EN 13445 Flameless Pressure Vessels

The “EN 13445 Flameless pressure vessels” standard, which is a European standard, consists of a series of sub-standards developed under the same title. Namely,

• The standard "EN 13445-1 Part 1: General" defines the terms, definitions, quantities, symbols and units used in this series of standards and provides general information on the design and production of containers covered by this standard. In addition, instructions on how to use the standard and an index covering the entire standard are included in the standard annex (Annex A and Annex B).

This standard is valid for unfired pressure vessels having a maximum permissible pressure greater than 0,5 bar and can also be used for vessels operating at lower pressures, including vacuum. However, this standard does not apply to the following types of pressure vessels:

• Riveted structure containers.
• Vessels made of lamellar cast iron or other materials not included in this standard.
• Multilayer, autofretted or pre-stressed vessels.

This standard is applicable to the following pressure vessels, provided that additional or alternative requirements resulting from hazard analysis and specific rules or regulations are taken into account:

• Portable containers.
• Products specifically designed for nuclear use.
• Pressure vessels at risk of overheating.

The EN 14222 standard covers electric boilers made of stainless steel and can be used as an example of additional requirements for such vessels. Other European standards apply to industrial pipes (EN 13480 series) and to water tube and shell boilers (EN 12952 series and EN 12953 series).

• The standard “EN 13445-2 Part 2: Materials” specifies the requirements for steel products used for unfired pressure vessels. For some metallic materials other than steel, e.g. spheroidal graphite cast iron, aluminium, nickel, copper, titanium, the requirements are formulated in separate parts of this standard. For metallic materials that are not covered by a harmonized material standard and are unlikely to be covered in the foreseeable future, specific requirements are given in this part or in other parts of this standard.
• The standard “EN 13445-3 Part 3: Design” specifies the requirements for the design of unfired pressure vessels made of steels covered by the standard EN 13445-1 and in accordance with the standard EN 13445-2. Annex C of the standard EN 13445-5 contains the requirements for the design of access and inspection openings, closure mechanisms and special locking elements. This standard applies to the design of vessels before they are put into service. Subject to appropriate adjustment, it can be used for in-service calculation or analysis.
• The standard “EN 13445-4 Part 4: Production” describes the requirements for the production of unfired pressure vessels and their parts made of steel, including their connections to non-pressure parts. This standard includes requirements for material traceability, production tolerances, welding requirements, permanent joints other than welding, production tests, forming requirements, heat treatment, repairs and finishing operations.
• The standard “EN 13445-5 Part 5: Inspection and testing” specifies the requirements for the inspection and testing of individual and series-production pressure vessels made of steel in accordance with the standard EN 13445-2. Specific provisions for cyclic operation are included in the annex of this standard (Annex G). Specific provisions for vessels or vessel parts operating in the creep range are included in other annexes of this standard (Annex F and Annex I). The responsibilities of the parties involved in the conformity assessment procedures are specified in Directive 97/23/EC.
• The standard “EN 13445-6 Part 6: Requirements for the design and manufacture of pressure vessels and pressure parts manufactured from spheroidal graphite cast iron” describes the requirements for the design, materials, manufacture and testing of pressure vessels and pressure vessel parts intended for use with the maximum permissible pressure, equal to or less than:
  • 1 bar if it contains gases or liquids of groups 2 or 100.
  • 2 bar if it contains only liquids from group 1000.

This standard covers shell wall thicknesses not exceeding 60 mm made of ferritic or austenitic spheroidal graphite cast iron. The shell thickness limitation does not apply to the thickness of flanges, stiffeners, lugs, etc. Austenitic spheroidal graphite cast iron grades are used primarily for high and low temperature applications and corrosion resistance properties. The permitted spheroidal graphite cast iron grades are listed in the tables provided in the standard.

This standard does not include cast iron grades with lamellar graphite for the ferritic and austenitic grades, which are expressly excluded. Requirements for the use of cast irons with an elongation after fracture of 15 percent or less are given in standard EN 15776.

• The standard “EN 13445-7 Part 7: Guidance on the use of conformity procedures” provides guidance on the use of conformity assessment procedures for unfired pressure vessels covered by the pressure equipment directive 97/23/EC. It requires that the design and manufacture of all pressure equipment falling within the scope of the pressure equipment directive be assessed for conformity in accordance with a set of conformity assessment procedures given in this directive.
• The standard “EN 13445-8 Part 8: Additional requirements for pressure vessels made of aluminium and aluminium alloys” specifies requirements for unburned pressure vessels and their parts made of aluminium and aluminium alloys, in addition to the general requirements for unburned pressure vessels in standards EN 13445-1 to EN 13445-1. This standard specifies unburned pressure vessels for loads up to 500 complete cycles. Casting materials are not included in this version. Details regarding casting materials are subject to a revision to this standard.
• The standard “EN 13445-9 Part 9: Conformity of the EN 13445 series of standards to ISO 16528” describes in detail the conformity of the EN 13445 series of standards to “ISO 16528-1 Boilers and pressure vessels - Part 1: Performance requirements” for unfired pressure vessels. This technical report applies to vessels of steel construction. It is envisaged that future editions will also include vessels of spheroidal graphite cast iron and aluminium.
• The standard "EN 13445-10 Part 10: Additional requirements for pressure vessels made of nickel and nickel alloys" describes the requirements for unfired pressure vessels and their parts made of nickel and nickel alloys, in addition to the general requirements for unfired pressure vessels covered by the standards EN 13445-1, EN 13445-2, EN 13445-3, EN 13445-4 and EN 13445-5. Casting materials are not included in this version. Details regarding casting materials are subject to a revision of this standard.
• The standard “EN 13445-11 Part 11: Additional requirements for pressure vessels made of titanium and titanium alloys” describes the requirements for unfired pressure vessels and their parts made of titanium and titanium alloys, in addition to the general requirements for unfired pressure vessels in standards EN 13445-1 to EN 13445-5. Casting materials, HIP and additive manufacturing are not included in this version. Details regarding such materials are subject to a revision to this standard.
• The standard "EN 13445-12 Part 12: Additional requirements for pressure vessels made of copper and copper alloys" specifies the requirements for unfired pressure vessels and their parts made of copper and copper alloys, in addition to the general requirements for unfired pressure vessels in standards EN 13445-1 to EN 13445-5. Cast materials are not included in this version. Details regarding cast materials are subject to a revision in the EN 13445 series. Soldered joints are not currently considered.
• The standard “EN 13445-14 Part 14: Additional requirements for pressure equipment and pressure components manufactured by additive manufacturing methods” describes the general requirements for the application of additive manufacturing processes for pressure vessels and parts. Separate annexes to this standard provide detailed requirements for specific additive manufacturing processes and materials. This standard is currently limited to metallic material applications. If a pressure part manufactured to this standard is integrated into a pressure vessel, all parts of EN 13445 apply to this integration.
• In addition to the general requirements for unfired pressure vessels in accordance with the standards EN 13445-15, EN 15-13445, EN 1-13445, EN 2-13445, EN 3-13445, EN 4-13445, EN 5-13445 and EN 8-13445, the standard "EN 10-13445 Part 11: Specific requirements for hydrogen application" describes the requirements for unfired pressure vessels and their parts made for hydrogen application. This standard distinguishes between four service/damage mechanisms that can occur in combinations:
  • Low temperature service
  • Hydrogen environmental embrittlement or hydrogen-induced cracking
  • High temperature hydrogen attack
  • Hydrogen service with cyclic loads (fatigue)

This standard does not cover corrosion such as electrochemical corrosion of metals with the participation of hydrogen (e.g. sour gas).

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