August, 2023 - www.bqscn.com

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Valve inspection

Valve Inspection

Third-party valve inspection is normally arranged by the purchaser, and the representative from the third-party inspection agency. Usually, a list of documents is required to review by valve inspector, including:

Purchase Order of the Valve
Data Sheet of the Valve
Manufacture Quality Control Plan
Inspection and Test plan
All Approved drawings
Welding Specification Procedures(WPS) and Procedure Qualification Records (PQR).
Required NDE Procedures like Dye Penetration, Magnetic Particle, Radiographic, Ultrasonic, PMI Testing, …
Hydrostatic Testing Procedure of the valve to ensure leak tightness
Valve Material Test Reports
Valve NDE Personnel Qualifications Reports
Heat Treatment Procedure of the Valve material.
Calibration Certificates for Test Equipment
Closure Testing Procedure, Backseat Testing Procedure, and Water Quality Document
Preparation and Painting Procedure
Preservation, Packing, and Shipping Procedure
Packing List

Valve Material Inspection by Third Party

The original or authenticated copies of valve material mill certificates need to be available and provide to the inspector (TPI) with the factory. The inspector check these material certificates for compliance with design specifications or drawings. The review documents includes checking the documents below:

Certificate No.
Heat or cast No.
Chemical composition.
Mechanical properties.
Heat-treated condition.
NDE applied and results.
Surface finish

Valve material includes the body stem material, shell material, valve trim materials, ball, wedge or flap materials, operating components, support material, gland materials, anti-friction materials, well end, flanges, and any other specified component material. Then the inspector witnesses the materials identification on the certificates against the materials marking specifications to be sure they are meet each others.

Upon completion of the valve material inspection by the third part inspector, he issues an inspection report (IR), that contains the following items:

Confirmation of satisfactory document review
Record of the endorsement of certification reviewed/witnessed
Record of all non-conformities and objections
Record of any tests witnessed and the result
Record the photos during inspection

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Valve

What is the Valve?

Valves are used in many safety-critical applications, such as in the oil and gas industries. Like many other industrial products. In this Article we want to let you know what is important to purchase valve and waht items need to be inspected for this equipment.

There are many factors to consider when you want to purchase valves, such as the type of valve (including ball valves, gate valves, globe valves, check valves, and butterfly valves), size, material corrosion resistance, and heat tolerance. we suggest to be sure about the factors below before purchasing:

Manufacturing: Always ask the supplier about the origin of the valve.
Certifications: You should Look for recognized standards like ANSI, API, ASTM, or ISO to ensure the valve meets quality standards.
Material Test Certificate: Verify the material test certificate for details such as chemical composition, mechanical properties, and other relevant information.

During the manufacture of the valve:

During the manufacturing you need to check the valve process to prevent any matters in this time. the valves must be inspected thoroughly in the manufacturer’s shop to ensure proper quality. BQS as a third party inspection company is here to help you for a goods quality inspection.

Normally the following tests and examinations are performed on Valves/Components:

Shell Test
Backseat Test
Low and high-pressure closure test
Double block and bleed (DBB) high-pressure closure test
Visual examination of castings
High-pressure pneumatic shell test
Codes and Standards for Valve Inspection and Testing

Shell Test

Shell test is required for all valve types. This is actually a pressure test where normally air, inert gas, water, kerosene, etc can be used as the test fluid. The minimum shell test pressure that can use are listed in table 2 of API-598 standard. The pressure is applied inside the assembled valve with the ends closed. The valve will be partially open and be able to hold pressure for a certain time and the important thisng is that pressure should not be less than 1.5 times of maximum working pressure. There is also not have the leakage.

Shell Test- No leakage check

Backseat Test

Required for all valves that have the backseat feature, except for bellows seal valves. This is a feature that allows valve packing to be replaced while it is in service. Normally gate valves, globe, and parallel slide gate valves are subjected to this test. This pressure test is performed to verify leakage past the stem or shaft to the bonnet seal i.e, backseat. Table 3 of API-598 provides the required test pressures for the backseat test for different valve types. In this test, the valve shall be fully opened and the packing gland shall be loose or not installed. No leakage is permissible in the backseat test.

