly advantageous where thicker joints are required.
For a more comprehensive list of gasket types used across
Europe see the Euro Chlor publication GEST 94/216.
Gasket performance is dependent on many factors
including manufacturer, joint loading and surface condition.
Manufacturers do not fully test gasket materials under
chlorine service conditions so operating experience is critical
to gasket selection.
3.1 Filled PTFE
Chemically stable and easy to fit, the filled PTFE ranges are
widely used within Europe and North America. This is a good
material for chlorine gas and liquid duties, although some
assessment may be required for temperature extremes and
frequent thermal cycling. Long term creep has been a historic
concern with PTFE based materials, but product development
and worldwide experience is building evidence of good
resistance. Trapped gasket flanges provide additional stability
for filled PTFE on liquid duty. These products offer some of the
lowest residual gas leakage rates available.
Approved at Chlorine Covenant meeting 20 June 2019
© Chemical Industries Association
The grades of filled PTFE used in the UK with success are:
• Barium sulphate filled PTFE: Gylon 3510 (off white)
• Glass micro sphere filled PTFE: Klinger Topchem 2003 (blue)
• Gylon 3504 (blue)
• Borosilicate filled PTFE Flexitallic Sigma 511.
Thicknesses of 1.5mm to 3mm are typical.
Note that the use of low-quality glass flake filled PTFE gaskets
has lead to cases of chlorine migration through the gasket.
3.2 Camprofile
These are a solid stainless-steel core, typically 2.5mm thick,
with concentric grooves machined into the faces and graphite
laid over the face at 0.5mm thick, 3.5mm overall gaskets
thickness is the minimum available size. They are a high cost,
high integrity design, with very few disadvantages other then
price. Experience on liquid and gaseous service is good. They
have a low seating stress and are very tolerant of poor surface
finish because the graphite coating is able to fill flange surface
imperfections.
The specification used in the UK with success is:
• Klinger Maxi Profile 109 LA1 (316S/S core with graphite
coated faces).
3.3 Spiral wound gaskets
There are pre-formed metallic winding strips with layers
of softer more compressible sealing material which during
compression flows and fills imperfections in the flange
surface when the gasket is seated. The metal strip holds
the filler and gives the gasket mechanical resistance and
resilience, which can be further improved by inner and outer
solid rings.
The specification used in the UK with success is:
• Klinger CRIR (316S/S inner ring, C/S outer ring and
PTFE/316S/S filler)
3.4 Fibre based
They are similar in mechanical properties to CAF and are easy
to fit.
Aramid suffers some chlorination, and embrittlement below
-20°C (after a few years service), and hence is suitable for
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Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service
short term applications such as tanker loading and long term
applications in trapped gasket design such as tongue and
groove flanges.
These gasket types are typically used on tanker loading and
off-loading joint and are only used for one transfer before
replacement.
The grades of fibre gaskets used in the UK with success are:
• Aramid fibre based: Reinz AFM34
• Glass fibre based: Klinger SIL C-4430.
6 Approved at Chlorine Covenant meeting 20 June 2019
4 Joint breaking/assembly
4.1 Breaking a joint
When breaking a joint a permit to work is mandatory and the
following precautions should be taken:
• Before breaking the joint, ensure beyond all doubt that
the line or piece of equipment being worked on has been
correctly isolated and vented to atmospheric pressure, and
flushed and purged if appropriate. The permit issuer is to
prove this to the permit acceptor by walking the isolations
prior to commencing the task. Refer to isolation guidance
HSG 253 to ensure correct isolation procedures are
followed and carried out.
• At Initial Cl2 System break-ins appropriate PPE should be
worn as governed by the permit to work.
• Ensure that all safety precautions and work permit
instructions are in place and strictly adhered to regarding
isolations, PPE, barriers and competency.
• Work party to ensure that the pipework is adequately
supported and be aware that pipes may ‘spring’.
• Take a position upwind of the flange whenever possible.
Never stand in line radially with the flange face and always
work above it never below a flange. Release the bolt
furthest away, allowing any residual pressure of liquid or
vapour to blow away from you. Do not remove the nut and
bolt at this stage.
• Continue to release the remaining flange nuts, but do not
separate them from the bolts until the flange has been
fully broken (use a fox wedge or similar to break the joint if
required.)
• If a bolt is found to be seized, ensure all other bolts are
refitted and torqued. The seized bolt may need cutting off
to allow removal. There needs to be a review of the risk
assessment to ensure this step if fully covered regarding
risks, controls and mitigation. Once the seized bolt has
been removed, it should be replaced with a new bolt to
ensure control is maintained over the joint until it has been
broken. Only when the joint has been broken and proven
to be clear from pressure and substance, can the bolts be
removed.
•  Note: It could be the fifth or sixth bolt to be released before
the seal is broken.
© Chemical Industries Association
Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service
4.2 Pre-assembly inspection
Prior to fitting the gasket, the following issues need checking
by the fitter:
Gasket condition
• clean and dry i.e. no dirt, debris or grease.
• no mechanical damage e.g. scoring, scratches etc.
Flange face condition
• clean and dry i.e. all traces of previous gaskets, jointing
compounds, grease or general dirt or debris removed.
• no corrosion or erosion
• no mechanical damage e.g. scoring or scratches –
especially radially
• any gramophone (spiral or concentric) finish in good
condition i.e. surface roughness complies with design
intent
Flange condition
• any corrosion product removed from faces that may prevent
gasket loading.
• flange thickness in excess of minimum allowable (to avoid
flange distortion).
Approved at Chlorine Covenant meeting 20 June 2019
© Chemical Industries Association
Stud and nut condition
• studs, or bolts, and nut thread forms are in good condition
• nuts run easily along studs/bolts
• nut faces, and mating flange faces are in good condition
Note: For infrequent maintenance tasks it may be simpler to
replace the studs and nuts rather than inspect.
Flange face alignment
• installed with minimal angular and offset misalignment.
• installed with minimal axial gap i.e. do not need forcing to
pull up.
Presuming the above inspections show the joint assembly to
be acceptable the fitter will then progress with the assembly
of the joint:
4.3 Stud lubrication
It is critical on any chlorine application that no hydrocarbon-
based lubricants come into contact with chlorine i.e. in the
pipe bore or on the flange or gasket faces. However, for un-
lubricated bolt threads there may be up to a 50% variation in
bolt loading for a given torque. Therefore, it is good practice
that lubrication is used to ensure consistent bolt loading and
correctly seat the joint.
Studs/nuts must therefore be installed with a smear of
lubricant on the nut that is being tightened - both on the
threads and also the nut face that will rotate against the
flange.
However, it is important to ensure that any grease used is
compatible with chlorine (for example Halocarbon grease
25-5S from CRM, and Solvay ‘Fomblin PF2G’ supplied by
Swantek.).
4.4 Gasket fitting
1. The lower bolts should be fitted first, and the gasket slid
into place, making sure that it is not damaged when being
inserted.
2. The remaining bolts should then be fitted.
3. Centralise the gasket within the flange face, if necessary
due to its geometry.
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Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service

