nr 13 - comentada - inglês

8/13/2019 NR 13 - Comentada - Inglês

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/nr-13-comentada-ingles 1/65

Boilers and Pressure

Vessels

TECHNICAL MANUAL



DT 1278/00

1

Technical Manual for Boilers

And Pressure Vessels

Preparation

Th is Techn ical Manual on Regulatory Standard n°13 (NR-13) – “Boi lers and Pressure

Vessels”, approved by Ordinance n°23, of 04.26.95 was prepared by Tr iparti te Techni cal

Group, comprised by the technicians li sted below, invited by the Labor , Health andSafety Department – SSST, under the Labor M in istry – MTb

Dr. Aldo Cordeiro Dutra – CEPEI/IBP

Dr. Almir Augusto Chaves – SSST/MTb

Dra. Fatima Leone Martins – DINPQ/INMETRODr. José Augusto da Silva Filho – Força Sindical Labor Union

Dr. Luiz A. Moschini de Souza – ABIQUIM/IBP/Petroquímica União

Dr. Marcelo Salles – IBP/PETROBRAS-REDUCDr. Nilton B.B. Freitas – DIESAT/Chemists Labor Union/SPDr. Roberto Odilon Horta – SINDIPETRO-RJ/CUT

Dr. Rui de Oliveira Magrini (Technical Coordinator) – DRT/SP

Dr. Welcio Cracel do Rego Monteiro – SENAI/CNI

Fundacentro - Labor Ministry

São Paulo – 1997



DT 1278/00

2

SUMMARY

13.1 STEAM BOI LERS – M ISCELLANEOUS 4

13.2 STEAM BOILERS’ INSTALLATION 12

13.3 BOI LER OPERATION SAFETY 15

13.4 BOI LER MAINTENANCE SAFETY 19

13.5 SAFETY INSPECTION 22

ATTACHM ENT I -AMI NIMUM PROGRAM REQUIRED

FOR BOILER OPERATION SAFETY OPERATION 30

ATTACHMENT II

CERTI F ICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR

“OWN EQUIPMENT INSPECTION SERVICE” 33

13.6 PRESSURE VESSELS – M ISCELLANEOUS 34

13.7 PRESSURE VESSEL INSTALLATI ON 39

13.8 PRESSURE VESSEL OPERATION SAFETY 42

13.9 PRESSURE VESSEL MAI NTENANCE SAFETY 46

13.10 PRESSURE VESSEL INSPECTION SAFETY 48

ATTACHM ENT I -B

M INI MUM PROGRAM REQUIRED FOR PROCESSING

UNIT OPERATION SAFETY TRAIN ING 55

ATTACHMENT II

CERTI FI CATION REQUIREMENTS FOR“OWN EQUIPMENT INSPECTION SERVICE” 57

ATTACHM ENT II I 58

ATTACHMENT IV

PRESSURE VESSEL ’ CLASSIF ICATION 59

EXAM PLE OF PRESSURE VESSEL

CLASSIFICATION 62



DT 1278/00

3

13.1 STEAM BOILERS – MISCELLANEOUS

13.1.1 Steam boil ers are pieces of equi pment designed to produce and accumulatesteam under pr essur e above the atmospheri c pressur e, using any sour ce of

energy, except for Reboil er and simil ar equipment used in processingunits.

Steam can be used by the industry under several conditions, such as low pressure, high pressure, saturated, superheated, etc. Different types of

equipment can also produce it, which include boilers.

For the purpose of Regulatory Standard NR-13, it will be considered as“boilers” all equipment that simultaneously generate and accumulate wateror other fluid steam. Units installed on vehicles such as trucks and ships are

to comply with this regulatory standard as to the applicable items, and as to

those not covered by a more specific standard or regulation.

The following equipment shall not be deemed as boilers:

1) Reboiler type heat exchangers, Kettle, Reboiler, T.L.E., etc, whoseconstruction project is governed by the criteria related to pressure

vessels;2) Equipment with coil subjected to direct flame or heated gas, which

generate but do not accumulate steam, such as ovens, forced circulation

generators and others;3) Oven or pressure vessel coils that use residual heat to generate or

superheat steam.4) Boilers that use thermal fluid and do not steam it.

For illustration purposes, some pictures of the equipment previouslymentioned are shown in Attachment III.

13.1.2 For the purpose of th is regulation, a Qual if ied Professional is the personwho is legally competent to work as a professional engineer in the

activiti es regarding construction design, operation and maintenance

follow-up, boilers and pressure vessels inspection and inspectionsupervision, in conformance with the professional regulation i n force in

Brazil .

Regarding the items under regulation NR 13 that mention a Qualified

Professional, it is taken at the time this document was prepared that:



DT 1278/00

4

1) Federal Councils, such as Engineering, Architecture and Agronomy

Federal Council (CONFEA) and Chemistry Federal Council (CFQ) areresponsible, in their respective areas, for defining the competence and

clarifying any doubts related to the professional regulation;

2) CONFEA’s Resolution no. 218 of 06.29.73, CONFEA’s Regulatory

Decision no. 029/88 and CONFEA’s Regulatory Decision no. 045/92define Mechanic Engineers and Naval Engineers as certified, as well as

Civil Engineers carrying out the duties under Article 28, Federal Decree23569/33, who have taken courses in “Thermodynamics and ItsApplication” and “Heat Transfer” or equivalent under a different name,

regardless of the number of years following their graduation;

3) The registration with the professional regional councils is the onlynecessary proof to be required from the Qualified Professional.

4) The proof of enrollment previously issued by the Labor Ministry’sRegional Office (DRT/MTb) for this purpose is no longer valid;

5) Other engineers not mentioned above shall request their respectiveregional council to analyze their boilers and pressure vessels’ inspection

skills according to their school transcript, if personally interested.

6) Technical Reports and Opinions will only be legally valid when signed by a Qualified Professional;

7) As established by CONFEA/CREA, it is mandatory that servicecompanies aiming at rendering the services described in this item are to

be registered at their respective regional council, indicating their legallyqualified Technical Person In Charge.

8) A Qualified Professional may can be a self-employed consultant,employee of a service company or employee of the company that owns

the equipment;

9) Article 188 under the Consolidated Labor Laws - CLT was written when

the professional councils were part of the Labor Ministry’s structure.Presently they are independent entities.

13.1.3 Maximum Worki ng Pressure Permi tted – PMTO, or M aximum WorkingPressur e Allowed – MWPA (PMTA) is the hi ghest-pressure value

compatible with the project code, strength of the material s employed,

equi pment size and i ts operational parameters.

This regulation does not include project rules and presumes the equipment isconstructed in accordance with rules and codes acknowledged worldwide.



DT 1278/00

5

The MWPA (PMTA) is calculated or determined by using the formulas and

charts available in the boiler project code. These sources take the followinginto consideration:

1. Size and shape of each specific part of the boiler (e.g. diameter,thickness, etc).

2. Material strength (maximum stress value allowed depending on thetemperature);

3. Other specific factors for each situation.

It is important to emphasize the MWPA (PMTA) values may alter along the

boiler’s life due to the decrease of the material’s mechanical strength,thickness of different components, etc. The MWPA (PMTA) values update

must be made in conformance with the written procedures on the boiler’sreport chart.

When a boiler’s MWPA (PMTA) value is altered, the necessary adjustmentmust be made on the identification tag and on other control elements that

depend on this value, in regard to the safety valve opening pressure.

13.1.4 The absence of any of the fol lowi ng items poses a ser ious and imminent

risk:

a) Safety valve with its opening pressure adjusted to a value equal or lesser

than the MWPA (PMTA); b) Instrument that indicates the accumulated steam pressure;

c)

Injector or other feedwater source, regardless of the main system, in solidfuel boilers;d) Quick water draining system, in alkali recovery boilers;

e) Water level control indication system or other system that avoidsoverheating due to deficient feed..

Safety valves, even when adjusted to open at the MWPA (PMTA), must be:- adequately designed

- adequately installed- adequately maintained

In cases where these provisions are not complied with, the safety valve will be considered as non-existent.

The quantity and place of installation of the safety valves must meet the

applicable technical standards and codes.

Any pressure increase allowed during the safety valve relief must be up to

the maximum value recommended in the equipment design code.



DT 1278/00

6

In the specific case of the ASME code, section I, boilers with heating

surfaces greater than 47 m2 are to have two safety valves. In this case pressure increase during the relief is allowed, with the two valves open up to

6% of their MWPA (PMTA).

The existence of at least one instrument indicating the accumulated steam

pressure, deems it presumably correct as to specification, installation andmaintenance.

The pressure indicator readout may be analog or digital and installed on the boiler itself or in the control room.

It is understood as a water level indicator system any device with a function

equivalent to the water column gauge glasses. In case the water columncannot be read correctly due to a leak or blockage, the boiler shutdown procedures must be immediately activated.

13.1.5 Al l boilers must have an identi f ication tag secured to their body in a place

easil y accessibl e and clear ly seen, containi ng at least the fol lowing

information:

a) manufacturer; b) order number supplied by the boiler’s manufacturer;c) year of manufacturing;

d) maximum working pressure allowed;e) hydrostatic test pressure;

f)

steam producing capacity;g) heating surface area;h) project code and date of issue

The tag may contain other information in addition to those mentioned in

item 13.1.5 at the facility’s discretion.

The identification tag is to be made of weatherproof material such as

aluminum, bronze, stainless steel, etc. It shall be stenciled in indeliblecharacters in Portuguese, and secured to the boiler shell with rivets, bolts, or

welding.

The identification tag is to be secured in a place easily accessible and

conspicuous. Special care is to be taken so the tag is not secured to parts ofthe boiler that may be removed such as manhole covers, thermal insulation

sheets, etc.

According to the Decree- no. 18.621 of 05.03..78, Brazil endorses the

International Units System. The following chart shows the conversionfactors to be used for pressure units:



DT 1278/00

7

Pressure Un its Conversion Chart

Bar Kgf/cm2 psi(lbf/pol2)

MmHg mH20 KPaKN/m2

10,9806650,068947

1,333220,09806

0,0100

1,0197161

0,070307

1,35950,1000

0,01019

14,50314,2233

1

19,3681,42233

0,14503

750,062735,56051,715

100073,556

7,50062

10,1971610,00

0,70307

13,591

0,10197

10098,06656,89475

133,3229,80665

1

In conformance with the International Units System.

The official unit for pressure in International System is Pascal (Pa).

13.1.5.1 Besides the identi f ication tag, the boiler category, as def ined in item 13.1.9.

under this regulation, and i ts identif ication number or code must also bein formed in a conspicuous place.

All boilers must feature their number or identification code andcorresponding category, in addition to the identification plate.

This information must be painted in a conspicuous place and large enoughto be clearly identified.

As an option to painting it directly on, the information may be stenciled on a

plate that can be equally visualized.

13.1.6 Every boiler shall have the fol lowing documentation duly updated, at the

site of i ts install ation.

a) Data sheet containing the following information:

- project code and year of issue;- material specification;

- procedures used in the manufacturing, assembly, final inspection andMWPA (PMTA) assessment ;

- set of drawings and other relevant data to control the boiler’s life;- function characteristic;- safety device data;

- year of manufacturing;



DT 1278/00

8

- boiler’s category.

b) Safety Record, in conformance with item 13.1.7c) Installation Project, in conformance with item 13.2

d) Repair or Alteration Projects, in conformance with items 13.4.2. and13.4.3.

e) Inspection Reports, in conformance with items 13.5.11, 13.5.12 and

13.5.13.

In case the boiler is installed in an facility that has several textile facilitiesdistant one from other, the documentation must be available at the site the boiler is installed, for easy reference.

Due to the characteristics of each company, it is not necessary to have all

documentation filed in the same place. Nevertheless, it is recommended thatall documents that comprise the boiler’s data sheet isThe procedures for determining the MWPA (PMTA) must explain its

guidelines step by step, including charts, abacus, etc, that may be consulted.

It is understood as the boiler’s useful life the period of time elapsed betweenthe date of manufacturing and the date it is considered inappropriate for use.

