Section 14 Construction
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Clasifications Register Rules and Regulations - Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships, July 2022 - Part 5 Main and Auxiliary Machinery - Chapter 10 Steam Raising Plant and Associated Pressure Vessels - Section 14 Construction

Section 14 Construction

14.1 Access arrangements

14.1.1 In watertube boilers, manholes are to be provided in all drums of sufficient size to allow access for internal examination and cleaning, and for fitting and expanding the tubes. In the case of headers for water walls, superheaters or economisers, and of drums which are too small to permit entry, sight holes or mudholes sufficiently large and numerous for these purposes are to be provided.

14.1.2 Cylindrical boilers are to be provided, where possible with means for ingress to permit examination and cleaning of the inner surfaces of plates and tubes exposed to flame. Where the boilers are too small to permit this, there are to be sight holes and mudholes sufficiently large and numerous to allow the inside to be satisfactorily cleaned.

14.1.3 Where the cross tubes of vertical boilers are large, there is to be a sight hole in the shell opposite to one end of each tube sufficiently large to allow the tube to be examined and cleaned. These sight holes are to be in positions accessible for that purpose.

14.1.4 Manholes in cylindrical shells should preferably have their shorter axes arranged longitudinally.

14.1.5 Doors for manholes, mudholes and sight holes are to be formed from steel plate or other approved construction, and all jointing surfaces are to be machined.

14.1.6 Doors of the internal type are to be provided with spigots which have a clearance of not more than 1,5 mm all round, i.e. the axes of the opening are not to exceed those of the door by more than 3 mm. The width of the manhole gasket seat is to be not less than 16 mm.

14.1.7 Doors of the internal type for openings not larger than 230 mm x 180 mm need be fitted with one stud only, which may be forged integral with the door. Doors for openings larger than 230 mm x 180 mm are to be fitted with two studs or bolts. The strength of the attachment to the door is to be not less than the strength of the stud or bolt.

14.1.8 The crossbars or dogs for doors are to be of steel.

14.1.9 For smaller circular openings in headers and similar fittings, an approved type of plug may be used.

14.1.10 Circular flat cover plates may be fitted to raised circular manhole frames not exceeding 400 mm diameter, and for an approved design pressure not exceeding 1,8 MPa.

14.1.11 External circular flat cover plates are to be in accordance with a recognised National Standard.

14.2 Torispherical and semi-ellipsoidal ends

14.2.1 For typical acceptable types of attachment for dished ends to cylindrical shells, see Figure 10.14.1 Typical attachments of dished ends to cylindrical shells.

14.2.2 Where the difference in thickness is the same throughout the circumference, the thicker plate is to be reduced in thickness by machining to a taper for a distance not less than four times the offset, so that the two plates are of equal thickness at the position of the circumferential weld. A parallel portion may be provided between the end of the taper and weld edge preparation; alternatively, if so desired, the width of the weld may be included as part of the smooth taper of the thicker plate.

Figure 10.14.1 Typical attachments of dished ends to cylindrical shells

14.2.3 The thickness of the plates at the position of the circumferential weld is to be not less than that of an unpierced cylindrical shell of seamless or welded construction, whichever is applicable, of the same diameter and material, see Pt 5, Ch 10, 4.1 Minimum thickness.

14.3 Hemispherical ends

14.3.1  Where hemispherical ends are butt welded to cylindrical shells, the thickness of the shell is to be reduced by taper to that of the end, and the centre of the hemisphere is to be so located that the entire tapered portion of the shell and the butt weld are within the hemisphere, see Figure 10.14.2 Attachment of hemispherical end to cylindrical shell.

Figure 10.14.2 Attachment of hemispherical end to cylindrical shell

14.3.2 If the hemispherical end is provided with a parallel portion, the thickness of this portion is to be not less than that of a seamless or welded shell, whichever is applicable, of the same diameter and material.

14.4 Welded-on flanges, butt welded joints and fabricated branch pieces

14.4.1 Flanges may be cut from plates or may be forged or cast. Hubbed flanges are not to be machined from plate. Flanges are to be attached to branches by welding. Alternative methods of flange attachment will be subject to special consideration.

14.4.2 The types of welded-on flanges are to be suitable for the pressure, temperature and service for which the branches are intended.

14.4.3 Flange attachments and pressure-temperature ratings in accordance with materials and design of recognised Standards will be accepted.

14.4.4 Typical examples of welded-on flange connections are shown in Figure 10.14.3 Typical examples of welded flange connections(a) to (f), and limiting design conditions for the flange types are shown in Table 10.14.1 Limiting design conditions for flanges. In Figure 10.14.3 Typical examples of welded flange connections t is the minimum Rule thickness of the standpipe or branch.

