HYDROSTATIC TEST

PROCEDURE

Page 1 of 4
DOC. NO.- NSPEPL-HY-01
Rev.No.-00
Date: 16.04.2014

HYDROTEST PROCEDURE FOR STRAINERS

PREFACE
Hydrostatic testing of pressure piping is a mandatory activity before finalization of any new or modified piping system.
It is the final check of mechanical integrity of the whole system and should be followed religiously as after this activity
the piping system has to be commissioned. This test is carried out at a pressure 1.5 times higher than the design
pressure of a system regardless of the service conditions of a piping system. This article discuss some of the major
requirements of hydrostatic testing of pressure piping as per ASME B31.3 for process piping and specifically provides
guidelines on some issues not directly addressed in the code.

TEST PREPARATION

All joints in a test section shall be accessible during tests and shall not be painted, insulated, backfilled or
otherwise covered until satisfactory completion of testing in accordance with the requirements in the specification.
All equipment and piping to be pressure tested shall be thoroughly cleaned of all dirt, welding slag, construction
debris, or other foreign matter.

All vents and other connections which can serve as vents shall be open during filling so that all air is vented prior
to applying test pressure to the system. Test vents shall be installed at high points. Drain points for fluid disposal
after testing, shall be provided.

Equipment which is not to be subjected to pressure test shall be either disconnected from the piping or blocked off
during the test.
Temporary spades and blanks installed for testing purposes shall be designed to withstand the test pressure
without distortion. Presence of spades shall be clearly visible during testing. The recommended practice is to use
standard blind flanges as per ASME B16.5 or B16.47 and spades acc. to ASME B16.48.

Spring supports shall be restrained or removed and expansion bellows removed during hydrostatic testing.
Piping which is spring or counterweight supported shall be blocked up temporarily to a degree sufficient to sustain
the weight of the test medium. Holding pins shall not be removed from spring supports until testing is completed
and the system is drained.
Care shall be taken to avoid overloading any parts of the supporting structures during hydrostatic testing.

ISO DOC NO : PROD-P-01

HYDROSTATIC TEST
PROCEDURE

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DOC. NO.- NSPEPL-HY-01
Rev.No.-00
Date: 16.04.2014

Barriers shall be erected and where practical, Public Address announcements made and access restriction
procedures such as permit to work implemented prior to any pressurization commencing. Under no circumstances
should anyone other than an authorized person be allowed within the safety barriers.

An important aspect is, that materials used in pressure systems comply with all the required tests, all materials are
certified and that the engineer has made the right choice of materials.

Hydrostatic test has to be performed after all hot works have been completed on a certain piping system. Hot work
includes everything related to welding or the post weld heat treatment (PWHT).

All radiographic and ultrasonic inspections should be carried out before the pressure test is started. Conducting
100% radiography of all the weld joints assure that your weld joints are defect free but can never provide you with
the assurance of mechanical integrity of a system. This is also to be noted that radiography / ultrasonic inspection
shall also not to be waived off if the pipeline is to be hydrostatically tested.

The individual system documentation i.e. test pack shall be available prior to any testing and shall include
information such as test limits, test pressure, test medium, duration, test blinds, blind flanges, vents and drains.

Testing equipment such as pumps, manifold, pressure and temperature recorders, pressure gauges should be
within calibration/certification (as per company procedures) and connected to the lowest convenient connection
within the system to ensure best results.

Control Valves and soft-seal block Valves shall be removed from the piping prior to the test and replaced with pipe
spools.

Check Valves shall have the flap or piston removed for testing, where pressure cannot be located on the upstream
side of the Valve. The locking device of the flap pivot pin shall be reinstated together with the flap and a new cover
gasket shall be installed after completion of the test.

Piping which is normally open to the atmosphere, such as drains, vents, discharge piping from pressure relieving
devices, sewers, and stack downstream of the seal drum, shall not be subjected to the piping test pressure

Rotating machinery, such as pumps, turbines, and compressors. Machinery lube and seal oil systems which could
be impaired by the presence of water shall not be subjected to the piping test pressure.

Strainer elements, filter elements, expansion joints, and pressure relieving devices, such as rupture discs and
pressure Relief Valves. All locally mounted indicating pressure gauges.

ISO DOC NO : PROD-P-01

HYDROSTATIC TEST
PROCEDURE

Page 3 of 4
DOC. NO.- NSPEPL-HY-01
Rev.No.-00
Date: 16.04.2014

GAUGE SELECTION

Pressure gages should be connected directly to the piping.

Calibrated pressure gages shall be used in all Code testing.

Pressure gauge range should exceed the intended test pressure by approximately double but in no case should
the range be less than one and one-half (1 ) times the test pressure.

TEST FLUID
The test fluid shall be water unless there is a possibility of damage due to freezing, or if the process or piping

material would be adversely affected by water. In that case other suitable test fluids may be used. Special
precautions are required if the test fluid is toxic or flammable.
The temperature of the test fluid should be no less than 40F in piping systems subject to brittle fracture (i.e.

carbon steel).
If the test fluid temperature produces condensation on the piping exterior surface, the water shall be heated to a

temperature above the dew point or the test shall be postponed to a time when the dew point temperature has
changed sufficiently such that condensation will not occur on the piping exterior surface.

Material and test water temperature shall be approximately equal prior to pressurizing the system.

High points in the system shall be vented so that air will be displaced while the system is being filled with the test
fluid.
The operator shall take adequate measures to ensure that the piping system is not over-pressurized during

hydrostatic testing. Adequate measures include a relief valve, or a dedicated operator to monitor pressure, or dual
pressure regulators, etc.

EXAMINATION FOR LEAKS

Test personnel shall ensure the hydrostatic pressure is maintained for sufficient time to determine if there are
any leaks. A minimum time of 10 minutes is required by Code. After the hydrostatic pressure time has been
satisfied, all joints shall examine visually for leaks.

ISO DOC NO : PROD-P-01

HYDROSTATIC TEST
PROCEDURE

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DOC. NO.- NSPEPL-HY-01
Rev.No.-00
Date: 16.04.2014

Examination shall be made of all welds and mechanical joints. There shall be no visible evidence of leakage.
Welds and joints previously tested need not be examined for leaks.

Leakage detected in welded joints shall be repaired by draining, repair welding, non-destructively examining in
accordance with original requirements, and re-tested to the original test pressure.

Mechanical joint leakage at permanent joints shall be repaired, examined in accordance with original
requirements, and re-tested to the original test pressure.

CALIBRATION RECORD FOR PRESSURE GAUGES:

The Pressure Gauges is to be calibrated after every 6 months.

A proper calibration record is to be maintained for all Pressure Gauges.

RE-VALIDATION OF PRESSURE GAUGES:

Pressure gauges are to be re-validated over a period of 6 months.

ISO DOC NO : PROD-P-01