BOILER TESTING RULES AND REGULATIONS
CHESAPEAKE & ALLEGHENY STEAM PRESERVATION SOCIETY
All new boilers shall be hydrostatically tested to a pressure of not
less than 2 times the operating pressure before being put into operation.
All boilers shall be retested to 1-1/2 times the operating pressure
every 12 months. Boilers shall be retested after any repairs or modifications.
These tests must be witnessed by and approved by a State of Maryland Boiler
Inspector, who will issue a certificate of inspection valid for one year and
assign a boiler ID number.
Boilers shall show no bulging or displacement of sheets. firebox, barrel
or any pressure surface, no serious leaks, no unusual sounds, and no sudden
drop in pressure either while building up pressure or at the maximum pressure.
If the steam gauge range is sufficient it shall be left in place during
the tests and a record made of its indications and compared with the master
gauge in 25 P.S.I. increments. If the range is not high enough to stand the
test pressure it shall be removed and tested against the master gauge.
Owners shall supply gags, plugs or caps for the safety valves and any
appurtenance they do not want test pressure to reach. They shall also supply
a fitting. preferably for a blowdown or washout plug opening, threaded on one
end to fit their boiler and threaded 1/8" I.P.T. male or female on the other end.
This fitting is for making connections to the test equipment.
Approved Test equipment will be made available by the Society.
The owners may conduct the test themselves but the test must be witnessed
and recorded by a State of Maryland Boiler Inspector.
The State Boiler Inspectors will fill out and file the necessary records
of the test and sign the report that they witness. A copy will be given to the
owner, and a copy will be retained by the State Boiler Inspector.
(1) The construction print(s)/drawing(s)/sketch(es). (2) the material
specifications, (3) and the welding/soldering specifications. are necessary
information to have on hand as the Inspector may wish to review them. but
(4) all stress calculations are required for all steam boilers prior to inspection.
Copies of the Stress Analysis Data Form are available from the Society Secretary.
Two copies of the completed stress analysis form must accompany each boiler when
submitted for inspection by the Inspector for the first time.
Visitors operating a boiler on the facilities of the Society will be required
to have a boiler test certificate from a State authority having safety requirements
equivalent to those of Maryland. If a visitor does not meet the above requirements,
he will not be permitted to steam his boiler until it is tested and approved by the
State of Maryland Boiler Inspector. and a certificate of inspection issued.
Safety valves shall open at. and hold the pressure at not over 106% of the
operating pressure.
The boiler test advisory committee of the Society shall prohibit firing of
any boiler which does not meet the aforesaid requirements except for Inspection
purposes.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON MARYLAND BOILER TESTING
The State of Maryland requires all miniature boilers operated in public places
be certified for use by a Maryland State Boiler Inspector or by a State Inspector
of the State of a visiting boiler. The Society can not accept certification by
any other than a State Boiler Inspector.
Two copies of the form, DATA FOR STATE OF MARYLAND BOILER TEST, must be
completed (as much as is possible) and submitted to the Maryland State Boiler
Inspector when the boiler is presented for the first time to the Inspector for
a hydrostatic test. All calculations must be completed. Use a ball-point pen to
fill in the forms.
All dimensions are in inches. Use decimals for fractions of an inch.
Staybolt pitch is the distance between the centers of adjacent staybolts.
"Psig" stands for "pounds per square inch, gauge" that is, the pressure
as indicated by a pressure gauge.
Upon passing the initial boiler inspection, a copy of this form will be
returned to you and the second copy filed with the Maryland Boiler Inspection
Office. The Inspector will issue you a boiler inspection identification number
plate which you must permanently and conspicuously affix to your equipment.
Future annual boiler inspections will not require sub mission of this form
unless the boiler has been altered.
A Maryland State Boiler Inspection is performed annually during April at
the facilities of the Chesapeake & Allegheny Steam Preservation Society or at
an otherwise designated location each year. Other group inspection dates may
be arranged as required. (The Inspector will also inspect a boiler at your
home [in Maryland] if given 7 days advanced notice. You must have all test
equipment on hand for him to make the test)
There is a $15.00 fee for the inspection of boilers owned by Maryland
residents. There is no charge for the inspection for boilers owned by
out-of-state visitors.
If additional copies are required these may be photocopied or they may be
obtained from Paul Seyfrit, Secretary, 10121 Durango Drive, Damascus Maryland 20872.
Phone (301) 253-6309.
E-mail seyfritp@erols.com
A stamped. self-addressed envelope will be appreciated.
DATA FOR STATE OF MARYLAND BOILER TEST
Prepared by
Chesapeake & Allegheny Steam Preservation Society. Inc.
Owner _________________________________ Boiler Application
___ Locomotive ___ Tractor
Address _______________________________ ___ Stationary ___ Marine
_______________________________ Operating pressure ________ psig
_______________________________
Maryland Boiler Number _______________________ Fuel ____________________
1.Definitions
Operating Pressure - Boiler pressure designed for operation and to which the
safety valves are set.
Working Pressure - Boiler pressure based on the code calculations which
pressure may be significantly greater than the "Operating Pressure."
2. Boiler Materials and Specifications (When available)
Shell ......................................_______________________________
Tube Sheet, Throat Sheet ....................._______________________________
Firebox Wrapper ............................._______________________________
Tubes ........................................______________________________
Stays ........................................______________________________
Welding, brazing, or silver solder alloys ... ______________________________
3.1Allowable Material Stress
Carbon Steel: Ultimate tensile stress.... 50,000 psi
Code factor of safety ........4
Allowable working stress.......12,500 psi
No temperature allowance is required for
pressures up to 250 psig.
Copper: Ultimate tensile stress...........30,000 psi
Code factor of safety............ 5
Allowable working stress with temperature allowances:
Room temperature 6,000 psi
80 psig @ 324 degrees F 4,400 psi
90 psig @ 332 degrees F 4,300 psi
100 psig @ 338 degrees F 4,200 psi
110 psig @ 344 degrees F 4,100 psi
120 psig @ 350 degrees F 4,000 psi
3.2 Maximum Allowable Working Pressure (MAWP):
a. Boiler Shell P = Maximum Allowable Working Pressure - (psig)
s = Allowable material stress - (psi)
P = s x t x c (psig) r = Outside shell radius - (inches)
r t = Wall thickness - (inches)
c = Constant - 1 seamless tube, 0.8 welded tube
P = ( ) x ( ) x ( )
( ) = _________________________ psig
b. Stayed Surfaces: p = Stay bolt pitch (Larger dimension if not
square spacing) - (inches)
P = t2 x s x c (psig) c - constant
p2
2.1- For welded or silver soldered stay bolts
2.8- For welded or silver soldered stay bolts
with heads
P = ( )2 x ( ) x ( ) = _________________________psig
( )2
C. Stay Bolts a -Cross sectional area (Square inches) of staybolt
root of thread if threaded.
p = a x s (psig) h - Stay bolt spacing (inches) horizontal
h x v v - Stay bolt spacing (inches) vertical
P = ( ) x ( ) = ________________________psig
( ) x ( )
3.3 Calculated Factor of Safety (CFS):Must be done for Boiler Shell, Stayed
Surfaces,and Stay Bolts using MAWP calulated from above.
CFS = MAWP (psig) x Code Factor of Safety = ___________
Max Operating Pressure
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