The equipment documentation must be kept during the entire equipmentlife

13.1.6.1 I f the Boi ler ’ s Data Sheet is non-exi stent or lost the owner must remake it,

and the techni cal responsibi li ty therefor shal l rely on the manufacturer or

a Quali f ied Professional, mentioned in item 13.1.2. I t is indispensable toreconsti tute its functi on character istics, the safety devices data and the

procedures for determining the MWPA (PMTA).

The boiler’s manufacturer shall provide the majority of the required

documentation, as detailed as possible, specially the part encompassed in theBoiler’s Data Sheet.

If the facility does not have this documentation, a part thereof shall beremade. When the reconstitution of some items, such as procedures used in

the manufacturing and assembly , material specifications, etc., is not possible, the boiler’s basic working characteristics shall be reconstituted as aminimum, as well as the safety devices data and the procedures for

determining the MWPA (PMTA).

The boiler’s owner shall be responsible for remaking the documentation atall times. For this purpose, the boiler’s manufacturer’s services may be used,or in case it is undetermined or no longer exists, the services of a Qualified

Professional or a specialized company may be utilized.



DT 1278/00

9

It is important to reconstitute the boiler’s documentation not only for

determining its operational parameters, but also essential for preparing and performing the inspection and maintenance of this equipment. Therefore, in

case the said documentation is non-existent, all efforts shall be made toreconstitute the data sheet.

13.1.6.2 When the boiler is sold or transferr ed to another facili ty, the documentsthat mentioned in lines “a”, “d” and “e” under item 13.1.6 shall

accompany i t.

The Safety Records may also accompany the boiler at the discretion of the

facility where it had been installed.

The Installation Project does not have to accompany the boiler since a new

project should be prepared to meet the characteristics of the new installation.

13.1.6.3 The boiler ’ s owner should present the documentation menti oned in item

13.1.6, whenever requested by the competent authority wi th the Labor

M in istry Regional Offi ce.

The competent authority of the Labor Ministry’s Regional Office ( RegionalLabor Office – DRT) is the Regional Labor Officer for your jurisdiction.

13.1.7 The Safety Record shou ld be a dedicated book wi th numbered pages or

other equivalent system where the foll owing inf ormation wi ll be noted:

a) all important events capable of altering the boiler’s safety condition; b) periodical and exceptional safety inspections, showing the legible name

and signature of the Qualified Professional mentioned in item 13.1.2 andthe boiler’s operator, present at the time of the inspection.

The Safety Record shall be a book with numbered pages, exclusive for each boiler.

The company may use another system (e.g. a computerized system), as long

as it is in fact equally safe against fraud , allows it to be signed at the saidoccasions and is easily accessed.

It is important to register in this book only the events related to the boilerthat may have a positive or negative effect on the physical integrity of

human beings.



DT 1278/00

10

It is a common practice in industrial units to fill out the Shift Log or Service

Overlap Log or a similar book, which may be accepted as a Safety Record aslong as it complies with item 13.1.7.

Typical examples of important events are: explosion, fire, leaking, rupture of boiler components, operation under conditions not predicted by the project,

emergency shutdown, boiler and the safety devices testing, etc.

When inspecting the boiler the Qualified Professional hired by the facility to perform the inspection or it’s own Qualified Professional for inspectionservices shall report on the Safety Record the date and type of the boiler

safety inspection being performed.

The Qualified Professional is to request the boiler operator or, in hisabsence, another operator to sign the said Safety Record.

The purpose of the signature is to prove the boiler is being inspected anddoes not imply any responsibility on the operator’s part in the inspection

activity.

The log completion and its respective signature shall be obtained during the

time the boiler is being inspected..

13.1.7.1 I n case the boil er is considered unf i t for use, the Safety Record must

contain such i nformation and be formally closed.

In case the boiler is considered unfit for future use, the corresponding SafetyRecord will clearly show the reason for such a decision. The Safety Recordshall be formally closed by a Qualified Professional, and informed to the

Labor Union representative for the Predominant Professional Class at theFacility, by means of an Exceptional Safety Inspection Report, according to

the provision in item 13.5.12, and also to the MTb (Labor Ministry’s)Regional Office, in case the boiler’s documentation has been previouslydemanded thereby, as anticipated in item 13.1.6.3.

In such cases, it is advisable to the boiler out of commission before junking

it, to avoid future use.

13.1.8 The documentation referred to in item 13.1.6 is to be ready forconsul tation by operators, maintenance personnel, inspectors and workers

and employer ’ s representati ves in the CIPA – I nternal Commission for

Accident Prevention at al l t imes. The owner shal l assure the easy access to

such documentation.



DT 1278/00

11

The documentation referred to in item 13.1.6 is to be available at the facility

at all times.

Whenever it is necessary to remove the documentation from the facility, asecond copy must be provided.

13.1.9 For the purpose of th is regulation, there are thr ee category of boil ers, asfollows:

a) Category “A” boilers are those whose operational pressure is equal orgreater than 1960 kPa (19,98 kgf/cm2);

b) Category “C” boilers are those whose operational pressure is equal orlesser than 588 kPa (5,99 kgf/cm2) and volume equal or lesser than 100liters;

c) Category “B” boilers are all the others not included in the previous

types.

The criterion adopted by this regulation for classifying boilers takes intoconsideration their operational pressure and internal volume. This concept,

which is also adopted by other international regulations, represents theenergy available in a boiler. Therefore, the higher the pressure, the higher the

risk involved. The boiler’s steam producing capacity (t/h, kg/h) is not anindication of the risk, since it does not take into consideration the pressure ofthe produced steam or the volume of stored steam.

The division into three different categories makes it easier to adopt different

criteria to determine the risk presented by each boiler.

The following chart represents the fields utilized to define each category of

boiler.

Pressure(kPa)

1960Category A

588 Category B

Category C

100 Volume (liters)



DT 1278/00

12

13.2 STEAM BOI LERS’ INSTALL ATION

13.2.1 A Quali f ied Professional is the person responsible for the steam boilers’I nstall ation Project , in regard to thi s r egulati on, as menti oned in item

13.1.2, and i t shall comply wi th the safety, health and environment aspectsestabl ished in the appli cable Regulatory Standards, , conventi ons and

legal provisions.

A Qualified Professional is responsible for the boiler installation project

preparation.

Whenever a Qualified Professional requests the assistance of specialists orlegally qualified personnel during the project preparation, they will beconsidered responsible for the part of their concern, and clearly mentioned as

authors of the parts they have done.

The installation project is to contain all documents, plans, drawings,calculation, professional opinions, reports, analysis, standards andspecifications related to the project, duly signed by legally qualified

professionals.

13.2.2 The boil ers of any establi shments wil l be install ed in the Boi ler Room or in

a specif ic place for such pur pose, call ed the Boil er Area.

It should be understood as the Boiler Room any dedicated place in the

premises, surrounded by walls or partitions and adequately covered, wherethe boilers are installed.

It should be considered as the Boiler Area any place, whether or not exposedto weather, without walls or partitions, intended for the boiler installation..

The option for installing the boiler in a Boiler Room or Boiler Area will be

defined during the project phase, regardless of the boiler size or operational parameters.

13.2.3 When the boiler is install ed in an open space, the Boil er Ar ea must complywith the following requirements:

a) 3 meters’ minimum clearance from:- other facilities in the premises;

- fuel storage, exception made for fuel containers used to start the boiler up to 2,000 (two thousand) liter capacity;

- third-party property lines



DT 1278/00

13

- public roads.

b) at least 2 (two) ample exits, permanently clear and set in oppositedirections.

c) easy and safe access, needed for operating and maintaining the boiler.The cage openings have to be sized as to prevent people from falling.

d) a system to intake the gases and particles resulting from combustion and

discharge them outside the operation area, according to theenvironmental laws in force.

e) lighting according to the official standards in force.f) emergency lights for nighttime operation.

Up to the revision date of this technical manual, the regulatory standard NR17, item 17.5.3.3 establishes that “the minimum required lighting levels for a

working area are the brightness values established in NBR 5413”.

It should be understood as an emergency lighting system every system

capable of keeping the strategic points necessary for the boiler operationadequately lit in case of power failure. Examples of this system are bulbs

connected to batteries that recharge automatically during normal powersupply, steam generator or combustion engines, etc.

13.2.4 When the boil er i s install ed in a confi ned area, the Boil er Room must

comply with the foll owing r equir ements:

a) be located in a separate building, made of fireproof material, with onlyone wall contiguous to other installations in the premises. Nevertheless,

all other walls will be at least 3 (three) meters away from other facilities,third-party property, public roads and fuel storage, exception made forfuel containers used to start the boiler, up to 2,000 (two thousand) liter

capacity; b) at least 2 (two) ample exits, permanently clear and set in opposite

directions;c) permanent ventilation with air intakes that are obstruction-proof;d) gas leak sensor when the boiler uses gas fuel;

e) not to be used for any other purpose;f) easy and safe access, required for operating and maintaining the boiler.

The cage openings are to be sized as to prevent people from falling;g) a system to intake the gases and particles resulting from combustion and

discharge them outside the operation area, according to the

environmental laws in force.h) lighting according to the official standards in force and an emergency

lighting system.



DT 1278/00

14

13.2.5 The noncompli ance with the fol lowing items poses a serious and imminent

risk:

a)

lines “b”, “d” and “f” of item 13.2.3 of this regulation, for all boilersinstalled in an open area;

b) lines “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, “g” and “h” of item 13.2.4 of this regulation,for all category “A” boilers installed in a confined area;

c) lines “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, “g” and “h” of item 13.2.4 of this regulation , for

all categories “B’ and “C” boilers, installed in a confined area.

13.2.6 When the facili ty is not able to comply with the provisions under items

13.2.3 and 13.2.4, an “Al ternati ve I nstall ation Project” should be preparedwi th additional safety measures to reduce the r isks.

If the facility is not able to comply with the provisions under items 13.2.3and 13.2.4, or with the safety, health and environment aspects established in

the Regulatory Standards, conventions or legal provisions, an “AlternativeProject” shall be prepared with sound measures to reduce risks.

This requirement applies to current and new installations.The additional measures mentioned in this item refer to the prevention of

eventual explosions and not to their consequence. Therefore, the AlternativeProject should give priority to implementing measures that improve thereliability of the boiler operation. Some examples of sound measures to

reduce risks are:- performing more frequently and strict inspections, regarding the

application of non-destructive testing;- improvement of the control systems;- complying with more accurate quality and water treatment requirements,

regardless of the pressure;- reducing the operational pressure whenever possible;

- using a better quality fuel.

13.2.6.1 The boil er owner shoul d present the Al ternative I nstall ation Project in

order to obtain an agreement from the labor union for the mainprofessional categories in the facil ity.

13.2.6.2 I f no agreement is reached, the in terventi on of the regional Labor M in istryoff ice (MTb) may be requested by any of the part ies as establ ished in item

13.2.6.1. Shou ld an impasse prevai l , the decision shal l be settled by that

office.



DT 1278/00

15

13.2.7 The boil ers classif ied as category “A” should have an instrument panel

instal led in the contr ol room, designed as establ ished by the appli cableRegulatory Standards.

All boilers classified as category “A” should have an instrument panel or

digital system console installed in the control room. Facilities that have morethan one boiler may have all the panels installed in the same control room.

The control room design and construction shall comply with therequirements defined by the Regulatory Standards (NR).

13.3 BOILER OPERATION SAFETY

13.3.1 Every boil er should have an updated Operations Manual, in Portuguese,easi ly accessible by the operators, containi ng at least:

a) starting and stopping procedures ;

b) routine operational procedures and parameters;c) procedures in case of emergency;d) general safety, health and environment procedures.

The boiler (or boilers) Operation Manual should be available for easyconsultation by the operators in a place near their workstation. The manuals

should be updated periodically and all changes to the operational proceduresor in the boiler’s characteristics should be fully informed to the operators

and immediately added to the respective manuals.

