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Piping Systems

Any piping system is susceptible to leakage or spill of liquids. Because of

the additional fire hazard in piping systems that are handling flammable and
combustible liquids, these systems must be able to withstand the intense
heat generated by fire for reasonable periods of time while emergency shutdown procedures are implemented and fire-fighting measures begin. Failure
of pipes, valves, and fittings during fire conditions can turn a moderate hazard into an extreme emergency.

3-1 Scope.
3-1 .I

This chapter shall apply to piping systems consisting of pipe, tubing,

flanges, bolting, gaskets, valves, fittings, flexible connectors, the pressure containing parts of other components such as expansion joints and strainers, and devices that serve such purposes as mixing, separating, snubbing, distributing,
metering, controlling flow, or secondary containment of liquids and associated
vapors.

Note that the scope has been expanded to include piping that provides
secondary containment and the vapors associated with flammable and
combustible liquids. These two changes broaden the applicability of

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NFPA 30: Chapter 3

158

Chapter 3 to secondary containment piping, which would only be expected to contain liquid if the primary piping failed, and piping that handles
vapor emissions emanating from a system, such as vapor collection
piping.

3-1 .2

This chapter shall not apply to any of the following:

(a) Tubing or casing on any oil or gas wells and any piping connected directly
thereto;
(b) Motor vehicles, aircraft, boats, or piping that are integral to a stationary engine assembly; and
(c) Piping within the scope of any applicable boiler and pressure vessel code.

This subsection clearly identifies those elements of piping systems that are
not addressed in Chapter 3 of NFPA 30. Note that it is not the intent of
Chapter 3 to govern the fuel supply piping that connects a stationary internal combustion engine with its day tank or its integral fuel tank, such as a
so-called base tank.

3-2 General.
3-2 .I

The design, fabrication, assembly, test, and inspection of piping systems

containing liquids shall be suitable for the expected working pressures and structural stresses. Conformity with the applicable sections of ANSI 831,American
National Standard Code for Pressure Piping, and the provisions of this chapter
shall be considered prima facie evidence of compliance with the foregoing
provisions.

It is important to consider the expected (or normal) working pressures

and structural stresses. This is particularly necessary when high vapor pressure flammable liquids are involved or when tanks and piping systems are
subject to heating. Heating can result from exposure to direct sunlight, from
heat radiating off a process or piece of equipment, or from the liquid itself
at elevated temperature.
Piping systems shall be maintained liquidtight. A piping system that has
leaks that constitute a hazard shall be emptied of liquid or repaired in a manner acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.

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3-2.2

3-3 Materials for Piping , Valves, and Fittings

159

3-3 Materials for Piping, Valves, and Fittings.

3-3 .I

Pipe, valves, faucets, couplings, flexible connectors, fittings, and other

pressure-containing parts as covered in 3-1.1 shall meet the material specifications and pressure and temperature limitations of ANSI 831.3, Petroleum Refinery
Piping, or ANSI 831 -4, Liquid Petroleum Transportation Piping Systems, except
as provided by 3-3.2, 3-3.3, and 3-3.4. Plastic or similar materials, as permitted
by 3-3.4, shall be designed to specifications embodying recognized engineering
principles or shall be listed, and shall be compatible with the fluid service.

Note that couplings and flexible connectors have been added to this requirement to emphasize that these too are governed. Note also that listed
plastic piping components are recognized as meeting recognized engineering principles .

3-3.2

Nodular iron shall conform to ASTM A 395, Ferritic Ductile Iron PressureRetaining Castings for Use at Elevated Temperatures.

The term nodular iron refers to malleable wrought iron. This type of
iron is distinct from cast iron, which should only be used for piping systems
that handle Class IIIB liquids, in accordance with Paragraph 3-3.3.2. Cast
iron is brittle and will fracture on impact. Malleable iron will bend or deform instead.
Note that this requirement does not refer to the internal working parts of
the valve, referred to as the valve trim. The trim includes such parts as the
valve gate and stem and the seats, which are commonly fabricated from
brass or bronze. See also the commentary to Paragraph 3-3.3.1.

3-3.3

Valves at storage tanks, as required by 2-3.8.1 and 2-5.6.3, and their connections to the tank shall be of steel or nodular iron except as provided in 3-3.3.1
or 3-3.3.2.

