Asme Codes – Playing a great role in the nuclear industry
Henry R. Worthington, Alexander Lyman Holley and John Edson Sweet are known to be the founders of asme codes which are typically the codes for the Conduct of Trials of Steam Boilers.
Since its first introduction in 1914, ASME boiler and pressure vessel code has pioneered modern standards-development, sustaining a commitment to increase public safety and technological advancement to meet the needs of an evolving world. This “International Historical Mechanical Engineering Landmark” now has been incorporated into the laws of state and local jurisdictions of the United States and nine Canadian provinces.
Would you believe the more than 1 million copies of BPVC are being used in more than 100 countries around the world, with translation into a number of languages? The boiler and pressure-vessel sections of the BPVC are extremely crucial in a range of industries including electric power generation, petrochemical, and transportation etc. As far as nuclear industry is concerned, asme has played a crucial role in supporting it. Since the inception of codes, standards and conformity assessment programs, initially developed for fossil fuel-fired plants, were largely related to nuclear power generation. Today, almost half of the world’s nuclear power generation plants incorporate all or sections of asme codes and standards in their construction, operation and/or maintenance. Sixty nations typically recognize and apply the BPVC, while 33 of the 44 nuclear nations buy their nuclear components to specifications conformed to asme’s nuclear codes and standards. The nuclear sections of the BPVC exhibit the best practices of the industry, while contributing to complete half-century of safety for the general public.
Asme boiler code provides requirements for design, fabrication, installation and testing of steam heating, hot water heating, hot water supply boilers, and potable water heaters supposed to be used for low pressure service that are directly fired by oil, gas, electricity, coal or other solid or liquid fuels. Rules pertaining to use of the single ASME certification mark with the H, HV, and HLW designators are also included. On the other hand, ASME pressure vessel codes provide requirements suitable to the design, fabrication, inspection, testing, and certification of pressure vessels operating at either internal or external pressures exceeding 15 psig. Such vessels may be fired or unfired. This pressure may be extracted from an external source or by the application of heat from a direct or indirect source, or any combination thereof. Specific requirements apply to various classes of material used in pressure vessel construction, and also to fabrication methods such as welding, forging and brazing.