04 NONMANDATORY APPENDIX G

GUIDANCE FOR THE USE OF U.S. CUSTOMARY AND

SI UNITS IN THE ASME BOILER AND PRESSURE
VESSEL CODE

G-100 USE OF UNITS IN EQUATIONS
The equations in this Nonmandatory Appendix are suit-
able for use only with either the U.S. Customary or the
of significant figures of implied precision in the existing
U.S. Customary units. For example, 3,000 psi has an
implied precision of one significant figure. Therefore, the
conversion to SI units would typically be to 20 000 kPa.

--`,```,,`,,```,,,,,,`,,`,,,,`,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
SI units provided in Mandatory Appendix F, or with the
This is a difference of about 3% from the “exact” or soft
units provided in the nomenclature associated with that
conversion of 20 684.27 kPa. However, the precision of
equation. It is the responsibility of the individual and
the conversion was determined by the Committee on a
organization performing the calculations to ensure that
case-by-case basis. More significant digits were included
appropriate units are used. Either U.S. Customary or SI
in the SI equivalent if there was any question. The values
units may be used as a consistent set. When SI units are
of allowable stress in Section II, Part D generally include
selected, U.S. Customary values in referenced specifica-
three significant figures.
tions may be converted to SI values to at least three
(e) Minimum thickness and radius values that are
significant figures for use in calculations and other aspects
expressed in fractions of an inch were generally converted
of construction.
according to the following table:
Proposed
Fraction, in. SI Conversion, mm Difference, %
G-200 GUIDELINES USED TO
1
DEVELOP SI EQUIVALENTS ⁄32 0.8 −0.8
3
⁄64 1.2 −0.8
The following guidelines were used to develop SI 1
⁄16 1.5 5.5
3
equivalents: ⁄32 2.5 −5.0
1
(a) SI units are placed in parentheses after the U.S. ⁄8 3 5.5
5
⁄32 4 −0.8
Customary units in the text. 3
⁄16 5 −5.0
(b) In general, separate SI tables are provided if inter- 7
⁄32 5.5 1.0
polation is expected. The table designation (e.g., table 1
⁄4 6 5.5
5
number) is the same for both the U.S. Customary and SI ⁄16 8 −0.8
3
tables, with the addition of suffix “M” to the designator ⁄8 10 −5.0
7
⁄16 11 1.0
for the SI table, if a separate table is provided. In the 1
⁄2 13 −2.4
text, references to a table use only the primary table 9
⁄16 14 2.0
number (i.e., without the “M”). For some small tables, 5
⁄8 16 −0.8
11
where interpolation is not required, SI units are placed ⁄16 17 2.6
3
in parentheses after the U.S. Customary unit. ⁄4 19 0.3
7
⁄8 22 1.0
(c) Separate SI versions of graphical information 1 25 1.6
(charts) are provided, except that if both axes are dimen-
sionless, a single figure (chart) is used. (f) For nominal sizes that are in even increments of
(d) In most cases, conversions of units in the text were inches, even multiples of 25 mm were generally used.
done using hard SI conversion practices, with some soft Intermediate values were interpolated rather than con-
conversions on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate. This verting and rounding to the nearest mm. See examples
was implemented by rounding the SI values to the number in the following table. [Note that this table does not apply

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 G-200 NONMANDATORY APPENDIX G G-200

to nominal pipe sizes (NPS), which are covered below.] (h) Areas in square inches (in.2) were converted to
square mm (mm2) and areas in square feet (ft2) were
Size, in. Size, mm
converted to square meters (m2). See examples in the
1 25 following table:
11⁄8 29 Area (U.S. Customary) Area (SI)
11⁄4 32
2
11⁄2 38 1 in. 650 mm2
2 50 6 in.2 4 000 mm2
21⁄4 57 10 in.2 6 500 mm2
21⁄2 64 5 ft2 0.5 m2
3 75
31⁄2 89 (i) Volumes in cubic inches (in.3) were converted to
4 100 cubic mm (mm3) and volumes in cubic feet (ft3) were
41⁄2 114 converted to cubic meters (m3). See examples in the
5 125 following table:
6 150
8 200 Volume (U.S. Customary) Volume (SI)
12 300 1 3
in. 16 000 mm3
18 450 6 in.3 100 000 mm3
20 500 10 in.3 160 000 mm3
24 600 5 ft3 0.14 m3
36 900
40 1 000 (j) Although the pressure should always be in MPa
54 1 350 for calculations, there are cases where other units are
60 1 500 used in the text. For example, kPa is used for small
72 1 800
pressures. Also, rounding was to one significant figure
(two at the most) in most cases. See examples in the
Size or Length, ft Size or Length, m following table. (Note that 14.7 psi converts to 101 kPa,
3 1 while 15 psi converts to 100 kPa. While this may seem
5 1.5 at first glance to be an anomaly, it is consistent with the
200 60 rounding philosophy.)
Pressure (U.S. Customary) Pressure (SI)
(g) For nominal pipe sizes, the following relationships
were used: 0.5 psi 3 kPa
2 psi 15 kPa
U.S. U.S. 3 psi 20 kPa
Customary Customary 10 psi 70 kPa
Practice SI Practice Practice SI Practice 14.7 psi 101 kPa
15 psi 100 kPa
1