Valves through which liquid can normally flow, for example, those on
aboveground storage tanks and tanks located inside buildings, should be of
steel or nodular iron except when:
( a ) The chemical characteristics of the liquid are not compatible with steel
(see Paragraph 3-3.3.2);
(b) The valves are installed inside the tank (see Paragraph 3-3.3.2);
(c) The valves are installed on crude petroleum tanks that meet the requirements of Paragraph 2-3.3.2 (see Paragraph 3-3.3.2); or

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NFPA 30: Chapter 3

(d) The valves are installed on tanks used to store Class IIIB liquids, and
they meet the requirements of Paragraph 3-3.3.2.

3-3.3 .I

Valves at storage tanks shall be permitted to be other than steel or nodular iron where the chemical characteristics of the liquid stored are not compatible
with steel or where installed internally to the tank. Where installed externally to the
tank, the material shall have a ductility and melting point comparable to steel or
nodular iron so as to withstand reasonable stresses and temperatures involved in
fire exposure or otherwise be protected, such as by materials having a fire resistance rating of not less than 2 hours.

The reason for requiring steel or nodular iron wherever possible is to ensure that the valve or fittings will be able to withstand reasonable stresses
and temperatures created by a fire exposure. An alternative to using steel,
nodular iron, or a material of similar properties is to protect the valve so it
will have a fire resistance rating of 2 hours. Internal valves can be of other
materials because the liquid keeps the piping and valve cool, thus avoiding
failure under fire exposure. A typical internal valve is shown in Figure 3.1.
Note that the valve mechanism is inside the tank shell, where it is protected
from thermal stress by the liquid in the tank, which acts as a heat sink. A

IL

Outside wall

Figure 3.2 Typical installation of an internally mounted valve.

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3-3 Materials for Piping , Valves, and Fittings

161

fusible link is provided for automatic shutoff under fire exposure. There are
two negative features of this type of valve: (1)If part of the internal mechanism fails or breaks, access for repair usually involves draining the tank; and
(2) if the valve closes due to a fire, as it should, the option to pump the tank
contents to another tank might not be available.

3-3.3.2

Cast iron, brass, copper, aluminum, malleable iron, and similar materials shall be permitted to be used on tanks described in 2-3.3.2 or for tanks storing
Class 1118 liquids where the tank is located outdoors and not within a diked area or
drainage path of a tank storing a Class I , Class II, or Class HIA liquid.

3-3.4

Low melting point materials such as aluminum, copper, and brass, materials that soften on fire exposure such as plastics, or nonductile material such as cast
iron shall be permitted to be used underground for all liquids within the pressure
and temperature limits of ANSI 831, American National Standard Code for Pressure Piping. If such materials are used outdoors in aboveground piping systems
handling Class I, Class II, or Class IIIA liquids or within buildings handling any liquid
they shall be either: (a) resistant to damage by fire, (b) so located that any leakage
resulting from the failure will not unduly expose persons, important buildings, or
structures, or (c) located where leakage can readily be controlled by operation of
an accessible remotely located vaive(s) .

Questions have been raised involving applicability of this section to

small-diameter instrument lines that may be subject to the effects of a flammable or combustible liquid fire. Instrument lines are not within the scope
of NFPA 30.
During the development of the 1996 edition of NFPA 30, a proposal was
made to clarify the word underground as meaning completely
backfilled. The NFPA 30 Technical Committee on Tank Storage and Piping
Systems rejected the proposal because other means of protection are allowed
and could also be used in below-grade spaces, without backfill.

3-3.5

Depending on the liquids being handled, corrosion can be a serious problem in piping, valves, and fittings, often leading to early failure or leaks.
Linings made of plastic or rubber-based materials can be useful in preventing
corrosion, thus preserving the integrity of the piping system and lengthening
its life span. (See Fzgtiue 3.2.)

3-3 .6

Nonmetallic piping, including piping systems incorporating secondary

containment, shall be built in accordance with recognized standards of design or

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Piping, valves, and fittings shall be permitted to have combustible or noncombustible linings.