14.4.5 Welded-on flanges are not to be a tight fit on the branch. The maximum clearance between the bore of the flange and the outside diameter of the branch is to be 3 mm at any point, and the sum of the clearances diametrically opposite is not to exceed 5 mm.

14.4.6 Where butt welds are employed in the attachment of flange type (a), or in the construction of standpipes or branch pieces, the adjacent pieces are to be matched at the bores. This may be effected by drifting, roller expanding or machining, provided the pipe wall is not reduced below the designed thickness. If the parts to be joined differ in wall thickness, the thicker wall is to be gradually tapered to that of the thinner at the butt joint.

14.4.7 Welding may be carried out by means of the shielded metal arc, inert gas metal arc, oxy-acetylene or other approved process, but in general, oxy-acetylene welding is suitable only for flange type (a) and is not to be applied to branches exceeding 100 mm diameter or 9,5 mm thick. The welding is to be carried out in accordance with the appropriate paragraphs of Pt 5, Ch 17 Requirements for Fusion Welding of Pressure Vessels and Piping.

14.4.8 Threaded sleeve joints complying with Pt 5, Ch 12, 2.8 Socket weld joints 2.8.1 may be used on the steam and water piping of small oil fired package boilers of the once through coil type, used for auxiliary or domestic purposes, where the feed pump capacity limits the output.

14.4.9 Socket weld joints are not to be used where fatigue, severe erosion, crevice corrosion or stress corrosion is expected to occur, for example, blow down, drain, scum and chemical dosing connections.

14.5 Welded attachments to pressure vessels

14.5.1 Unless the actual thickness of the shell or end is at least twice that required by calculation for a seamless shell or end, whichever is applicable, doubling plates with well rounded corners are to be fitted in way of attachments such as lifting lugs, supporting brackets and feet, to minimise load concentrations on pressure shells and ends. Compensating plates, pads, brackets and supporting feet are to be bedded closely to the surface before being welded, and are to be provided with a `tell-tale' hole not greater than 9,5 mm in diameter, open to the atmosphere to provide for the release of entrapped air during heat treatment of the vessel, or as a means of indicating any leakage during hydraulic testing and in service, see Pt 5, Ch 17 Requirements for Fusion Welding of Pressure Vessels and Piping.

14.5.2 For acceptable methods of attaching standpipes, branches, compensating plates and pads, see Figure 10.14.4 Typical acceptable methods of attaching branches and pads. Alternative methods of attachment may be accepted provided details are submitted for consideration.

14.5.3 Where fillet welds are used to attach standpipes or set-in pads, there are to be equal sized welds both inside and outside the vessel, see Figure 10.14.4 Typical acceptable methods of attaching branches and pads(a) and (l). The leg length of each of the fillet welds is to be not less than 1,4 times the actual thickness of the thinner of the parts being joined.

Figure 10.14.3 Typical examples of welded flange connections

Table 10.14.1 Limiting design conditions for flanges

Flange type Maximum pressure Maximum temperature Maximum pipe o.d. Minimum pipe bore
    °C mm mm
(a) Pressure-temperature ratings to be in accordance with a recognised standard No restriction No restriction No restriction
(b) Pressure-temperature ratings to be in accordance with a recognised standard No restriction 168,3 for alloy steels* No restriction
(c) Pressure-temperature ratings to be in accordance with a recognised standard No restriction 168,3 for alloy steels* 75
(d) Pressure-temperature ratings to be in accordance with a recognised standard 425 No restriction No restriction
(e) Pressure-temperature ratings to be in accordance with a recognised standard 425 No restriction 75
(f) Pressure-temperature ratings to be in accordance with a recognised standard 425 No restriction No restriction
* No restriction for carbon steels

14.6 Fitting of tubes in water tube boilers

14.6.1 The tube holes in drums or headers are to be formed in such a way that the tubes can be effectively tightened in them. Where the tube ends are not normal to the tube plates, there is to be a neck or belt of parallel seating of at least 13 mm in depth, measured in a plane through the axis of the tube at the holes. Where the tubes are practically normal to their plates, this parallel seating is to be not less than 9,5 mm in depth.

Figure 10.14.4 Typical acceptable methods of attaching branches and pads

14.6.2 Tubes are to be carefully fitted in the tube holes and secured by means of welding, expanding and belling or by other approved methods. Tubes are to project through the neck or belt of parallel seating by at least 6 mm and where they are secured from drawing out by means of bellmouthing only, the included angle of belling is to be not less than 30°.


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