Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies the requirements for material, design, manufacturing, testing and documentation for stationary pressure vessels intended for use in refrigerating systems and heat pumps. These systems are referenced in this document as refrigerating systems as defined in EN 378-1:2016. The term "refrigerating system" used in this document includes heat pumps.

This document applies to vessels, including welded or brazed attachments up to and including the nozzle flanges, screwed, welded or brazed connectors, or to the edge to be welded or brazed at the first circumferential joint connecting piping or other elements.

This document applies to pressure vessels with an internal pressure down to -1 bar, to account for the evacuation of the vessel prior to charging with refrigerant.

This document applies to both the mechanical loading conditions and thermal conditions as defined in EN 13445-3:2014 associated with refrigerating systems. It applies to pressure vessels subject to the maximum allowable temperatures for which nominal design stresses for materials are derived using EN 13445-2:2014 and EN 13445-3:20141 or as specified in this document. In addition, vessels designed to this document can have a maximum allowable temperature not exceeding 200 °C and a maximum design pressure not exceeding 160 bar.

Outside of these limits, it is important that the EN 13445 series be used for the design, construction and inspection of the vessel. Under these circumstances, it is important that the unique nature of refrigerating plant, as indicated in the introduction to this document, also be taken into account. It is important that pressure vessels used in refrigerating systems and heat pumps of category less than II as defined in Annex H comply with other relevant clauses of EN 378-2:2016 for vessels.

This document applies to pressure vessels where the main pressure bearing parts are manufactured from metallic ductile materials as defined in Clause 4 and Annex I of this document.

This document does not apply to vessels of the following types:

- vessels of riveted construction;

- multi-layered, autofrettaged or prestressed vessels;

- vessels directly heated by a flame;

- "roll bond" heat exchangers.

Purpose

Update the standard to proceed to some corrections, such as:

- the corrosion requirements following an issue with EN 378-2 HAS consultant evaluation;

- some clarification for piping;

- the proposal from the Italian mirror committee;

- feedback from the stakeholders.