Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) Pressure Piping Systems Using Gaseous Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic Leak Testing)

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
If required by the authority having jurisdiction, pressurized gaseous media leak testing may be conducted after installation to discover and correct leaks or faults in a newly constructed or modified polyethylene pressure piping system before placing the system in service. Leakage or faults usually occur at connections, joints, and mechanical seals where sealing under pressure is required.
Safety is of paramount importance when conducting pressurized gaseous media leak tests because testing results include no leaks, leaks, sudden violent rupture, or catastrophic failure.
Systems that contain lower pressure rated or non-pressure rated components that cannot be isolated or removed from exposure to test pressure, or where temporary caps or closures are not practical, are not suitable for testing in accordance with this practice.
Leakage Allowance—Leakage is not allowed for joints including butt, socket and saddle fusion, electrofusion, and restrained gas-tight mechanical joints. See 7.6.  
Other types of joints, connections, or components having seals in the system may have a leakage allowance. Contact the joint, connection or component manufacturer for information.
Poisson-Effect Expansion and Contraction—When test pressure is applied to plastic piping systems that have fully restrained joints such as heat fusion, electrofusion, bolted flanges, etc., reduction of overall length or an increase in longitudinal stress results from diametrical expansion of the pipe. Disjoining (pull-out) of partially restrained or non-restrained connections or joints such as bell-and-spigot joints having insufficient resistance to pull-out stress or length reduction is possible when such joints are in-line with the test section. To prevent Poisson-effect disjoining, take measures such as installing external joint restraints (diametrical clamps and tie-rods) across in-line partially restrained or non-restrained joints, installing in-line thrust anchors at the ends of fully restrai...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides information on apparatus, safety, pre-test preparation and procedures for conducting field tests of polyethylene pressure piping systems after installation using gaseous media such as unodorized inert non-toxic gas or air, and applying pressure to determine if leaks exist in the system (pneumatic leak testing). This practice applies only to testing to discover leakage. Testing for other purposes such as testing to establish operating pressure is beyond the scope of this practice.
1.2 This practice does not address leak testing using pressurized liquids (hydrostatic testing). For field leak testing using pressurized liquids, see Practice F2164.  
1.3 Leak testing with pressurized gaseous media shall be used only if one of the following conditions exists:  
1.3.1 The piping system is so designed that it cannot be filled with a liquid, or  
1.3.2 The piping system service cannot tolerate traces of liquid testing media.
1.4 Where hydrostatic testing is specified in contract documents or by the authority having jurisdiction, pressurized gaseous media (pneumatic) testing shall not be substituted without the express consent and authorization of the authority having jurisdiction.
1.5 Some manufacturers prohibit or restrict pressurized gaseous media testing of their products. Contact component manufacturers for information about testing with gaseous media under pressure. Where the manufacturer of a test section component prohibits or restricts pressurized gaseous media testing, pressurized gaseous media (pneumatic) testing shall not be used without the express consent and authorization of the authority having jurisdiction and the component manufacturer.
Note 1—Components that are not suitable for testing with gaseous media may not be suitable for service with pressurized gaseous media.
1.6 This practice does not apply to leak testing of non-pressure, negative pressure (vacuum), or non-PE p...

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Publication Date
31-Jan-2010
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Drafting Committee
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ASTM F2786-10 - Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) Pressure Piping Systems Using Gaseous Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic Leak Testing)
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: F2786 − 10
StandardPractice for
Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) Pressure Piping
Systems Using Gaseous Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic
1
Leak Testing)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2786; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
media may not be suitable for service with pressurized gaseous media.
1. Scope
1.6 This practice does not apply to leak testing of non-
1.1 This practice provides information on apparatus, safety,
pressure, negative pressure (vacuum), or non-PE piping sys-
pre-testpreparationandproceduresforconductingfieldtestsof
tems. For field acceptance testing of plastic gravity flow sewer
polyethylene pressure piping systems after installation using
lines, see Test Method F1417.
gaseous media such as unodorized inert non-toxic gas or air,
and applying pressure to determine if leaks exist in the system
1.7 This practice does not apply to fuel gas piping systems
(pneumaticleaktesting).Thispracticeappliesonlytotestingto
that extend from the point of delivery to the appliance
discover leakage. Testing for other purposes such as testing to
connections. For other than undiluted liquefied petroleum gas
establish operating pressure is beyond the scope of this
(LP-Gas) systems, the point of delivery shall be considered to
practice.
be the outlet of the service meter assembly or the outlet of the
service regulator or service shutoff valve where no meter is
1.2 This practice does not address leak testing using pres-
provided. For undiluted LP-Gas, the point of delivery shall be
surizedliquids(hydrostatictesting).Forfieldleaktestingusing
considered to be the outlet of the final pressure regulator,
pressurized liquids, see Practice F2164.
exclusiveoflinegasregulators,inthesystem.Testingforthese
1.3 Leak testing with pressurized gaseous media shall be
systemscanbefoundinNFPA54/ANSIZ223.1.Thispractice
used only if one of the following conditions exists:
does not apply to LP-Gas systems covered under NFPA 58.
1.3.1 The piping system is so designed that it cannot be
1.8 This practice is intended for use with polyethylene
filled with a liquid, or
pressure piping that conveys gaseous media under pressure
1.3.2 The piping system service cannot tolerate traces of
(compressed gas) if the owner or operator or installer of the
liquid testing media.
line does not have an established leak testing procedure that is
1.4 Where hydrostatic testing is specified in contract docu-
acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
ments or by the authority having jurisdiction, pressurized
1.9 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
gaseous media (pneumatic) testing shall not be substituted
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
without the express consent and authorization of the authority
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
having jurisdiction.
and are not considered standard. Numbered notes and infor-
1.5 Some manufacturers prohibit or restrict pressurized
mation in parentheses in the text of the practice are non-
gaseous media testing of their products. Contact component
mandatory information. Table notes are mandatory informa-
manufacturers for information about testing with gaseous
tion.
mediaunderpressure.Wherethemanufacturerofatestsection
1.10 Warning—Failure during a pressure leak test can be
component prohibits or restricts pressurized gaseous media
extremely violent and dangerous especially where a com-
testing, pressurized gaseous media (pneumatic) testing shall
pressedgaseousmediaisused.Inacompressedgaseousmedia
not be used without the express consent and authorization of
test, energy is applied to compress the gaseous media in
the authority having jurisdiction and the component manufac-
addition to pressurizing the system. If failure occurs, both
turer.
energiescanbesuddenlyreleasedandcanbeextremelyviolent
NOTE 1—Components that are not suitable for testing with gaseous
compared to failure during leak testing with an incompressible
liquid testing media.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F17 on Plastic
NOTE 2—To illustrate the violent hazard of failure, assumea5Hp
Piping Systems and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F17.40 on Test
compressorisusedtoraisethetestsectiontotestpressureandthatittakes
Methods.
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2010. Published February 2010. DOI:10.1520// 1 h to achieve test pressure. If sudden rupture occurs, energy release may
F2786–10. occur in 2 s. Therefore, the horsepower of the energy release would be 5
Copyright © ASTM International, 1
...

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