Professional Documents
Culture Documents
*here there are check valves the syste$ is being pressurised on both sides
and insert e)ualisation lines where re)uired
The pressure testing charging line is located in the correct place and that it is
secured 7e.g. with $etal tie wraps8 to prevent it flailing about 7in the event that
it co$es apart8
Eye protection shall be worn throughout the pressure testing procedure.
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Standard Specification No
&ressurisation shall be carried out in a controlled fashion at all ti$es and the pressure
applied gradually Note ! pipework seeing pressure for the first ti$e is in fact being
9strength pressure tested: fro$ the $o$ent gas is first introduced.
*hen open to the syste$, the pressure source shall not be left unattended.
;uring initial pressurisation of the syste$ up to strength test pressure and until the
pressure is reduced to tightness test pressure, at least two people shall be in
attendance.
The syste$ shall never be approached if the pressure is greater than (15 of the
allowable pressure unless the pressure has been reduced by at least (15 fro$ the
previous highest pressure.
Never atte$pt to tighten anything 7e.g. screwed fittings8 with the syste$ under pressure.
-lways isolate and blow down.
- strength test shall be held for a $ini$u$ of five $inutes. Never approach the syste$
during this ti$e.
B,N shall not be vented into a closed space where it could beco$e an asphy/iation
ha.ard.
-.2 Test Pressures
The values of test pressures to be used shall be $arked on the relevant
drawingsDcertificates.
-.2.1 Pipe'or3 Test Pressure
British Standard BSEN37!" Safety and environ$ental re)uire$ents for refrigerating
syste$s and heat pu$ps specifies that the syste$ strength test pressure shall be in
accordance with e/isting standards and that the tightness test pressure shall be less
than or e)ual to (.1 / the allowable pressure.
,or pipework, the test pressure to prove $echanical strength shall be at (.( / the
allowable pressure when non destructive testing 7N;T8 has been carried out e.g. steel
piping syste$s or (.43 / the allowable pressure for copper piping syste$s when no non
destructive testing 7N;T8 has been carried out. The tightness test pressure shall be (.1
/ the allowable pressure.
,or (7.1 Bar 7?8, "1.7 Bar 7?8, "4. Bar 7?8, 41.1 Bar 7?8, 0".1 Bar 7?8, E0.1 Bar 7?8
and 70.1 Bar 7?8 allowable pressures, the pipework test pressures are=
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Standard Specification No
Pressure 4ar 5G6
-llowable &ressure (7.1 "1.7 "4. 41.1 0".1 E0.1 70.1
Strength Test &ressure (.( (.7 "". "7.3 44.1 07." 7(.0 ".0
Strength Test &ressure (.43 "4.3 "'.E 30.0 07." 74.4 '3.1 (17.3
Tightness Test &ressure (7.1 "1.7 "4. 41.1 0".1 E0.1 70.1
The syste$ allowable pressure deter$ines the relief device setting.
..- 2ite Pipe'or3
..-.1 2ite Pipe'or3 "# 2tren&th Test
The strength test shall be carried out PR)"R to the tightness pressure test. The pressure test
shall be carried out using B,N applied through an approved pressure reducing valve.
- Aethod State$ent is re)uired and the instructions shall be followed.
- pressure test safety valve of ade)uate si.e shall be installed to prevent significant over
pressure. The pressure relief valve should be $ounted on a pressure vessel and the
pressure test gas should be introduced into that vessel without any stop valves between the
charging point and relief valve position. Cf this is not possible any valve between the gas
charging point and the relief valve shall be gagged open.
&ressure vessels and co$ponents 7e.g. co$pressors, condensers, evaporators, etc8 which
have been strength tested previously need not be sub3ected to a further strength test 7but see
0.4."8.
Syste$ pressure relief devices shall be re$oved and openings capped or plugged before
strength and tightness pressure tests. *here possible, previously tested pressure vessels
shall be valved off and opened to at$osphere. 7#eference $ay be $ade to the Cnstitute of
#efrigeration Safety >ode for #efrigerating Syste$s8.
*here pressure testing against closed valves to protect a neighbouring section with a lower
allowable pressure fro$ the higher strength pressure, then the low pressure side shall have
vent valves left open to ensure the pressure can not build up due to a passing valve.
*here pressure testing against closed valves which are isolating fro$ a refrigerant charge
part of the syste$, a double block and bleed arrange$ent shall be pre!arranged to prevent
test $ediu$ being forced past a leaking valve into the charged part of the syste$. Cf this is
not possible, consult a Technical ;epart$ent.
The area must be e$acuated of all personnel. This means7
"utside the buildin&
4ehind a bric3 'all or similar so that there is no line of si&ht to the condensers!
outside pipe 'or3 or other components bein& pressurised
)f it is not possible to compl1! b1 8out of hours9 'or3in& or similar! then please
consult a Technical +epartment.
