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Hydrostatic Test

This document outlines guidelines for safely hydrostatically testing gas cylinders. Cylinders must be tested every 3-5 years depending on material and properly prepared by emptying, cleaning, and checking for leaks before sending to a certified vendor for the pressure test according to regulatory standards to check for structural integrity and leaks.

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29 views

Hydrostatic Test

This document outlines guidelines for safely hydrostatically testing gas cylinders. Cylinders must be tested every 3-5 years depending on material and properly prepared by emptying, cleaning, and checking for leaks before sending to a certified vendor for the pressure test according to regulatory standards to check for structural integrity and leaks.

Uploaded by

zaliipin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Indian Institute of Science

Office of Laboratory Safety &


Environmental Health
Document number: 2020/GL/001 Email: [email protected]
Version: 1.00 Phone: +91-80-2293-3199
Date: 15th Dec 2020 Emergency: +91-80-2293-5555

HYDROSTATIC TESTING OF GAS CYLINDERS


This document outlines OLSEH guidelines to ensure for Hydrostatic Test Gas Cylinders safety while
working in the laboratories and research facilities. Hydrostatic Requalification (also known as
a Hydrostatic Test) is the most common way to check a cylinder for leaks or flaws. During a hydrostatic
requalification test, the cylinder is examined to ensure it can safely hold its rated pressure. Cylinder
hydrostatic requalification is crucial as such containers can rupture if they lose structural integrity when
containing compressed gas.

Note: For guidelines on safe practices, please refer to the OLSEH safety manual. Please note that, it is
the responsibility of the Lab In charges to ensure safety in their labs. It is the responsibility of all users to
follow safety directives.

1 When to test?
1. Steel cylinders should be tested every five years and have an indefinite service life until they fail a
hydro test and visual inspection.
2. Aluminum cylinders (not including hoop-wrapped composite cylinders i.e. FRP-2) should be tested
every five years and have an indefinite service life until they fail a hydro test and visual inspection.
3. Hoop-wrapped cylinders should be tested every three years and have a 15-year service life.
4. Cylinders containing hydrogen are susceptible to embrittlement.
a) At the very least we require permanent tanks for hydrogen is made of SS 316, as per ASME
Section VIII Div.1.
b) The safety test must qualify the cylinder especially for H2 storage. Else, replace the cylinder after
every 7 years.
5. If there is any doubt about the suitability of the cylinder for filling, it should be returned to a
certified hydrostatic test facility for examination and retesting.
a) The cylinder must be removed from service and retested if there is any evidence of
a leak, crack, defect or damage.
b) Cylinders which show evidence of exposure to high heat or flames (paint turned to a brown or
black color, decals missing, or gauge lens melted) need to be removed from service and
requalified prior to filling.
c) Cylinder that show significant corrosion.
d) Old cylinders that have not been used, not been pressurized or not been tested in last 5 years.
2 Vendors for Hydrostatic Testing:
Following vendors can be contacted for hydrostatic testing. The list is incomplete, you are welcome to
use any vendor that is qualified as per Karnataka State and has the requisite credentials. The vendor
should have a Government license and should be certified vendor for certifying the procedure which
was followed.

1. Bhuruka Gases Limited, 28524239/240, cal.sales2@bhuruka gases.com


2. Sri Vinayaka Gas Agencies, 7760666444/23103113, [email protected]

3 Procedure of hydrostatic test:


A hydrostatic test involves pressurizing the cylinder to its test pressure (usually 5/3 or 3/2 of the working
pressure) and measuring its volume before and after the test. A permanent increase in volume above
the tolerated level means the cylinder fails the test and must be permanently removed from service.

The hydrostatic test parameters must be clearly defined during the design phase and stated in the
project specifications. Guidelines set forth in the AWWA M41 Manual and the ANSI/AWWA C600
Standard is as follows: "Test Pressure shall be 1.25 times the operating pressure. Duration of the test is
two hours.

4 How to prepare the gas cylinders for testing?


Preliminary test that users that can do themselves before contacting vendor.
1. Toxic and non-toxic gas cylinders must be segregated.
2. All the cylinders must be tagged and chained properly to avoid fall. All the details on the tag should
be filled.
3. It is important that cylinder be completely empty. Usually even empty cylinders have some gas left
in them. For testing, even this residue is not allowed.
4. Even if, no gas is coming out of the valve outlet, confirmatory test for valve blockage if any should
be carried out before treating or labeling the cylinders as EMPTY.
5. If the cylinder is fitted with residual pressure valves (RPV), Adaptors should be used to empty out
the Cylinder. De-valving should be done with due care and with precautions.
6. The cylinder should be thoroughly cleaned. Cleaning can be done by brushing, sand blasting or
suitable solvent cleaning. While Cleaning, care should be taken to not to damage the surface of
Cylinder, Valve, threading.
7. The cylinders undergoing for hydrostatic test should be leak free.

5 Instructions for Vendor doing the test:


The Cylinder is safe for use, if it passes the periodic test criteria, as mentioned in IS-5844-2014
(Hydrostatic stretch testing of Compressed Gas Cylinders)and also have no defects as mentioned in
Annex C of IS standard 8451-2009, (Periodic inspection and testing of high pressure gas cylinders).

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