ASTM F3535-21
(Practice)Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyamide-12 (PA12) Pressure Piping Systems Using Gaseous Testing Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic Leak Testing)
Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyamide-12 (PA12) Pressure Piping Systems Using Gaseous Testing Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic Leak Testing)
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 If required by the authority having jurisdiction, pressurized gaseous testing media leak testing is conducted after installation to discover and correct or repair leaks or faults in a newly constructed or modified PA12 pressure piping system before placing the system in service. Leakage or faults most commonly occur at connections, joints, and mechanical seals where sealing under pressure is required.
5.2 Safety is of paramount importance when conducting pressurized gaseous testing media leak tests because testing results include no leaks, leaks, sudden violent rupture, or catastrophic failure.
5.3 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.
5.4 Leakage Allowance—Leakage is not allowed for butt and electrofusion joints, and restrained gas-tight mechanical joints. See 7.6. Contact the joint, connection or component manufacturer for leakage correction information if leakage occurs at a joint, connection or component having a mechanical seal.
5.5 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., either reduction of overall pipe 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 some in-line mechanical connectors having insufficient resistance to pull-out stress or length reduction, is possible when partially restrained or unrestrained joints are in-line with the fully restrained test section. To prevent Poisson-effect disjoining of partially restrained or non-restrained joints take measures such as installing external joint restraints (diametrical clamps and tie-rods) on...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides information on apparatus, safety, pre-test preparation, and procedures for conducting field tests of polyamide-12 (PA12) pressure piping systems after installation using gaseous testing media such as un-odorized 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 Leak testing with pressurized gaseous testing media shall be used only if one or both of the following conditions exists:
1.2.1 The piping system is so designed that it cannot be filled with a liquid, or
1.2.2 The piping system service cannot tolerate traces of liquid testing media.
1.3 Where hydrostatic testing is specified in contract documents or by the authority having jurisdiction, testing using pressurized gaseous testing media (pneumatic) testing shall not be substituted without the express consent and authorization of the authority having jurisdiction.
1.4 Some manufacturers prohibit or restrict testing of their products with pressurized gaseous testing media. Contact component manufacturers for information. Where the manufacturer of a test section component prohibits or restricts testing with pressurized gaseous testing media testing in accordance with this practice 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 testing media may not be suitable for service with pressurized gas.
1.5 This practice does not address leak testing using pressurized liquids (hydrostatic testing). For field leak testing using pressurized liquids, consult the manufacturer for guidance.
1.6 This practice does not apply to leak testing of non-p...
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Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F3535 − 21
Standard Practice for
Field Leak Testing of Polyamide-12 (PA12) Pressure Piping
Systems Using Gaseous Testing Media Under Pressure
1
(Pneumatic Leak Testing)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F3535; 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.
1. Scope 1.5 This practice does not address leak testing using pres-
surizedliquids(hydrostatictesting).Forfieldleaktestingusing
1.1 This practice provides information on apparatus, safety,
pressurized liquids, consult the manufacturer for guidance.
pre-test preparation, and procedures for conducting field tests
of polyamide-12 (PA12) pressure piping systems after instal-
1.6 This practice does not apply to leak testing of non-
lation using gaseous testing media such as un-odorized inert
pressure, negative pressure (vacuum), or non-PA12
non-toxicgasorair,andapplyingpressuretodetermineifleaks
(polyamide-12) piping systems.
exist in the system (pneumatic leak testing). This practice
1.7 This practice does not apply to fuel gas piping systems
applies only to testing to discover leakage. Testing for other
that extend from the point of delivery to the appliance
purposes such as testing to establish operating pressure is
connections. For other than undiluted liquefied petroleum gas
beyond the scope of this practice.
(LP-Gas) systems, the point of delivery shall be considered to
1.2 Leak testing with pressurized gaseous testing media
be the outlet of the service meter assembly or the outlet of the
shall be used only if one or both of the following conditions
service regulator or service shutoff valve where no meter is
exists:
provided. For undiluted LP-Gas, the point of delivery shall be
1.2.1 The piping system is so designed that it cannot be
considered to be the outlet of the final pressure regulator,
filled with a liquid, or
exclusive of line gas regulators, in the system. This practice
1.2.2 The piping system service cannot tolerate traces of
does not apply to LP-Gas systems covered under NFPA 58.
liquid testing media.
1.8 This practice is intended for use with PA12 pressure
1.3 Where hydrostatic testing is specified in contract docu-
pipingthatconveysgaseousmediaunderpressure(compressed
ments or by the authority having jurisdiction, testing using
gas) if the owner or operator or installer of the line does not
pressurizedgaseoustestingmedia(pneumatic)testingshallnot
have an established leak testing procedure that is acceptable to
besubstitutedwithouttheexpressconsentandauthorizationof
the authority having jurisdiction.
the authority having jurisdiction.
1.9 Warning—Failure during a pressurized gaseous testing
1.4 Some manufacturers prohibit or restrict testing of their
media leak test can be extremely violent and dangerous
products with pressurized gaseous testing media. Contact
because energy that is applied to compress the gaseous testing
component manufacturers for information. Where the manu-
media and to pressurize the system will both be suddenly
facturer of a test section component prohibits or restricts
released.
testing with pressurized gaseous testing media testing in
NOTE 2—To illustrate the violent hazard of failure, assumea5HP
accordance with this practice shall not be used without the
compressorisusedtoraisethetestsectiontotestpressureandthatittakes
express consent and authorization of the authority having
1 h to achieve test pressure. If sudden rupture occurs, energy release may
jurisdiction and the component manufacturer.
occur in 2 s. Therefore, the horsepower of the energy release would be 5
NOTE 1—Components that are not suitable for testing with gaseous
HP×1h× 3600 s/h/2s= 9000 HP. Further, if diameter is doubled,
testing media may not be suitable for service with pressurized gas.
energy release is four times greater. For an example test section that is
twice the diameter, energy release would be 36000 HP.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F17 on Plastic
1.10 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be re-
Piping Systems and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F17.40 on Test
garded as standard. The values given in parentheses are
Methods.
mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2021. Published November 2021. DOI:
10.1520/F3535–21 information only and are not considered standard. Numbered
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