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 Division of Section VIII provides requirements applicableto the design, fabrication, inspection, testing, and certificationof pressure vessels operating at either internal or externalpressures exceeding 15 psig. Such vessels may be fired orunfired. This pressure may be obtained from an externalsource or by the application of heat from a direct or indirectsource, or any combination thereof. These rules provide analternative to the minimum requirements for pressure vessels underDivision 1 rules. In comparison the Division 1, Division 2requirements on materials, design, and nondestructive examinationare more rigorous; however, higher design stress intensify valuesare permitted. Division 2 rules cover only vessels to beinstalled in a fixed location for a specific service whereoperation and maintenance control is retained during the usefullife of the vessel by the user who prepares or causes to beprepared the design specifications. These rules may alsoapply to human occupancy pressure vessels typically in the divingindustry. Rules pertaining to the use of the U2 and UV ASMEProduct Certification Marks are also included.
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:
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 and others concerned with the design,fabrication, assembly, erection, examination, inspection andtesting of pressure vessels, plus all potential governingentities.
BPVC purchasers may wish to purchase a binder from ASME (
For the convenience of those applying for and/or maintainingtheir ASME Product Certification Marks, ASME gathers its requiredcodes and standards into the following “BPVC product certificationpackages”: