Site Inspection and Testing of New Instrumentation

IPE Engineering Practice IPE-EP-12-2-2

Document number: IPE-EP-12-2-2 · Section: 12 — Instruments and Controls

SCOPE

The purpose of this document is to define the general requirements for instrument inspection, calibration, and testing for new projects.
Any deviation from this Practice must be approved by the procedure described in EP 1–1–3.

2.0 REFERENCES

The following codes and standards shall be considered as part of this Practice. All documents shall be the latest editions in force on the date of issuance of this Practice.

STANDARDS AND PUBLICATIONS

DEFINITIONS

Contractor - Company or business that agrees to furnish materials or perform specified services at a specified price and/or rate to the Owner.
Inspector - A Inflection Point Engineering, LLC appointed engineer or inspector.
Manufacturer - The recipient of a direct or indirect purchase order for materials and/or equipment. In this context, a direct order is one issued to a manufacturer by a contractor or the Owner. An indirect order is one issued to a manufacturer by a vendor (recipient of a direct order) for materials, fabricated components, or subassemblies.
Owner - Inflection Point Engineering, LLC.
Owner’s Engineer - A Inflection Point Engineering, LLC appointed engineer.
Purchaser - The party placing a direct purchase order. The purchaser is the Owner’s designated representative.

INSPECTION & STORAGE

The contractor must take full responsibility in the storage and handling of instruments, control valves, racks, consoles, panel boards, etc. to ensure that they are in new condition when turned over to IPE. This includes responsibility for loss or shortages. Manufacturer’s storage and handling recommendations shall be considered a minimum standard.
The contractor must take full responsibility in the storage and handling of instruments, control valves, racks, consoles, panel boards, etc. to ensure that they are in new condition when turned over to s. This includes responsibility for loss or shortages. Manufacturer’s storage and handling recommendations shall be considered a minimum standard.

All control systems equipment must be stored where it is clean and dry. Any instruments having pneumatic relays or electric or electronic components shall be stored indoors. When specified by the Owner’s Engineer, air conditioned storage shall be provided.
All control valve ports, actuator and instrumentation openings shall be adequately covered to prevent damage from dirt, water, or other materials. If stored outdoors, all control valves shall be stored on platforms or wooden pallets.
Any instruments or control valves which are outside on the unit during construction are to be covered to protect them from dirt, insulation, debris, and paint.
The contractor shall replace any instruments that have been damaged by carelessness, rough handling, or foreign materials.
When specified by the Owner’s Engineer, specific instrumentation may be turned over to the Owner for installation/checkout.

REQUIREMENTS FOR POWER/AIR SUPPLIES AND TESTING EQUIPMENT

The air supply to pneumatic instruments shall be clean, dry and oil free and meet the requirement of ISA 57.3, Quality Standard for Instrument Air.
The air supply shall consists of a air source and air supply regulator with filter and output gauge.
Teflon tape shall not be used on pipe threads in instrument air or pneumatic signal service.
All testing and calibration equipment shall be traceable to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. Accuracy shall be certified by an independent testing agency.
Testing and calibration equipment shall have a minimum accuracy as noted below. The Owner’s Engineer shall specify instruments and test equipment requiring greater accuracy.

Inclined water manometer	0.1 % (full scale)
Pneumatic tester	0.1 % (full scale)
Dead weight tester	0.1 % (of indicated pressure)
Precision pressure gauge	0.25 % (full scale)
Digital Volt Meter	0.1 % (of reading)
Current and/or voltage generator	0.05 % (full scale)
Thermocouple generator	1 degree F

Any fuses fitted to electrical components shall be the correct rating.
External power supplies shall be approved by the Owner’s Engineer.

PRE–INSTALLATION CALIBRATION TESTING

Unless otherwise specified by the Owner’s Engineer, all instruments shall be calibrated before installation. IPE will inspect all calibration and reserves the right to reject any instrument or any calibration equipment or procedure. IPE will not furnish any calibrating equipment to the contractor. The contractor will furnish calibration and inspection record for each instrument calibrated by the Contractor.

