815 KAR 15:025. New
installations, general design, construction and inspection criteria for
boilers, pressure vessels and pressure piping.
RELATES TO: KRS
Chapter 236
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
KRS 236.030, 236.120
NECESSITY, FUNCTION,
AND CONFORMITY: KRS 236.030 and 236.120 authorizes the executive director,
through the Board of Boiler Rules, to fix reasonable fees and standards for the
safe construction, installation, inspection and repair of boilers, pressure
vessels and associated pressure piping. This administrative regulation is
necessary to establish the design, construction and inspection criteria
requirements of the boiler inspection section for all boilers and pressure
vessels not exempted by KRS 236.060. This administrative regulation
incorporates provisions contained in other 815 KAR Chapter 15 administrative
regulations which are being repealed simultaneously.
Section 1. Minimum
Standards. (1) Boiler and pressure vessels. All new boilers and pressure
vessels, except those approved pursuant to Section 5 of this administrative
regulation as "state specials," shall comply with applicable
provisions of 815 KAR Chapter 15 of the Kentucky administrative regulations and
the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code/1989, which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
(a) It is published
by and available from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), United
Engineering Center, 345 East 47th Street, New York, New York 10017.
(b) A copy is also
available to be inspected at the Office of Housing, Buildings and Construction,
101 Sea Hero Road, Suite 100, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-5405, Monday through
Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(c) Compliance with
a later edition of this code shall be deemed equivalent and may be used in lieu
of the edition specified.
(2) Details of
vessels of special design not covered by the code or not fully complying with
the ASME Code shall be submitted to the Boiler Section of the State Fire
Marshal's Office and approval secured before field erection or construction
shall begin.
(3) Pressure piping.
(a) All new pressure
piping installations connected to the boiler or pressure vessel shall conform
to the standards set forth in the ASME Code for Power Piping, B.31.1, 1989
edition, an American National Standard, which is hereby incorporated by
reference. For low pressure boilers, the metallic piping material allowed by
B.31.9 shall be acceptable.
1. The Power Piping
Code is published by and available from the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, United Engineering Center, 345 East 47th Street, New York, New
York 10017.
2. Copies are also
available to be inspected at the Office of Housing, Buildings and Construction,
101 Sea Hero Road, Suite 100, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-5405, Monday through
Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
3. Compliance with a
later edition of this code shall be deemed equivalent and may be used in lieu
of the edition specified.
(b) The maximum
allowable design temperature and pressure of the piping system and all of its
component parts shall meet or exceed the operating control settings of the
boiler itself.
(c) If the maximum
allowable design temperature or pressure of the boiler exceeds the maximum
design limits of the piping system or any of its component parts, the pipe or
its components shall not be used unless the temperature and pressure controls
on the boiler are permanently set to prevent operation in excess of the design
limits of the piping system and safety valves are added to activate at the
maximum design limits of the piping system.
(4) Welded joints.
Welded joints shall be installed by qualified welders in accordance with the
ASME Code, Section IX. Welded joints shall be visually inspected for complete
and full root penetration, soundness of the weld and freedom from undercutting,
cracking and other surface imperfections in accordance with Section 3(5) of
this administrative regulation.
Section 2.
Manufacturer's Data Report. A manufacturer's data report on all boilers of
steel construction and all pressure vessels conducted in accordance with ASME
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code shall be filed with the National Board of
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors unless the boiler or pressure vessel is
exempted by KRS 236.060.
Section 3.
Installation Inspection or First Inspection and Stamping of New Boilers and
Pressure Vessels. (1) Stamping. Upon completion of the installation or at the
time of first inspection, a Commonwealth of Kentucky serial number shall be
assigned to the boiler or pressure vessel and shall be applied to the boiler or
pressure vessel as follows:
(a) Steel boilers
shall be stamped with the letters, "KY" followed by the state serial
number assigned, and pressure vessels shall be stamped with the letters
"KY" followed by the numeral "K" and the remainder of the
state serial number assigned. The stamping shall be accomplished as follows:
1. Stamping shall be
applied in the immediate area of code stamping on the boiler or pressure vessel
and shall be in letters and figures not less than five-sixteenths (5/16) inch
in height.
