Dcument Ref: LHS2012/10 Revisin Date: 03/10/2012 Clane Business Park Clane, C. Kildare Ph: 045-868342 Fax: 045-861447 www.liftingandhandling.ie enquiries@liftingandhandling.ie MAINTENANCE, SERVICE & INSPECTION OF AIR RECEIVERS & COMPRESSORS LIFTING AND HANDLING SERVICES TEST HOUSE SOLUTIONS FOR INDUSTRY Prtable Appliance Testing Slutins
Cmpany Prfile Lifting and Handling Services is an independent Test Huse, carrying ut statutry inspectin and certificatin f materials handling and safety equipment, see enclsed listing. Our cmpany takes inspectin t the next level by cmbining the right peple, prcesses and experience with persnal attentin t prvide ur clients with an unrivalled quality f service. We were the first cmpany f ur kind in Ireland t develp a state f the art bespke nline safety management prgramme which ur clients can access 24/7 t view a cmprehensive suits f reprts surrunding statutry inspectin histry, plant failures, repairs and statistical analysis. Services Prvided Lifting and Handling Services prvide the fllwing services t ur clients natinwide: Maintenance, Service & Inspectin f Air Receivers & Cmpressrs Lad Testing Safety Equipment and Structural Prduct Investigatin & Reprting Nn Destructive Testing Services Safety Management Cnsultatin & Training Accident & Incident Investigatin Expert Witness Safety Audits & Risk Assessments Ergnmics Wrk Risk Analysis & Slutins Fire Safety Risk Assessment / Audits Statutry Inspectin and Certificatin f Materials Handling & Safety Equipment Calibratin & Certificatin f Trque Measure Devices P.A.T. (Prtable Appliance Testing) Slutins Static Testing Fuel Dispense / Pump Testing Air Receivers & Pressure Vehicles Fire Extinguishers Inspectin Access Equipment including ladders CAD Design & Simulatins fr steel structures Pallet Racking and Strage Systems Air Receivers The fllwing defines that an Air Receiver is: a) any vessel (ther than a pipe r cil, r an accessry, fitting r part f a cmpressr) fr cntaining cmpressed air and cnnected with the air cmpressing plant, b) any fixed vessel fr cntaining cmpressed air r cmpressed exhaust gases and used fr the purpse f starting an internal cmbustin engine, c) any fixed r prtable vessel (nt being part f a spraying pistl) used fr the purpse f spraying by means f cmpressed air any paint, varnish, lacquer r similar material, r d) any vessel in which il is stred and frm which it is frced by cmpressed air Air Cmpressr
An air receiver is essential t every cmpressed air system t act as a buffer and a strage medium between the cmpressr and the cnsumptin system. There are in principal tw different air receivers in a cmpressed air system: PRIMARY receiver - lcated near the cmpressr, after the after-cler but befre filtratin and drying equipment SECONDARY receivers - lcated clse t pints f larger intermittent air cnsumptins Statutry Requirements Bth manufacturers and users shuld be familiar with the statutry requirements applying t cmpressed air systems and air receivers. These are principally cntained in the pressure systems and transprtable gas cntainers regulatins 1989. Additinal recmmendatins are given in the apprved cde f practice safety f pressure systems. Requirements fr inspectin and testing Air Receivers are prescribed in S.I N 445 f 2012 Safety, Health And Welfare At Wrk (General Applicatin) (Amendment) Regulatins 2012. There wuld be an air receiver as part f mst cmpressrs. In premises where the air receivers must be cleaned and examined at regular intervals and fr air receivers with a value f pressure times vlume greater than 250 bar litres, the nature and frequency f the examinatin must be cntained in a written scheme f examinatin. The written scheme f examinatin drawn up r certified by a cmpetent persn will nrmally specify a perid between examinatins f 2000 hurs, r annually, whichever is reached first. When cnnected t an air cmpressing plant a receiver shuld either be cnstructed t withstand the cmpressr s maximum pressure safely, r be fitted with a safety valve and a pressure-reducing valve t prevent the receiver s safe wrking pressure frm being exceeded. When prviding a safety valve and pressure gauge fr a set f air receivers that are intercnnected and cllectively supplied thrugh a single pipe, they may be treated as ne receiver, prvided that: (a) Any reducing valve r ther suitable appliance is prvided in the single supply pipe; and (b) There is n means f islating any intercnnecting pipewrk. The receiver shuld be fitted with a suitable safety valve cmplying with BS 6759, Part 2 r similar equivalent standard and adjusted s that air is allwed t escape as sn as the safe wrking pressure has been exceeded. It is essential that the valve is capable f discharging mre air than the system can supply t the receiver.