13.3.2 The boiler instruments and controls must be kept calibrated and in good

operational condi tion. It is a severe and imminent r isk to employ any

makeshi ft to neutr ali ze the boiler’ s control and safety systems.

All instruments and controls that interfere with the boiler’s safety must becalibrated periodically and maintained appropriately.

The use of resorts such us jumps to neutralize the control and safety systems poses a severe and imminent risk and may lead to the boiler’s interdiction

Transitory jumps in situations where there is a redundancy or preventive

maintenance is under way , will not be considered as a “resort to neutralize”the boiler’s control and safety systems.



DT 1278/00

16

In such cases it is necessary to calculate the risks involved and observe this

operation closely, regarding all sectors that may be affected by it.

The maintenance frequency and definition of the instruments and controlsnecessary for the boiler’s safety should be established by a specialized andlegally qualified professional .

13.3.3 The water qual i ty must be monitored and a treatment system implemented,

whenever necessary, to render the physical -chemical proper ties of the

water compatible wi th the boiler’ s operational parameters.

The water quality is a determining factor for the boiler’s life. It is not part ofthe scope of this regulation (NR) to establish parameters for quality water ,as it applies to various types of boiler with different pressures and

temperatures, installed in distinct locations.

Whenever physical-chemical analysis and inspection results indicate problems such as excessive deposit, corrosion and other kinds of waterdeterioration, special attention shall be paid to the water quality , verifying if

its characteristics are in agreement with the boiler’s requirements. As rule ofthumb, the higher the operation pressure, and the more specific the water

treatment requirements.

13.3.4 I t is mandator y that every steam boil er is operated and contr oll ed by the

boiler operator. Non-compliance with this requirement characterizes

severe and imminent r isk condition.

The facility owner is responsible for well-trained boiler operators.

A boiler may be under the simultaneous control of several operators and one

operator may be controlling more than one boiler simultaneously.

It is not part of this regulation’s objective to establish a numerical limits forthis matter. Nevertheless, it is understood as “boilers under the operatorcontrol” those where there is at least 1 (one) operator capable of acting

promptly to correct any abnormal situation that may arise.

13.3.5 For th is regulation’ s purpose, it shall be considered as a boil er operator

that who meets at least one of the fol lowing conditi ons:

a) A Boiler Operation Safety Training certificate and proof of practicaltraining according to item 13.3.9;



DT 1278/00

17

b) A Boiler Operation Safety Training certificate, Boiler Operation Safety

Training as established by NR 13 and approved by Edict 02/84 of08.05.84;

c) Proof of a minimum of 3 (three) years’ experience in this activity, up to08.05.84.

In cases where it is necessary to prove boiler operation experience, thefollowing should be taken in consideration:

- record on the work book; or- record or duties provided by the facility; or- witnesses.

In the calculation for the 3 (three) years’ experience, any period of

interruption should be disregarded.

The boiler operator’s qualification established in line “b” and “c” is limited

to the type of boiler he has been habitually operating that. In case he needs tooperate other types of boiler, it is mandatory that he attends the practical

training sessions defined in item 13.3.9.

13.3.6 The min imum requir ement f or attending the Boiler Operation Safety

Tr ain ing Safety Train ing course is an Elementary School degree.

13.3.7 The Boil er Operation Safety Train ing must:

a)

be under the technical supervision of a Qualified Professional asmentioned in item 13.1.2; b) be taught by professionals qualified for this purpose;c) observe, as a minimum the program proposed in Attachment I-A of this

regulation.

Other theoretical or practical subjects may be included in the training if it isconsidered relevant by the training technical supervisor.

13.3.8 I n case of non-compl iance wi th the provisions in item 13.3.7, the persons

in charge of the Boi ler Operati on Safety Train ing are subject to beingbarred fr om conducting new courses as well as to other applicable legal

penalties.

13.3.9 Every boil er operator should undergo practical traini ng in the operation of

the boil er he wil l operate. Th is train ing should be supervised, documentedand last at l east :



DT 1278/00

18

a) Category “A” Boiler: 80 (eighty) hours

b) Category “B” Boiler: 60 (sixty) hoursc) Category “C” Boiler: 40 (forty) hours.

The company or facility will file or gather all documents that prove theattendance of their operators in the training.

If an operator trained in accordance with this regulation needs to operate

another boiler, he must undergo practical training for the new boiler he willoperate, even if the new boiler is of the same category as the previous one.

In case of facilities where the operator has to work with different boilers, a practical training is required for each boiler. E.g.: In a facility featuring a

category “A” Oil Boiler and a category “C” Electric Boiler, the operator willneed 80 hours’ training for the first boiler and an additional 40 hours’training for the second boiler, making a total of 120 hours’ training.

The training supervisor may be, for example:

- Chief of Operations;- Chief Operator;- Engineer in charge of the plant;

- A more experienced operator- A Qualified Professional

13.3.10 The facil ity where the supervised training takes place should inform the

labor union representati ve for the main professional class at the facil ity

beforehand:

a) the training period;

b) institution, company or professional responsible for the Boiler OperationSafety Training;

c) list of participating trainees .

See note in item 13.3.5

13.3.11 The operators should be kept permanently current, by means ofcontinuous information about the physical and operational condition of

the equi pment, techni cal update, safety inf ormation, courses, presentations

and pert inent events.

The employer is responsible for setting the date and need for refreshercourses.



DT 1278/00

19

For certification purposes the type of activity, date and period, etc. should be

attached to the file of each employee.

13.3.12 I t is a severe and imminent r isk to operate a boiler under conditions other

than those ori ginall y determined in its design, without:

a) a new design, taking in consideration all variables involved in the newoperating condition;

b) the implementation of all safety procedures related to the boiler’s new

classification regarding its installation, operation, maintenance andinspection.

Operating boilers under operating conditions other than those established inits design can be extremely dangerous.

Examples of these conditions are:- pressures higher than the operating pressure;- overheating temperatures above the designed temperature;- using water or any other fluid other than what was considered in the

design;- alteration to fuel or burners.

Whenever a modification is made in the boiler design or on its operatingcondition, all necessary safety procedures should be adopted.

All modifications made must be registered in the boiler’s documentation.

13.4 BOILER MAINTENANCE SAFETY

13.4.1 Al l repair s or al terations to the boiler shoul d observe the corr esponding

construction design code and the manuf acturer ’ s recommendations

regarding:

a) material; b) implementation procedures;

c) quality control procedures;

d)

personnel qualification and certification.

The repair and alteration mentioned in this item are extensive to the boiler’s peripherals such as: flue, vents, instruments, etc.

In the case of pipelines, this item’s coverage is limited to the section

between the boiler and the weld or the nearest flange.



DT 1278/00

20

It is considered as “repair” any operation aiming to correct a non-

conformance with the original design. E.g., a welding repair to correctdamaged areas, repair to refractory material and thermal insulation,

replacement of corroded connections, etc.

It is considered as “alteration” any operation that alters the original design,

including the boiler’s operational parameters. For example, an alteration tothe material specification, change of fuel, change in the configuration of heat

exchange tubes, inclusion of connections, etc.

The procedures provided by code ASME, section IX (Qualification for

Welding and Brazing) and Section V (Non-Destructive Testing) is examplesof personnel qualification and certification. .

13.4.1.1 When the construction design code is unknown, the ori ginal boiler concept

should be respected, using the more rigorous contr ol procedures defi ned inthe pertinent codes.

In case the boiler’s documentation is lost and to the manufacturer cannot be

identified, any repair and alteration should respect the original boilerconcept. At the times of such repairs and alterations, the Qualified

Professional should suggest the testing, as well as the acceptance standardscompatible with the most rigorous design codes acknowledged worldwide.

13.4.1.2 For categories “A” and “B” boilers, on a case by case basis and provided

they are suppor ted by the Qual if ied Professional mentioned in item 13.1.2,calculation procedures and technology not included in the design code

may be used. Some exampl es of these procedures are mechani cal f racture

techniques that allow sub-critical discontinuities, alternate weldingtechn iques that do not requi re stress relief , etc.

13.4.2 Alteration or Repair Projects should be previously prepared in thefol lowi ng cases:

a) whenever the design condition is modified;

b)

whenever repairs are made that can jeopardize the safety.

Before any repair or alteration that may jeopardize the boilers or the

workers’ safety, an Alteration or Repair Project shall be prepared and filed inthe boiler documentation.

It is not necessary to submit this document to a department outside thecompany, such as DRT (Labor Ministry’s Regional Office), labor union, etc.



DT 1278/00

21

Some examples of Alteration and Repair Projects are alteration to material,

piping arrangement, torch configuration, addition of connections, weldingrepairs, chemical cleaning, etc.

13.4.3

The Al teration or Repair Project should:

a) be prepared or approved by a Qualified Professional, as mentioned initem 13.1.2;

b) determine the material, implementation procedures, quality control and

personnel qualification.

A specialized company may prepare the Alteration and Repair Project, aslong as it is registered with the Engineering and Architecture RegionalCouncil CREA and has a technical legally qualified person in place..

Repairs and alterations that involve electricity, electronic or chemistryshould be prepared and signed by a qualified professionals for each specificfield. Regardless of this requirement, every Alteration or Repair Projectshould be signed by a Qualified Professional.

13.4.4 Any modif ication that demands mandrel work or weldi ng on parts that

operate under pressure shou ld be fol lowed by a hydrostatic test , according

to the character istics defi ned by the Quali fi ed Professional, mentioned ini tem 13.1.2.

If the hydrostatic test parameters are not defined in standards or codes, theQualified Professional will be responsible for their definition, based on his

experience and knowledge. These parameters should contain:- safety measures necessary to the protection of the personnel involved in the

test;

- fluid to be used for pressurization;- pressure increase rate and levels, when necessary;

- final hydrostatic test pressure ;- period of time when the equipment will remain pressurized.

The characteristics and results of the hydrostatic test should be recorded in

the corresponding Safety Inspection Report that includes the test, whetherinitial, periodic or exceptional.

Normally any modification of this nature justifies an Alteration or Repair

Project, as defined in item 13.4.2, line “b”.



DT 1278/00

22

13.4.5 The boil er’ s contr ol and safety systems shou ld be submit ted to Preventive

or Predictive Maintenance.

The definition of the instruments and control systems to be included in thePreventive/Predictive Maintenance plan, as well as its corresponding

frequency should be defined by a legally qualified professional, competent tocarry out this kind of activity.

The Preventive Maintenance consists of performing pre-planned assistancetasks in specific points, in time to keep the functional capacity of the boiler’s

safety and control system.

When the maintenance date is determined by the evolution follow-up on the

parameters connected to the system (e.g. temperature, vibration, oil

viscosity) it is called Predictive Maintenance.

When the maintenance date is determined by the useful life history of thecomponents connected to the system, it is called Preventive Maintenance.

13.5 SAFETY INSPECTION

13.5.1 The boiler must be submi tted to safety inspections in an in it ial , per iodical

and exceptional basis. The non-compl iance wi th the terms that establi shed

by this regul ation poses a severe and imminent r isk.

13.5.2 The in itial safety inspection should be carr ied out on new boilers, before

put into service, at the operation site, and i t shou ld include in ternal andexternal inspection, hydrostatic and accumul ation tests.

Internal and external inspection and hydrostatic test performed at theowner’s facility are important and necessary, but they do not constitute an

Initial Safety Inspection, since the boiler components may sustain damageduring the transportation, storage and assembly at the final location.

Therefore the Safety Inspection may only be performed when the boiler isalready installed at the final location.

The accumulation test should be performed in conformance with thetechnical standards in force, recommendations from the boiler and safety

valve manufacturers, or yet in conformance with the procedures determined by a Qualified Professional.



DT 1278/00

23

13.5.3 The Periodical Safety Inspection, comprised by internal and external

inspection, should be performed at the most wi thi n the foll owing terms:

a)

12 (twelve) months for categories “A”, “B” and “C” boilers; b) 12 (twelve) months for alkali recovery boilers of any category;

c) 24 (twenty four) months for category “A” boilers, once the safety valvesopening pressure is tested at 12 (twelve) months;

d) 40 (forty) months for special boilers as defined in item 13.5.5

A Qualified Professional taking into account the boiler’s record and the

technical standards in force will define the Periodical Safety Inspectionscope as well as the techniques used.

