Pipe Systems and Materials Flashcards
7 cards from real STEAMFITTER practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
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Which ASME piping code governs power piping systems, including steam, feedwater, and drains in power plants and industrial facilities?
Answer: ASME B31.1 (Power Piping)
ASME B31.1 (Power Piping) covers steam, water, oil, gas, and other fluid piping in power plants and industrial heating systems; it is the primary code governing steamfitter work on high-pressure systems.
When performing a hydrostatic pressure test on a completed piping system, the test pressure is typically set at what value relative to the design pressure?
Answer: 1.5 times the design pressure
Per ASME B31.1 and B31.3, the standard hydrostatic test pressure is 1.5 times the design pressure (with adjustments for temperature), using water as the test medium.
What calculation method is typically used under ASME codes to determine the required wall thickness of a pipe for pressure service?
Answer: The Barlow formula or equivalent code stress calculations
The Barlow formula (t = PD/2S) and equivalent ASME code calculations relate internal pressure (P), outer diameter (D), and allowable stress (S) to determine minimum required wall thickness (t).
What is the term for the maximum stress that a pipe material is permitted to experience at a given operating temperature, as defined by ASME codes?
Answer: Allowable stress
Allowable stress (also called basic allowable stress) is the code-specified maximum stress permitted in a material at a given temperature; it is derived from the material's tensile and yield strengths divided by appropriate safety factors.
What is the purpose of a pipe anchor in a steam distribution system?
Answer: To fix the pipe's position and absorb the forces generated by thermal expansion
Pipe anchors fix the pipe at specific points, absorbing expansion forces and controlling pipe movement direction; they work in conjunction with guides and expansion loops or joints to manage thermal growth.
Which ASME piping code applies to process piping in chemical, petroleum refining, and pharmaceutical facilities?
Answer: ASME B31.3
ASME B31.3 (Process Piping) governs piping in chemical plants, refineries, and similar industrial process facilities and has more stringent requirements for high-hazard fluid categories.
What is the term for the stress in a pipe wall caused by internal pressure acting on the cylindrical cross-section of the pipe?
Answer: Hoop (circumferential) stress
Hoop stress (also called circumferential stress) acts around the circumference of the pipe wall and is the primary stress considered when sizing pipe wall thickness for internal pressure using the Barlow formula.