SAES-W-010 PDF – Welding Requirements for Pressure Vessels

This article is about SAES-W-010 which is about Welding Requirements for Pressure Vessels and download SAES-W-010 PDF for Welding and piping engineers, supervisors and project managers, Welding QCs, QC Supervisors. This is saudi aramco standard of Welding Engineering based on international codes and standards and useful for piping and welding engineering knowledge to get job as engineers, QC Supervisors and QC managers, Engineering managers and technicians.

SAES-W-010 PDF Download

SAES-W-010

Welding Requirements for Pressure Vessels

This SAES-W-010 standard outlines the welding, heat treatment, and hardness testing requirements for the fabrication, repair, or modification of pressure vessels and heat exchangers in accordance with ASME SEC VIII. These requirements supplement the provisions of ASME SEC VIII and ASME SEC IX.

Additional requirements may be specified in Scopes of Work, Drawings, or other Instructions or Specifications for specific work items. The term “Consulting Services Department (CSD)” refers to the CSD Welding Specialist or a designated representative. “Approval” refers to written approval. The entire standard can be attached to and incorporated into purchase orders. Generally, this standard is not retroactively applied to the maintenance and repair of existing facilities unless there are concerns related to safety, environmental protection, health, or security.

Approved Welding Processes

The following welding processes are approved for use with specific restrictions and requirements:

5.1 Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW).
5.2 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW).

• Manual GTAW requires a high frequency start and post-purge gas flow, except for specific base materials.
• Autogenous welding is not permitted unless approved by CSD.
• GTAW process is required for all passes of piping butt welds and set-in/on nozzles less than 25.4 mm NPS.
• GTAW process is required for the root pass of piping butt welds and set-in nozzles of 50.8 mm NPS or less.
• GTAW process is required for the root pass of single-sided groove welds without backing made with stainless steel or nickel-based consumables.
• Use of flux-cored GTAW wires for root pass of single-sided groove welds for base materials of P-No. 8 or higher is not permitted unless approved by CSD.

5.3 Submerged Arc Welding (SAW).
5.4 Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) including Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW).

• The short-circuiting (dip) mode of GMAW is restricted to specific applications such as structural attachments and tacking.
• The modified short-circuit mode of GMAW is allowed only for root pass welding.
• FCAW Gas Shielded process is not allowed for the root pass on full penetration, groove joints without backing (backing may be used if removed after welding).
• Self-shielded FCAW requires specific approval from CSD.

Please note that these approvals and restrictions are in accordance with the specified standards and may vary depending on the specific welding requirements and materials involved.

Thermit Welding using a copper alloy is allowed for attaching electrical grounding or cathodic protection cables to structural members. However, Thermit welding is not permitted for use on stainless steel materials.

Stud Welding is permitted for attaching insulation fasteners and heat conductors.

Other welding processes such as brazing, Electro-Gas, Electro-slag, Plasma, etc. may be used, but their usage requires the approval of CSD (Consulting Services Department). The approval process may involve additional testing beyond the requirements specified by the Code. Approval for using these other processes must be obtained through the welding procedure review process.

It’s important to note that the approval and usage of these other processes are subject to the specific application, materials involved, and the requirements set by CSD.

Welding Consumables

Welding consumables play a crucial role in the welding process, and the following guidelines are specified:

6.1 Electrodes, filler wires, and fluxes must conform to ASME SEC IIC. However, the use of other consumables requires the approval of CSD (Consulting Services Department). Depending on the process and application, additional testing may be required beyond the specifications of ASME SEC IX. Approval for using consumables not listed in ASME SEC IIC must be obtained through the welding procedure review process. Vendor literature, including details on intended use, approximate chemistry, and mechanical properties, should be submitted along with the procedure for unlisted consumables.

6.2 Proper storage and segregation of electrodes are essential to avoid mix-up. Separate ovens are necessary for different types of welding consumables. The fabricator is responsible for establishing adequate inventory control to account for all checked-out consumables.

6.3 All consumables must be stored and dried according to the requirements outlined in Attachment 1 for SMAW electrodes and Attachment 2 for other consumables. These guidelines ensure that consumables maintain their integrity and performance during the welding process.

The guidelines regarding GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) filler metal and welding consumables are as follows:

• GTAW filler metal should have clear identification, either by AWS/ASME identification or the manufacturer’s identification marked on each individual rod. This can be done through tags (“flags”), stencil, or stamping on both ends.
• Selection of welding consumables should be based on several factors, including their mechanical properties, compatibility with the materials being joined, suitability for the intended service, and consideration of polarity, position, and direction of welding.
• Welding consumables that do not meet standard industry practice based on the above criteria may be rejected by CSD (Consulting Services Department). Consumables used outside their rated tensile or impact ranges listed in the manufacturing specifications should either undergo batch testing or have CSD approval. Batch testing should follow the guidelines outlined in SFA 5.01 to verify that they meet the requirements of the base material.
• Low hydrogen consumables, defined as having hydrogen content equal to or less than 8 ml per 100 g of deposited weld metal (measured according to AWS A4.3), should be used in most cases. However, there are exceptions, such as the root pass of closure seams on P-No. 1 (carbon steel) vessels in non-hydrocarbon service with less than 12.7 mm wall thickness and inaccessible interiors. The use of low hydrogen consumables for field repairs of joints accessible from one side only may be approved by CSD.
• Dissimilar Metal Welds (DMW) are defined as weld joints between different types of materials, such as ferritic steel and austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steel, or nickel-based alloys, or the use of stainless steel or nickel-based filler metals on ferritic steels. DMWs have certain restrictions: a) They are not permitted for pressure-containing or load-bearing welds in sour service, except for welds in clad systems where the DMW interface with the ferritic steel is not in contact with the sour fluid. Minor attachments may be made with the approval of the Welding Standards committee. b) They are permitted for non-sour hydrocarbon service if made with a nickel-based consumable. c) Austenitic stainless steel consumables may only be used for specific applications, such as external structural attachments, in non-sour, non-hydrocarbon services with a maximum design temperature below 300°C. Nickel-based consumables may not be suitable for direct exposure to sulfur or hydrogen-sulfur reducing environments at temperatures exceeding 400°C due to the possibility of sulfidation attack.

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