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NPS ⁄8 DN 6 NPS 20 DN 500 30 psi 200 kPa
1
NPS ⁄4 DN 8 NPS 22 DN 550 50 psi 350 kPa
3
NPS ⁄8 DN 10 NPS 24 DN 600 100 psi 700 kPa
1
NPS ⁄2 DN 15 NPS 26 DN 650 150 psi 1 MPa
3
NPS ⁄4 DN 20 NPS 28 DN 700 200 psi 1.5 MPa
NPS 1 DN 25 NPS 30 DN 750 250 psi 1.7 MPa
NPS 11⁄4 DN 32 NPS 32 DN 800 300 psi 2 MPa
NPS 11⁄2 DN 40 NPS 34 DN 850 350 psi 2.5 MPa
NPS 2 DN 50 NPS 36 DN 900 400 psi 3 MPa
NPS 21⁄2 DN 65 NPS 38 DN 950 500 psi 3.5 MPa
NPS 3 DN 80 NPS 40 DN 1000 600 psi 4 MPa
NPS 31⁄2 DN 90 NPS 42 DN 1050 1,200 psi 8 MPa
NPS 4 DN 100 NPS 44 DN 1100 1,500 psi 10 MPa
NPS 5 DN 125 NPS 46 DN 1150
(k) Material properties that are expressed in psi or ksi
NPS 6 DN 150 NPS 48 DN 1200
NPS 8 DN 200 NPS 50 DN 1250 (e.g., allowable stress, yield and tensile strength, elastic
NPS 10 DN 250 NPS 52 DN 1300 modulus) were generally converted to MPa to three sig-
NPS 12 DN 300 NPS 54 DN 1350 nificant figures. See example in the following table:
NPS 14 DN 350 NPS 56 DN 1400
Strength (U.S. Customary) Strength (SI)
NPS 16 DN 400 NPS 58 DN 1450
NPS 18 DN 450 NPS 60 DN 1500 95,000 psi 655 MPa

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 G-200 2004 SECTION IX G-400

(l) In most cases, temperatures (e.g., for PWHT) were G-400 EXAMPLES OF DIMENSIONAL
rounded to the nearest 5°C. Depending on the implied ANALYSIS
precision of the temperature, some were rounded to the
nearest 1°C or 10°C or even 25°C. Temperatures colder (a) This example illustrates the concept of dimensional
than 0°F (negative values) were generally rounded to the analysis.
nearest 1°C. The examples in the table below were created (1) Equation and Nomenclature
by rounding to the nearest 5°C, with one exception: Pr
Sp
t
Temperature, °F Temperature, °C
where
70 20
100 38 S p stress, psi (MPa)
120 50
P p pressure, psi (MPa)
150 65
200 95 r p radius, inches (mm)
250 120 t p thickness, inches (mm)
300 150
350 175 (2) Dimensional Analysis
400 205
冤(inches)(inches)冥 r(inches)
pounds
450 230 P
冤 冥
500 260 pounds
S p
550 290 (inches)(inches) t(inches)
600 315
650 345 (b) Note that in the above equation, it is necessary
700 370 that the dimensions of the radius, r, and the thickness, t,
750 400 be the same, since they must cancel out. The dimensions
800 425
of the pressure, P, and the stress, S, must also be the
850 455
900 480 same. For this particular equation, r and t could be in
925 495 U.S. Customary units and P and S in SI units, and the
950 510 result would still be acceptable. Further, any consistent
1,000 540 units could be used for the radius and the thickness (e.g.,
1,050 565 feet, miles, meters, light years) and the result would be
1,100 595
the same. Similarly, the units of pressure and stress can
1,150 620
1,200 650 be any legitimate pressure or stress unit (e.g., psi, ksi,
1,250 675 kPa, MPa), as long as they are the same.
1,800 980 (c) When the equation is converted to SI units,
1,900 1 040
2,000 1 095 P(MPa) r (mm)
S(MPa) p
2,050 1 120 t(mm)

(d) However, more complex equations present special

challenges, e.g., it is necessary to add the stress from an
axial load acting on a cylinder to the stress that results
from pressure.
G-300 CHECKING EQUATIONS (1) Equation and Nomenclature