The terms defined in this item should be considered as maximum limits. The

real term should be established by the Qualified Professional in keeping withthe previous experience available, which should be counted as of the lastcomplete inspection on the boiler.

This regulation does not intend to specify in detail the inspection methods or procedures. This should be done by a Qualified Professional, based on the

codes and standards acknowledged worldwide.

The terms established in lines “a”, “b” and “c” are applicable to companies

that do not have their Own Equipment Inspection Service .

13.5.4 The facil it ies that have their Own Equipment I nspection Service, as

establ ished on Attachment I I , may extend the periods between safetyinspections observing the foll owing maximum terms:

a) 18 (eighteen) months for categories “B” and “C” boilers;

b) 30 (thirty) months for category “A” boilers.

The test to determine the opening pressure of safety valves may be

performed with the boiler in operation, using appropriate hydraulic devices.

The written procedure adopted in the test, the result obtained and the devicecalibration certificate should be attached to the boiler documentation.

Extending the term for inspection of category “A” boilers to 30 (thirty)

months does no exclude the performance of tests to determine the opening pressure of the safety valves every 12 (twelve) months.



DT 1278/00

24

This item is also applicable to alkali recovery boilers installed in facilities

that have their Own Service of Equipment Inspection.

In a technical point of view, the performance of tests to determine theopening pressure of the safety valves every 12 (twelve) months should bemaintained, even when the term for inspecting category “A” boilers is

extended to 30 (thirty) months.

The following chart summarizes the maximum terms established for boilerinspection.

Category “A” Categories “B”

and “C”

Special

Facility

12 months or

Without its OwnEquipment

Inspection Service24 months, with safety

valve tests every 12

months(except for Alkali

recovery boiler)

12 months

Facility with its

Own Equipment

Inspection Service

30 months 18 months 40 months

13.5.5 Boi lers that operate continuously and use gas or processing uni t residue asmain fuel for heat uti li zation or envir onment control purposes, may be

considered special , when all the foll owing conditi ons are observed:

a) they are installed in a facilities that have their Own Equipment

Inspection Service, mentioned on Attachment II;

b)

they have their interlocking system and the opening pressure of eachsafety valve tested every 12 (twelve) months;c) they do not present unexpected temperature variation in the gas and

steam exhaust during the operation;

d) there is a periodical control and analysis of the water quality;e) there is a deterioration control of the materials that make up the main

parts of the boiler;f) the boiler is authorized as a special class boiler by:



DT 1278/00

25

- agreement between the labor union representative for the main professional

class working in the facility and the employer;- intervention of the MTb regional department, whenever requested by any

of the parties when there is no agreement;- decision of the Labor Ministry’s Regional Office when the impasse persists.

13.5.6 Af ter 25 (twenty f ive) years of use, the boi ler should be submi tted to a

rigorous integrity evaluation during its subsequent inspection, to

determine the remain ing li fe of the boil er and the new maximum terms forinspection, in case it i s stil l in worki ng condition.

The evaluation of the residual life presumes that each basic component ofthe boiler is analyzed (e.g. tube, heat exchange tubes, mirrors, etc).

The integrity and residual life evaluation may be performed by a QualifiedProfessional or by a specific company, registered with the Engineering andArchitecture Regional Council - CREA that has at least a QualifiedProfessional in place.

Boilers that are more than 25 (twenty-five) years old at the date of this

regulation’s printing, and have not been inspected regarding their integrity,should be subject to this periodic safety inspection.

In case a boiler has already been tested, inspected and analyzed to determineits residual life, and to evaluate its integrity, before the 25 (twenty five) years

is up, this data may be considered sufficient to comply totally or partiallywith the requirements in this item, at the Qualified Professional’s discretion.

It is important to stress that inoperative boilers may sustain significant weardue to corrosion. Therefore, the periods that the boiler remained out of

service should be analyzed in depth, during the 25 (twenty-five) yearsconsidered in this item.

13.5.6.1 For facil i ties that have their Own Equipment I nspection Service

menti oned on Attachment I I , the 25 (twenty fi ve) - year limi t may bealtered in keeping with the fol low-up on the boil er ’ s condition, made by the

said depar tment.

13.5.7 Safety valves install ed in boi lers must be peri odical ly inspected as foll ows:

a) for categories “B” and “C” boilers at least once a month, byactuating the lever manually during operation.



DT 1278/00

26

b) for categories “A” and “B” boilers, by disassembling, inspecting and

testing the flanged valves on a workbench and the welded valves inthe field, recalibrating them as often as compatible with their

operational experience, but respecting the period for inspectionestablished in item 13.5.3 or 13.5.4, if applicable, as the maximumlimit.

Line “a” of this item determines the manual start of the lever, and therefore

made the existence of a lever on safety valves installed in categories “B” and“C” boilers mandatory.

The requirements under this item are technically based on the ASME code,Section I (Boilers) and in Standard ANSI/NB-23, National Board Inspection

Code, acknowledged worldwide.

13.5.8 I n addit ion to the tests recommended in i tem 13.5.7, the safety valvesinstall ed in boilers shou ld be submi tted to accumulati on tests on thefol lowing occasions:

a) at the boiler’s initial inspection ; b) when the boiler is modified or significantly remodeled;

c) when the boiler’s operational parameters are modified or when there isvariation in the MWPA (PMTA);

d) when the intake or exhaust pipes are modified.

In keeping with the risks involved during the performance of the

accumulation tests, the facility should implement all necessary safety andenvironment preservation measures.

Line “b” refers to the modification or repairs made in the boiler safetyvalves.

Accumulation Test

The accumulation test is performed in order to check if the safety valve orvalves installed on the boiler are capable of expelling all the steam produced,

at the maximum burning rate, without allowing the internal pressure to riseabove the values considered in the design (in case of boilers designedaccording to ASME – Section I, this value corresponds to 6% over the

MWPA (PMTA).

This test must be performed, based on the procedures established by the boiler’s manufacturer and/or the safety valve manufacturer.

Since this test is performed with all steam exhaust closed, the lack ofcirculation may cause damage to boilers equipped with overeaters or to



DT 1278/00

27

water heating boilers. Therefore it is not advisable to perform such test in

boilers with this configuration.

13.5.9 The exceptional safety inspection should be perf ormed on the foll owing

occasions:

a) whenever the boiler is damaged accidentally or by other reason capableof jeopardizing its safety;

b) when the boiler is submitted to a major alteration or repair capable of

changing its safety condition;c) before the boiler is put to work, after being inactive for more than 6 (six)

months;d) when the boiler is moved to another location.

The exceptional safety inspection may cover the entire boiler or part thereof,

according to the need and at the Qualified Professional’s discretion.

When the exceptional inspection covers the entire boiler, the term for thenext periodical safety inspection may be defined as of the date the

exceptional inspection is completed.

In case a boiler stays out of service for a long period (more than 6 months),the exceptional inspection mentioned in line “c” should be performed beforethe boiler is put back in service, and not every 6 (six) months.

13.5.10 The safety inspection should be performed by a Qual if ied Professional ,mentioned in i tem 13.1.2, or by its Own Equipment I nspection Service,

mentioned on Attachment I I .

This item refers to all kinds of safety inspection - initial, periodical or

exceptional.

Inspectors and/or inspection experts may assist the Qualified Professionalduring the safety inspection.

A specialized company may be used, provided it is registered with CREA

and has a Qualified Professional in place.

13.5.11 An I nspection Report should be issued after the boiler is inspected, and bean in tegral part of its documentation.



DT 1278/00

28

13.5.12 A copy of the I nspection Report should be sent by the Quali f ied

Professional, menti oned in item 13.1.2, to the labor union representati ve for the main professional category at the facil ity, withi n 30 (thir ty) days.

This item mandate the Inspection Report is sent only to the labor union

representative for the main professional category at the facility.It is understood that the end of the inspection is the date in which the boilerwas cleared to operate. The technical report completion date is not

considered as the inspection ending date.

13.5.13 The I nspection Report mentioned in i tem 13.5.11 should contain , as a

minimum:

a)

the data recorded in the boiler’s identification plate; b) boiler category ;c) boiler type;

d) type of inspection performed;e) date the inspection started and ended;

f) description of inspection and tests performed;g) result of inspection and measures;h) list of items under this regulation or other legal requirements that are not

being complied with;i) conclusion; j) recommendation and necessary measures;

k)

planned date for a new boiler inspection;l) legible name, signature and registration number of the qualified

professional with the council, mentioned on item 13.1.2, and legiblename and signature of the technicians that took part in the inspection.

It is understood as “boiler type” the information whether the boiler is water- pipe, flame-pipe or electric type, etc.

Some examples of the items in line “h” are:- lack of manometers;

- lack of safety valves;

- incorrect distance between the boiler and the start container.

An example of line “i” would be:“In view of the inspections performed, the boiler may be put back in

operation, respecting the operational parameters established by the design,and it should undergo a new periodic safety inspection on ___/___/___”.



DT 1278/00

29

Line “j” should list the recommendations to be followed after the inspection

being performed, such as:- improve the water treatment;

- test the safety valves in 3-month’s time.

13.5.14 Whenever the resul t of the inspection determines an alteration to the data

on the identi fi cation plate, such pl ate shou ld be updated.



DT 1278/00

30

ATTACHMENT I – A

M INIMUM REQUIRED PROGRAM F OR BOILER OPERATION SAFETY

TRAINING

1. NOTIONS OF PHYSICAL QUANTI TI ES AND UNI TS

Duration: 4 hours

1.1 Pressure

1.1.1 Atmospheric pressure1.1.2 Internal pressure of a vessel

1.1.3 Gauge pressure, relative pressure and absolute pressure1.1.4 Pressure units

1.2 Heat and Temperature1.2.1 General concept: what is heat, what is temperature1.2.2 Means of heat transfer

1.2.3 Specific heat and sensitive heat1.2.4 Heat transfer at a constant temperature

1.2.5 Saturated steam and overheated steam1.2.6 Saturated steam chart

2 BOI LERS – GENERAL CONDI TION

Duration: 8 hours

2.1 Types of Boi ler and their Purposes

2.2 Parts of a Boil er

2.2.1 Flame boiler2.2.2 Water boiler2.2.3 Electric boiler

2.2.4 Solid fuel boiler2.2.5 Liquid fuel boiler

2.2.6 Gas boiler

2.2.7

Burners

2.3 Boi ler’ s I nstruments and Contr ol Devices

2.3.1 Feed device2.3.2 Level glass

2.3.3 Level control system2.3.4 Pressure gauges



DT 1278/00

31

2.3.5 Safety devices

2.3.6 Auxiliary devices2.3.7 Valves and tubes

2.3.8 Smoke removal

3 BOILER OPERATION

Duration: 12 hours

3.1 Starting and stopping

3.2 Regulation and control for

3.2.1 Temperature3.2.2 Pressure

3.2.3

Energy supply3.2.4 Water level3.2.5 Pollutants

3.3 Operati on fail ur e, cause and measures

3.4 Guidelines for daily i nspection

3.5 Operation of a mult i-boil er system

3.6 Procedures in Emergency Situations

4 WATER TREATMENT AND BOILER MAI NTENANCE

Duration: 8 hours

4.1 Water impur ity and its consequence

4.2 Water treatment

4.3 Boil er maintenance



DT 1278/00

32

5 PREVENTI ON OF EXPLOSION AND OTHER RISKS

Duration: 4 hours

5.1 General r isks of accident and health hazards

5.2 Risks of explosion

6 LEGISLATION AND STANDARDIZATION

Duration: 4 hours

6.1 Regulatory Standards

6.2 Regulation Standard 13 (NR 13)

The program presented is the minimum and other subjects may be added, or the

duration of the classes may be extended in keeping with the specifications of eachfacility.

The proposed program is applicable to the training of operators as of the year of1995.

The graduation courses for operators held in the company that include all the

subjects and class hours established in this attachment may be considered equivalentto the Boiler Operation Safety Training, provided a the certificate established initem 13.3.5, line “a” is issued.



DT 1278/00

33

ATTACHMENT II

CERTI FI CATION REQUIREMENTS FOR “OWN EQUIPMENT

INSPECTION SERVICE”

Before putting the inspection periods established in items 13.5.4 and 13.10.3 of this

regulation in practice, the company’s “Own Equipment Inspection Service”,organized by sector, section, department, division or equivalent, should be directly

certified by the National Department of Metrology, Standardization and IndustrialQuality – INMETRO, or by a “Certification Institution” accepted by INMETRO,which should verify the compliance with following minimum requirements, listed in

lines “a” to “g”. This certification may be cancelled any time in case one of theserequirements are not fulfilled:

a) the company where the boiler or pressure vessel is installed must have its own personnel, dedicated exclusively to the inspection, integrity evaluation and

residual life activities, with degrees, qualification and training compatible with proposed safety maintenance activity;

b) the personnel hired for non-destructive testing shall be certified according to theregulation in force, and for other eventual services, screened and evaluatedaccording the criteria that is similar to the guidelines applied to its own

personnel. the proposed equipment inspection services must have a person incharge of their management, formally assigned to this duty;

c) there shall be at least one “Qualified Professional”, as defined in item 13.1.2;d) conditions shall be in place to maintain an updated technical file, required for

the compliance with this regulation, as well as means of distributing information

whenever necessary;e) there shall be written procedures for the main activities carried out;

f)

there shall be equipment suitable for the performance of the proposed activity.

This matter is subject to additional documentation issued by INMETRO.

In the specific case of production and exploration platforms and ships, there “Own

Equipment Inspection Service” may be installed onshore.



DT 1278/00

34

13.6. PRESSURE VESSEL – M ISCELLANEOUS

13.6.1 Pressure vessels are pieces of equipment containing flu id under externaland internal pressure.

Pressure vessels are always submitted simultaneously to internal andexternal pressure. Even those vessels that work in a vacuum are submitted to

these pressures, as absolute vacuum does not exist. What is usually calledvacuum is any pressure below atmospheric pressure. The vessel is sized inaccordance to the resulting differential pressure acting on its walls, which

can be higher externally or internally.

There are cases in which the pressure vessel should be sized by most severe pressure conditions, as when the internal and external pressures are notacting simultaneously, for instance.

Pressure vessels can be built of varied materials and geometrical shapes,

determined by the type of application for which they are intended.Therefore, there are spherical, cylindrical, conical, etc. pressure vessels,made from carbon-steel, aluminum, stainless steel, fiberglass and other

materials.

The pressure vessels can hold liquid, gas or a mixture of both. Some of theapplications are final or intermediary storage, pulsation dampening, heatexchange, reaction restraint, filtering, distillation, fluid separation, cryogen,

etc.

Regulation NR 13 is applicable to pressure vessels installed in industrialunits and other public or private facilities, such as hotels, hospitals,restaurants, etc.

As it governs Law 6514 (77) of the Consolidated Labor Laws - CLT, this

standard is also applicable to equipment installed in ships, exploration

and production platforms, etc, provided there is no conflictinglegislation.

13.6.1.1 Th is Regulation ’ s f ield of application, referr ing to pressure vessels, is

defi ned in Attachment I I I .

See comments in Attachment III

13.6.1.2 The pressur e vessels included in this NR are classif ied in categor ies as perAttachment IV.



DT 1278/00

35

See comments on Attachment IV

13.6.2 The lack of any of the fol lowing items poses a ser ious imminent r isk :

a)

the valve or any other safety device with it’s opening pressureadjusted to a value equal or lesser than the Maximum Working

Pressure Permitted - PMTA, installed directly on the vessel or in thesystem;

b) a safety device against the valve’s accidental blockage, when it is not

installed directly on the vessel;c) an instrument indicating the operational pressure.

It is understood as “other safety device,” a device that is intended to preventthe vessel’s internal pressure from reaching values may that endanger its

structural integrity. Some examples of “other devices” of disk rupture,

broken valves, vacuum drop, plugs, fuses, etc.

Pilot operated safety valves can be considered as “other device”, providedthey keep their operating capacity under any abnormal operational condition.

The safety device is a component that evaluates the vessel’s pressure,

independent of the causes that brought on the overpressure. Therefore, pressure switches, pressures stabilizers, instrumentation control network,etc, and should not be considered safety devices.

The “safety device against accidental blockage” is applicable to:

-

pressure vessels with 2 (two) or more safety devices;- vessels joined together and protected by only one safety valve.

Vessels with 2 (two) or more safety valves, with independent blockages areused when easy handling is required - one of the safety valves may be

removed for repair or inspection, and the others kept in operation. In thiscase, the remaining safety valves in a set, or by themselves, should bedesigned with sufficient capacity to relieve the vessel’s pressure.

The “device that prevents an accidental blockage” of the safety device is

applicable to pressure valves with two or more safety devices. Examples ofthese devices are the valves with two or more byways, gate valves without ahandle or with a padlocked handle, etc.

When the pressure vessel has only one safety valve, there are standards

Internationally Accepted, that consider the existence of a blockage betweenthe safety valve and the pressure vessel inadequate.



DT 1278/00

36

The instruments for indicating pressure, such as pressure gauges, may have

an analog or digital display and be installed on the vessel itself or in anappropriate control room.

13.6.3 Al l pressur e vessels must have an identi f ication tag secur ed to their bodyin a place easily accessible and clearly seen, containing at least thefollowing inf ormation:

a) manufacturer; b) identification number;

c) year of manufacture;d) maximum permitted work pressure;

e) pressure of hydrostatic test;f) design code and year of edition.

In accordance to decree 63.233 of 12/09/68, Brazil is the signatory for theInternational System of Units. The table on page 17 shows the conversion

factors that should be used for converting pressure units.

The identification number is an alphanumerical identification, known as tag,

item, order number, etc. assignedby the designer or facility to the pressurevessel.

For the purpose of complying with line “f”, in case the code year of editionis unknown, the Qualified Professional should verify if the equipment under

analysis meets the requirements of the last edition published in the year preceding the vessel’s manufacturing.

If the original design code or year of manufacture is unknown, the vesselshould be inspected in accordance with one of the existing codes for

pressure vessels, that are internationally accepted, such as: ASME, DIN, JIS,etc.

The identification plates already installed should meet the requirements ofthis Regulation.

13.6.3.1

I n additi on to the identif ication plate, the vessel’ s category, according to

Annex I V , and its identi fi cation number or code shall be marked in a

conspicuous place.

The information referring to the vessel identification and its respectivecategory are to be painted in a place where they may be easily noticed.



DT 1278/00

37

As an option to painting, the information may be inserted on a plate that can

be equally visualized.

13.6.4 Al l pressure vessels should have the foll owing update documentation in

the area is install ed.

a) Pressure Vessel Data Sheet supplied by the Manufacturer containingthe following information:

- design code and year of edition;

- material description;- procedures used during manufacturing, assembly, final inspection

and PMTA determination;- set of drawings and whatever data necessary to monitor the vessel’s

service life;- functional features;

-

data on safety devices;- year of Manufacture;- category of vessel;

b) Safety Register in accordance with item 13.6.5.c) Installation design, in accordance with item 13.7.

d) Alteration or Repair Project, in accordance with sub-items 13.9.2 and13.9.3.

e) Inspection Reports, in accordance with sub-item 13.10.8.

If the company where the pressure vessels are installed has various units, the

document should be handy at the unit where they have been installed so they

can be promptly consulted.

This requirement is also applicable to exploration and production platformsand ships.

It is not necessary to file all the documentation in a single location at the

unit. However, it is recommendable that all the data sheet documentation bekept together.

The procedures for determining the MWPA (PMTA) must explain its guidelines step

by step, including charts, abacus, etc, that may be consulted. If the facility agrees, the design pressure may be adopted as the MWPA for

the pressure vessel.

The vessel’s useful life consists of the period of time between manufactureand the time when the vessel is considered unfit for utilization.

The documentation should be kept during the pressure vessel’s entire life.



DT 1278/00

38

13.6.4.1 I f the Pressur e Vessel’ s Data Sheet is non-existent or lost the owner must

remake it, and the technical responsibility therefor shall rely on the

manufacturer or a Qualif ied Professional, mentioned in i tem 13.1.2. It isindispensable to reconstitute its function character istics, the safety devices

data and the procedures for determining the MWPA (PMTA).

The Pressure Vessel’s manufacturer shall provide the majority of the

required documentation, as detailed as possible, specially the partencompassed in the Pressure Vessel’s Data Sheet.

If the facility does not have this documentation, a part thereof should beremade, as determined in this item.

The pressure vessel’s owner shall be responsible for remaking thedocumentation at all times. For this purpose, the pressure vessel’s

manufacturer’s services may be used, or in case it is undetermined or nolonger exists, the services of a Qualified Professional or a specialized

company may be utilized.

Internationally acknowledged technical standards State the MWPA

calculation should take into consideration, other required stresses in additionto the pressure, encompassing all parts of the equipment such as

connections, flange connection neck, buttress, supporting brackets, seats,etc.

13.6.4.2 The pressur e vessel ’ s owner should show, when requi red by the authorit iesfr om the Min istry of L abor ’ s Regional Department, the documentation

mentioned in i tem 13.6.4.

The competent authority of the Labor Ministry’s Regional Office ( Regional

Labor Office – DRT) is the Regional Labor Officer for your jurisdiction.

13.6.5 The Safety Record shoul d consist of a book with numbered pages, fil es, or

a computerized or non-computeri zed system, equal ly reliable, where the

foll owing information wil l be noted:

a) all important occurrences capable of having an effect on the vessel’ssafety conditions;

b) safety inspection .

The Safety Record may consist of a book with numbered pages for each

pressure vessel or a book with numbered pages for several pressure vessels.



DT 1278/00

39

It is possible for the Company to use another system (e.g. computerized), but

they must feature the same safety against frauds and should require an“electronic signature”.

It is important to register in the book only occurrences that may affect a person’s physical integrity. Typical examples of these occurrences:

explosions, fires, leakage, rupture of the components, operations that werenot anticipated, overdue inspection deadlines, irregular performances of the

safety valves, etc.

It is a common practice in industrial units to fill out the Shift Log or Service

Overlap Log or a similar book, which may be accepted as a Safety Record aslong as it complies with item 13.6.5.

13.6.6 The documentation referred to in item 13.6.4 is to be ready for

consul tation by operators, maintenance personnel, inspectors and workersand employer ’ s representati ves in the CIPA – I nternal Commission forAccident Prevent ion at al l times. The owner shal l assur e the easy access to

such documentation, i ncluding to the labor uni on representative for the

predominant professional category at the facility, whenever formallyrequested.

The documentation referred to in this item should be available forconsultation and inspection at all times.

Whenever it is necessary to remove the documentation from the

establishment, a second copy must be provided.

13.7 PRESSURE VESSEL INSTALLATI ON

13.7.1 Al l pressur e vessels should be install ed in such a way that drains, air

vents, entrance nozzles and level indicators, pressur e and temperatur e,when present, are easi ly reached.

The accessories described in this item, may require the presence of a worker

to perform inspection and maintenance operations; they have to be easilyand safely accessible by stairs, platforms and other ways in accordance tothe NRs.

13.7.2 When the pressur e vessels are instal led in conf ined spaces, the instal lation

shoul d be according to the following requirements:



DT 1278/00

40

a) at least two ample exits, permanently clear and set in opposite

directions. b) Be of easy and safe access for maintenance, operations and inspection

activities. The guard rails should have measurements that will avoid a person falling through.

c) Permanent ventilation with air intakes that are obstruction-proof.

d) Lighting according to the official standards in force.e) Emergency lighting system.

The lines under this item refer to the place where the pressure vessel isinstalled. In this manner, line “a” prescribes the procedure area or place

where the pressure vessel is installed should have 2 (two) exits set inopposite directions.

