Reg.

338

BOILER AND SUPER HEATER TUBES, HEADERS AND OTHER PRESSURE PARTS TUBES

a) The working pressure of the tubes shall be determined by the following formula:-

2 f (T - C)
W. P. = Eqn.(87)
(D - T + C)
where,

T = minimum thickness of tubes, that is, nominal thickness less the permissible negative tolerance in mm. (inch)
C = 0.75 mm for working pressure up to and including 70 kg/cm².

or

C = 0 for working pressure exceeding 70 kg/cm² (1000 lbs/sq. in.)

W. P.= Working pressure of boiler in kg/cm² (lbs/sq. inch)
D = External diameter of tube in mm (inch)
F = permissible stress for the material at the working metal temperature in kg/cm² (lbs/sq. Inch) to be
determined on the basis given below:-

The working metal temperature shall be taken as :-

(a) For integral economiser tubes, the maximum water temperature for which the part of the element is designed
plus 11°C (20°F).

(b) For furnace and boiler tubes, the saturation temperature corresponding to the working pressure plus 28°C
(50o F)

(c) For convection superheater tubes, the maximum steam temperature for which the part of the element is
designed plus 39oC (70oF).

(d) For radiant superheater tubes the designed maximum steam temperature plus 50 °C (90oF)

Permissible working stress for tubes:- For temperatures at or below 454 °C,

T. S. Et
or whichever is lower.
2.7 1.5

For temperature above 454 °C,

Sr
or Sc whichever is lower.
1.5

where,

T.S. = Minimum tensile strength of the material at room temperature.

Et = Yield point (0.2% proof stress) at working metal temperature 't'.
Sr = the average stress to produce rupture in 100,000 hours and in no case more than 1.33 times the lowest
stress to produce rupture at the working metal temperature.
Sc = the average stress to produce an elongation of 1% (creep) in 100,000 hours, at the working metal temp.

Note:- In case Sc values are not available in Material Standard and such materials are known to have been used
in boilers in India or abroad, then for such material the allowable stress may be taken as the lower of
 Et Sr
or
1.5 1.5
b) In no case, however, shall the thickness of tubes as supplied be less than those given in the table below (subject
to tolerances specified in Regulations 36(d), 43(d), 48(c), 53(c), 56A (IV) and 58(d).

TABLE

Seamless Cold drawn or

Seamless Hot
Outside diameter electric resistance
finished
welded
2.9 mm. 2.03mm.
Upto to and including 32 mm. (1 ¼" ).....
(0.116in.) (0.08in.)
3.25mm. 2.34mm
Upto to and including 51 mm.(2")...
(0.128in) (0.092in.)
3.35mm. 2.64mm.
Over 51 mm (2in.) Upto and including 76mm.(3in.)
(0.128in.) (0.104in.)
3.25mm. 3.25mm.
Over 76mm.(3in.) Upto and including 89mm. (3-1/2in.)
(0.128in.) (0.128in.)
Over 89mm.(3-1/2in.) Upto and including114 mm.- (4 3.66mm. 3.66mm.
½ in.) (0.144in.) (0.144in.)

In the case of coiled tubes for boilers of the forced flow or forced circulation type, the minimum thickness of
tubes as supplied may, however, be as follows:-

Outside diameter of tubes in inches Minimum thickness

Up to and including 29mm.(13") 1.62mm. (O.064")
Over 29mm. up to and including 35mm. (1 3/8”) 1.83mm. (0.072')
Over 35 mm. (1 3/8") up to and including 42mm.(1 5/8") 2.34mm. (0.092)
c) (i) General: Tubes that are hot or cold bent for parts of boilers, including economizers, furnace walls,
superheaters and reheaters, shall comply with this clause and suitably heat treated.

Butt welds shall not be permitted within bends.

Thinning and departure from circularity limits shall be demonstrated by one of the following methods.

(a) relevant and satisfactory service experience;

(b) a procedure test;.

(c) By measurement of 2% of the bends, including the first bend of each shift.

The method selected shall be at the option of the manufacturer.

(ii) Thinning on tube bends. Thinning on tube bends shall comply with the following.

