global flange assembly specification (g8s-8000-00) for contractors texas operations implementation...

Global Flange Assembly Specification(G8S-8000-00)

For Contractors

Texas Operations

Implementation2009

DOW CONFIDENTIAL - Do not share without permission

Agenda/Objectives

Purpose of this communication Global flange assembly video Key elements of the specification Affected roles Resources Torque wrench testing Reminders Summary – Path forward


Purpose of ImplementingGlobal “Flange Assembly Specification”

Reduce Loss of Primary Containment and reduce potential exposures

Reduce fugitive emissions Minimize the need to re-tighten flanges after start-up by using a

closely controlled procedure during initial installation Written procedures for equipment requiring controlled tightening to

prevent damaging the components (e.g., FRP, glass lined steel, graphite heat exchangers, low stress bolting, gaskets with low crush strength)

Legal requirements place the expectation upon companies to build or maintain chemical manufacturing facilities in accordance with “Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practice” (e.g., OSHA and EPA in the USA) or “Best Available Technology” (e.g. IPPC Directive in Europe) standards


Global Flange Assembly MET (Most Effective Technology) must be fully implemented in both Maintenance and Construction at all sites by December 09, 2009.

Mandatory Action Required from the Maintenance Technology Center Director and Global Construction Director


Purpose

Communicate requirements to Maintenance, Operations, Construction, and Contractors.

Provide initial communication.


Play Video “MET Flange Connection Assembly Video”

Dow’s Expectations for Flange Assembly


Key Elements of the Flange Assembly Specification


Primary Roles:“Flange Connection Assembly Personnel”

Personnel who have been trained and qualified to perform hands-on flange assembly before they show up to work in the field.Dow craftsContractor craftsOperators


Responsibilities:“Flange Connection Assembly Personnel”

View the flange makeup instructional video. Comply with specification G8S-8000-00. Review and understand the requirements in

“Flange Assembly & Disassembly Procedure” (G8S-8005-00).

Understand how to properly use a torque tool. Ensure that the torque tool being used is

calibrated.


Responsibilities:“Flange Connection Assembly Personnel” (cont’d)

Obtain the specified torque values to be used prior to performing the work (bolting-up protocol, EMETL torque tables).

Assemble the flanged connection to the proper specifications which should be part of the job package. (e.g. CPPS, vessel drawing, Flange MET)

Use “Flange Metal Tagging Procedure” (G8S-8005-01) to identify and document the assembly of a Level III flange assembly

Sign off on the plant’s documentation (e.g., RTO checklist) confirming that specified tightening procedures were utilized for the specific job.

Any flange that is in service shall not be tightened while under pressure and/or temperature, unless reviewed and approved by a Subject Matter Expert.

– For example, if a vessel needs hot bolting, contact a member of the Maintenance organization (LEO is also required)



Existing flange bolts should not be torque tightened if they have suffered significant corrosion.

Involve a Subject Matter Expert (e.g. Dow Qualified Flange Inspector, Pipefitter, Multi-craft, Maintenance Reliability Tech, Flanged Connection Focal Point, Work Activity Coordinator, etc.) if there is any question about how to perform the torque tightening correctly. Several special situations are listed here, but this is not an all-inclusive list:

– Leaking connections– How to properly assemble dissimilar flange materials (e.g., FRP, glass-lined steel,

plastic-lined pipe, rubber faced flanges)– Equipment body flanges– Heat exchanger heads– Graphite and ceramic equipment– Influence of external forces on alignment– Misalignment– Use of a crow’s foot adapter on torque wrench due to lack of room for head of torque

wrench



NOTE:– Use the

Texas Operations O-49 return to Operations Standard (3-part flange assembly tags are not used in TxO)


Example Roles:“Dow Qualified Flange Inspectors”

MAINTENANCE– Maintenance RE Techs– Maintenance/Reliability Engineers– Machinists– Pipefitters– Work Activity Coordinator– Additional Business Specified Roles

CONSTRUCTION– Construction QC Inspectors– Mechanical & Piping Engineers


Responsibilities:“Dow Qualified Flange Inspectors”

Comply with this specification. Review and understand the requirements in “Flange Assembly & Disassembly

Procedure” (G8S-8005-00). View a flange makeup instructional video. Understand how to evaluate flange misalignment. Approve or reject the assembly of flanged connections that cannot meet all the

requirements of G8S-8005-00. Conduct a representative number of random audits on flanges being

assembled, and document the findings on a “Flange Make-up Form” (G8S-8005-02). Any flange level.