&ressure shall be raised gradually. -n initial e/a$ination $ay be $ade at low pressure,
provided the gas pressure does not e/ceed (15 of the allowable pressure. Thereafter
pressure shall again be raised gradually.
The strength test procedure $ay be interrupted if leaks need attention. Cn general, and at any
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Standard Specification No
stage in the procedure, repairs to leaks shall not be carried out unless the pipework syste$
has been sub3ected to a pressure at least (15 higher than the pressure proposed for the
checking for leaks. #epairs $ust only be carried out with that section vented to at$osphere.
Thereafter the pressure will be increased in stages until the strength test pressure is reached.
-fter the strength test pressure is reached, the pipework shall be isolated fro$ the pressure
source and held for a $ini$u$ of 0 $inutes.
There should be no appreciable drop in pressure during this ti$e.
..-.2 2ite Pipe'or3 "# Ti&htness Test
,ollowing the strength test, the pressure in the syste$ shall be reduced to the tightness test
pressure and held there for a $ini$u$ of 31 $inutes. There should be no appreciable drop
in pressure during this ti$e. - tightness inspection test shall be carried out with a +soapy
bubble+ trace solution.
The co$plete syste$ 7including co$ponents which have been previously strength tested8
shall be tested for tightness. >o$ponents previously tested in the factory shall be re!tested
on site to ensure leaks have not developed at $echanical 3oints during transportation and
positioning.
The Aethod State$ent instructions shall be followed.
The pressure will then be reduced by venting the B,N to at$osphere.
..-.2 2ite Pipe'or3 *1draulic 2tren&th Test
&ressure testing of refrigerant circuits which are designed for water, glycol or brine are
treated as special cases and where pipes are long a hydraulic test of the pipelines with water
is acceptable.
The strength test shall be carried out using water 7or so$e other li)uid approved by a
Technical ;epart$ent8.
;uring the filling process, care shall be taken to re$ove as $uch trapped air as possible fro$
the syste$.
The pressure will be applied using a hydraulic pu$p.
&ressure shall be raised gradually. -n initial e/a$ination $ay be $ade at low pressure 7say
(15 of the specified test pressure8. &ressure shall be gradually increased to a value 015 of
the specified test pressure. Thereafter the pressure will be increased in stages of
appro/i$ately (15 of the specified test pressure until the test pressure is reached. -fter the
strength test pressure is reached, the pipework shall be isolated fro$ the pressure source
and held for a $ini$u$ of 0 $inutes. There shall be no appreciable drop in pressure during
this ti$e.
The pressure shall then be reduced by venting fro$ a top connection 7where possible8.
... Ti&htness Chec3in& of Pac3a&ed ,nits on 2ite
&ackage units that have been strength and tightness tested and are delivered fro$ a factory
7but not charged with refrigerant8 shall be tightness checked on site to ensure non per$anent
3oints such as flanges and screwed fittings have not developed leaks due to $ove$ent during
transport or craneage. Cn this case the tightness check pressure shall be between 4 Bar 7?8
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Standard Specification No
7or lower if the design pressure is lower8 and the factory tightness test pressure. This is
intended to allow utilisation of pressure test gas fro$ another part of the site installed syste$
and 4 Bar 7?8 is high enough to find all likely leaks but is co$ple$entary to the factory
tightness test. Ct shall not be used instead of the factory tightness test and all new pipe work
etc shall be tested to the tightness test pressure specified on the ;iagra$ of >onnections.
/.0 +ocumentation
The following docu$ents give further infor$ation.
+ocument +etails
#isk assess$ent Tightness pressure testing of packaged unit piping, site pipe
work K pre! fabricated pipe and co$ponent asse$blies
>ertification &ressure test certification of syste$s
%SE ?uidance Note ?S4 Safety in pressure testing
Aethod State$ent ?eneric pressure testing $ethod state$ent
>ontrol $easures for infor$ation=
-ll pressure vessels will previously have been hydraulically strength tested to a $uch
higher pressure
-pproved weld procedures
-pproved welders
&ercentage N;T
Aanagers are responsible for ensuring staff is co$petent to carry out pressure testing.
?eneric risk assess$ent and $ethod state$ent docu$ents are available in the reference
library but site specific risk assess$ents and $ethod state$ents $ay be re)uired.
The following will be produced as a result of pressure tests.
/.1 Pac3a&ed ,nit Pipe'or3
Syste$s &ressure Test >ertificate and 2eak >ertification
Test &ressure ?auge >alibration >ertificate
/.2 2ite Pipe'or3
#ecord of Syste$s &ressure Test, clearly identifying e/tent of test
Syste$s &ressure Test >ertificate
Test &ressure ?auge >alibration >ertificate.
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