National Board Inspection Code
The “National Board Inspection Code” is issued by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, which is composed of Chief Inspectors from the jurisdictions in the US and Canada that have adopted the ASME Code as a legal requirement for design and construction of boilers and pressure vessels. The NB Code recognizes the existence of API 510 and does not claim to supersede it. However, some jurisdictions mandate compliance with the NB Code in preference to API 510.
The NB Code does not differ greatly from API 510 with regard to the technical requirements for the in-service inspection of pressure vessels that can affect safety of operation, although it is less specific about forms of deterioration other than corrosion that can occur in vessels used for hydrocarbon processing.
One significant difference is that the NB Code requires authorized inspectors employed by owner/operators to obtain a commission from the National Board and that the governing jurisdiction grant approval for owner/operator in-service inspection (NB Code, Glossary of Terms), whereas API 510 simply permits the owner/operator to designate authorized inspectors who have appropriate qualifications and experience (API 510, Paragraph, 1.2.5). The NB Code also formalizes recordkeeping (NB Code U-104), but this does not significantly exceed normal good practice.
Categories: In-Service Inspection | Leave a comment