Report any flange assembly non-compliances to the Responsible Person (e.g., PPM personnel, Owners Representative, Reliability Engineer, Project Engineer).

Know where to obtain correct torque values. Know who to contact with questions outside your scope of understanding (e.g.,

Subject Matter Expert). Contact Focal Point to obtain certification.


Primary Responsibilities:“Operations”

It is mandatory that Operations follow the “TxO Process Connection Tagging Maintenance Policy” :– If performing flange connection follow the Flange

Connection Assembly Personnel Requirements.– If performing RTO follow plant RTO procedure.


Fluid Service Category andAssociated Assembly Level


Good general craftsmanship (i.e., flange alignment, star pattern bolt-up)

Controlled tightening required (i.e., calibrated torque wrench)

TxO Process Connection Tagging Maintenance Policy

Flange Make-up Form required for each flanged connection

Metal Flange ID Tag required for each flanged connection

Daily calibration test of torque tool to verify accuracy

Level I:

“Category D” (e.g., air, water, steam) piping at P<150 psig or T<366F

X X

Level II:“Normal Fluid” piping (e.g., hydrocarbons, most process chemical services) + custom designed flanges (PCE, piping)

X X X

Level III:“Category M” piping (e.g., very toxic fluids, such as phosgene)

X X X X X X

Current Assembly Levels for Texas Operations – Minimum Requirements


Plant Requests for Flange Metal Tagging of Highly Hazardous Chemicals—Level III

If a plant chooses to consider specific “normal fluids” (Level II) highly hazardous, which are not Category M (Level III) by definition, then the flange assembler will have to comply to the requirements in the “Flange Metal Tagging Procedure” G8S-8005-01.

This includes filling out a “Flange Make-up Form” for each flange assembly.


Basic Requirements for AssemblingFlanged Connections

Good flange alignment Clean and undamaged sealing surfaces Star tightening pattern Calibrated torque wrenches (Levels II, III) Prescribed torque values (Levels II, III) TxO Process Connection Tagging Maintenance

Policy


Q: Where do I find the assembly level required for a particular installation?


Fluid Service Category is indicated in each CPPS, according to ASME B31.3 definitions


Maintenance - Job Packets

The Job Planners will include the page from the applicable pipe specification in the job documentation, indicating the fluid service category which determines the assembly level requirements.

Category D: Level I

Normal Fluid Service: Level II(torque wrenches)

Category M: Level III(torque wrenches + metal tags + Flange Make-up

forms)


Operations – CPPS’s

Use the plant’s global pipe specifications to find the fluid service category, which correlates to the required assembly level defined in G8S-8000-00.


Q: How often should I TEST my torque wrench for accuracy?


How often should I TEST my torque wrench for accuracy?

“Torque Wrench Verification Procedure” (G8S-8005-05) recommends that a torque wrench should be checked before each use, or daily as a minimum; see Para. 3.1. However, in 2004 Plaquemine site collected data and did not see an out-of-calibration torque wrench for at least 3 weeks of daily checking.

Based on this data, our site’s current position is to recommend the following:

Torque wrenches should be checked monthly, as long as the wrenches are being stored in the "zero" position (see Para. 3.4).

