Response 424686107

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David Micallef

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Rheem Australia Pty Ltd

Comment 01

Please provide your recommended change below.

Section / Subsection
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Title
Preface
Table of contents
Introduction
Clause
Forward
Appendix
Bibliography
Index
Section ID (Required)
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TEST METHODS
Paragraph / Table / Figure / Comment / Note
Paragraph 9.3
Page number (Required)
4
Comment type
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Editorial
General
Technical
Comment (Required)
A hydrostatic strength test at 1.5 times the maximum allowable working pressure has been proposed.

Manufacturers of heat exchangers advise they perform hydrostatic or pneumatic tests at 1.43 times the maximum allowable working pressure in line with the industrial PED standard.
Both 1.43 and 1.5 times provide a factor of safety, and 1.43 is in line with manufacturers normal test methods. generating an alternative test method for the Australian and NZ market would add unnecessary cost.

Proposed change
When tested in accordance with Appendix B, the plate heat exchanger shall not leak or show signs of distortion, splitting, cracking, breakage or other failure when tested at 1.43 times the manufacturers recommended Maximum Operating Pressure.

Comment 02

Please provide your recommended change below.

Section / Subsection
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Title
Preface
Table of contents
Introduction
Clause
Forward
Appendix
Bibliography
Index
Section ID (Required)
RFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TEST METHODS
Paragraph / Table / Figure / Comment / Note
Clause 9.5
Page number (Required)
4
Comment type
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Editorial
General
Technical
Comment (Required)
a comma is required between the words 'wall' and 'failure'
Proposed change
When tested in accordance with Appendix D plate heat exchangers that include within the design a double wall, failure of either wall shall be visibly evident within 300 seconds

Comment 03

Please provide your recommended change below.

Section / Subsection
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Title
Preface
Table of contents
Introduction
Clause
Forward
Appendix
Bibliography
Index
Section ID (Required)
APPENDIX B PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER - HYDROSTATIC STRENGTH TEST
Paragraph / Table / Figure / Comment / Note
Clause B.2
Page number (Required)
12
Comment type
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Editorial
General
Technical
Comment (Required)
The components and joints subject to permanent hydrostatic pressure within the plate heat exchanger are subjected to a hydrostatic pressure for a period of time at 90°C and inspected for leakage and permanent distortion. Both primary and secondary circuits are tested independently.
Heat exchange manufacturers suggest an alternative should be a hydrostatic pressure test with ambient or 20º C water (in line with global standards like PED, ASME, UL, PED and KHK, all at 20°C).
Testing at 90°C is cumbersome and if not a standard practice would add unnecessary cost if not a part of the standard testing facility.
Water heaters are hydrostatically tested at nominally 20°C. I can't see why PHX need to be any different.
Proposed change
The components and joints subject to permanent hydrostatic pressure within the plate heat exchanger are subjected to a hydrostatic pressure for a period of time at 20°C and inspected for leakage and permanent distortion. Both primary and secondary circuits are tested independently.

Comment 04

Please provide your recommended change below.

Section / Subsection
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Title
Preface
Table of contents
Introduction
Clause
Forward
Appendix
Bibliography
Index
Section ID (Required)
APPENDIX C PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER - WATERTIGHTNESS TEST
Paragraph / Table / Figure / Comment / Note
C.4 (c)
Page number (Required)
14
Comment type
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Editorial
General
Technical
Comment (Required)
maintain the pressure for a minimum of 30s and assess the assembly for any leaks has been proposed.

Heat exchanger manufacturers recommend pressure should be maintained for 5 seconds then helium leak test against a leak rate of 1.07 x E-5 (Industrial standard utilized globally by most refrigeration companies to identify fine leaks)
Proposed change
Maintain this pressure for a minimum of:
(i) 30s and assess the assembly for any leaks, or
(ii) 5 seconds and then helium leak test against a leak rate of 1.07 x E-5 and assess the assembly for any leaks.