American Society of Mechanical Engineers
 ASME B31 Series
(See B31.12 below for Hydrogen Piping)

Note: ASME is a worldwide engineering society, and many

of its standards are recognized internationally.
Identification ASME B31.1   
     Power Piping
Scope This code prescribes minimum requirements for the design, materials, fabrication, erection, test, and inspection of power and auxiliary service piping systems for electric generation stations, industrial institutional plants, central and district heating plants.

 
Status Published and available through ASME.
Identification ASME B31.3   
     Process Piping

 
Scope Rules for this section have been developed considering piping typically found in petroleum refineries; chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, paper, semiconductor and cryogenic plants; and related processing plants and terminals.
Status Published and available through ASME.
Identification ASME B31.4
    Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquid Hydrocarbons and Other Liquids

 
Scope This code prescribes requirements for the design, materials, construction, assembly, inspection, and testing of piping transporting liquids such as crude oil, condensate, natural gasoline, natural gas liquids, liquefied petroleum gas, carbon dioxide, liquid alcohol. Liquid anhydrous ammonia, and liquid petroleum products between producers’ lease facilities, tank farms, natural gas processing plants, refineries, stations, ammonia plants, terimals and other delivery and receiving points.
Status

Published and available through ASME.
Identification ASME B31.8
    Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems
Scope This code covers the design, fabrication, installation, inspection, testing, and safety aspects of operation and maintenance of gas transmission and distribution systems, including gas pipelines, gas compressor stations, gas metering and regulation stations, gas mains, and service lines up to the outlet of the customers meter set  assembly.
Status Published and available through ASME.
Identification ASME B31.8S
    Managing System Integrity of Gas Pipelines

 
Scope This standard applies to on-shore pipeline systems constructed with ferrous materials and that transport gas.  The principals and processes embodies in integrity management are applicable to all pipeline systems.

 
Status Published and available through ASME.
Identification ASME B31.12
    Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines

 
Scope

This standard activity has been formed to develop a new code for hydrogen piping and pipelines that contains requirements specific to hydrogen service in power, process, transportation, distribution, commercial and residential applications. It includes equivalent information found in B31.3, B31.8 and NFPA 54 for natural gas.

 

 

The first edition contains:

·   Part GR – General Requirements including common requirements that all other parts will reference

·   Part IP addressing industrial piping such as that found in hydrogen plants and filling stations

·   Part PL covers hydrogen pipelines and distribution systems including design, installation, integrity management, maintenance and conversion of existing pipeline systems to hydrogen service. This part contains a section on conversion of existing natural gas or petroleum pipelines to hydrogen service

 

A future edition will consider a Part CR covering commercial and residential pipeline.
Status Published February 2009. Available at www.asme.org

Nearing ballot for the 2nd edition, which should occur by mid 2011 and be published by the end of 2011.
Chairman Lou Hayden
Contact Christopher Artibee, ASME