ASME Section VIII Division 3, 2023 Edition – Alternative Rules for Construction of High Pressure Vessels

Section VIII, Division 3 – This Division of Section VIII provides requirements applicable to the design, fabrication, inspection, testing, and certification of pressure vessels operating at either internal or external pressures generally above 10,000 psi. Such vessels may be fired or unfired. This pressure may be obtained from an external source, a process reaction, by the application of heat from a direct or indirect source, or any combination thereof. Division 3 rules cover vessels intended for a specific service and installed in a fixed location or relocated from work site to work site between pressurizations. The operation and maintenance control is retained during the useful life of the vessel by the user who prepares or causes to be prepared the design specifications. Division 3 does not establish maximum pressure limits for either ASME Section VIII Div.1 or ASME Section VIII Div.2, nor minimum pressure limits for this Division. Rules pertaining to the use of the UV3 ASME Product Certification Marks are also included.

What are the key changes for 2023 BPVC Section VIII, Division 3 (ASME BPVC-VIII-3)?

• In KD-430, the minimum Delta Kth for the calculation of crack growth rates now includes Carbon and low-alloy steels with Sy less than or equal to 90ksi (620MPa).
• KD-322 provides additional clarity on the logarithmic interpolation between tabular values for individual design curves in Figures KD-320.1, KD-320.1M, KD-320.2, and KD-320.2M. This new edition allows for linear interpolation for an intermediate ultimate tensile strength
• KM-270 now includes the notch tensile-strength test along with the calculation of the notch strength ratio.
• KM-234.1 (b) has been revised to lower the minimum-design-metal temperature for all materials that are not fully austenitic stainless steels.
• KG-310, KG-311, and KG-323, along with KD-740 were revised to support manufactures seeking to use a single user’s design specification for the production of vessel designs intended for use across multiple jurisdictions.

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