It should be understood as an emergency lighting system every systemcapable of keeping the strategic points necessary for the pressure vessel

operation adequately lit in case of power failure. Examples of this system are bulbs connected to batteries that recharge automatically during normal

power supply, steam generator or combustion engines, etc.

13.7.3 When the pressure vessel is instal led in an open area, the install ation

should be in accordance with li nes “a”, “b”, “d” and “e” under i tem

13.7.2.

13.7.4 The noncompliance wi th the foll owing li nes under i tem 13.7.2 poses a

seri ous and imminent ri sk:

− “a”, “c”, “e” for vessels installed in confined spaces;

− “a” for vessels installed in open areas;

− “e” for vessels installed in open areas that operate during the night.

13.7.5 When the establi shment is not able to comply wi th the provisions under

item 13.7.2 an “Al ternative Install ation Project” should be developed with

addit ional safety that measur es to reduce the ri sks.

When the establishment cannot comply with item 13.7.2 or follow thesafety, health and environmental aspects established in the Regulatory

Standards, conventions or other legal provisions, an “Alternative InstallationProject” shall be prepared with sound measures to reduce risks.

This requirement is applicable to current and new installations.



DT 1278/00

41

13.7.5.1 The pressure vessel owner should present the Al ternative I nstall ation

Project in order to obtain an agreement f rom the labor un ion f or the mainprofessional category in the establ ishment.

13.7.5.2 When there is no agreement, as foreseen in subi tem13.7.5.1, mediation bythe MTb Regional Off ice can be requested by any one of the parties and i f

an impasse persists, thi s department wi l l take the decision.

13.7.6 The authorshi p of the I nstall ation Project for pressur e vessels establi shed

in categori es “I ”, “I I ” and “I I I ”, per Attachment I V, concern ing the

compliance with this Regulation, is the responsibility of a QualifiedProfessional , as stated in i tem 13.1.2, and shou ld observe al l safety, health

and environmental aspects established in the Regulatory Standards,conventi ons and appl icable legal provisions.

The authorship of the Installation Project for pressure valves is aresponsibility of the Qualified Professional.

If during the creation of the project, the Qualified Professional should

request the participation of specialized and legally qualified professionals,they will be held liable for their share and should be explicitly mentioned asauthors of their part of the project.

13.7.7 The I nstallati on Project shoul d have at least a bl ueprint of the facil ity withthe location and type of each vessel and the safety instal lations.

The Installation Project should have a blueprint of the facility with the

location and type of each pressure vessel installed. The blueprint should alsoshow the position of the safety installations, such a fire extinguishers,sprinkler systems, water cannons, foam chambers, hydrants, etc.

Legally qualified professionals should duly sign all documents that

constitute the Installation Project.

When an existing installation does not possess the blueprints or the above

mentioned documents, or when the identification of the legally qualified professionals is not very clear, a Qualified Professional should redo the

Installation Project.



DT 1278/00

42

13.8 PRESSURE VESSEL OPERATION SAFETY

13.8.1 Every pressure vessel included in categories “I ” and “I I ” shoul d have itsown operational manual or operational instructions in the manual

belonging to the unit where it is installed, in Portuguese and easilyaccessible to the operators, with at least:

a) start and stop procedures; b) operational parameters and routine procedures;

c) emergency situation procedures;d) general safety, health and environmental preservation procedures.

The operation manual belonging to units with categories “I” and “II” pressure vessels should always be available to operators close to their work

station. The manual should always be updated and all alterations to

operational procedures or equipment features should be made widely knownto the operators and readily incorporated in the respective manuals.

This requirement is also applicable to exploration and production platforms.

13.8.2 The instruments and controls for pressure vessels shoul d be kept

calibr ated and in good operating condi tions.

All instruments and controls that may interfere with the pressure vessel’ssafety should periodically be calibrated and kept in satisfactory conditions.

The use of resorts such us jumps to neutralize the control and safety systems

poses a severe and imminent risk and may lead to the equipment’sinterdiction.

The frequency of the maintenance and the definition of which instrumentsand controls of the pressure vessels should be included in this item are

responsibility of the legally qualified professionals for each specialty.

13.8.2.1 The use of r esorts that neutrali ze the vessel’ s safety and control systems

poses a serious and imminent r isk..

Transitory jumps in situations where there is a redundancy or preventive

maintenance is under way, will not be considered as a “resort to neutralize”the control systems or instruments.

In such cases it is necessary to calculate the risks involved and observe thisoperation closely, regarding all sectors that may be affected by it.



DT 1278/00

43

13.8.3 The operation of units with pressure vessels belonging to “I ” or “ I I ”

categories shoul d be performed by professional trained on Uni t OperationSafety Procedures. The noncompliance with this requirement

character izes a serious and imminent r isk.

The establishment’s owner or his legal representative holds theresponsibility for having well trained operators in the operating units.

It should be realized that due to the unit’s complexity an operator mayoperate several pressure vessels simultaneously or one single pressure vessel

may be controlled by various operators. The operator responsible for theunit’s operation should be capable of acting promptly to correct abnormalsituations that may arise.

When a computerized remote controlled system is installed, a staff to act inemergency situations should be considered.

13.8.4 For purpose of thi s Regulation, a Professional will be considered as

trained on Professional the Processing Unit Operation Safety only if hemeets one of the fol lowing conditi ons:

a) Processing Unit Operation Safety Certificates issued by a competenttraining institution.

b) Proof of experience in operating categories “I” or “II” pressure vessels

for at least 2 (two) years before this Regulation was effected.

In cases where it is necessary to prove Processing Unit operationexperience, the following should be taken in consideration:

− records in the work book or

− documents or duties supplied by the establishment or

− witnesses

To calculate the 2 (two) years of experience, the time with interruptionshould be disregarded.

13.8.5 The minimum requi rement for attending, as a pupi l, the Processing Un i tSafety Tr ain ing is the conclusion of Elementar y School.

13.8.6 I t is mandatory that the Safety Training in Operating the Procedure Un itsshoul d be:



DT 1278/00

44

a) technically supervised by a Qualified Professional as mentioned in item

13.1.2; b) the teachers should be proficient in this subject;

c) observe, as a minimum requirement, the program proposed inAttachment 1-B of this Regulation.

Other theoretical or practical subjects may be included in the training if it isconsidered relevant by the technical supervisor of the training.

13.8.7 I n case of the non-compliance with the provisions of item 13.8.6, thepersons in charge of the Processing Unit Operation Safety Training

Processing Uni t Operation Safety Train ing are subject to be precluded

from conducti ng new courses as well as other legal penalties.

13.8.8 Al l professional trained in Processing Un it Operation Safety shouldundergo a supervised practical training period on pressure vesseloperations with the fol lowing duration as a minimum:

a) 300 (three hundred) hours for categories “I” and “II” vessels.

b) 100 (one hundred) hours for categories “III”, “IV” or “V” vessels.

The company or establishment will file all documents that prove the

attendance of their operators in above mentioned practical training periods.

In cases where the unit does not have categories “I” and “II” pressure

vessels it is not necessary to have professionals trained in Processing UnitOperation Safety. However it is necessary to comply with the 100 hour

practical training period.

The supervisor of the training period may be:

− Chief of operations.

− A chief operator.

− An engineer in charge of processing.

− A Qualified Professional.

− A more experience operator.

13.8.9 The establ ishment where the supervi sed train ing takes place should

in form the labor un ion r epresentati ve for the main professional class ofthe establ ishment beforehand:

a) the training period;



DT 1278/00

45

b) institution, company or professional responsible for the Processing Unit

Operation Safety Training;c) list of participating trainees.

13.8.10

The operators should be kept permanently current, by means ofconti nuous information about the physical and operational condition of

the equipment, technical update, safety information, courses,presentations and per tinent events.

The employer will be responsible for setting the date and the need forrefresher courses.

For certification purposes, the type of activity, date and period, etc should beattached to each employee’s file.

13.8.11 I t is a serious and imminent r isk to operate any pressur e vessel inconditi ons other than those established in the original project, without:

a) A new design, taking into consideration all the variables involved in the

new operating condition. b) The implementation of all safety procedures related to the vessel’s new

classification, regarding its installation, operation, maintenance and

inspection.

Operating pressure vessels under operating conditions other than those

established in its design can be extremely dangerous.

Examples of these conditions are:

− higher pressure than the operational.

− higher temperature than determined in the project.

− using different fluids than those originally planned.

− alterations of the shape, thickness, type of material, etc.

Whenever a modification is made in the pressure vessel’s design or in itsoperational conditions, all necessary safety procedures should be adopted.

All modifications made must always be registered in the pressure vessel’sdocumentation.



DT 1278/00

46

13.9 PRESSURE VESSEL MAINTENANCE SAFETY

13.9.1 Al l repairs or alterati ons made to the pressur e vessels shou ld observe thecorresponding construct ion design code and the manuf acturer’ s

recommendations regarding:

a) materials; b) implementation procedures;c) quality control procedures;

d) personnel qualification and certification.

In the case of pipelines, this item’s coverage is limited to the section between the vessel’s body and the weld or nearest flange.

It is considered as a “repair” any operation aiming to correct a non-

conformance with the original design. For example, a welding repair tocorrect damaged areas, taking off imperfections from the weldedconnections or from the metal base, substituting inserts or corrodedconnections, etc.

It is considered as “alteration” any operation that alters the original design,

including the vessel’s operational parameters. For example: alterations in thematerial specification, change of the inserts or connections, changes inshape, etc.

Examples of personnel qualification and certification are the procedures

provided by code ASME, Section IX (Qualification for Welding andBrazing) and Section V (Non-Destructive Testing).

13.9.1.1 When the constructi on design code is unknown, the original vessel’ s

concept should be respected, using the more rigorous contr ol procedures

def ined in the per tinent codes.

In case the vessel’s documentation is lost and the manufacturer cannot beidentified, any repair and alteration should respect the original boiler

concept. At the times of such repairs and alterations the Qualified

Professional should suggest the testing, as well as the acceptance standardscompatible with the most rigorous design codes acknowledged worldwide.

13.9.1.2 At the Qual if ied Professional’ s discretion, as mentioned in item 13.1.2,

modern methods of calcul ation or more advanced procedures can be used

to replace the ones establ ished by the project code.



DT 1278/00

47

In special cases, and as long as a Qualified Professional approves it,

calculation procedures and technology not included in the design code may be used. Some examples of these procedures are mechanical fracture

techniques that allow subcritical discontinuities, alternate weldingtechniques that do not require stress relief, finite element molding, etc.

13.9.2 Al teration or Repair Projects shoul d be previously conceived in thefol lowing cases:

a) whenever the conditions of the project are modified; b) whenever repairs are made that can jeopardize safety.

Before performing any repairs or alterations that may jeopardize the pressurevessels or workers’ safety, an Alteration or Repair Project should be devised

and filed in the pressure vessel’s documentation.

It is not necessary to submit this document to a department outside thecompany, such as: DRT (Labor Regional Office), labor union, etc.

Examples of Alteration and Repair Projects are alterations in thespecifications of the vessel’s or accessories’ material, inclusion or exclusion

of connections, welding repairs, etc.

13.9.3 The Al terati on or Repair Project should:

c) be planned or approved by a Qualified Professional, as mentioned in

item 13.1.2;d) determine the material, implementation procedures, quality control and

personnel qualification.

e) be made known to employees of the establishment that are involved insome way with the equipment.

A specialized company can make the Alteration and Repair Project as longas it is registered with the Engineering and Architecture Regional Council -

CREA and has a technical person legally qualified in place.

Repairs and alterations that involve specialization in electricity, electronic orchemistry qualification shall be planned and signed by a qualified professional for each specific field. Independently, every Alteration or

Repair Project will be signed by a Qualified professional.



DT 1278/00

48

13.9.4 Any modifi cation that demands mandrel work or welding in parts that

operate under pressure shal l be foll owed by a hydrostatic test according to

the character istics def ined by the Quali f ied Professional , mentioned initem 13.1.2, taking into account what is mentioned in i tem 13.10.

