| (a) All safety and pressure relief valves for ASME
Sections I, IV, and VIII Division 1 boilers must be repaired, tested,
set, and sealed by one of the organizations listed in this section,
provided the scope of the issued certificate of authorization covers
the work to be performed.
(b) The following organizations are authorized to set
and seal safety appliances:
(1) an organization holding a valid V, HV, or UV certificate
of authorization, as appropriate, issued by the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers (ASME); or
(2) an organization holding a valid VR certificate
of authorization issued by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Inspectors; or
(3) an organization holding a valid owner/operator
certificate of authorization issued by the department to repair, test,
set and seal safety appliances for boilers meeting the requirements
of this chapter only at the approved owner/operators facilities. Such
authorization may be granted or withheld by the department.
(A) If authorization is granted and proper administrative
fees as provided for in §65.300, are paid, a certificate of authorization
will be issued, expiring on the triennial anniversary date. The certificate
shall indicate authorization to repair ASME Sections I, IV, or VIII
valves, as verified by testing and as covered by the repair organization's
quality control manual.
(B) The applicant should apply to the department for
renewal of authorization and reissuance of the certificate six (6)
months prior to the date of expiration.
(C) The owner/operator certificate of authorization
is renewable every three (3) years. Before issuance or renewal of
the certificate of authorization, the repair organization and its
facilities are subject to a review and demonstration of its quality
control system by an inspector. Original code books and the National
Board's Pressure Relief Device Certifications (NB-18), as required
to set and seal safety appliances, shall be available during the review
of the quality control system.
(D) Before the owner/operator certificate of authorization
may be issued or renewed, two valves which have been repaired by the
applicant must successfully complete operational verification tests
as follows:
(i) visual examination to ensure the quality of material
and workmanship;
(ii) verification that critical parts meet the valve
manufacturer's specifications. Critical parts that are replaced must
be fabricated to the valve manufacturer's specifications. Critical
parts which require repair shall meet the valve manufacturer's specifications;
(iii) tightness tests and verification; and
(iv) set pressure test and verification.
(E) The purpose of the tests is to ensure that the
function and operation of the valves meet the requirements of the
applicable section of the ASME Code to which they are manufactured.
Should any of the valves fail to meet the applicable requirements,
the test shall be repeated on two valves for each valve that failed.
Failure of any of these valves shall cause the applicant to investigate
and document the cause of failure and state what corrective action
has been taken to prevent future recurrences. Retest of the original
valve is acceptable. Following proper implementation of this corrective
action and after satisfactory performance, permission to receive the
certificate of authorization will be granted.
(F) Field repairs are defined as any repair conducted
outside a fixed repair shop location. Field repairs may be conducted
with the aid of mobile facilities with repair capabilities with or
without testing capabilities. Field repairs may be conducted in owner/operator
facilities without the use of mobile facilities. Organizations that
obtain the owner/operator certificate of authorization for in-shop/plant
repairs may also perform field repairs to safety and pressure relief
valves provided that:
(i) qualified technicians perform such repairs;
(ii) an acceptable quality control system covering
field repairs is maintained; and
(iii) periodic audits of the work carried out in the
field are made by quality control personnel of the certificate of
authorization holder to ensure that the requirements of the quality
control system are met.
(G) Provided the provisions in subparagraph (F)(i)
- (iii) are met, verification testing of field repaired valves shall
not be required.
(H) Organizations that perform field repairs only must
demonstrate field repair capabilities to an inspector before the certificate
of authorization may be issued or renewed. Two valves must be repaired
in the field and successfully complete verification tests as described
in subparagraph (D) and (E). A quality control manual as required
in subparagraph (J), must be prepared describing all field repair
activities.
(I) Repair of a safety and pressure relief valve is
considered to be the replacement, remachining, or cleaning of any
part, lapping of seat and disc, or any other operation which may affect
the flow passage, capacity, function, or pressure retaining integrity.
Disassembly, reassembly, and/or adjustments which affect the safety
or pressure relief valve function are also considered a repair. The
initial installation, testing, and adjustments of a new safety valve
or a pressure relief valve in a boiler are not considered a repair.
(J) In general, the quality control system shall describe
and explain what documents and procedures the owner/operator will
use to validate a valve repair. Before issuance or renewal of the
owner/operator certificate of authorization, the applicant must meet
all requirements, including an acceptable written quality control
system. The basic elements of a written quality control system shall
be those described in §65.615, Exhibit 9.
(i) The written quality control system shall also include
provisions for making revisions, enabling the system to be kept current
as required.
(ii) A review of the applicant's quality control system
will be performed by an inspector. The review will include a demonstration
of the implementation of the applicant's quality control system.
(iii) Each applicant to whom a certificate of authorization
is issued, shall maintain thereafter a controlled copy of the accepted
quality control manual with the inspector. Except for changes which
do not affect the quality control program, revisions to the quality
control manual shall not be implemented until such revisions are acceptable
to the inspector.
(K) It is essential that owner/operator valve repair
organizations ensure that personnel making repairs to safety and pressure
relief valves are knowledgeable and qualified. The owner/operator
shall provide documented training with minimum qualification requirements
for the valve repair position. Specific requirements to be included
in an individual's training are as follows:
(i) working knowledge of the organization's quality
control manual;
(ii) working knowledge of the applicable requirements;
and
(iii) working knowledge of the technical aspects and
mechanical skills for valves being repaired or tested.
(L) Performance testing of repaired valves.
(i) For shop valves, a test stand shall be used. The
test stand shall be of a size and design to ensure clean, consistent,
and repetitive pop action and response to blowdown adjustment, if
possible. Test gages shall be connected to the test stand in such
a manner as to indicate true pressure at the inlet of the valve being
tested. Test gages shall be maintained and calibrated, at least every
ninety (90) days, to a minimum of one-half of 1.0% accuracy over the
upper 80% of full scale range. The use of digital gages is acceptable.
All calibrations shall be documented and traceable to national standards.
(ii) Valves marked for liquid service shall be set
according to the applicable manufacturer's specification.
(iii) Valves marked for steam service or having special
internal parts for steam should be tested with steam. However, valves
for steam service may be tested with air or nitrogen for correct opening
(popping), pressure setting, and, if possible, blowdown adjustment,
provided the differential in popping pressure between steam and air
or nitrogen, as specified in the quality control manual, are applied
to the popping point.
(iv) Valves which are repaired in place shall be tested
to demonstrate set pressure.
(v) For valves which are repaired in place, a device
(hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.) may be used to apply an auxiliary lifting
load on the spring to a valve for testing purposes and/or making adjustments.
Calibrated testing equipment shall be used and detailed testing procedures
followed. In such cases, the manufacturer's recommendations shall
be used to establish blowdown.
(M) When a safety or pressure relief valve is repaired,
a metal repair tag, as described in the quality control manual, shall
be attached to the valve. As a minimum, the information on the tag
will include the valve identification number, set pressure, date of
repair, and certificate of authorization number.
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