4.5 Bolt tightening If calibrated torque spanners are used then it should be
The bolts must be tightened following a cross bolting pattern recognised that the output in terms of bolt tension will still
to ensure uniform gasket loading. vary by ±30% and hence the torque settings chosen should
account for this variation i.e. select a torque setting >30%
above the minimum gasket seating stress for the application,
while ensuring that the gasket and bolt cannot be overloaded.
The torque settings should be calculated on a case by case
basis dependant on the flange and joint design, bolt materials,
process duty etc. The use of torque spanners does not reduce
the need for good fitting practices in achieving a good joint
seal.
Further information (non-specific to chlorine) on joint assembly
can be found in:
• ESA/FSA publication 009/98 – Guidelines for safe seal use
– Flanges and gaskets, Part 1: guidelines for maintenance
operators/engineers and fitters
Figure 1: Typical cross bolting pattern for an 8-bolt flange = 1,
• Guidelines for the management of integrity of bolted joints
5, 7, 3, 8, 4, 6, 2.
for pressurised systems, 2nd edition, Energy Institute, ISBN
978 0 85293 461 6.
The bolts should be tightened in at least three passes, for
example with the initial pass to around ⅓ final load, the
second pass to ⅔ final load and the final pass to full load.
It is recommended there is always a further final pass around
the whole flange clockwise i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… This ensures
that no stud has been accidentally missed by an error in the
cross-pattern sequence.
The bolt load can be set in a number of ways:
a. Calibrated torque spanner
b. Rotabolts
c. Bolt tensioning
d. Fitter experience (last resort).
While on large flanges, e.g. vessel dished ends, rotabolts or
bolt tensioning may be used, for typical chlorine pipework and
manlid flanges on vessels the load should normally controlled
using calibrated torque spanners.
If space is at a premium when trying to torque a flange, then
spigot torque wrenches may be used with spigot wrench
fittings. This allows open end spanner fittings to access the
nut.

