Refinery and petrochemicals
In a refinery high temperatures, hydrogen and sulphur come together – and two worlds of codes. We supply to ASME as well as to EN, with the evidence the relevant code demands.
Two codes, one piping system
Many petrochemical plants are built to American codes but stand in Europe. ASME B31.3 and EN 13480 therefore occur in the same plant, along with ASME B16.5 flanges next to EN 1092-1 and ASTM materials next to EN. The mapping is not one to one: A335 P11 is similar to but not identical with 13CrMo4-5, and a Class 150 flange matches no PN flange dimensionally. Knowing these boundaries avoids the most expensive misunderstanding on site.
What we supply for it
Every part to your drawing, with material certificate and documentation.
Prefabricated piping sections to your drawing or isometric
Bent tube runs that take up or give off heat
Headers collect and distribute steam or water in the boiler and in the…
The plate in which the boiler tubes end
Boiler tubes rarely arrive on site in mill lengths. We supply them…
The gas-tight wall of the furnace
Typical materials
The grade follows medium, temperature and pressure. A data sheet exists for every grade.
Standards and codes
| Area | Code |
|---|---|
| Process piping | ASME B31.3 or EN 13480, assignment by plant design |
| Flanges | ASME B16.5 Class 150 to 900 or EN 1092-1 PN 10 to PN 100 |
| Fittings | ASME B16.9 or EN 10253-2, depending on the system |
| Materials | ASTM A106 / A335 or EN 10216-2, mapping to be agreed in writing |
| Welding | ASME IX or EN ISO 15614-1, procedures per the code |
| Evidence | EN 10204 certificate 3.1 or 3.2, PMI testing on request |
Typical tasks
Keeping ASME and EN apart
We state in the order confirmation which code we supply to. That sounds obvious but is the most common source of parts that do not fit.
Creep-resistant in reformer and furnace
Where temperature and hydrogen meet, the right chromium-molybdenum grade counts. We settle the mapping between A335 grades and EN grades before ordering.
Turnaround with a fixed window
The shutdown is planned and expensive. Marking by item number and staged delivery following the erection sequence are worth more here than a low unit price.
Ruling out material mix-ups
PMI testing, continuous marking and the certificate with the part – in a hydrogen- or sulphur-bearing environment a wrong grade is not a cosmetic defect.
Refinery and petrochemicals – frequently asked questions
Is A335 P11 equivalent to 13CrMo4-5?
They are comparable but not identical. Analysis limits and in part the required properties differ. For pressure-bearing parts the rule is therefore: order the grade named in the plant’s code, not the similar one. Any equivalence belongs in a written release.
Does a Class 150 flange fit PN 16?
No. Bolt pattern and facing differ even where the nominal size matches. Class 150 corresponds to roughly 20 bar in pressure terms and matches no PN flange dimensionally. Within one system you therefore stay in one standards world.
What is PMI testing?
Positive Material Identification – a non-destructive analysis on the component, usually by X-ray fluorescence. It confirms that the alloy delivered is the alloy ordered. In petrochemicals it is mandatory for alloy grades in many places.
Do you supply to ASME B31.3?
We supply components and spools that meet the requirements arising from ASME B31.3, with the required material and test evidence. The design of the piping itself stays with your engineer – we execute what the specification lays down.
What do you need for a quotation?
Code and pipe class, isometric or drawing, sizes and wall thicknesses, material grades to ASTM or EN, flange class, scope of testing including PMI, date and the required certificate.
Refinery and petrochemicals supply
Tell us what it is about – plant, medium, temperature. We come back with a proposal, a price and a date.