The receiver shuld be fitted with a crrect pressure gauge cmplying with BS 1780 r similar equivalent standard and which indicates pressure in bar, lbf/sqin, r ther suitable units. There shuld be a suitable appliance, either manual r autmatic, fr draining the receiver. it is recmmended that manual drain valves shuld be full bre and straight thrugh, t minimise any buildup f debris which culd prevent tight shut ff. Autmatic drain valves shuld have adequate capacity fr liquid discharge, be designed t minimise debris build-up and have a manual verride t check perfrmance. A strainer psitined immediately upstream f the valve will help prevent debris buildup. Prtectin against freezing f valves will be required in lw temperature cnditins. A receiver shuld have a suitable manhle, handhle r ther means (as determined by the relevant standards, fr example BS EN 286-1 specificatin fr simple unfired pressure vessels designed t cntain air r nitrgen and BS 5169 specificatin fr fusin welded steel air receivers) t enable the interir t be thrughly cleaned and inspected. A receiver shuld be clearly marked, in a cnspicuus psitin, with its safe wrking pressure and ther relevant infrmatin required by the pressure systems and transprtable gas cntainers regulatins 1989. The details shuld be clearly visible n the vessel r a plate attached t it. A receiver shuld be readily distinguishable. This can be achieved by painting n identificatin markings r by affixing a manufacturer s plate, giving the name f the manufacturer, serial number etc. Hazards The main hazard is that the vessel may explde because it s safe wrking pressure has been exceeded r because its ability t withstand pressure has been reduced thrugh crrsin fatigue r internal cke fires fr example. General Infrmatin & Advice All new air receivers shuld cnfrm t BS EN 286-1 r BS 5169, where applicable, r t a standard prviding equal integrity. Precautins T determine the required capacity, the cmpressr utput and demand pattern need t be taken int accunt. As a guide, this will be between six and ten times the free air utput f the cmpressr at nrmal pressure (litres/secnd). Many users try t save n initial cst and make the mistake f buying a receiver that is t small. The drain valve, safety valve, examinatin hles and manhles need t be accessible. The scale f any gauges needs t be clearly visible. On large cmpressr systems the air receiver shuld be fitted with a fusible plug cnfrming t bs 1123, part 1. If a fire breaks ut nearby, the plug will help t prevent an explsin by guarding against: (a) The air temperature rising t the cmpressr lubricating il flashpint; r
(b) An explsin ccurring belw the designed wrking pressure because f lst integrity wing t heat. Welded-n brackets are ften used t munt cmpressr-mtr cmbinatins nt air receivers. Where this is the case, welding shuld be t the specificatin and apprval f the air receiver manufacturer. It shuld nt be carried ut indiscriminately because the welder may unwittingly weaken the receiver. Munting brackets shuld be designed and fitted in accrdance with the applicable air receiver standard. It is gd practice t weld munting brackets nt intermediate reinfrcing plates rather than directly t the air receiver. COOLERS Hazards Many afterclers are pressure vessels and the assciated hazards are similar t thse f air receivers. General infrmatin and advice Cling plays an imprtant part in the supply f gd quality cmpressed air. Interclers and afterclers lwer the temperature f the cmpressed air. These clers are usually water r atmspheric air cled. With very small air cmpressrs the functin f the aftercler (ie the lwering f the dewpint f the cmpressed air) is perfrmed by the air receiver. Fr ther cases a separate aftercler will nrmally be necessary. Air Receiver Infrmatin (1) Every air receiver shall a. Have marked upn it s as t be plainly visible the safe wrking pressure, b. In the case f a receiver cnnected with the air