NBBI Pressure Equipment Inspector (PEI) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

MAWP definition

The maximum allowable working pressure is the highest pressure at which a boiler or pressure vessel may operate, determined from the applicable ASME construction Code using the minimum measured thickness and design temperature.

Hydrostatic test pressure

For new construction, the hydrostatic test is typically 1.5 times the MAWP; in-service tests follow the jurisdiction and NBIC, and the test gauge range should be about 1.5 to 4 times the test pressure.

Safety valve set pressure

The set pressure of the safety valve may not exceed the MAWP of the boiler or vessel it protects, and its capacity must equal or exceed the maximum steam or vapor generating capacity.

Low-water fuel cutoff

A device on a fired boiler that stops the fuel supply when the water level falls below the safe limit; the inspector verifies it operates and is tested at the required interval.

Internal inspection interval

Power boilers are typically inspected internally every 12 months; heating boilers and unfired vessels often carry 24 to 36 month intervals, subject to jurisdiction rules and condition.

Imminent hazard notification

When a condition poses an imminent hazard, the inspector notifies the owner and the jurisdiction immediately, and the certificate of inspection is withheld or suspended until the condition is corrected.

Quick-actuating closure protection

A pressure vessel with a rapid-opening closure requires an automatic pressure-relieving device or an interlock that prevents the closure from being opened while pressure remains inside.

Combustion safeguards

On fired equipment, the inspector verifies flame failure response, combustion safeguards, and the required interlocks that shut off fuel on loss of flame or airflow.

NBIC Part 3 scope

NBIC Part 3 covers repairs and alterations to boilers and pressure vessels, including the authorization, welding, examination, and documentation requirements that apply to each.

Repair versus alteration

A repair restores equipment to its original condition; an alteration changes a pressure-retaining item so that it differs from the original Code-stamped design, such as rerating or adding a nozzle.

R-1 form purpose

The R-1 form documents a repair or alteration performed by an R Certificate holder, recording the scope, the materials, the tests, and the authorized inspector's sign-off.

NBIC and ASME relationship

The NBIC does not establish design rules; it references the applicable ASME construction section, such as Section I, IV, VIII, X, or XII, for design and material requirements.

Code interpretation effect

A Code interpretation issued by the NBIC committee answers the specific wording asked and does not retroactively change an item that was already constructed and stamped.

Routine maintenance exclusion

Replacing gaskets, packing, or non-pressure-retaining parts is routine maintenance and does not require an R-1 form or an R Certificate holder, unlike a pressure-retaining repair.

Jurisdiction precedence

When the NBIC and the jurisdiction's adopted regulation conflict, the jurisdiction's adopted rule governs inspection and certification of installed equipment within that jurisdiction.

Alteration authorization

An alteration requires written authorization from the jurisdiction before the work begins, and the completed alteration is documented with a revised data report and registration.

Thickness grid readings

Thickness readings are taken at grid points across a corroded area, and the minimum reading, not the average, establishes the remaining wall for the MAWP calculation.

WPS and PQR

A welding procedure specification and its supporting procedure qualification record must be qualified before a repair weld is made, and the inspector verifies both are current and applicable.

Post-weld heat treatment

PWHT is required based on material thickness, material specification, or the applicable Code section; the inspector confirms it was performed before final nondestructive examination.

NDE method selection

Radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and liquid penetrant testing are selected by material, joint configuration, and the Code section invoked; the report states method, extent, and results.

VR certificate scope

The VR certificate authorizes repair of pressure-relieving devices; the inspector verifies that the valve repair organization holds it before accepting the repaired valve.

Repair documentation path

A defect must be classified as a Code deficiency, a repair, or an alteration, because each path has different authorization, examination, and documentation requirements.

Hydrostatic test acceptance

After a repair, the hydrostatic test is held at the required pressure, and acceptance requires no leakage and no permanent deformation of the pressure-retaining item.

Inspector report content

The report records measured thicknesses, NDE methods and results, the basis for the MAWP conclusion, and the condition of pressure-relieving devices with their set pressures and test dates.

Manufacturer's data report

The construction record identifying the Code section, MAWP, design temperature, materials, and the authorized inspector's signature; it is signed by an inspector with a current commission.

NB registration number

The National Board number is assigned when an item is registered, stamped on the item, and shown on the data report; the inspector verifies the stamping and the report agree.

Accreditation mark scope

The NB mark and the R, VR, and other marks may only be applied by holders of the corresponding certificate of authorization, within the scope stated on that certificate.

Stamping verification

The inspector confirms the Code symbol, MAWP, design temperature, and NB number stamped on the item match the data report before accepting the item.

Rerating documentation

When an item is rerated, a new or revised data report is prepared and the item is registered with the new MAWP and design parameters.

Registration versus inspection

Registration records construction and does not authorize operation; the certificate of inspection issued under jurisdiction rules authorizes the item to be operated.

Authorized inspector commission

The inspector must hold a current National Board commission with the appropriate endorsement, and the employer must be an ASME-accredited inspection agency for the data report to be valid.

Mark misuse nonconformance

An accreditation mark applied outside the scope of the certificate of authorization is a nonconformance that the inspector documents and reports to the jurisdiction and the National Board.