Operation of gas pipelines and equipment: calculation of remaining service life + regulatory requirements
The use of gas for domestic purposes is commonplace.Centralized gas supply not only simplifies everyday tasks, but also allows you to create comfortable living conditions. Do you agree?
But we must not forget that gas is a rather dangerous substance, and therefore it is necessary to comply with the requirements fire safety when using it. It is also important that the operation of gas pipelines and equipment meets regulatory requirements and standards, compliance with which will ensure trouble-free operation and calculate the service life of certain elements of the gas system.
But what are the basic requirements and what does the average consumer need to know about it? This is exactly what we will discuss in our article - we will consider the standards used regarding gas equipment and gas pipelines, standards and service life of this or that equipment. Let's talk about how the remaining service life is calculated.
The content of the article:
General requirements for the operation of gas facilities
Everything related to the use of gas is clearly regulated by the state. Household operation of gas communications must be carried out in strict accordance with the rules specified in regulations approved by the government of the Russian Federation.
One of the fundamental documents is Federal Law No. 184 – Federal Law “On Technical Regulation”.The chapters of this law define the principles of technical regulation, the procedure for carrying out various types of routine maintenance and checking for compliance with standards, and the procedure for state control over the operation of gas equipment.
Another document that gas communications must comply with is the National Standard of the Russian Federation (GOST R 54961-2012), directly considering everything related to gas distribution systems and networks. It describes in detail the general requirements and operating standards for gas equipment systems, and establishes the service life of gas pipelines.
The requirements specified in the National Standard must be observed by persons operating gas equipment. This applies to both legal entities and individuals, owners of private property and renting premises, residents of apartment buildings, owners of hotels, restaurants, technical production, etc.
Thus, during the constant use of a gas pipeline and gas equipment, it is necessary to perform the following types of work:
- Maintenance;
- current and major repairs in accordance with the plan;
- emergency repairs in case of disruption of the stable operation of the gas supply system;
- work to disconnect and dismantle unused gas systems.
Work with gas equipment must be carried out in strict compliance with all safety requirements and recommendations specified in the technical documentation, which are developed in accordance with the operating characteristics of each individual gas supply system.
It is worth noting that in apartment buildings such processes as commissioning, reconstruction of gas supply systems and decommissioning must be provided by special organizations accredited to carry out this type of work.
Residents of residential and apartment buildings, as well as public and administrative buildings in which a gas supply system is installed, must have the following documents:
- executive and design documentation for the construction of gas networks;
- certificate of commissioning of the gas consumption network;
- permission to launch gas equipment and put gas networks into operation.
If these documents are lost, their restoration is carried out through visual inspection, actual measurements and technical examinations, which will provide complete information on the gas equipment and pipelines in use.
Standards for operating gas equipment
In order to prevent accidents, a standard set of measures has been developed for early warning of malfunctions in gas supply systems - Maintenance.
This term refers to a system for monitoring and ensuring the technical condition of the gas pipeline system in accordance with the standards; systematic cleaning and lubrication of components; adjustment, calibration and metrological verification of measuring elements, elements that maintain the operability and serviceability of gas pipelines, equipment and the gas system as a whole.
The range of technical work for servicing gas equipment directly includes:
- checking the tightness of gas pipeline connecting elements, instruments and equipment in order to prevent gas leaks;
- inspection of shut-off valves;
- checking the automatic operation of safety control devices and safety devices;
- checking indoor ventilation systems;
- checking the electrical lighting of the premises;
- systems check gas leak alarm;
- checking free access to clean air for gas combustion;
- verification of compliance of gas pressure parameters in all operating modes;
- cleaning the system from possible contamination;
- measuring electrical potentials on gas pipelines and verifying their compliance with established standards.
All activities must be carried out in accordance with the schedule, which is approved in advance for each quarter of the year.
Gas pipeline maintenance rules
General standards have been developed for servicing gas pipelines depending on the location of gas pipelines: internalthat are located inside buildings, and external, which are located in basements, attics, and special rooms.
And also depending on the material from which they are made - steel, copper or metal-polymer.
Maintenance of external gas pipelines
When servicing external gas pipelines, the following work must be performed:
- checking for gas contamination in basements, wells, underground and attic structures, control pipes;
- monitoring the state of system integrity - identifying a possible gas leak using special instruments or by external signs;
- checking the condition of wall signs;
- cleaning and removing dirt and water from carpets;
- gas pressure measurement;
- cleaning condensate collectors from the formed condensate.
If gas contamination is detected in the basement of a building, the basements of buildings and structures, the first floors of buildings without basements within a radius of 50 meters from the place where gas was detected, must be inspected.
Inspection of steel pipelines
Maintenance of gas pipelines made of steel involves performing a number of works.
So, the check procedure is as follows:
- Verification of compliance of the actual installation of gas pipeline systems with their design documentation.
- Checking freedom of access to gas pipelines laid openly inside the premises.
- Checking the tightness of all connections used on gas pipelines when connecting to devices (meters, pressure gauges), connections to gas appliances for gas leaks.
- Verification of compliance with the scope of application flexible hoseswhich are used to connect gas equipment to the gas pipeline and their condition.
- Checking the ease of operation of shut-off valves, discrepancy and restoration of their functionality.
- Checking gas leak alarms.
- Checking the serviceability of the gas meter.
It is worth noting that checking the tightness of gas pipeline connections with devices and instruments should be carried out using a special device or foaming solution, which will visually foam in places where the tightness is compromised.
