Notes - API 598 Valve Inspection & Testing

API 598 – Valve Inspection & Testing
Notes to Purchaser
If required, the following will be specified in the PO (Purchase Order):
 Inspection by the purchaser at the valve manufacturer’s plant

 Inspection by the purchaser outside the valve manufacturer’s plant
 Address for the inspection notices
 Any supplementary examination required
 Type of backseat test
 High-pressure closure test
 High-pressure pneumatic shell test
 Test fluid temperature for low temperature valves
 Use of a wetting agent in the test water
 Certificate of compliance
(Section 1) GENERAL
Scope
This standard covers inspection, examination, supplementary examinations, and pressure test requirements
for resilient seated, nonmetallic seated (e.g. ceramic), and metal-to-metal seated valves of gate, globe, plug,
ball, check, and butterfly types. Resilient seats are considered to be:
 Soft seats, both solid and semisolid grease type (e.g. lubricated plug)
 Combination soft and metal seats
 Any other type valve designed to meet resilient seat leakage rates (as per Table 5)
Tests: This standard specifies the following tests and exams: shell test, backseat test, low-pressure closure
test, high-pressure-closure test, visual examination of castings, and high-pressure pneumatic shell test.
(Section 2) INSPECTION, EXAMINATION, AND SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATION

Inspection Notice
The valve manufacturer will notify the purchaser five working days before the inspection and examination
Extent of inspection
It shall be limited to:
 Inspection of the valve during assembly to ensure compliance with PO specifications

 Witnessing the optional and required pressure tests
 Witnessing any supplementary examinations
 Review of mill records and NDE records
Examination
 A visual examination shall be performed by the valve manufacturer of all castings of body, bonnet, covers,
and closure elements to ensure compliance with MSS SP-55
 The valve manufacturer shall examine each valve to assure compliance with this standard and the purchase
specification (e.g. API standard 600)
Supplementary Examination
MPT, RT, DPT, and UT of steel castings/forgings shall be in accordance with ASME B16.34 Part 8 or the purchaser’s
own procedures and acceptance criteria. These examinations will be made by the valve manufacturer subject to
witnessing by the purchaser’s inspector.
(Section 3) PRESSURE TESTS

Test location
Pressure tests shall be performed by the valve manufacturer at the manufacturer’s plant.
Test Equipment
The pressure test equipment shall not apply external forces that affect seat leakage. An end-clamping test fixture is
allowed for valves designed to function between mating flanges, such as wafer check and wafer butterfly valves.
Tests Required
Pressure tests are performed as per Tables 1-A and 1-B. Valves NPS 4 and smaller having pressure ratings up to and
including ASME Class 1500 and valves larger than NPS 4 having pressure rating up to and including ASME Class 600
shall be tested according to Table 1-A.
Valves NPS 4 and smaller having pressure rating greater than ASME Class 1500 and valves larger than NPS 4 having
pressure rating greater than ASME Class 600 shall be tested according to Table 1-A.
High-Pressure Closure Test

For the valve types for which the high-pressure closure test is optional, the valves are still required to be able to pass
the test (as a test of the design of the valve closure structure).
High-pressure pneumatic shell test

When specified by the PO, a high-pressure pneumatic shell test will be performed after the hydrostatic shell test. The
test pressure will be 110% of the max allowable pressure at 38*C. Visible leakage is not allowed.
Test Fluid
For shell, high-pressure backseat, and high-pressure closure tests, the test fluid shall be air, inert gas, kerosene,
water, or a noncorrosive liquid with a viscosity not greater than water. The test fluid temperature will not exceed
52*C. The temperature may be specified in the PO for low-temperature valves.
For low-pressure backseat and low-pressure closure tests, the test fluid shall be air or inert gas. If air or gas are
used, the manufacturer must demonstrate the adequacy of leakage.
Water used for any test may contain a water-soluble oil or a rust inhibitor. A wetting agent may be used. For testing
of austenitic SS valves, water with Cl =< 100 ppm would be used. Chloride content would be documented.
Test Pressures
As per Tables 2 and 3
Test Duration
As per Table 4
Test Leakage
No visible leakage is permitted for shell and backseat seats.
For both the low-pressure and the high-pressure closure tests, visual evidence of leakage through the disk, behind
the seat rings, or past the shaft seals is not permitted and structural damage is not permitted. Plastic deformation of
resilient seats and seals is not considered structural damage. The allowable rate for test fluid leakage past the seats,
for the duration of the tests, is given below.
(SECTION 4) PRESSURE TEST PROCEDURES