=
162

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NFPA 30: Chapter 3

Figure 3.2 NFPA 30 recognizes both combustible and noncombustible linings for
piping, valves, and fittings for corrosion protection and for other process and compatibility requirements.

approved equivalents and shall be installed in accordance with 3-3.4. Nonmetallic

piping shall be built, installed, and used within the scope of their approvals or within
the scope of Underwriters Laboratories Inc.3 Standard for Nonmetallic nderground Piping for Flammable Liquids, UL 971 .

This new requirement applies specifically to nonmetallic piping systems

and components. It requires that nonmetallic piping be installed in accordance with the requirements of Subsection 3-3.4.

3-4 Pipe Joints.

3-4.1

Joints shall be made liquidtight and shall be either welded, flanged, or

threaded, except that listed flexible connectors shall be permitted to be used where
installed in accordance with 3-4.2. Threaded joints shall be made up tight with a

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3-5 Supports

163

suitable thread sealant or lubricant.Joints in piping systems handling Class I liquids

shall be welded when located in concealed spaces within buildings.

To prevent the loss of liquid, all joints must be liquidtight, particularly

with the more hazardous Class I liquids. This explains the requirement for
welded joints in concealed areas of a building.
Pipe joints dependent upon the friction characteristics or resiliency of combustible materials for mechanical continuity or liquidtightness of piping shall not be
used inside buildings. They shall be permitted to be used outside of buildings
aboveground or belowground. If used aboveground outside of buildings, the piping
shall either be secured to prevent disengagement at the fitting, or the piping system
shall be so designed that any spill resulting from disengagement could not unduly
expose persons, important buildings, or structures and could be readily controlled
by remote valves.

The additional restrictions on pipe joints that depend on friction or resiliency to maintain tightness are included because of their susceptibility to
softening under fire exposure. In addition, frost heaves can shift underground piping or supports for aboveground piping and thus disengage the
joint. This latter problem has been particularly noticeable in the northern
areas of the United States, often in service stations. NFPA 30 does limit use
of this type of pipe joint to the outside of buildings. If used aboveground,
piping must be secured or specially designed to prevent exposure to humans,
important buildings, or structures in the event of failure. In addition, the
piping system must be readily controlled by one or more remote valves.
Flexible connectors can also be used under the sanie guidelines. Flexible
connectors are often used in underground piping systems to avoid damage to
the piping system should the tank move, due to an unusually high groundwater level, for example. Swing joints made up with screwed elbows have been
and still are used on some underground tanks, but these can complicate the
proper installation of emergency shutoff valves under dispensers and are frequent sources of leaks at their many joints. Because of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency rules on the installation of underground storage tank
systems, they are increasingly being supplanted by flexible connectors.

3-5 supports.
Piping systems shall be substantially supported and protected against physical
damage and excessive stresses arising from settlement, vibration, expansion, or

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3-4.2

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NFPA30: Chapter3

contraction. The installation of nonmetallic piping shall be in accordance with the

manufacturers instructions.

Expansion rods or flexible connectors can be used to prevent undue stresses in piping systems.
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3-5 .I *

Load-bearingpiping supports that are located in areas with a high fire exposure risk shall be protected by one or more of the following:

A-3-5 .I

API 2218 , Fireproofing Practices in Petroleum and Petrochemical Processing Plants, contains guidance on selecting and installingfire-resistantcoatings
to protect exposed steel supports from a high-challenge fire exposure. It also contains a general discussion on determining need for such protection and estimating
the extent of the area exposed.
(a) Drainage to a safe location to prevent liquid from accumulating under
pipeways ;
(b) Fire-resistiveconstruction;

(c) Fire-resistantprotective coatings or systems;

(d) Water spray systems designed and installed in accordance with NFPA 15,
Standard for Water Spray Fixed Systems for Fire Protection;
(e) Other alternate means acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.

In refineries, process plants, bulk plants and terminals, and other bulk
storage facilities, it is common practice to install piping aboveground or
overhead on supports. This leaves the piping and its supports exposed to exposure fires. Failure of the supports can lead to rapid and extensive spread
of the original fire.
This new requirement addresses these concerns by requiring protection
for load-bearing supports using one of four acceptable options, with the
flexibility of allowing other equally effective means, if the authority having
jurisdiction agrees.

3-6* Protection against Corrosion.

