Pressure Testing: Purpose, Regulation Requirements and Its Risk Factors

Pressure Testing has a great importance among industrial processes, as it is a non-destructive test that verifies the system’s integrity of pressure shell on new or old installed tools and equipment; this mechanism also has the ability to detect tightness of a system against leakage.

Pressure Testing has equally importance in the fabrication process, and it is a last physical quality test that performs in a controlled environment. Most of the piping codes require this test, to ensure that repaired or a new piping system is capable to maintain its safety against rated pressure and leakage. 

Most of the regulatory and enforcement agencies compliance to piping codes that mandates for the construction of the system. Nowadays, Pressure testing is mainly preferred due to good safety considerations, whether Pressure Testing is legally backed or not, it serves constructively by protecting works and public.

Pressure Testing establishes a pressure rating for required components. It may also be used to establish a safe rating by calculating various special systems. Before start-up of new systems, Pressure Testing is performed to confirm the integrity of vessels and to obtain relevant certification.

Regulation Requirements for Pressure Test

Pressure Testing is also demanded by the regulation requirements. The important points of these regulation requirements are given below:

• By using the hydrostatic method, all the pressure piping leak tests must be conducted.
• A pressure piping system will not test at a temperature that is colder than its minimum allowed temperature.
• When conducting a Pressure Test, a contractor must considered the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature and the possibility of brittle fracture.

The biggest advantage of Pressure Testing is that it can be performed at low working pressure. The fatal disadvantage of pressure testing, exposure to aged equipment with poor toughness could result in the brittle fracture.

From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the pressure test procedure confirms safety. The purpose of such procedure is to ensure pressure tests are conducted safely and effectively. They apply to mechanics, supervisors, inspectors and subcontractors responsible for pressure tests. Pressure tests are performed to verify the reliability, and leak tightness of pressure systems. A pressure test is required for a new pressure system before use or an existing pressure system after repair or alteration.