General
 Valves designed to permit emergency or supplemental introduction of an injectable sealant to the seat or
packing area shall be tested with the injection system empty and not in use, except for lubricated plug valves
 When a liquid is used as the test fluid, the valve will be essentially free from air during the test
 Required protective coatings, such as paint, which may mask surface defects, shall not be applied to any
surface before inspection or pressure testing. (Phosphatizing and similar chemical conversion processes used
to protect valve surfaces are acceptable even if applied before testing, provided that they will not seal off
porosity.
 When closure testing gate, plug, and ball valves, the valve manufacturer shall use a method of testing seat
leakage that fills and pressurizes the body cavity between the seats and the bonnet area, as applicable, with
the test fluid. This will ensure that no seat leakage can escape detection because of gradual filling of these
volumes during the test period.
 When closure testing valves, the procedure must ensure that excessive force is not used to close the valve.
The appropriate force may be determined from the figures in MSS SP-91.
Shell Test
Except as provided in 4.3.2, the shell test shall be performed by applying the pressure inside the assembled valve
with the valve ends closed, the valve partially open, and any packing gland tight enough to maintain the test
pressure, thereby, except for bellows seal valves, testing the stuffing box. Non-adjustable shaft seals (o rings, single
rings, and the like) shall not leak during the shell test.
Backseat Test
The backseat test is required for all valves, except for bellows seal valves, that have the backseat feature and shall be
performed by applying pressure inside the assembled valve with the valve ends closed, the valve fully open, and the
packing gland loose. The backseat test may be performed immediately after the shell test, and all packing glands
shall be retightened after the backseat test. The successful test completion shall not be construed as a
recommendation by the valve manufacturer that, while the valve is pressurized, the valve stuffing box may be
repacked or the packing may be replaced.
Low-pressure Closure Test

 The low-pressure closure test shall be performed with the sealing surfaces clean and free from oil, grease,
and sealant. If necessary to prevent galling, the sealing surfaces may be coated with a film of oil that is not
heavier than kerosene. This requirement does not apply to a valve that uses a lubricant as its primary seal
(e.g. lubricated plug valves)
 For a valve (other than a double block and bleed valve or globe valve) designed to close against pressure
from both directions, the pressure shall be applied successively to each side of the closed valve with the
other side open to the atmosphere to check for leakage at the atmospheric side of the closure. For the globe
valve, pressure shall be applied in one direction (under the disk). For a valve designed to close against
pressure from one direction only and so marked, the pressure shall be applied on the pressure side of the
valve only. For a check valve, the pressure shall be applied on the downstream side.
Any leakage at the seat, behind the seat ring, or through the disk on the open side of the valve shall be
detected when bubbles are observed coming from the closure which is either covered with water or coated
with soap or similar solution. A displacement measuring device or bubbler testing may be used.
 For a double block and bleed, the pressure shall be applied successively to each side of the closure through
the valve port. Leakage into the body cavity between the seats shall be checked at the packing chamber
(with no packing present) or though observation at a tapped opening between the seats. This connection
shall not exceed NPS ½ as per ASME B1.20.1. It will be plugged before dispatch. Valves shall be tested with
the stem in the vertical upright position. Leakage from the seats shall not exceed rates mentioned earlier.
 A closure test is required in only one direction for butterfly valves furnished with encapsulation or resilient
internal liners and designed for use with class 125 or class 150 flanges (API 609 category A valves). For other
resilient seated BVs (API 609 B), the closure test is required in both directions. For valves with a preferred
flow direction, the closure test in the non-preferred direction shall be based on the reduced differential
pressure rating in that direction.
High-pressure Closure Test

Same as low pressure closure test except that with a liquid, the leakage will be detected as drops.
Section 5 – Valve Recertification and Retesting

 When specified in the PO, the manufacturer will submit a certificate of compliance.
 Painted valves need not have their paint removed for retesting.

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API 598 – Valve Inspection & Testing

 Inspection by the purchaser at the valve manufacturer’s plant

(Section 2) INSPECTION, EXAMINATION, AND SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATION

 Inspection of the valve during assembly to ensure compliance with PO specifications

(Section 3) PRESSURE TESTS

High-Pressure Closure Test

High-pressure pneumatic shell test

(SECTION 4) PRESSURE TEST PROCEDURES

Low-pressure Closure Test

High-pressure Closure Test

Section 5 – Valve Recertification and Retesting

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