API Standard 598

Valve Inspection and Testing

Standard Edition Section Inquiry # Question Reply

598 Sixth Edition, 1990 4.1 With reference to Paragraph 4.1.4 of API 598, No.
6th Edition, 1990, is filling the valve body with
the valve in the open position with a fluid at
zero pressure, then closing the valve, sufficient
to meet the requirement that the manufacturer
shall use a method that fills and pressurizes the
body cavity between the seats and the bonnet
area?

598 Seventh Edition, 1996 4.4 598-I-03/03 When closure testing a valve in accordance Yes.
with paragraph 4.4.2a, does the requirement in
paragraph 4.1.4, which states, "when closure
testing gate, plug, and valves, the valve
manufacturer shall use a method of testing seat
leakage that fills and pressurizes the cavity
between the seats and bonnet area, as
applicable, with the test fluid to ensure that no
seat leakage can escape detection because of
gradual filling of these volumes during these
test periods," apply?

598 Seventh Edition, 1996 Para. 4.4.4 598-I-01/02 Does all of paragraph 4.4.4 deal with resilient No, paragraph 4.4.4 covers other butterfly
seated butterfly valves only? valve types.
598 Seventh Edition, 1996 Para. 4.4.4 598-I-01/02 Are resilient seats defined as having polymer Resilient seats are defined in the Scope
(plastic) seats at the seat ring areas? paragraph 1.1.1.

598 Seventh Edition, 1996 Para. 4.4.4 598-I-01/02 Are valves having metal seat rings and wedge Yes.
seats of laminated stainless steel with graphite
resilient seated?
598 Seventh Edition, 1996 Para. 4.4.4 598-I-01/02 On high pressure closing testing in the non- Test pressures are defined in Tables 1 A&B
preferred direction, is the test pressure 1.1 and Table 3.
times the cold working pressure or the do we
test at the manufacturer’s reduced differential
pressure?
598 Seventh Edition, 1996 Table 5 598-I-02/02 Table 5 footnote (a) defines 16 drops as The volumetric equivalent for 16 bubbles is
equivalent to 1 milliliter. What is the equivalent not defined in this standard.
volume to 16 bubbles?
598 Seventh Edition, 1996 Testing 598-I-03/02 During a test for lubricated plug valve using API cannot answer consultative questions.
sealant, the sealant was pushed out before the The API cannot state whether a condition is
2 minutes of test duration, water leakage acceptable.
occurred after 7-8 minutes, is this ok since
sealant is not a test fluid?
598 Seventh Edition, 1996 Para. 2.3C 598-I-01/03 Is nitrogen an acceptable alternative to air as a Yes
test fluid in accordance with the requirements
in paragraph 3.6
598 Seventh Edition, 1996 Para. 3.2 598-I-01/04 Will 2000 pounds of exerted force violate API cannot state whether a specific force will
section 3.2 of API 598? be in conflict with Section 3.2. The situation
becomes a contractual issue.
598 Eighth Edition, 2004 Section 4.4.3 598-2009-1 Question 1: In accordance with API Standard 598, Reply 1: The reduced differential pressure
8th edition, Para. 4.4.3, is the calculation to rating shall be as specified by the
determine reduced differential pressure rating manufacturer.
available?
Reply 2: Yes
Question 2 : In accordance with API Standard 598,
8th edition, does the last sentence in the last
paragraph of Para. 4.4.3 only apply to butterfly
valves?