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Quotes - Engineering - SalesASME Code Construction
Compressed air at 100 PSIG in a 14 inch shell is a great deal of stored energy, and the codes treat it accordingly.
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII Division 1 sets the rules for the design, materials, fabrication, inspection and testing of unfired pressure vessels, and most US states and Canadian provinces require vessels above a size or pressure threshold to be built to it. A vessel that complies is stamped with the U symbol by an authorised manufacturer and registered with the National Board, which is the NB number found on the nameplate.
Reading the Nameplate
What the stamp tells you.
- U symbol: built and inspected to Section VIII Div. 1
- NB number: registered with the National Board
- MAWP and temperature for shell and tube sides
- Year built and serial - quote both when replacing
Which IPAC Units Are U-Stamped
IPAC water-cooled aftercoolers and fabricated separators are available U-stamped; the current catalogue tables shade the models built to Section VIII Division 1 as standard. On the separators the U in a number such as S04HAUH0 corresponds to the code build, where the older M designation (S04HAMH0) was the non-code manufacturer's standard. Air-cooled A Series coils and the small cast or compact separators generally fall below the code threshold.
Match the Original
Whether a stamp is needed depends on the jurisdiction, the vessel volume and the pressure, and on the insurer. When replacing a unit, match the original: if the old nameplate carries a U and a National Board number, order the replacement the same way, and keep the data report with the plant records.
| RANGE | TYPE | COVERS | RATING |
| Water-Cooled 59 Series | Water-Cooled Aftercooler | Nineteen close-approach models from 37 to 11,970 SCFM, all 59 inches long | 200 PSIG (300 PSIG small NPT units) |
| Horizontal Separators | Centrifugal Moisture Separator | Sixteen current sizes from 127 to 25,000 SCFM, plus the three HiROSS-era cast units they replaced | 200 PSIG (230 PSIG WS01-WS03) |
| Vertical Separators | Centrifugal Moisture Separator | Seven sizes from 900 to 5,800 SCFM with a side inlet and top outlet | 200 PSIG |
Common FAQs
That depends on the jurisdiction, the vessel volume and pressure, and your insurer. Most states and provinces require it above a threshold. If the unit being replaced carries a U and an NB number, order the replacement the same way.
The National Board registration number for that individual vessel, assigned when the manufacturer's data report is filed. It appears on the nameplate beside the U symbol and lets the vessel's data report be retrieved.
Generally not; the finned coil falls below the code threshold. The water-cooled shells and the fabricated S04 to S15 separators are the units built to Section VIII Division 1.
Related Pages
CRN & PED Registration
Canadian Registration Numbers and the European Pressure Equipment Directive as they apply to IPAC aftercoolers, separators and coolers shipped outside the United States.
READ
Pressure & Temperature Ratings
The 200, 230 and 300 PSIG pressure classes, the 400 F inlet limit, and the high-pressure options across IPAC aftercoolers, separators and SAC drain traps.
READ
Horizontal Separators
Sixteen current sizes from 127 to 25,000 SCFM, plus the three HiROSS-era cast units they replaced.
READ