If the hydrostatic test parameters are not defined in standards or codes, theQualified Professional will be responsible for their definition, based on his

experience and knowledge. These parameters should contain:

- safety measures necessary to the protection of the personnel involved in the

test;- fluid to be used for pressurization;

- pressure increase rate and levels, when necessary;- final hydrostatic test pressure ;- period of time when the equipment will remain pressurized.

The characteristics and results of the hydrostatic test should be recorded in

the corresponding Safety Inspection Report that includes the test, whetherinitial, periodic or exceptional.

13.9.4.1 Small superf icial interventions may make the hydrostati c test unnecessary,

the Qual if ied Prof essional as menti oned in item 13.1.2 takes thi s decision.

13.9.5 The contr ol and safety systems of the pressur e vessel wi l l be submitted to

Preventi ve or Predictive Maintenance.

The definition of instruments and control systems to be included in thePreventive/Predictive Maintenance plan, as well as its corresponding periodicity shall be defined by a legally qualified professional who is

competent to perform this kind of activity.

13.10 PRESSURE VESSEL INSPECTI ON SAFETY

13.10.1 The pressure vessels should be submi tted to an I ni tial, Peri odic andExtr aordinary Safety Inspection.

13.10.2 The init ial safety inspection shal l be made on new pressure vessels, beforeputting them to work, at the operation site, and it shall cover in ternal and

external inspection, hydrostatic and accumulation tests, considering the

limitati ons mentioned in item 13.10.3.5.



DT 1278/00

49

Internal and external inspection and hydrostatic tests made at the owner’s

facility are important and necessary but they do not constitute an InitialSafety Inspection since the components of the pressure vessel may suffer

damage during the transportation, storage and assembly in their definitivesite. The Initial Safety Inspection can only be made when the pressure vesselis already installed on its final location.

Applicable for this item are the clauses made out when performing the

hydrostatic tests appearing in items 13.10.3.4 and 13.10.3.5.

13.10.3 The per iodical safety inspection, compri sed of an external and in ternal

inspection, and a hydrostatic test, should obey the fol lowing establi shed

deadlines:

a) For establishments that do not have their own Equipment Inspection

Service, as mentioned in Attachment II:

CATEGORY OFVESSEL

EXTERNALINSPECTION

INTERNALINSPECTION

HYDROSTATICTEST

I

IIIII

IVV

1 YEAR

2 YEARS3 YEARS

4 YEARS5 YEARS

3 YEARS

4 YEARS6 YEARS

8 YEARS10 YEARS

6 YEAR

8 YEARS12 YEARS

16 YEARS20 YEARS

b) For establishments that have their own Equipment Inspection

Service, as mentioned in Attachment II:

CATEGORY OF

VESSEL

EXTERNAL

INSPECTION

INTERNAL

INSPECTION

HYDROSTATIC

TEST

III

IIIIVV

3 YEARS4 YEARS

5 YEARS6 YEARS7 YEARS

6 YEARS8 YEARS

10 YEARS12 YEARSfreedom of

choice

12 YEARS16 YEARS

freedom of choicefreedom of choicefreedom of choice

The Periodical Safety Inspection’s scope as well as the techniques used will be defined by a Qualified Professional taking into account the pressure

vessel’s record and the technical rules in force.

The deadlines defined in this item should be considered as maximum limits.The real term shall be established by the Qualified Professional, taking intoaccount the available previous experience, being counted from the last

complete inspection made on the pressure vessel.



DT 1278/00

50

The deadlines established in line “b” is applicable to companies who have

their own Equipment Inspection Service, certified in accordance to therecommendations in that Attachment II.

This Regulation does not intend to specify in detail the inspection methodsor procedures. A Qualified Professional based on internationally accepted

codes and policies and engineering knowledge shall do this.

Since some vessels, even when they are not in operation, can suffer extremecorrosive wear, should be given as an inspection deadline the date of the lastcomplete safety inspection and not take into consideration the starting or

restarting of operations with the vessel.

13.10.3.1 Pressur e vessels that cannot be inspected in ternall y and external ly due to

physical dif f icul ty shoul d be submi tted alternatively to a hydrostatic test,

taking in to consideration the limi tations anti cipated in i tem 13.10.3.5.

Examples of pressure vessel that do not permit an internal examination:- vessels that do not have a manhole or opening for a person to get

through;- vessels with a hull diameter that does not allow a person to get

through;- heat exchangers with a mirror welded to the hull, etc.

Examples of equipment that do not permit an external examination:- Buried equipment.

13.10.3.2 Vessels with in ternal fi ll ing or wi th a catalyst can have the per iodicity of

their in ternal inspection or hydrostatic test extended, so that it coincides

with the per iod in which f il li ng and catalyzer , provided this extension oftime does not sur pass 20% of the establ ished deadli ne in item 13.10.3 of

this Regulation.

Examples of internal pressure vessel’s filling are:

- clay;- activated charcoal;

-

steel shavings;- Rashig rings;

- orientated fillings;

Disassembled accessories, such as:- trays;- demister;

- distributors.



DT 1278/00

51

13.10.3.3 Vessels wi th hygroscopic internal coating should be tested hydrostati call ybefore the coating is applied, and the subsequent tests should be

substituted to alternative techniques.

A typical example of hygroscopic internal coating is refractory coating.

13.10.3.4 When technicall y unfeasible and duly recorded in The Safety Record by aQual if ied Professional, mentioned in i tem 13.1.2, the hydrostatic test can

be substituted by another non-conformance technique or inspection i n

which equivalent secur ity may be obtained.

The person responsible for defining the inspection techniques that willsupply equivalent safety to hydrostatic test is a Qualified Professional.

Examples of these techniques are:

− ultra-sound inspection.

− X-ray inspection.

− penetrating liquid inspection.

− magnetic particle inspection.

− flow checks inspection.

Substituting the hydrostatic test for other techniques is a decision that should

be part of the corresponding safety inspection report, duly signed by theQualified Professional.

13.10.3.5 Technical reasons that make hydrostatic testing unfeasible are:

a) structural resistance of the vessel’s foundation or support, incompatible

with the weight of the water used in the hydrostatic test. b) damaging effects brought on by the test fluid to the vessel’s internal

elements.c) impossibility of using cleaning and drying system techniques.d) Existence of internal coating.

e) prejudicial influence of the test on sub-critical defects.

The technical reasons, which make the hydrostatic test unfeasible,mentioned in this item, are the most frequent. There may be further reasonsto make the hydrostatic test unfeasible other than those mentioned.

Economical reasons should not be considered as restrictions for the

hydrostatic test.



DT 1278/00

52

Examples of internal coating that usually make the hydrostatic test

unfeasible are:- glazed coating;

- hygroscopic (refractory) coating.

On the other hand, the existence of painted coating, lining , clad, etc. are not

considered as technical reasons to make the hydrostatic tests unfeasible the.

13.10.3.6 Vessel’ s wi th a temperature below 0 ° C that operate in condit ions where it

is known through exper ience that there is no deter ioration are fr ee fr om

per iodical hydrostatic tests. However , it is necessary to per form an in ternal

exam every 20 (twenty) years and an external exam every 2 (two) years.

The pressure vessels operating with a temperature below 0°C, cryogenicvessels are rarely subject to serious deterioration. The frequent internal

inspection and the hydrostatic tests can bring on phenomenon that may jeopardize the vessel’s service life.

Therefore, the Regulation 13 does not foresee the performance of amandatory hydrostatic test and establishes deadlines for internal inspection

of up to 20 (twenty) years, a number that is compatible with otherinternational laws.

The details of internal and external exams should respect internationallyaccepted voluntary policies.

The cryogenic pressure vessels should respect all of the items in theRegulation 13, with the exception of dispensation from hydrostatic and the

deadlines for safety inspection.

13.10.3.7 When there is no other alternati ve, the pneumatic test can be per formed,

providing the Qualified Professional supervises it, mentioned in item

13.1.2, and wi th special care, as it is a very ri sky operation.

13.10.4 The pressur e vessel ’ s safety valves shoul d be disassembled, inspected and

calibrated again at the time of the per iodic internal inspection.

The services established in this item can be done by removing the valve andtaking it to a repair facility or performed at its place of installation.

If the safety valve’s assembly components and the units allow it, averification of the opening pressure, using hydraulic devices, while the

pressure vessel is in operation.



DT 1278/00

53

The established deadlines in this item for inspection and maintenance of the

safety valves are final. Shorter deadlines can be established when the recordsof their operation show problems in shorter periods compared to those

established for periodical internal inspection of the vessel. In this way, theinspection of safety valves can occur in dissimilar dates to those of the periodical internal inspection.

In the same way, when the internal inspection deadlines are increased, as

happens with the cryogenic vessels, shorter deadlines for safety valvesinspection can be established.

13.10.5 The exceptional safety inspection shal l be performed on the foll owing

occasions:

a) whenever the vessel is damaged accidentally or by any other reason

capable of jeopardizing its safety; b) whenever the vessel is submitted to major alterations or to repairs capableof changing its safety condition;

c) before the vessel is put to work, after remaining inactive for more than

12 (twelve) months;d) whenever the vessel is moved to another location.

The exceptional safety inspection may cover the whole vessel or only part ofit, depending on the necessity or at the discretion of the Qualified

Professional.

13.10.6 The Safety I nspection shoul d be per formed by a Qual if ied Professional,

menti oned in i tem 13.1.2 or by the vessel’ s own Equipment Inspection, as

menti oned in Attachment I I .

This item refers to all types of safety inspection, initial, periodical orexceptional.

Inspectors and/or inspection experts during the safety inspection may assistthe Qualified Professional.

Specialized companies can be used as long as they are registered with CREAand have Qualified Professionals.

13.10.7 An I nspection Report wi ll be issued after the vessel is inspected, and wil l

be part of its documentation.



DT 1278/00

54

It is understood that the end of inspection takes place whe n the pressure

vessel is released for operation. The date the technical report is concludedwill not be considered as the inspection ending date.

13.10.8

The Inspection Report should have:

a) pressure vessel’s identification; b) service fluids and category of pressure vessel;c) type of pressure vessel;

d) date of start and end of inspection;e) type of inspection performed;

f) description of inspection and tests performed;g) results of the inspections and measures taken;h) conclusions;

i) necessary recommendations and measures;

j)

planned date for the next inspection;k) legible name, signature and registration number of the qualified professional in the council, mentioned in item 13.1.2 and legible nameand signature of the technicians who took part in the inspection.

Examples of type pressure vessels: reactor, filter, distillation, storage sphere,

etc.

An example for line “h” would be:

“In view of the inspections and maintenance performed the pressure vessel

can be put back into operation, and should be submitted to a new periodicalinspection on the date: ___/___/___”.

An example for line “i” would be:

“ During the pressure vessel’s next job, the following steps must be taken”:

− improve the identification plate’s setting;

− substitute the earth cable’s connection;

− adapt the painting of pressurized air lines to the Regulation 26;

− alter the PMTA’s value and make the necessary adjustments to safetydevices.

13.10.9 Whenever the inspection reports determi ne there be alterations on the

identif ication plate’ s data, it shoul d be updated.



DT 1278/00

55

ATTACHM ENT I-B

M INIMUM PROCESSING UNIT OPERATION PROGRAM

1 NOTIONS OF PHYSICAL QUANTITI ES AND UNI TS

Duration: 04 hours

1.1 Pressure

1.1.1 Atmospheric pressure1.1.2 Internal vessel pressure

1.1.3 Manometer measured pressure, relative pressure and absolute pressure1.1.4 Pressure units

1.2 Heat and Temperature

1.2.1 General conception: what is heat, what is temperature

1.2.2 Ways of transferring heat1.2.3 Specific and sensitive heat

1.2.4 Heat transfer at constant temperatures1.2.5 Saturated steam and overheated steam

2 PROCESSING EQUI PMENT

Duration: established to conform to the complexity of the unit, keeping aminimum of 4 hours per item, when applicable.

