Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have come a long way since they were first used for vessels and piping in the chemical processing industry in the mid-20th century.
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Design approaches in the early days adapted &#; not always successfully &#; standards and methods used for metal equipment: they did not take into account the unique characteristics of FRP.
This resulted in many early failures that tarnished the reputation of FRP as a reliable alternative to steels for corrosion-resistant service.
Fortunately, the situation began to improve in the s as industry developed new design and construction methods that better suited the properties and behaviours of FRP.
Since that time, the ongoing efforts of groups like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) have resolved the early design flaws and resulted in excellent design and construction standards for FRP equipment.
Examples include the ASME RTP-1 standard for FRP pressure vessels and ASME NM.2 for FRP piping systems.
ASME RTP-1 and ASME NM.2 prescribe requirements for the design, materials, manufacturing, installation, inspection and testing of new FRP vessels and piping. These are comprehensive, dynamic documents that undergo systematic review and updates.
However, these standards do not apply to equipment after it goes into service.
In fact, while there are over 200 different consensus standards and codes related to design and construction of FRP equipment, ZERO offer any guidance on what&#;s required for inspection or Fitness For Service assessment of in-service FRP.
Until recently, this left plant engineers and inspectors with nowhere to turn for help understanding the damage that can be expected once FRP equipment is in operational service.
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Last fall, the Welding Research Council (WRC) published the second edition of WRC Bulletin 601, &#;Assessment of Existing Fiber Reinforced Polymer Equipment for Structural Damage,&#; authored by UTComp founder and Chief Technical Officer Geoff Clarkson.
WRC-601 provides technical guidance for including new FRP assessment methods, including attenuation-based ultrasound (UAX) techniques that form the basis of UTComp&#;s UltraAnalytix® NDT system, into the API and ASME consensus codes that are otherwise focused primarily on inspecting metal pressure vessels and piping.
It&#;s a major step forward in addressing the gap in inspection needs for in-service FRP assets.
It also provides further validation for the UltraAnalytix methodology developed over 20 years of assessing FRP and other polymeric materials used in pressure vessels, piping and other assets in a wide range of industries.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is a design code and standards setting body for many different products. ASME established the RTP-1 standard for fiberglass reinforced polymer vessels in . The standard is widely held to be the most stringent and complete tool for qualifying fabricators specifying high quality FRP vessels. The standard establishes rules for:
The goals of the RTP-1 standard are to:
When you use an ASME RTP-1 certified fabricator with the RTP-1 standard, you benefit through:
When a vessel complies fully with the RTP-1 standard, it is eligible for stamping. Stamping the vessel signifies the vessel has met the requirements of the fabricator&#;s ASME RTP-1 program. The vessel is uniquely numbered and the above symbol is affixed to the vessel. Further, the tank is registered with the National Board of Boiler&#;s and Pressure Vessels.
Many clients are requesting vessels to be designed and fabricated to ASME RTP-1 but not stamped. While the full benefit of the RTP-1 program is achieved only by stamping, designing and fabricating to the standard without full compliance to the standard may be satisfactory if the client uses an ASME certified fabricator, such as Diamond, and has reviewed and approved the fabricator&#;s quality assurance program.
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