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Pressure testing for leaks in electric heater

Stephen Biddle
Hi All


I've got an industrial electric water heater in which I have just replaced the 66 elements and filled it up with water.  The heater manufacturer says I should pressure test it to 7.5 bar before commissioning, but the tank is vented to atmosphere.  So I can't do this.  The elements are sealed with compression fittings and olives set to manufacturer's torque spec of 140 NM.  it seems to me that if I don't do the pressure test there is a risk of a leak developing later, but I don't know what the probability is.


Any ideas?


Stephen
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    It's fairly normal to swap out or lock down safety relief vents on a vessel under test - because it's going to operate as a pressure vessel under the PED


    For an vented cylinder that will never meet the criteria of a pressure vessel, then presumably the manufacturer is advocating a pressure test as a means of leak testing  - so you could swap out the vent for a pressure relief valve set above 7.5 bar - but you would absolutely want to see evidence that the vessel was designed to withstand those pressure (which would be unusual if it was always intended to operate as an atmospheric vessel) - if the elements have been installed properly using proper materials and good workmanship, any leak would be visible on first fill - as it's only atmospheric pressure acting on the vessel anyway


    Ask the manufacturer again for the written methodology to undertake a 7.5 bar test on their equipment


    Regards


    OMS
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    It's fairly normal to swap out or lock down safety relief vents on a vessel under test - because it's going to operate as a pressure vessel under the PED


    For an vented cylinder that will never meet the criteria of a pressure vessel, then presumably the manufacturer is advocating a pressure test as a means of leak testing  - so you could swap out the vent for a pressure relief valve set above 7.5 bar - but you would absolutely want to see evidence that the vessel was designed to withstand those pressure (which would be unusual if it was always intended to operate as an atmospheric vessel) - if the elements have been installed properly using proper materials and good workmanship, any leak would be visible on first fill - as it's only atmospheric pressure acting on the vessel anyway


    Ask the manufacturer again for the written methodology to undertake a 7.5 bar test on their equipment


    Regards


    OMS
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