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 provides requirements for construction of an FRPpressure vessel in conformance with a manufacturer's designreport.  It includes production, processing, fabrication,inspection and testing methods required for the vessel. Section X includes three Classes of vessel design; Class I andClass III - qualification through the destructive test of aprototype and Class II - mandatory design rules and acceptancetesting by nondestructive methods.  These vessels are notpermitted to store, handle or process lethal fluids.  Vesselfabrication is limited to the following processes: bag-molding,centrifugal casting and filament-winding and contact molding. General specifications for the glass and resin materials andminimum physical properties for the composite materials aregiven.

Key changes to this 2013 Edition include:

• Adding a new mandatory appendix to address establishinggoverning Code edition and addenda for new construction and fieldassembly as well as for parts.
• Including construction of stationary fiber-reinforced pressurevessels with load sharing liners in hydrogen service for Section Xapplication
• Allowing the use of Method A (Design Rules) for the design ofthe small diameter vessels at higher pressures.

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.

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 (BPVC Binder), but the publication will alsofit a standard three-ring binder.

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”:

• “RP” (Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Vessels) – click here

You may also contact ASME’s CustomerCare(+1.800.THE.ASME/843.2763, customercare@asme.org) for personalized assistance.