Maintenance of copper gas pipelines
To carry out maintenance of copper gas pipelines, in addition to the above work from points 1 to 7, the standard establishes the following measures:
- Check the condition of fasteners and pipes in open areas for mechanical damage.
- Check with the owner of the premises for a plan of hidden gas pipeline installation.
- Inspect the condition of the walls in areas where the gas pipeline is hidden.
If during maintenance it is revealed that it is necessary to replace a section of pipe, fasteners, fittings, shut-off valves, then the gas pipeline must be repaired.
It is carried out no later than one day after submitting an application for repairs, or immediately in case of malfunctions that may pose a threat to the safety of residents of the house.
Inspection of metal-polymer gas pipelines
When servicing metal-polymer gas pipelines, all the work for steel and copper gas pipelines specified above is performed. In addition to them, a check is added at the points of wiring through the internal structures of the building of protective compartments of gas pipelines and fire bulkheads.
Equipment operating standards
Operation of gas supply systems must be carried out in accordance with established operating standards. In case of violation of the frequency of maintenance and verification of devices, irreversible consequences may occur that lead to accidents and explosions.
The frequency of checking gas equipment is usually set by the manufacturer. However, in case of discrepancy between the deadlines, one should be guided by the period established by the National Standard of the Russian Federation.
Thus, maintenance of household gas stoves, convectors and water heaters with a used thermal power of up to 30 kW should be carried out at the following frequency:
- period of use up to 15 years - according to the technical requirements of the manufacturer, or once every three years;
- period of use more than 15 years - once a year.
You should also remember that faulty equipment cannot be used - gas is not to be trifled with.To protect yourself, we also recommend that you read the information about gas stove service life.
The same requirements apply to heat generators with a power of less than 50 kW. If the power specified above is exceeded, maintenance must comply with the requirements of the manufacturer, and in their absence - every year, regardless of the operating time of the equipment.
Heating sectional boilers must undergo maintenance at least once a year from the very beginning of operation, unless otherwise stated in their technical documentation. We talked more about maintenance of gas boilers in this article.
Maintenance of gas stoves used in catering units of enterprises, cookeries, restaurants and other public catering establishments, as well as grills and mini-bakeries, should be carried out once a year, unless their technical documentation contains instructions to carry out maintenance more often.
It is worth noting that seasonal equipment, if there are appropriate requirements in the technical documentation, must be disconnected from the gas supply system by installing plugs on the gas pipelines at the end of the heating season.
Maintenance of gas pipelines and gas supply systems to apartment buildings and other buildings and structures must be carried out at least once every three years.
Calculation of the remaining service life of a gas pipeline
Despite the normatively established service life of the gas pipeline, which is at least 40 years, during maintenance it is necessary to assess the technical condition - it corresponds to the actual service life. This is done by comparing the actual values obtained as a result of measurements with the established critical values of the limit state parameters.
The service life is greatly influenced by:
- location of gas pipelines - carried out in the ground, located in basements and apartments;
- climatic conditions - high humidity, high or low temperatures, distance from the sea.
In addition to these natural phenomena, the physical and mechanical properties of gas pipes, as well as the condition of their connections, are influenced by other factors that arise at various time stages of operation. We spoke in more detail about the service life of gas pipes in next publication.
A decrease in the service life of a gas pipeline can be affected by:
- making mistakes when designing gas pipeline networks;
- low quality of work performed during their implementation;
- the use of materials that do not meet corrosion resistance standards;
- low efficiency of electrochemical protection;
- carrying out routine repairs in violation of established standards.
As a result, the service life of the gas pipeline may be significantly reduced. The legislator has developed many formulas that can be used to calculate the remaining service life of a gas pipeline.
There are several parameters, changes in which lead to a decrease in service life:
- Efficiency of electromechanical protection, which is carried out by checking the level of security of the gas pipeline in terms of time and length.
- Insulation state. The criterion for the peak condition is considered to be through and continuous damage. The condition assessment is determined based on changes in the parameters of the appearance of the coating, the type and material of insulation, and the presence of damage to the coating.
- Degree of metal corrosion damage. This is the presence of through damage or residual wall thickness, which does not allow further operation of the gas pipeline. The calculation results subsequently influence the repair method.
- Quality of welded joints. If damaged or a gas leak is detected, the joint is subject to immediate inspection using non-destructive testing methods.
- Physical and mechanical properties of metal. Identification of possible degradation changes, such as a decrease in ductility, a decrease in impact strength. These parameters are determined through calculations and, depending on the deviation from the permissible values, the need for replacement is assumed.
The calculation of the remaining service life is carried out by the operating organization, which carries out technical diagnostics and assesses the compliance of the technical condition of gas pipelines from the beginning of operation until 30 years have passed. The frequency of calculations and assessments is every five years.
When defining a gas pipeline as efficient its further use is permitted. At partially inoperative It is necessary to carry out additional technical diagnostics, which will reveal the maximum service life.
When determining the condition of gas pipeline pipes as ultimate – it is necessary to schedule major repairs or reconstruction.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
This video presents the procedure for servicing gas equipment and gas pipelines in apartment buildings
Interesting video about the features of gas pipeline operation:
Standards and norms for the operation of gas equipment and pipelines have an important place in the system of providing for the household needs of the population. Since both industrial and domestic handling of gas is explosive, compliance with all standards and compliance with operating requirements is, first of all, a guarantee of preventing emergency situations.
If you have recently encountered the issue of maintaining gas-using equipment or had your home inspected and assessed the performance of gas communications, please tell other visitors to our website about this experience. The feedback form is located below.