Situations that may warrant checking before each use include the following: If the wrench is dropped or banged, or if there is any reason to question the

calibration prior to the scheduled monthly check If the assembly is critical (e.g., hazardous/flammable service, tight

construction schedule, level III) If the flanged components are weak and/or susceptible to damage if over-

tightened (e.g., FRP, glass lined steel, plastic, graphite heat exchangers, graphite rupture disks)

(Actual CALIBRATION of torque wrenches should be required only when the torque wrench is found to be out of calibration after being tested.)


Typical torque wrench test stand


Reminders

Potential of asbestos gaskets in old installations:– If fibrous gaskets stick to flange and material of construction is

unknown, gasket must be removed using abatement crew.– If fibrous gasket is easily removed from flange but material of

construction is unknown, it must be treated as asbestos for disposal.

Thread engagement: “FASTENERS SHALL EXTEND ONE FULL THREAD PAST THE END OF THE NUT, BUT NOT MORE THAN 9MM (3/8 INCH)”.

How to treat assembly of dissimilar flange configurations: Use the gasket and torque required for the weaker of the two flanges being connected.


Reminders, continued

Re-use of fasteners: New fasteners are recommended. However, re-use of the fasteners is allowed, provided that the condition of the fasteners permits. As a minimum, the nuts must turn freely on the full threaded length of the bolts or studs.

Re-use of fluoropolymer coated fasteners: The primary purpose of the coating is to function as a lubricant. New fluoropolymer coated fasteners should not be lubricated; however, bolt lubricant must be applied to used fluoropolymer coated fasteners.

Fastener lubrication: Threads AND nut contact faces must be lubricated to reduce the effects of friction on the turning surfaces. EMETL torque tables and Bolting-up Protocols are based on this assumption.


Reminders, continued

Specification gives “permission” to use box end wrenches as “controlled tightening” method for smaller bolt sizes based on Terneuzen experience.

Texas Operations Position:1. This practice only applies to ASME B16.5 metal-to-metal flanged connections

using spiral wound or kammprofile gaskets for these bolt sizes.– Class 150: ½” – 4”– Class 300: ½” through 1-¼” & 2” (1 ½” does not apply; bolts are ¾”)

2. It does NOT apply to all sheet gaskets, FRP flanges, glass-lined flanges, plastic-lined flanges, solid plastic flanges, or other weak/fragile flanges. A calibrated torque wrench should always be used with these to help prevent damaging the gaskets and/or flanges.

BOTTOMLINE…WHEN IN DOUBT, USE A TORQUE WRENCH!!!DOW CONFIDENTIAL - Do not share without permission

Summary

Expectation of the Global Maintenance and Construction Directors is that all flanged connections in Dow must be assembled using best practices.

Flange Assemblers must be qualified/trained before working on flanged connections.

Random periodic audits must be conducted by Dow Qualified Flange Inspectors using “Flange Make-up Form”.

Fluid service category in the pipe specifications determines the Assembly Level.

– Category D: Level I– Normal Fluid Service: Level II (torque wrenches)– Category M: Level III (torque wrenches + metal tags + Flange Make-up

forms) Comply with TxO Process Connection Tagging Maintenance Policy


Available Material

Torque table pocket cards– Metal-to-metal– Plastic-lined pipe

Available from work activity coordinators


Available Material


References/Resource

Gatekeeper Work Activity Coordinator Planner Contractor Supervision TxO Site Flanged Connection Policy TXO Site Flanged Connection Procedure EMETL documents

– G8S-8000-00 “Flange Assembly Specification”– G8S-8005-00 “Flange Assembly & Disassembly Procedure”– G8S-8005-01 “Flange Metal Tagging Procedure”– G8S-8005-02 “Flange Make-up Form”– G8S-8005-07 “Flanged Connection Failure Investigation”– G8S-8001-00 “Flange Assembler Certification Record”– Global torque tables are available from the Work Activity Coordinator,

Gatekeeper, Planner or SME.


global flange assembly specification (g8s-8000-00) for contractors texas operations implementation...

Documents

handson flange assembly

permission slide

flanged connection

torque tool

controlled procedure

specified torque values

emetl torque tables

primary roles