About the BPVC

Since its first issuance in 1914, ASME’s Boiler and PressureVessel Code (BPVC) has pioneered modern standards-development,maintaining a commitment to enhance public safety and technologicaladvancement to meet the needs of a changing world.  More than100,000 copies of the BPVC are in use in 100 countries around theworld. 

Click here for aprinter-friendly version of a brochure, which details all 12 BPVCSections, plus ASME’s portfolio of related BPVC offerings.

Product Scope / Abstract

This Section contains Division 1 and 3, in one volume andprovides rules for the examination, inservice testing andinspection, and repair and replacement of components and systems inlight water cooled and liquid metal cooled nuclear power plants.The Division 2 rules for inspection and testing of components ofgas cooled nuclear power plants have been deleted in the 1995Edition. With the decommissioning of the only gas cooled reactor towhich these rules apply, there is no apparent need to continuepublication of Division 2. Application of this Section of the Codebegins when the requirements of the Construction Code have beensatisfied. The rules of this Section constitute requirements tomaintain the nuclear power plant while in operation and to returnthe plant to service, following plant outages, and repair orreplacement activities. The rules require a mandatory program ofscheduled examinations, testing, and inspections to evidenceadequate safety. The method of nondestructive examination to beused and flaw size characterization are also contained within thisSection.

Careful application of this Section will help users to complywith applicable regulations within their jurisdictions, whileachieving the operational, cost and safety benefits to be gainedfrom the many industry best-practices detailed within thesevolumes.

Key changes to this 2013 Edition include:

• Defines requirements to address operational leakage
• Clarifies additional examination requirements  forcomponents accepted by analytical evaluation or repair/replacementactivity
• Clarifies examination requirements for pressure retainingnozzle welds in pressure vessels
• Revises Appendix O to augment RV head penetration flawevaluation guidance
• Revised Nonmandatory Appendix T:   (a.) clarifiesthat the appendix is a guidance document; (b.) deletes the testpressure and test temperature entries on Form RRA-1; (c.) revisesthe wording in the certificate of compliance section of FormRRA-1
• Examination volume requirements of reactor vessel set-on typenozzles joined by full penetration butt welds

All changes to this 2013 Edition are incorporated into theappropriate page and each affected area is identified with adesignator.  Each Section includes a Summary of Changes thatlists the material affected by the change, plus the nature of thechange.  There will no longer be Addenda service for this 2013Edition or for future Editions.

Intended for manufacturers, users, constructors, designers andothers concerned with the design, fabrication, assembly, erection,examination, inspection and testing of pressure vessels, plus allpotential governing entities.

BPVC purchasers may wish to purchase a binder from ASME (BPVC Binder), but the publication will alsofit a standard three-ring binder.