BVAA Technical Activity - August 2022

Each month, the BVAA Principal Technical Consultant, Peter Dix, writes a Technical Consultant Report, summarising the previous month’s activity of BSi/EN/ISO. Here are the highlights from the August report: 

1. Introduction

The UK Government has now published further details of the UKCA easements announced in June. The impact on the pressure equipment industry is more significant than first anticipated. They allow a manufacturer to UKCA mark products for up to 5 years without the need to engage a UK Approved Body whilst relying on his existing CE mark certificates.

This significant change to the implementation rules is sensible because the technical requirements of the PED and PE(S)R remain the same. Further details are included in section 5.

2. Standardisation Activity Summary

Standardisation activity has started to increase after the summer break with 8 new documents published by PES 18 and 18/1. Three new standards completed their final votes in the period and a new work item ballot is underway for a revision to EN 12516-2, please see below for further details.

It was also good to see that the European Commission have finally awarded the HAS contract that covers the statutory review of all CEN harmonised standards prior to their publication. It is hoped that the backlog of CEN standards currently stalled in this process will now start to be quickly reduced. 

          2.1 Approved or Confirmed Standards

 ISO/FDIS 10497 Testing of valves - Fire type-testing requirements, completed its final vote stage with unanimous approval. However, several important editorial comments, particularly from the BVAA Fire Test TEG were submitted and these comments need to be considered and resolved by ISO TC153 prior to publication.

Two actuator standards, FprEN 15714-3 Pneumatic part-turn actuators basic requirements and FprEN 15714-6 Hydraulic linear actuators basic requirements, both unanimously passed their final vote stage with no significant comments. These standards will now be published in the next few weeks. 

           2.2 Draft International Standard Ballots 

No draft standard ballots were completed in August. 

           2.3 New Work Items 

CEN TC69/WG1 has raised a new work item proposal to revise EN 12516-2 Shell design strength calculation method for steel valves. It is proposed by Germany to revise this important basic design standard in order to improve the way it addresses creep and alternating stress values. Modernising updates are also planned in the calculation of shell components produced by additive manufacturing methods and the use of finite element methods of analysis. The ballot for this NWIP closes in October.

3. Hot Spots Issued

Four Hot Spots were issued during August including the announcement of a Task Group being formed by API to write a specification for hydrogen valves in the upstream environment. Several BVAA members have shown an interest in participating in this work either by way of the Hydrogen TEG group or by investing their time directly in the API Task Group. The first introductory meeting of the API 6Z Task Group is scheduled to take place online in September.

4. IOGP / API Update

IOGP have re-launched the review of their S-611 Gate Valve Specification providing a second chance for members to comment direct to IOGP prior to starting work on the revision, this was advised in Hot Spot BV002534. They also intend to release supplier questionnaires for ball and gate valves in the coming weeks, the BVAA will prompt members when these are released.

API held their summer meeting recently and during that meeting projects to produce two new specifications were confirmed. The proposal to create API 6Z for hydrogen valves in gas service was announced in Hot Spot BV002533, but they are also starting to work on API 6Y which is a fugitive emission testing specification for pipeline and wellhead equipment intended for upstream. The BVAA will monitor and participate in this work via the FE TEG as appropriate.

5. Brexit PED / PE(S)R Update

The UK Government has published the revised statutory guidance on the PE(S)R and this document contains more details of the easements concerning the introduction of the UKCA scheme that were first announced in June. A Hot Spot will be issued to alert members of the details of the changes which are much more significant than we had first believed. The most significant change is to include auditing and certification of quality assurance systems under the “re-testing” banner. This means that most manufacturing members who use module D(1) or H(1) for PED compliance can use their CE certification for UKCA marking until it expires and avoid the cost of having to re-certify their quality system with a UK Approved Body especially for the UKCA mark, if of course they have not already done so. It is recommended that all members review the complete statutory guidance document as referenced in Hot Spot BV002355 circulated by BVAA in September.

It should however be emphasised that these changes do not delay the introduction of the UKCA scheme which remains mandatory for manufacturers selling into the GB market from 01/01/2023.

Would you like to join the BVAA?

Membership of the Association is open to companies registered in the UK who manufacture, distribute and/or repair industrial valves and/or actuators and/or related products. If you are interested in membership, please contact rob@bvaa.or.uk.

Published: 30th September 2022