2. A metal tag may
additionally be used showing identical lettering and serial number as used in
the stamping, this tag shall be securely affixed in the area of the
manufacturer's name plate or data plate.
(b) Cast iron
boilers shall have securely attached to the boiler (preferably adjacent to the
manufacturer's data plate or in the most conspicuous area) a metal tag not less
than one (1) inch in height on which the letters "KY" and the state
serial number shall be stamped.
(c) Hot water supply
boilers shall have securely attached to the heater (preferably adjacent to the
manufacturer's data plate or in the most conspicuous area) a metal tag not less
than one (1) inch in height on which the letters "KY" and the state
serial number shall be stamped.
(d) A boiler or
pressure vessel having the standard stamping of another state that has adopted
a standard of construction equivalent to the standard of the Commonwealth of
Kentucky may be accepted by the office if the person desiring to install the
boiler or pressure vessel shall make application for the installation and shall
file with this application the manufacturer's data report covering the
construction of the boiler in question.
(2) Shop or field
inspection. Any new power boiler, steel heating boiler, pressure vessel or
piping being constructed for installation in the Commonwealth of Kentucky
shall be shop or field inspected in accordance with the provisions of the
applicable section of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and shall be
stamped with the applicable ASME code stamp and the applicable national board
registration number. Applicable copies of the data sheets shall be supplied to
the Boiler Inspection Section.
(3) Installation
inspection. New installations of boilers and of unfired pressure vessels and
associated pressure piping shall be inspected by the office for compliance with
applicable ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code requirements and this administrative
regulation.
(4) General welding.
If welded assembly has been used, the installing contractor shall present for
the inspector's review his welding procedures and proof of qualification of his
welding operators. The contractor shall be responsible for the quality of the
welding done by his organization.
(5) Welded joints.
If applicable codes or engineering specifications require additional tests or
if the visual inspection reveals a potential defect or if joints have been
insulated prior to inspection, the inspector may require other nondestructive
tests, such as radiography, to be performed by the contractor to verify the
soundness of the weld. All tests or retests required by the inspector shall be
at the owner's or contractor's expense.
(6) Hydrostatic
pressure test. A hydrostatic pressure test, when applied to a boiler or unfired
pressure vessel of riveted or welded construction, shall not exceed one and
one-half (1 1/2) times the maximum allowable working pressure. The pressure
shall be under proper control so that in no case shall the required test
pressure be exceeded by more than two (2) percent. During the hydrostatic
pressure test, the safety valve or valves shall be removed or each valve disc
shall be held down by means of a testing clamp (hand tight) and not by screwing
down the compression screw upon the spring. The minimum temperature of the
water used to apply a hydrostatic test shall not be less than ambient
temperature, but in no case less than seventy (70) degrees Fahrenheit and the
maximum temperature shall not exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If the only
purpose of the test is to determine tightness, the test pressure shall be equal
to the relieving pressure of the safety valve having the lowest relief setting.
(7) Pressure piping
systems installed in association with the boiler or pressure vessel shall be
inspected for proper materials, adequate pressure and temperature ranges for
the boiler operation and for adequate support and tightness as follows:
(a) Hydrostatic tests.
Hydrostatic tests shall be performed on the pressure piping system connected to
the boiler at one and one-half (1 1/2) times the maximum allowable pressure of
the boiler when the installation is complete.
(b) Code compliance.
Pressure piping inspection shall include determining compliance with design
plans, material specifications and ASME Code for the piping and component
parts. The contractor shall document to the inspector that:
1. That the piping
installation and each of its component parts conforms to the design;
2. That the
materials used and method of construction meets the manufacturer's procedures
and specifications; and
3. That the system
is utilizing the materials and equipment specified within the temperature and
pressure ranges set forth in the design and as required by Section 1(3)(c) of
this administrative regulation.
