Proposed Modifications to API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 2007 Fitness-for-Service

Abstract

The first edition of API 579 Recommended Practice for Fitness-For-Service was published in 2000, and subsequently recognized as the de facto international fitness-for-Service standard in the refining and petrochemical industry. The second edition of this document, API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 Fitness-For-Service, was published in 2007 as a joint standard of the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The second edition included fitness-for-service assessment procedures applicable to other industries including fossil utility and pulp and paper. Work on the third edition of API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 has begun with many planned technical improvements to further address industry needs. These improvements include the edition of a new part on fatigue evaluation, updates to the assessment procedures for crack-like flaws and remaining life assessments for components operating at elevated temperatures, and a rewrite of residual stress solutions for use in the evaluation of crack-like flaws based on the latest state-of-the-art approaches. In addition, the third edition will be reorganized where by technical information currently placed in separate annexes that currently appear after all of the parts will be re-deployed as annexes to specific parts with a similar topic. This new organization will facilitate use and also simplify future updates to the document. An overview of proposed improvements to fitness-for-service technologies is provided along with a description of the new organization of API 579-1/ASME FFS-1.