When a single equation is provided, it has been checked Pr L

St p +
2t 2␲rt
using dimensional analysis to verify that the results
obtained by using either the U.S. Customary or SI units where
provided are equivalent. When constants used in these
equations are not dimensionless, different constants are St p total stress, psi (MPa)
provided for each system of units. Otherwise, a U.S. P p pressure, psi (MPa)
Customary and an SI version of the equation are provided. L p load, pounds (N)
However, in all cases, the Code user should check the r p radius, inches (mm)
equation for dimensional consistency. t p thickness, inches (mm)

272

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 G-400 NONMANDATORY APPENDIX G G-500

(2) Dimensional Analysis (in.) for the calculation, then converting back to get the
result in mm as follows:
冤(inches)(inches)冥 r(inches)
pounds
P
冤(inches)(inches)冥 p
pounds
St
冪25.4(mm/inch)
2t(inches) ba (mm)
be (mm) p 25.4(mm/inch)
L(pounds)
+
2␲r(inches)t(inches)
which can be reduced to
(e) Note that in the above equation, it is necessary that
the pressure, load, and length dimensions be consistent,
be (mm) p 5.04 冪 ba (mm)
because quantities cannot be added unless they have the
same units. Although the first part of the equation is
similar to the first example, where the length and pressure
units could be in different systems, the second example
requires that if the pressure and stress units are in pounds
per square inch, the load must be in pounds and the radius
and thickness must be in inches. Note that the load could
be in kips and the pressure in ksi. This is why we should G-500 SOFT CONVERSION FACTORS
permit any consistent system of units to be used. How-
ever, the equations should be checked only for the “stan-
dard” units. The following table of “soft” conversion factors is
(f) When the equation is converted to SI units, provided for convenience. Multiply the U.S. Customary
value by the factor given to obtain the SI value. Similarly,
P(MPa)r(mm) L(N) divide the SI value by the factor given to obtain the U.S.
St (MPa) p +
2t(mm) 2␲r(mm)t(mm) Customary value. In most cases it is appropriate to round
Note that 1 MPa p 1 N/mm2, so the answer to three significant figures.

冤(mm)(mm)冥 r(mm) +
N
P
冤 冥
N L(N) U.S.
St p Customary SI Factor Notes
(mm)(mm) 2t(mm) 2␲r(mm)t(mm)

which reduces to in. mm 25.4 ...

ft m 0.3048 ...
冤(mm)(mm)冥 p (mm)(mm)2t(mm) + 2␲r(mm)t(mm)
N P(N)r(mm) L(N) in.2 mm2 645.16 ...
St
ft2 m2 0.09290304 ...
in.3 mm3 16,387.064 ...
(g) Therefore, the units in the above equation are con- ft3 m3 0.02831685 ...
sistent. However, this is not always the case. For example, U.S. gal m3 0.003785412 ...
the bolted joint design rules define an effective gasket U.S. gal liters 3.785412 ...
seating width as a function of the actual width using an psi MPa 0.0068948 Used exclusively in
equations
equation of the form below.
psi kPa 6.894757 Used only in text
(1) Equation and Nomenclature and for nameplate
ft-lb J 1.355818 ...
b e p 冪 ba
°F °C 5
⁄9 ⴛ (°F − 32) Not for temperature
where difference
°F °C 5
⁄9 ⴛ °F For temperature
be p effective gasket seating width differences only
5
ba p actual gasket seating width R K ⁄9 Absolute temperature
lbm kg 0.4535924 ...
(2) Dimensional Analysis lbf N 4.448222 ...
in.-lb N·mm 112.98484 Use exclusively in
be (inches) p 冪 ba (inches)
equations
ft-lb N·m 1.3558181 Use only in text
(h) Obviously, the equation above is not dimensionally
ksi冪in. MPa冪m 1.0988434 ...
consistent; therefore, a constant is needed if it is to be Btu/hr W 0.2928104 Use for boiler rating
used with SI units. The constant can be calculated by and heat transfer
converting the SI unit (mm) to the U.S. Customary unit lb/ft3 kg/m3 16.018463 ...

273

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 G-600 2004 SECTION IX G-700

G-600 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR
POSTWELD HEAT TREAT
TIMES
In general, PWHT times in hours per inch of thickness
were converted to minutes per millimeter of thickness as
follows:
(a) 1 hr/in. p 2 min/mm. Although this results in heat
treatment for only 51 min for a 25.4 mm thick section,
this is considered to be within the range of intended
precision of the U.S. Customary requirement.
(b) 15 min/in. p 0.5 min/mm. Although converting
and rounding would give 0.6 min/mm, it was necessary
to use 0.5 to be consistent with the rounding for 1 hr/in.
G-700 NOTES ON CONVERSIONS IN
SECTION II, PARTS A, B, AND C
The conversions provided by ASTM and AWS were
used for consistency with those documents.

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