Re-certification of Relief Valves – How Often Should you Recertify your Pressure Relief Valves?
Your pressure relief valves are some of the most important components in and around your CNG Station, Boiler Room or Natural Gas Transmission Station. These PRVs protect your systems and your personnel from catastrophic events resulting from over-pressurization. They are well worth the time and effort to ensure they are in good working order and ready to protect you.
For Compressed Natural Gas fueling stations, NFPA-52 requires that all safety relief valves be recertified every two years. This includes those on valves located on the compression packages and the ASME storage systems if deployed. We suggest our customers have two sets of the properly sized relief valves on hand. When re-certification is needed, fresh valves can be installed and the two-year old valves can be sent to us for re-certification.
In the Boiler Rooms that we serve, the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) and API Standard 526 have recommended maintenance schedules. Local, State and Insurance Inspectors may also provide recommendations for plant managers to adhere to.
Briefly stated, API 526 states that pressure-relieving devices should be inspected and or overhauled as often as necessary “to maintain the device in satisfactory operating condition.” These inspections are typically conducted during plant shutdowns.
Of course, inspections are not limited to a once a year event especially if the PRV is located in a corrosive environment. Other concerns would include excessive vibrations or pulsating loads. Keep records of your inspections and the results.
Feel free to call us at 412-257-8866 should you need any assistance.