Low-pressure closure test/ High-pressure closure test

Closure tests are performed to confirm leakage past or through a valve’s closure mechanism. The Closure Test or Valve Seat Leak Test is performed after the successful completion of the Valve Body Test/shell test. One side of the valve inlet or outlet shall be subjected to the hydrostatic pressure and the amount of leak shall be measured on the opposite side of the valve

To explain it, if you are pressurizing the valve inlet, then you have to measure the amount of leakage in the outlet. For both low-pressure and high-pressure tests leakage through the disc, behind the seat rings, or past the shaft seals is not permitted. However, a limited amount of leakage is permissible at the seat-sealing surface interface which is listed in table 5 of API-598.

Double block and bleed (DBB) high-pressure closure test

Pressure shall be applied successively to each side of the closure and Leakage into the body cavity shall be checked.

Visual examination of castings

A visual examination must be performed on all castings to ensure conformance with MSS SP-55.

High-pressure pneumatic shell test

A high-pressure pneumatic shell test should be performed after the shell test, using appropriate safety precautions. The pneumatic shell test pressure shall be 110 % of the maximum allowable pressure at 38 degrees C (100 degrees F) or as specified in the purchase order. Visible leakage is not allowed

Table 1 of API 598 specifies the pressure test requirements for various types of Valves. The test equipment should not apply external forces that affect seat or body seal leakage. The following figure shows some sample test equipment used for valve testing

Codes and Standards for Valve Inspection and Testing

Valve inspection and testing must be performed for the smooth and safe operation of industrial processes. Major codes and standards that guide the inspection and testing procedure of a valve are

API 598
API 607
API 6D
BS 759

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Third Party inspection

What is the Third-Party Inspection:

A Third-Party Inspection, or TPI, is the term used for independent impartial inspection services provided by a qualified company. They will send out the inspection team to the factory to conduct quality inspections and conduct a series of testing on the products to check if they meet the required quality standards.

Before the manufacturing process, your products will be designed and a prototype will be created. After you have approved the design and the materials to be used, the product will be sent to the factory where it will be mass-produced. And now, this is the time that the third-party inspection happens.

It is depended on the services you request from your TPI agency; the inspection can happen at any time during production.

Here we would like to mention some inspection scopes which TPI attend:

Pre-production inspection:

During this step, the inspectors visit the factory before the production begins. They check the raw materials and components that will be used. This is done ensure that the specified requirements will be followed during production.

Manufacturing or production inspection:

When the products have been inspected during the manufacturing process.

It’s also when a series of tests on the product is carried out to ensure that they are produced to the correct standard and that they meet product specifications.

Final inspection:

This step involves checking a sample of products from the batch to determine any defects before they are shipped.

Pre-shipment inspection:

Involved in this step is the checking of finished goods to determine if it meets standard quality before they are packed for shipping.

Container loading supervision:

This is also known as the loading inspection where an inspector supervises the packing of products into containers to ensure that they are packed correctly and securely before it’s sold in the market.

Some companies only offer the final inspection services, whereas some prefer offers pre-production inspection (PSI) services until pre-shipment inspection services. It is really depending on what the client required from TPI agency.

What are the Benefits of Conducting a Third-Party Inspection?

Impartial Inspectors
Cost-Effective
Qualified Inspectors

Impartial Inspectors:

Third-party inspector is not affiliated with the factory or the client, they will give an impartial, independent report. So it helps you to get an accurate picture of your goods on the inspection report.

On the other hand, when the Third-party inspector inspected your order while it is still at the factory help you ensure that you receive quality goods without factory impacts.

Cost-Effective:

Unless your order volumes are high enough to justify a permanent presence near the factory, hiring an inspection company can help lower your costs. Inspectors can travel to the supplier’s facility at any point in the production process, and you will only pay based on the “man-days” spent.

Qualified Inspectors

Third-party inspection company have the right qualifications, training, and experience when it comes to product inspections. You will find that some agencies specialize in a particular industry which means that they understand what to look for during the inspection process. They also may work faster and more efficiently, finishing the required inspection within a set period.

BQS has been working as a third-party inspection company so far and we are working to make you ensure about your products quality.