Unless otherwise specified by the Owner’s Engineer, all calibration shall be carried out in a calibration workshop.
Before calibration, all instruments shall be visually inspected for damage. The Owner’s Engineer shall be notified of any damage found.
Unless otherwise specified by the Owner’s Engineer, all instruments shall be kept at room temperature for a sufficient time for them to become stabilized before test are carried out.
All shipping stops shall be removed from the instruments before proceeding with testing. Where applicable, shipping stops shall be replaced after testing.
The instrument to be tested shall be mounted in the correct plane on a rigid and vibration free stand or structure.
Where applicable, the instrument shall be drained, and if necessary, blown through with clean, oil free dry air.
After testing and draining, all connections and entries shall be temporarily sealed to prevent subsequent ingress of moisture and dirt.
A label giving date tested and tester identification shall be attached to the instrument.

FLOW INSTRUMENT TESTING

Conventional differential pressure instruments shall be calibration checked at a minimum of 0, 50, and 100 % of span. Five point calibration checks (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) shall be done when specified by the Owner’s Engineer.
Intelligent differential pressure transmitters are calibrated by the manufacturer. Intelligent transmitters may be re–ranged to the differential pressure or pressure range specified on the Data Sheet.
Magnetic flow meters shall be calibrated using the manufacturers primary element substitution standard with applicable readout at 100 % of span.
Turbine meter manufacturer’s meter factor shall be accepted for the primary element. A three point (0, 50, 100) calibration, linearity, and repeatability check shall be accomplished on the secondary element using the manufacturer’s recommended digital input signal generator. The rotor shall be spun manually to verify freedom of rotation.
Positive displacement meters shall have the operating mechanism manually rotated to verify freedom of movement. Pulsing units shall be operated to check for free coupling and rotation as well as to verify pulse. Remote counter and predetermining setstops shall be checked to verify operability.
Flow switches shall have their set point visually verified. Mechanical flappers shall be manually checked for free movement. Differential pressure type flow switches shall be checked with a pneumatic tester.
Orifice plates shall be inspected for a smooth face with an undamaged sharp edge orifice. The orifice diameter shall be measured with an inside micrometer, compared with specification, and recorded on the “Calibration & Checkout sheet”. The orifice plate shall be stored in a package and manner that protects the orifice from damage.

LEVEL INSTRUMENT TESTING

Conventional differential pressure type transmitters shall be calibrated at a minimum of 0, 50, and 100 % of span. A five point calibration check shall be done when specified by the Owner’s Engineer. The calibration shall compensate for missing hydrostatic head of filled seal leg if applicable. The correct elevation or suppression calibration shall be verified if required for installation.
Intelligent differential pressure transmitters are calibrated by the manufacturer. Intelligent transmitters may be re–ranged to the differential pressure or pressure range specified on the Data Sheet.
Displacer instruments shall be manually stroked to verify operability of torque tube and pilot. The displacer size shall be verified with the instrument specification sheet. Calibration shall be checked at 0, 50, and 100 % of span using water with compensation for correct process specific gravity.
Float or displacer operated level switches shall be actuated with water to check switch operation.
Ball float action shall be verified by manually stroking the float. Any appendage connected to the float arm shall be checked for freedom of operation.
Float type tank gauging equipment shall be inspected for damage and completeness of order. Instrumentation shall be field calibrated.
Vibrating rod level switches shall be tested in water to verify the switching action.
Ultrasonic level instruments should be tested by moving a meter plate in front of the beam.

PRESSURE INSTRUMENT TESTING

Conventual pressure transmitters shall be calibrated at a minimum of 0, 50, and 100 % of span. A five point calibration check shall be done when specified by the Owner’s Engineer.
Intelligent differential pressure transmitters are calibrated by the manufacturer. Intelligent transmitters may be re–ranged to the differential pressure or pressure range specified on the Data Sheet.
Pressure switches or switching relays shall be calibrated to the values shown on the specification sheets.
Receiver type pressure instruments shall be calibrated using a precision gauge or deadweight tester at 0, 50, and 100 % of span.
Process pressure gauges shall not be calibrated.