Section 4. Notification
of Inspection. The owner or user shall prepare each boiler for internal
inspection and shall prepare for and apply a hydrostatic pressure test on the
date specified by the inspector. The inspection shall not be less than seven
(7) days after the date of notification.
Section 5. State
Special. (1) Boilers and pressure vessels of special design equivalent to the
ASME Code and vessels designed and fabricated according to the standards of the
applicable sections of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, but not
stamped with the ASME symbol stamp, shall meet the requirements of this
section. The prospective owner or user who desires approval of the boiler
installation as a state special shall pursue the following procedure in each
individual case.
(a) Prior to
installation and operation of the boiler or pressure vessel, the proposed
owner, user, or his authorized agent shall make written application for
permission to install the boiler or pressure vessel in the state of Kentucky. The application shall be directed to the Chief Boiler Inspector, Office of the
State Fire Marshal, office of Housing, Buildings and Construction, 101
Sea Hero Road, Suite 100, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-5405.
(b) To establish
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code equivalency, the following data, material
and information shall be submitted with the application for permit and approved
by the Boiler Inspection Section, office of Housing, Buildings and Construction:
1. Detailed shop
drawings and welding details of the proposed construction. All materials shall
be in the English language and United States units of measurements listed in
the ASME Code.
2. Design
calculations and supporting data which shall include pressure (psi),
temperature (deg. F.), use and other service conditions.
3. Specifications
for all construction materials. The specifications shall conform to the
applicable ASME Code standards or their suitable equivalent. If reference is
made to a standard or specification of a country other than the United States, a copy shall be attached to indicate how the material is considered
equivalent.
4. Copies of the
welding procedures to be used and welding qualification test reports for each
welding operator or welder to be used. The procedures and tests required in
this paragraph shall be made in accordance with the ASME Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Code, Section IX, "Welding Qualifications."
5. If the design
exceeds ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code limitation, recognized engineering
practices shall be used and identified in the submittal.
6. Design drawings
and calculations shall be certified by a professional engineer holding a
license acceptable to the boiler inspection section.
7. The manufacturer
of the vessel shall identify the inspection agency responsible for the shop
inspections and manufacturer's data reports for the proposed vessel.
8. The shop
inspection agency shall furnish the qualifications and experience of the
individual inspector or inspectors assigned to make the shop inspections and
shall give his jurisdiction commission number.
(2) When the boiler
or pressure vessel is completed, a manufacturer's data report, signed by the
manufacturer and shop inspector, shall be submitted to the jurisdictional
authorities containing the equivalent type data required by the ASME Boiler and
Pressure Vessel Code. ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code data report forms
shall not be used.
(3) Upon arrival in
the state of Kentucky, the boiler or pressure vessel shall be inspected before
installation by a qualified boiler and pressure vessel inspector in the employ
of the office to verify that the above provisions have been complied with and
that the vessel is properly marked and stamped for identification.
Section 6. General
Requirements. (1) Low water fuel cutoff or water-feeding device (low pressure
boilers).
(a) Automatically
fired steam or vapor-system boilers shall have an automatic low-water fuel
cutoff located to automatically cut off the fuel supply when the water falls to
the lowest part of the water gauge glass. If a water-feeding device is
installed, it shall be constructed so that the water inlet valve cannot feed
water into the boiler through the float chamber and located to supply requisite
feed water.
(b) A fuel cutoff or
water-feeding device may be attached directly to a boiler.
(c) A fuel cutoff or
water-feeding device may also be installed in the tapped openings available for
attaching a water glass directly to a boiler under the following conditions:
1. The connections
shall be made to the boiler with nonferrous tees or Y's not less than one-half
(1/2) inch pipe size between the boiler and the water glass so that the water
glass is attached directly and as close as possible to the boiler;
2. The run of the
tee and Y shall take the water glass fittings and the side outlet or branch of
the tee or Y shall take the fuel cutoff or water-feeding device.
