Some Facts About Hydro Testing

السبت، 18 نوفمبر 2017

By Nancy Morgan


Hydro test is a process where different pipe systems or other pressure devices are tested for their strength and possible leaks. This is usually done after more significant repairs, or simply to check out the equipment before continuing to use it. Hydro testing is usually required to validate the system and it is the only way of finding out if it will work properly.

For performing this procedure, the system has to be shut down, and none of these methods can be used when the system is running. It is a nondestructive way of finding out if everything is in order, and if it is working properly. Testing is usually required after repairs or for issuing various operating licenses. It is performed to find possible leaks and other failures.

When this method is used for checking pipelines, the first thing that has to be done is removing the gas or the fluid from the pipes. These pipes have to be mechanically cleaned before filling them with water. When they are fully filled with water, and without any air in the system, they need to be pressurized above their designed pressure limit.

In this particular process, the pressure used for testing should be approximately 50 percent higher than the pressure this pipeline is designed for. This pressure should remain for some time, until the official persons visually check the unit for cracks or leakages. In some cases, fluorescent dyes may also be used, to ease the procedure and to make it possible to find the origin of leaks.

Since these pipes may be used for different types of fluids, and different types of fluids may have different characteristics, this must be taken into consideration when running this test. These characteristics may have significance foe making the final evaluation.

For pressure vessels and similar units another technique is applied. Depending on the purpose, you can use one of three most common methods. The first one is used mostly for testing pressure vessels, and this is the method of direct expansion. The vessel is first filled with previously set amount of water. After that, it's put under pressure, for calculated time. During that time, some amount of water gets expelled from the vessel, and this should be measured.

The second method is similar, but the vessel filled with water is first loaded into a sealed chamber, so called test jacked. This is why this method is called water jacket method. While in the sealed chamber, the vessel is pressurized. The applied pressure forces some amount of water out from the chamber, and the water that is expelled is measured to find out total expansion.

When this process is over, the vessel should shrink to its original size. If it doesn't shrink back totally, the difference between sizes will tell you if the vessel needs the service. The pressure method is used in cases when measuring this difference is not so important, or required by various laws. In this case, the unit is only checked for leaks or wall thinning that may be causes of failure.




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