scope:

INTRODUCTION

When the EC Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 97/23/CE was adopted in May 1997, it became clear that pressure equipment designed and built to standards other than European standards could carry the compliance (CE) marking. This was made possible by the European Union (EU) approach, in which Essential Safety Requirements (ESR) were established in the PED, and standards are used to support them. The PED has now been aligned with the new legislative framework and replaced by Directive 2014/68/EU, issued 15 May 2014 [1]. The new PED 2014/68/EU becomes effective on July 19, 2016, and PED 97/23/EC is withdrawn on this date.

The new PED 2014/68/EU includes several important changes, which are discussed in this Guide. Some of these are listed below:

All pressure equipment CE marked since June 1, 2015 must have its fluid group classification determined in accordance with Article 13 of the new PED.

Annex I of the new PED requires the manufacturer to analyze hazards and risks as they apply to the pressure equipment.

Module A1 has been replaced by Module A2, Module C1 has been replaced by Module C2, Module B1 has been replaced by Module B (design type), and Module B has been replaced by Module B (production type). The requirements in the new modules remain essentially the same as in the old Modules.

The purpose of this Guide is to update the previous ASME guide for BPVC Section I vessels in accordance with PED 2014/68/EU, to provide analysis of the PED, and to compare its requirements with the design, construction, and administrative requirements of BPVC Section I. The first portion of this Guide consists of Chapters 1 through 11, which provide an overview of the PED and important basic information on the entire directive, and identify specific issues of higher importance. The next major portion are Chapters 12 and 13, which provide a comparison of the PED and BPVC Section I requirements, including commentary on both the PED ESR (Annex I), and on BPVC Section I. Chapter 13 provides BPVC Section I users with additional considerations on how to augment their current practices to meet all ESRs of the PED. Chapter 14 provides comments on PED guidelines related to PED 2014/68/EU. Appendices A - I include information and discussion of other issues pertaining to the PED that are not included in previous sections of this Guide, including graphs of the various fluid categories.

It is the intent that this Guide will form the basis for an understanding between manufacturers and Notified Bodies (NBs) regarding the use of BPVC Section I as the basis for compliance with the PED. Having such a uniform approach will benefit not only manufacturers and NBs, but also users of pressure equipment.