What is the ASME Code and Why is it Important?

What is the ASME Code and

Why is it Important?

02 December 2015

Presented at Nuclear Supply Chain

Conference

Cape Town 01-02 December 2015

Presenter: John Fletcher

Codes & Standards

What are Codes & Standards &

Regulations

July 2014/ 3 © 2014 – EON Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Nuclear Construction

Koeberg Nuclear Power Station


What are Codes or Standards?

A Code is:

An accepted set of rules or regulations governing a specific activity.

A Standard is:

A standard is defined as a document, established by consensus and

approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common and

repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their

results.


Why do Codes and Standards exist?


Use of Codes and Standards

To Prevent this Becoming this


NNR requirements – Codes and Standards

• Extracts from NNR RD-0034:

– The licensee must establish a process for the selection and acceptance of the codes

and standards…….

– All special processes must be performed by qualified personnel using qualified

procedures in accordance with applicable codes, standards, specifications…….

– All SSC important to nuclear safety must be designed according to the latest or

applicable approved standards as at the time of licensing of the nuclear installation

and must be accepted by the relevant South African authorities. If no approved standards

are available for a specific application, internationally recognised codes

or standards must be proposed for acceptance.

Quality and Safety Management Requirements for Nuclear Installations

RD-0034, Rev 0

Codes & Standards

The Importance of Codes and

Standards




Nuclear Power Plant

Nuclear Island Conventional Island and Balance of Plant


Nuclear Power Plant


Nuclear Power Plant

Sequoyah-Nuclear-Plant;(TVA) Tennessee, US



• Civil Construction:

–Nuclear Island

Foundations, Steelwork, Buildings,

–Balance

Roads, Drainage, Foundations, Steelwork, Buildings

• Mechanical

–Nuclear

Pressure Vessels, Piping, Pumps, Valves, Storage Tanks, Cranes, Fire Detection &

Suppression

–Balance

Pressure Vessels, Piping, Pumps, Valves, Storage Tanks, Cranes, Compressors, Fire

Detection & Suppression

What is involved


Nuclear Island

Scale


What is involved?

•Electrical, C&I

–Nuclear

Reticulation, Lighting, UPS, Diesel Generators, Instruments, Cabling, Motors,

Control Centres

–Balance

Power Evacuation, Reticulation, Lighting Cabling, Instruments, Motors,

Control Centres

•Services

–During Construction

Labour, Nondestructive Examination, Inspection, Catering, Cleaning,

Scaffolding


What is involved? Balance of Plant

Codes & Standards

Harmonisation of Design Codes and Standards in Nuclear

Industry

22 March, 2016 / 22 © 2015 – EON Consulting (Pty) Ltd

22

Background

1960s - 1990s

Development & Implementation of National Standards by Nuclear

Countries

Mostly In country Reactor Vendors, Suppliers and Architect

Engineers

IAEA started developing International Standards (Design, Siting,

Operation, Quality Assurance, etc.)

21st Century

Free Trade, De-regulation and Globalization

Global Reactor Vendors, Suppliers and Partners

– National Standards seen as barriers to support emerging nuclear

renaissance

– Harmonization of codes and standards is a key imperative to

support the nuclear renaissance

22 March, 2016 / 23 © 2015 – EON Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Current Initiatives Towards Harmonisation

• Cooperation in Reactor Design Evaluation and Licensing (CORDEL)

– An International Task Force set up by the World Nuclear Association to look at:

– The harmonisation of Codes and Standards as a first step to;

– The international standardization of reactor designs;

– Sharing of Design Assessment by the approving Regulator.

• Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP)

– The first step towards harmonisation of pressure boundary codes and standards has

been completed by the Code Comparison Project which has been managed by the

ASME Standards Technology LLC. Six Standards Development Organisations (SDOs)

namely ASME (USA), AFCEN(France), KEA (Korea), JSME (Japan), NIKIET (Russia)

and CSA (Canada) had participated in the project. The scope of the code comparison

project was restricted to Class 1 components only including pressure vessels, piping,

valves and pumps. The objective was to identify the significant differences that would

have an impact on designing and manufacturing a component in one country and using it

in another country.

23

Codes & Standards

What is the ASME Code


ASME Code


ASME Codes

• American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Boiler and Pressure

Vessel Code Committee

– establish rules of safety governing the design, fabrication and inspection during

construction of boilers and pressure vessels

– considers the needs of users, manufacturers, and inspectors

– objective of the rules is to afford reasonably certain protection of life and property and to

provide a margin for deterioration in service so as to give a reasonably long, safe period

of usefulness


ASME Code

• The Code is not a handbook and cannot replace education, experience, and the

use of engineering judgment – developed by Engineers for Engineers

• The Code neither requires nor prohibits method of design or any form of

construction that conforms to the Code rules

• The designer is responsible for complying with Code rules and demonstrating

compliance with Code equations when such equations are mandatory

• The ASME Certification Mark, which is regarded as the hallmark of acceptance

and certification, is used to indicate that the stamped item(s) conform to the

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes (BPVCs).

• It has been estimated that over 100 countries accept the ASME BPVC as a

means of meeting their government safety regulations.


ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards

Development

• Civilian use of Nuclear Power – 1950’s

• Developed from military standards

• Early construction based on:

– Section I, Power Boilers

– Section VIII, Unfired Pressure Vessels

– Inherent differences between fossil fuel systems and nuclear systems

– Particular emphasis must be placed on operational safety of the system considering the

nature of nuclear energy

– ASME’s greatest concern, along with the AEC and NRC, was accomplishing the primary

goal of Safety

– Competence of the people in every phase of the operations be unfailing

History


ASME Certification Program

• The ASME BPVC Certification Program conforms to the rules governing the

design, fabrication, assembly, and inspection of boiler and pressure vessel

components during construction.

• Products manufactured by ASME BPVC Certificate Holders are certified and

stamped with the Certification Mark in accordance with the applicable ASME

BPVC Section. Today there are more than 6,500 Certificate Holders in the ASME

BPVC Certification Program.

• Scopes offered by the ASME BPVC Certification Program vary and include but

are not limited to: power boilers, heating boilers, pressure vessels, fiber-

reinforced plastic vessels, transport tanks and valves.

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Certification Program



• The Nuclear Material Organization Certification Program certifies organizations

that provide materials and services to the nuclear power industry.

• Quality System Certificates (QSC) issued by ASME verify the adequacy of a

Material Organization's quality system program. This quality system program

provides assurance that the organization's operations, processes, and services

related to the procurement, manufacture, and supply of material, source

material, and unqualified source material are performed in accordance with the

requirements of the ASME BPVC, Section III, NCA-3800 and NCA-3900.

Nuclear Material Organization Certification



• N-type Certificates of Authorization issued by ASME verify the adequacy of an

organization's quality assurance program and allow the Certificate Holder to

design, fabricate, and install components and supports used in nuclear power

plants and other nuclear facilities. These components will be certified and

stamped with the Certification Mark in accordance with Section III of the ASME

BPVC. The Society issues six different N-type certificates that authorizes the

following scope of activities:

N - Vessels, pumps, valves, piping systems, storage tanks, core support structures, concrete

containments, and transport packaging

NA - Field installation and shop assembly of all items

NPT - Parts, appurtenances, welded tubular products, and piping subassemblies

NS - Supports

NV - Pressure relief valves

N3 - Transportation containments and storage containments

Nuclear Component Certification



• An Authorized Inspection Agency (AIA) is an organization that meets the criteria

of the ASME QAI-1 standard, "Qualifications for Authorized Inspection" and that

is accredited by the Society pursuant to the provisions set forth in Part 4 of the

ASME QAI-1 standard to provide AIA services.

• Authorized Inspection Agencies include:

– Jurisdictional Authorities

– Insurance Companies

– Independent Third-Party Inspection Organizations: A company in the business of

providing third party inspection services, which has government recognition to perform

inspection and design reviews for boilers and pressure vessels.

Authorized Inspection Agency Accreditation


ASME Code Symbol Stamp

22 March 2016 / 34 © 2013 – EON Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Supporting Documentation

• Certified Design Specification

• Certified Design Report

• Certified Manufacturers Data Report

Codes & Standards

EON ASME Services


EON can offer the following services

• EON Consulting is registered with ASME as a Certified Training Provider

• EON has instructors who have been certified as Authorised Training Instructors

for specific ASME Training courses

• Assist with licensing compliance between the fabricator and the designer and/or

regulator

• ASME Section III or Section VIII design reviews and associated records

generation (ITP,QTP)

• Understanding and interpretation RD- 0034 requirements on code selection and

justification parameters and submissions to the regulator


EON Consulting

ASME Training Programme and Implementation

for Fabricators and SuppliersIntroductory Course to the ASME system -

Fundamentals of nuclear regulatory framework and requirements

2 day course at various venues with frequent presentation

EON Consulting the Authorised Training Provider leading ASME

registered courses includes -

• PD684 – BPV Code Section III, Division 1, Rules for Construction of

Nuclear Facility Components

• PD635 – ASME NQA-1, Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear

Facility Applications

Mentoring and Monitoring of Implementation

EON Consulting is able to provide guidance and assistance with the

development and implementation of the Nuclear Quality Management

System and fabrication code compliance leading to potentially ASME

certification.

EON Consulting the Authorised Training Provider leading ASME

registered courses includes -

• PD013 – B31.1 Power Piping Code

• PD 581 – B31.3 Process Piping Design, Materials, Fabrication,

Examination and Testing Combo Course

• PD442 – BPV Code, Section VIII, Division 1, Design and Fabrication

of Pressure Vessels

• PD615 – BPV Code, Section III Class 1,2 and 3 Piping Combo

Course

Course

duration is 3

– 4 days.

Offered

every 6

months*

Level

1

Level

2

Level

3

Level

4

Course

duration is

3 - 4 days.

Offered

every 3

months*

Regularly

presented

* Note – course intervals are driven by demand or as an in-company course

*

22 March, 2016/ 38 © 2015 – EON Consulting (Pty) Ltd

In Closing: Safety of Nuclear Power

Many people in the world believe nuclear power is very dangerous and this is

aided by the enormous attention that any incident gets in the media, even if

someone falls of a ladder at a nuclear power station it gets in the press. The worst

accident ever, so far, as far as casualties are concerned is Chernobyl and the

aftereffects are still experienced. Thus I want to illustrate the need for quality

through the need for safety to satisfy public demands as shown below.

Questions

and

discussions

@eon_consulting

[email protected]

www.eonconsulting.co.za

+27 (0)11 564 2300

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What is the ASME Code and Why is it Important?