(a) At any location around the bend extrados, the reduction in thickness (in percent) below the calculated
minimum permissible design thickness of the straight tube, except where permitted by (b), shall not exceed:

__100___

4R + 2
 D

where

R is the mean radius of the bend to the centre line of the tube (in mm).

D is the ordered outside diameter of the tube (in mm).

(b) Bend thickness below the minimum value required under (a) shall be permitted in cases where the
manufacturer can demonstrate by bursting tests carried out on at least three bends that the strength of the bend is
not less than that of the straight tube.

(c) Where the amount of thinning at any location around the bend extrados on cold formed bends
exceeds 25% of the actual thickness of the tube on the straight the bends shall be suitably heat treated. The
actual thickness of the same plans as the line of the extrados at each and of the bend.

(iii) Departure from circularity in tube bends. The departure from circularity at the bend apex shall
not exceed 10% for bends performed in a single bending operation and 15% for bends which are hot pressed
after the primary, bending operation.

The departure from circularity (in percent) shall be calculated from:

Dmax - Dmin  100

where

Dmax is the maximum outside diameter measured in the tube bend apex (mm),

Dmin is the minimum outside diameter measured at the same cross section as Dmax(mm)

D is the ordered outside diameter of the tube (in mm).

d) For radiant superheater tubes, the maximum steam temperature for which the part of the element is designed
plus 50°C (90°F).

Reg. 337
BOILER AND SUPER HEATER TUBES, HEADERS AND OTHER PRESSURE PARTS TUBES

Material and Construction

a) All tubes which are subject to internal pressure of water or steam shall be cold drawn or hot finished seamless or
electric-resistance welded in accordance with Regulation 36 & 63, Except as provided for in clause (b) below they shall
be without joint.

b) Tubes having an external diameter not exceeding 5 inches may be jointed and such joints may be flashed welded,
machine forge welded arc or gas welded. Tubes above 5 inches diameter may also be welded provided they are located
outside the furnace. Such welds must conform to the requirements of Chapter VIII.

c) Flash welding shall be undertaken on a welding machine of a type approved by the Inspecting Officer and the external
fin caused by welding shall be completely removed. The internal fin caused by welding shall also be removed subject to a
 maximum height of 20 per cent of the wall thickness of the tube.

d) Arc welded butt joints shall be made by the metallic shielded arc process and post weld heat treated effectively except in
the following cases:

For alloy steel:

(i) in case of 0.5 Molybdenum steels if thickness does not exceed 13 mm and outside diameter does not exceed 127 mm.

(ii) In case of 1 Chromium ½ Molybdenum steel if thickness does not exceed 13 mm and outside diameter does not
exceed 127 mm and pre-heated to 125°C.

(iii) In case of 2-1/4 Chromium 1 Molybdenum steel, post weld heat treatment is not necessary under the following
conditions:

(1) a maximum specified chromium content of 3.0%.

(2) a maximum nominal outside diameter of 102 mm.

(3) a maximum thickness of 8 mm.

(4) a maximum specified Carbon content of 0.15%.

(5) a minimum pre-heat temperature of 150°C.

For carbon steel:

(i) a maximum carbon percentage of 0.30.

(ii) a maximum thickness of 9 mm.

e) When gas welding is implied the technique followed shall be approved by an Inspecting Officer and all welds shall be
suitably heat treated.

f) For design metal temperature over 454°C (850°F) material to be used shall be in accordance with Regulations 48, 53 and
56A.

g) The technique employed in all field welding of tubes shall be subject to the approval of the Chief Inspector of Boilers.

Where, however, material used is in conformity with the Code of the country of manufacture and it is covered by these
Regulations, the permissible stress figures specified in the Code at different temperatures may be accepted in lieu of
figures computed from the data required to the furnished under Regulations 338 and 340 in any of the following cases:-

(i) Where a certificate is furnished from the Inspecting Authority to the effect that the steel complies with requirements
of the grade steel (to be specified) and that the permissible stress for the working conditions as allowed for in the code
of the country of manufacture falls within the limits permissible under the Regulations.

(ii) Where the basis upon which these stresses have been arrived at is made available and such basis is not found to be
such as to give rise to stresses higher than those permissible under the Regulation.