Wednesday, 10 January 2018

How Hydro Testing Saves Lives

By Daniel Miller


Any house or business has a number of things in it called pressure vessels, which are containers or pipes that keep pressurized gasses and liquids inside at extreme temperatures. These are things like plumbing systems, gas cylinders, boilers, and pipelines. Hydro testing is necessary for these vessels in order to ensure their safety and functionality.

These vessels are built and designed to be able to hold pressurized gasses and liquids and very high or very low temperatures. Early vessels had problems that lost many people their lives over the years. Safety is a big concern for the manufacturers and inspectors of these containers.

Since one of the main goals of this test is to see if there are any leaks in the vessel occurring, it is often just called a leak test. This also provides a way to find out where the problem is happening. Hydrostatic pressure tests are also important to examine the general functionality and durability of the pressure vessel.

The way this test works is by filling up the container or pipes with water or some other liquid. Water is usually preferred because it won't damage the system. Depending on what type of vessel the test is being performed on, it will be filled to a specific pressure, and the tester will check to see if any of the pressure is lost after the supply valve is shut off.

The best way to tell where a leak is happening is by adding some kind of coloration to the medium being used. This is easily achieved in water with dye, which is the method many testers use. By simply following the dye and seeing where it is escaping from, sometimes a problem can be solved easily where it would've seemed like a major replacement was due.

Now that these tests are standardized and required of all vessels, manufacturers will have them tested directly after they make them. This means that customers can be assured that the container or pipe will work correctly and not put them at risk. Tests that are done periodically are called modified hydrostatic tests, also known as proof pressure tests.

When a customer is looking for a professional to perform this kind of a test, they are sometimes given the option to choose which medium they would like to be used for the test. The professional may recommend a particular medium because it works best on the type of vessel. Oil is expensive and air is difficult to set up, making water the most popular choice for customers.

It is necessary to make sure that a pipe or vessel can withstand pressure that is much higher than what it is expected to operate at on a normal basis. This is because extreme conditions sometimes do occur and mistakes are made. By performing the test at a percentage above normal pressure, there can be a margin for error.




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