(d) The ends of all
nipples shall be reamed to full-size diameter.
(e) Fuel cutoffs and
water-feeding devices embodying a separate chamber shall have a vertical drain
pipe and a blowoff valve not less than three-fourths (3/4) inch pipe size and
located at the lowest point in the water equalizing pipe connections so that
the chamber and the equalizing pipe can be flushed and the device tested.
(2) Safety appliances.
The safety appliances prescribed by these administrative regulations shall not
be removed or tampered with except for the purpose of making repairs. The
resetting of safety valves shall be done by a V-R stamp holder.
(3) Location of
discharges to atmosphere. The discharge of safety valves, blowoff pipes, and
other outlets shall be located so as to prevent injury to personnel.
(4) Pressure
reducing valves (high pressure boilers).
(a) If pressure
reducing valves are used, one (1) or more relief or safety valves shall be
provided on the low pressure side of the reducing valve in case the piping or
equipment on the low pressure side does not meet the requirements for the full
initial pressure. The relief or safety valves shall be located either adjoining
or as close as possible to the reducing valve. Proper protection shall be
provided to prevent injury or damage caused by the escaping steam from the
discharge or safety valves if vented to the atmosphere. The combined discharge
capacity of the relief valve shall be such that the pressure rating of the
lower pressure piping or equipment shall not be exceeded in case the reducing
valve sticks open.
(b) The use of
hand-controlled bypasses around reducing valves shall be permissible. The
bypass, if used around a reducing valve, shall not be greater in capacity than
the reducing valve unless the piping or equipment is adequately protected by
relief valves or meets the requirements of the high pressure system.
(c) A pressure gauge
shall be installed on the low pressure side of a reducing valve.
(5) Electric
boilers. All appliances required for electric boilers shall be attached in
accordance with the National Electrical Code and the following requirements:
(a) The grounding of
the shell shall be permanently fastened on some part of the boiler and shall be
grounded in accordance with the edition of the National Electrical Code in
effect at the time the permit for the installation was made.
(b) A suitable
screen or guard shall be provided around high tension bushings and a high
voltage warning sign shall be posted. This screen or guard shall be located to
prohibit anyone working around the boiler to accidentally come in contact with
the high tension circuits. When adjusting safety valves, the power circuit to the
boiler shall be open.
(c) The boiler may
be under pressure, but the power line shall be open while the operator is
making the necessary adjustments.
(d) Each KW of
electrical energy consumed by an electric boiler operating at maximum rating
shall be considered the equivalent of one (1) square foot of heating surface.
(6) Clearance.
(a) If boilers are
replaced or new boilers installed in either existing or new buildings, a
minimum of two (2) feet shall be provided on all service sides, unless the installation
allows for proper maintenance without the separation. Vessels having manholes
shall have five (5) feet clearance from the manhole opening and any wall,
ceiling or piping that will prevent a person from entering the boiler or
vessel.
(b) Boilers shall be
installed to:
1. Allow adequate
space for their proper operation and their appurtenances;
2. Allow inspection
of all surfaces, tubes, water walls, economizer, piping, valves, and other
equipment; and
3. Allow for
necessary maintenance and repair.
(7) Emergency
devices for certain installations. Installations of power boilers or heating
boilers in hospitals, rest homes, schools, mental institutions or similar
institutional facilities shall comply with provisions of ASME Boiler and
Pressure Vessel Code, Section IV, Article HG-634, regarding remote emergency
cutoff switches. These installations shall be judged on their own merits from a
standpoint of accessibility of electrical power cutoffs to the boiler or
boilers in case of fire or heavy smoke emission. If installed cutoff switches
are not adjacent to boiler room entryways, emergency cutoff switches shall be
provided as outlined in Article HG-634, of Section IV, ASME Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Code. (20 Ky.R. 2753; Am. 2975; eff. 5-18-94; TAm eff. 8-9-2007.)