2.1 Heat exchangers

2.2 Tubing, valves and accessories

2.3 Pumps

2.4 Turbines and ejectors

2.5 Compressors

2.6 Towers, vessels, tanks and reactors



DT 1278/00

56

2.7 Furnaces

2.8 Boilers

3 ELECTRICITY

Duration: 04 hours

4 INSTRUMENTATION

Duration: 08 hours

5 UNI T OPERATION

Duration: established in conformity to the unit’s complexity.

5.1 Description of procedure

5.2 Starting and stopping

5.3 Emergency procedures

5.4 Di sposal of chemicals and envi ronmental preservation

5.5 Estimating and controll ing risks that are inherent to the procedure

5.6 Deter ioration, explosion and other r isks preventi on

6 F ir st Ai dDuration: 08 hours

7 Legislation and normal ization

Duration: 04 hours



DT 1278/00

57

The given curriculum is minimal, and other subjects can be added to it, or

the duration of the subjects can be extended to suit each establishment.

The curriculum is applicable for training operators from the procedure unitsthat own categories “I” and “II” pressure vessels. The courses for operatorsexistent in the companies and totally follow the Safety Training in Operating

Procedure Units are regarded as equivalent, providing a certificate is issuedas anticipated in item 13.8.4 line “a”.

ATTACHMENT II

REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFYING THE COMPANY’S OWN

EQUIPMENT INSPECTION

Before putting into practice the special periods between inspectionsestablished in items 13.5.4 and 13.10.3 of this Regulation, the company’s

Own Services for Equipment Inspection organized by sector, section,department, division or equivalent, should be certified by The National

Department of Metrology, Regulation and Industrial Quality - INMETRO,or by Certification Institutes with their credentials. They will verify thecompliance with the following minimum requirements listed from, line “a”

to “g”. This certification can be cancelled at any time it is verified that oneof these requirements are not being followed:

a) the company where the boiler or pressure vessel is installed must haveits own personnel, dedicated exclusively to the inspection, integrity

evaluation and residual life activities, with degrees, qualification andtraining compatible with proposed safety maintenance activity;

b)

the personnel hired for non-destructive testing shall be certifiedaccording to the regulation in force, and for other eventual services,screened and evaluated according the criteria that is similar to the

guidelines applied to its own personnel. the proposed equipmentinspection services must have a person in charge of their

management, formally assigned to this duty;c) proposed equipment inspection service – there shall be a person in

charge of its management, formally assigned for this duty;

d) there shall be at least one “Qualified Professional”, as defined in item13.1.2;

e) conditions shall be in place to maintain an updated technical file,required for the compliance with this regulation, as well as means ofdistributing information whenever necessary;

f) there shall be written procedures for the main activities carried out;g) there shall be equipment suitable for the performance of the proposed

activity.

This matter is subject to complementary documentation issued by

INMETRO.



DT 1278/00

58

For the specific case of production and exploration oilrigs and also ships, the

“Own Services for Equipment Inspection” can be installed onshore.

ATTACHMENT II I

1 THI S REGULATION SHOULD BE IM PLEMENTED FOR THEFOLLOWING EQUI PMENT:

a) any vessel with a “P.V” product above 8 (eight) and where “P” is themaximum operating pressure in kPa and “V” is its internal geometrical

volume in m³, including:- heat transferors, evaporators and similar;

- pressure vessels or parts subject to direct flame that are not in the otherregulation scopes, neither in item 13.1 of this Regulation;

- pressure vessels with sleeves, including re-boilers and reactors.

- autoclaves and thermal fluid boilers that do not steam the vessel up; b) vessels containing type “A” fluid, specified in Attachment IV,

independent of the dimensions and the “P.V” product.

2 TH IS REGULATION IS APPLI CABLE TO THE FOLLOWING

EQUIPMENT:

a) portable cylinders, vessels destined for product transportation, portablereservoirs for pressurized fluid and fire extinguishers;

b) those intended for human dwelling;

c) combustion chamber or vessels that integrate the rotary or alternativemachinery, such as pumps, compressors, turbines, generators, motors,

pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders that cannot be marked as independentequipment;

d) ducts and piping for the conveyance of fluids;

e) serpentines for thermal exchange; f) tanks and receptacles for the storing and stowing of fluids that are not

encompassed in the policies and codes pressure vessel’s projects;g) vessels with an internal diameter lower than 150 mm (one hundred and

fifty) for type “B”, “C” and “D” fluids, as specified in Attachment IV.

Collectors such as a header, manifold, etc or other fluids that cast or receive

“PIG” should not be considered pressure vessels.

Heat transferors should establish their category in two different ways:

1st.) taking into consideration the most critical category between the hull

and the head (spool); 2nd) Considering the hull to be a pressure vessel and the head to be another.



DT 1278/00

59

This Regulation is not applicable to vessels closely linked to rotary or

alternative equipment, as it is understood that to more than an effort of pressure, this equipment is subject to dynamic efforts that can cause it

fatigue, corrosion, etc. It is understood that such vessels have more severeand specific policies than those of NR 13.Examples of this situation:- combustion motor’s crank case;

- pump volutes;- pump and compressor framework.

Pressure vessels installed in packages with the sole objective of reducing physical space or making installation easier, are not considered as being

integrated to the machinery and therefore are subject to the requirements in NR 13 where P.V> 8. Examples of this situation:

- pressurized air lungs that can hold small alternative compressors;- heat transference to cool the water or oil in the rotary machinery;- pump and compressor pulsation dampers;

- filters;- pressurized rotary cylinders.

Cryogenic receptacles to store liquefied gases derivatives of the air, such asoxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc, when manufactured is in accordance

to the policies and codes of a specific project, not related to pressure vessels,they should be encompassed in Attachment III, item 2, line “f” of the NR 13.

ATTACHMENT IV

PRESSURE VESSELS CLASSIF ICATI ON

1 FOR THE PURPOSES OF TH IS REGULATION, THE PRESSUREVESSELS ARE CLASSI F I ED I N CATEGORIES ACCORDING TO THE

TYPE OF FLUID AND RISK POTENTIAL

1.1. The f lu ids in the pressure vessels are classif ied according to the foll owing:

Type “A”: - Inflammable fluids;

- Combustible with a temperature higher or equal to 200°C;- Toxic fluids whose tolerance limit is equal or lesser than 20 ppm;

- Hydrogen;- Acetylene.

Type “B”: - Combustion fluids with a temperature lower than 200° C;- Toxic fluids with their tolerance limit higher than 20 ppm;

Type “C” - Water steam, simple asphyxiating gases or pressurized air.



DT 1278/00

60

Type “D” - Water or other fluids not encompassed in types “A”, “B” or

“C”, with a higher than 50°C temperature.

1.1.1 When considering mixtures, for classif ication sake, one shoul d consider

the fluid that represents greater r isk to the workers and installati ons,considering its toxic effects, inf lammabi li ty and concentrati on.

1.2. The pressure vessels are classif ied in potential r isk groups due to the

“P.V” product, where “P” is the maximum operating pressure in MPa and

“V” i s its geometr ical i nternal volume in cubic meters, as foll ows:

Group 1 - P.V ≥ 100

Group 2 - P.V < 100 and P.V ≥ 30

Group 3 - P.V < 30 and P.V ≥ 2,5Group 4 - P.V < 2,5 and P.V ≥ 1Group 5 - P.V < 1

1.2.1 Pressure Vessels that operate in vacuum conditions should beencompassed in the foll owing categor ies:

- Category I - for inflammable fluids;- Category V - for other fluids.



DT 1278/00

61

1.3 The foll owing table classif ies the pressur e vessels in categories according

to potenti al r isk groups and the types of f lu id i t contains.

TYPE OF FLUID POTENTIAL RISK GROUP1

P.V≥100

2

P.V<100

P.V≥30

3

P.V<30

P.V≥2,5

4

P.V<2,5

P.V≥1

5

P.V<1

CATEGORIES

“A”- Inflammable fluids- Combustible with a temperaturehigher or equal to 200°C;- Toxic fluids with tolerance limit ≤20

ppm;- Hydrogen;- Acetylene.

I I II III III

“B- Combustibles with temperature lowerthan 200° C;- toxic fluids with tolerance limit > than20 ppm;

I II III IV IV

“C”- Water steam- simple asphyxiating gases- pressurized air

I II III IV V

“D”- Water or other fluids not encompassedin types “A”, “B” or “C”, with a higherthan 50°C temperature

II III IV V V

Notes:

a) Consider Volume in m3 and Pressure in MPa.

b) Consider 1 MPa correspondent to 10,197 kgf/cm2.

The classification of fluids into inflammable and combustible should attendto what is defined in Regulation 20.

The most critical condition should always be considered. Example, if a gasis asphyxiating simple (type C fluid) and inflammable (type A fluid) it

should be considered inflammable.

The temperature to be used for classification is the one from the pressure

vessel in operation.

The toxins of the fluids should attend the anticipated in the NRs; in case thetolerance limits for the fluid or mixture are not taken into account;internationally accepted numbers should be used.



DT 1278/00

62

For classification purposes, when a pressure vessel has a mixture of fluids,one should use the fluid that presents more risk to the workers, installations

and environment, then a fluid with a significant concentration mixture, at theestablishment’s discretion.

For classification purposes, the values for the maximum operational pressurecan be obtained from data obtained at the process engineering department,

from the pressure vessel’s manufacture’s recommendations, or from thevessel’s functional features.

If these numbers are significant they can be subtracted from the pressurevessel’s internal geometrical volume occupied by non-porous elements.

All pressure vessels with the “P.V.” product higher than 8 (eight) areencompassed in Regulation 13. The vessels whose “P.V” is higher than 8

(eight), but their fluid is not encompassed in the types defined in AttachmentIV, should have there category attributed according to their past operational

history and to the risks presented to the workers and installations, taking intoconsideration: toxins, inflammability and concentration. In the calculation ofthe product “P.V’ the pressure must be in kPa.

The maximum operating pressure to be used in the calculation of the P.V.

product in table under Annex IV should be in Megapascal (MPa).

Water below 50°C and other fluids that are not encompassed in the types

listed in this Attachment should be encompassed as type “D”.

EXAMPLES OF THE CLASSIF ICATION OF PRESSURE VESSELS

1st. case

Equipment: Ethylene Cracker

Operati on Temperature : 30°C

Geometri cal Volume : 785m3

Operation Pressure : 20.4 kgf/cm3

Product : Ethanol

a) To verify if the Vessel can be encompassed in the NR 13Maximum Operational Pressure = 20.4 kgf/cm2



DT 1278/00

63

To change into kPa → 20.4 ÷ 0.010197 = 2000.58 kPa

P.V = 2000.58 (kPa) x 785 (m3)

P.V = 1,570,461.90

P.V > 8, therefore the Vessel is encompassed in the NR 13

b) To determine the Vessel’s category:

Ethylene product = inflammable fluid = type “A” fluid

P.V = 2.00058 MPa x 785m3 = 1570.45 (therefore P.V ≥ 100)

With P.V ≥ 100 and type “A” fluid, in the table of Attachment IV we find

that the Vessel is Category I.

2nd. case

Equipment: Lubricating Oil Filter

Operati on Temperature : 40°C

Geometri cal Volume : 290 liters

Operation Pressure : 5.0 kgf/cm3

Product : Lubricating Oil

a) To verify if the Vessel can be encompassed in NR 13

Maximum Operational Pressure = 5.0 kgf/cm2

To change into kPa→ 5.0 ÷ 0.010197 = 490.34 kPa

Maximum Operation Pressure: 490.34 kPa

Geometric volume: 290 ltrs = 0.290m3

Product P.V = 490.34 (kPa) x 0.290m3 = 142.19

P.V > 8, therefore the Vessel is encompassed in NR 13

b) To determine the Vessel’s category:

Product = Lubricating Oil = type “B” fluid



DT 1278/00

P.V = 0.49034 MPa x 0.290m3 = 0.14245 (therefore potential group ofrisk = 5 and fluid type “B”)

By referring to the table under Attachment IV we determined the Vesselis a Category IV.

nr 13 - comentada - inglês

Documents