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© Chemical Industries Association
Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service
5 Fitting resource
The selection of fitting resource for chlorine joints is key to
successful jointing, high standards are required in the joint
inspection, assembly and tightening. It is good practice to
train and validate chlorine joint fitters prior to completing this
work to verify their:
• Training and experience
• Knowledge of chlorine engineering issues e.g. reactions
with hydrocarbon-based greases, titanium, etc
• Knowledge of the hazards of chlorine leakage e.g. toxicity.
• Knowledge of particular standards used in the local area e.g.
gasket type, material, flange type, bolt loading procedures,
alignment acceptance criteria, paperwork systems, etc.
Approved at Chlorine Covenant meeting 20 June 2019
© Chemical Industries Association
6 Document control
Chlorine joints should be tagged, or fitting certificates
completed, by the fitter, to record, as a minimum, when the
joint was fitted and by whom. The use of fitting certificates is
preferred as this allows further details to be recorded such as:
• that the correct gasket has been fitted
• that the pre-assembly inspections were completed e.g.
gasket and flange face condition
• that the correct bolt tightening procedure was followed.
On critical joints the responsible engineer, or their nominee,
should witness/inspect the gasket, flange faces, pipe work
alignment and joint installation process and tightening. A
critical joint would be defined locally but typically be a joint
that cannot be isolated and retains a significant liquid chlorine
inventory e.g. first joint on the branch of a stock tank before
the isolation valve.
On sites with few chlorine joints it may be appropriate to
control joint fitting standards by using a few nominated,
trained and supervised personnel.
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Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service

7 Testing and inspection

(see HSG28 para 208)

A 5-step procedure is typical after maintenance:

1. A detailed physical inspection to check all pipe work, bolts,
joints, blanks etc. are in place and suitable aligned/tight.
2. A low-pressure air or nitrogen leak test prior to lagging of
flanges to highlight any obvious leaks.
3. A sustained test over several hours using air or nitrogen at
or just above operating pressure.
4. A low-pressure toxic leak test using air and chlorine gas
prior to lagging. This test is ideally completed above the
normal operating pressure but below the design pressure.
During the toxic leak test all joints should be inspected and
tested with an ammonia bottle for leakage (no white fume
formation).
5. Close supervision by the operating team of the system
being returned to service after lagging of all flanges.

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© Chemical Industries Association
Guidance on the preparation of chlorine tanks for inspection and return to service
Revision history:
Revision No. Date
1 July 2012
2 July 2018
3 Jan 2019
4 April 2019
5 June 2019
Approved at Chlorine Covenant meeting 20 June 2019
© Chemical Industries Association
Changes made
Amendment to para. 3.2
Unsuitable grease quoted. This
removed and replaced with
suitable example greases.
Breaking a joint section created 3
Various comments from ICV
and MCP built into the text for
discussion
Document finalised for reviewing
incorporating Nufarm, ICV
and MCP comments and
amendments
Comments added to sections 1
and 4 following on from Covenant
review
11
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pharmaceu
cal businesses

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© Chemical Industries Association

December 2017

Responsible Care:
continuously improving health, safety
and environmental performance