TEMPERATURE INSTRUMENT TESTING

Filled system transmitters shall be calibrated using one or more temperature baths at 10 and 90% of span.

Thermocouple transducers shall be calibrated using a thermocouple calibration box at 0, 50, and 100 % of span. A five point calibration check shall be done when specified by the Owner’s Engineer. Proper operation of burnout feature and battery backup shall be verified, if applicable.
Instruments with RTD inputs shall be calibrated at 0, 50, and 100 % of span with a precision decade box.
Temperature switches shall be calibrated using a temperature bath.
Thermocouple input switches shall be calibrated using a thermocouple calibration box.
Bimetallic dial thermometers shall not be calibrated.

RECEIVER INSTRUMENT TESTING

Recorders, indicators, and/or controllers shall be check using the manufacturer’s procedures.
Calibration of all indicators, pens, and displays shall be checked at 0, 50, and 100 % of span.
Controller alignment shall be checked.
Chart drive operability shall be verified.
Controller manual output signal shall be verified.
Controller output action shall be verified.
When specified on the data sheet, all limits, clamps, interlocks, and alarms shall be verified.

CONTROL VALVE TESTING

Control valves shall be inspected to verify the requirements of the data sheet.
Valve stroke shall be verified using the proper input signal. The valve shall be checked to insure that it seats properly when the appropriate bench set is applied to the actuator.
If a valve positioner or volume booster is installed, they shall be calibrated using the manufacturers procedures at 0, 50, and 100 % of span. Split range positioners shall be checked to verify compliance with the data sheet.
When specified on the data sheet, speed of operation shall be checked.
All stroke limits, trip valves, switches, solenoids, and other interlocks shall be tested to verify operation.
Control valves designed to be self–contained regulators shall be calibrated per the manufacturer’s procedures.
Control valves that are actuated by mechanical linkage shall be checked for freedom of operation and shall be stroked full stroke to verify travel.
Self–contained temperature regulators with sealed, external thermal systems shall be tested by means of a temperature bath to verify correct temperature range and control action.
Control valves with piston operators, electro/hydraulic or electric motor operators shall be tested for stroking and failure action using the manufacturer’s procedures.

13.0 RELIEF VALVES

Pressure relief valve testing is not covered in this document. Pressure relief valve testing and inspection shall comply with EP 5–3–14.

14.0 ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS

When specified by the Owner’s Engineer, the calibration of analyzer systems shall be done using manufacturer’s procedures.

LOOP CHECKOUT

Unless otherwise specified by the Owner’s Engineer, the loop checkout shall be performed after all instruments are installed and calibrated and all process, pneumatic and electrical connections have been made. This checkout shall verify that all components are connected properly and that each individual component, as well as the complete loop performs as intended.
A test instrument shall be used to simulate the process variable input to the transmitter. The Owner’s Engineer may approve substitution of a test instrument for the transmitter in temperature, flanged differential pressure transmitter, analyzers, and other transmitters where the process variable cannot be readily simulated.
All readouts and displays shall be verified for tagging, ranges, units, and indication.
The control action and preliminary tuning constants shall be verified and/or set for each control loop.
All control valves and other final control elements shall be fully stroked by manual adjustment of the controller.
All digital communication between instruments, within instrument systems and between different systems shall be tested and verified.
Alarm and shutdown trip settings and the resulting actions (alarms and/or trip) shall be verified. All permissives, interlocks, and overrides shall be verified.

16.0 DOCUMENTATION

All testing and loop checking shall be documented. The forms shall identify the loop or system being checked, the actual parameters checked, the observations made during the procedure, the date of the testing, and the initials of the person performing the testing.

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