cmpressing plant either be s cnstructed as t withstand with safety the maximum pressure which can be btained in the cmpressr, r be fitted with a suitable reducing valve r ther suitable appliance t prevent the safe wrking pressure f the receiver being exceeded, c. Be fitted with a suitable safety valve s adjusted as t permit the air t escape as sn as the safe wrking pressure is exceeded, d. Be fitted with a crrect pressure gauge indicating the pressure in the receiver, e. Be fitted with a suitable appliance fr draining the receiver, f. Be prvided with a suitable manhle, handhle, r ther means which will allw the interir t be thrughly cleaned, and g. In a case where mre than ne receiver is in use in the factry, bear a distinguishing mark which shall be easily visible. (2) The requirement f paragraph (e) f subsectin (1) f this sectin shall nt apply t any such vessel as is mentined in paragraph (c) r paragraph (d) f subsectin (8) f this sectin. (3) Fr the purpse f the prvisins f subsectin (1) f this sectin relating t safety valves and pressure gauges, any set f air receivers supplied with air thrugh a single pipe may be treated as ne receiver. (4) In a case where suitable reducing valve r ther suitable appliance t prevent the safe wrking pressure being exceeded is required t be fitted t a set f air receivers supplied with air thrugh a
single pipe, subsectin (3) f this sectin shall nt apply unless the valve r appliance is fitted n the single pipe. (5) Every air receiver and its fittings shall be f sund cnstructin and prperly maintained. (6) Every air receiver shall be thrughly cleaned and examined at least nce in every perid f twentysix mnths, but in the case f a receiver f slid drawn cnstructin:- a. The persn making any such examinatin may specify in writing a perid exceeding twenty-six mnths but nt exceeding fur years within which the next examinatin is t be made, and b. If it is s cnstructed that the internal surface cannt be thrughly examined, a suitable hydraulic test f the receiver shall be carried ut in lieu f internal examinatin. (7) Every examinatin and test under subsectin (6) f this sectin shall be carried ut by a cmpetent persn and a reprt f the result f every such examinatin and test, cntaining the prescribed particulars (including particulars f the safe wrking pressure), shall be entered in r attached t the general register. a. An air receiver which has previusly been used shall nt be taken int use in any factry fr the first time in that factry until it has been thrughly examined and tested by a cmpetent persn s far as the cnstructin f the receiver permits. b. A new air receiver shall nt be taken int use in any factry unless- There has been btained frm the manufacturer, r frm a cmpetent persn, a certificate specifying the maximum permissible wrking pressure theref and stating the nature f the tests t which the air receiver and fittings have been submitted, The certificate is kept available fr inspectin, and The air receiver is s marked as t enable it t be identified as the air receiver t which the certificate relates. The persn making the reprt f any examinatin under this sectin, r in the case f an air receiver inspecting cmpany r assciatin, the chief engineer theref, shall within twenty-eight days f the cmpletin f the examinatin send t the minister a cpy f the reprt in every case where the maximum permissible wrking pressure is reduced, r the examinatin shws that the air receiver cannt cntinue t be used with safety unless certain repairs are carried ut immediately r within a specified time. Certificatin by LHS All air receivers will have a signed self-adhesive label affixed shwing the date f inspectin and the wrk carried ut. An inspectin reprt and certificate f cnfrmance will be given t yu shwing details f the service histry f each receiver. Please refer t ur Methd Statement fr full details. Cntact us fr advice r a qutatin at 045-868342 r sales@liftingandhandling.ie