All piping systems for liquids, both abovegroundand underground, that are subject to external corrosion shall be protected. Underground piping systems shall be
protected in accordance with 2-4.3.

A-3-6

Buried steel piping should be coated with a suitable material and should be
cathodically protected. Galvanized steel pipe, by itself and without other corrosion

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3-7 Underground Piping

165

protection methods, is not acceptable for underground piping. Steel swing joints
and stainless steel flexible connectors should also be made corrosion resistant
when in contact with the soil .Thus, such fittings should also be coated and cathodically protected when installed between nonmetallic, compatible tanks and piping,
such as fiberglass reinforced plastic.

Chapter 2 requires that an underground storage tank be protected from

external corrosion. It is even more important that the piping system and all
its elements be similarly protected. Most leaks that occur in underground
storage tank systems originate in some part of the piping system.

~~~

3-7 Underground Piping.

In areas subject to vehicle traffic, the trench shall be of sufficient depth to permit
a bedding of at least 6 in. (15 cm) of well-compacted backfill material and shall be
covered with at least 18 in. (45.7 cm) of well-compacted backfill material and
pavement. In areas not subject to vehicle traffic, the piping shall be provided with
a cover of at least 6 in. (15 cm) of well-compacted backfill material. A greater burial
depth shall be provided when required by the manufacturer's instructions or where
frost conditions are present.

3-7 .I

Piping within the same trench shall be separated as follows:

(a) Two pipe diameters between steel lines;

(b) Two pipe diameters between fiberglass-reinforced plastic lines; and
(c) Piping need not be separated by more than 9 in. (23 cm).

3-7.2

Two or more levels of pipes within the same trench shall be separated by a
minimum 6 in. (15 cm) of well-compacted backfill.

This new section provides detailed requirements for proper installation of

underground (buried) piping, including depth of burial, lateral clearance between parallel runs of piping, and vertical clearance between same. Note
that item (c)establishes a maximum 9-inch (230-millimeter) clearance, both
laterally and vertically. This was not part of the original proposal. Items (b)
and (c) are based on industry practice for installing buried piping at service
stations. Recognizing that Chapter 3 applies to many other facilities and to
piping that will likely be much larger in diameter than what is common at
service stations, the NFPA 30 Technical Committee on Tank Storage and
Piping Systems felt that the upper limit was necessary to maintain
practicality.

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NFPA 30: Chapter 3

3-8 Valves.
Piping systems shall contain a sufficient number of valves to operate the system
properly and to protect the plant. Piping systems in connection with pumps shall
contain a sufficient number of valves to control properly the flow of liquid in normal
operation and in the event of physical damage. Each connection to piping by which
equipment such as tank cars, tank vehicles, or marine vessels discharge liquids
into storage tanks shall be provided with a check valve for automatic protection
against back-flow if the piping arrangement is such that back-flow from the system
is possible. (See also 2-3.8.7.)

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The number of valves actually needed to meet the requirements of the

code will vary considerably from one installation to another. This is because
of the variety of piping systems and the varying situations dictated by the occupancy and its use. Each piping system must be evaluated on its own
merits, based on good engineering practice. If consideration is given to general safety guidelines and to the potential results of failure, a determination
us to the number and placement of valves can be made. Check valves are required only if backflow is possible.
The following Formal Interpretation was originally processed based on
the 1981 edition of NFPA 3 0 , but is still applicable.

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167

3-8 .I

If loading and unloading is done through a common pipe system, a check

valve is not required. However, a block valve shall be provided. This valve shall be
located so that it is readily accessible or shall be remotely operable.

3-9 Testing.
Unless tested in accordance with the applicable sections of ANSI 831 ,American
National Standard Code for Pressure Piping, all piping, before being covered,
enclosed, or placed in use, shall be hydrostatically tested to 150 percent of the
maximum anticipated pressure of the system, or pneumatically tested to 1 1O percent of the maximum anticipated pressure of the system but not less than 5 psi
(34.5 kPa) gauge at the highest point of the system.This test shall be maintained
for a sufficient time to complete visual inspection of all joints and connections, but
for at least 1O minutes.

Tests are not a guarantee that the system is leak-free or that it will remain
that way. They are one method to help ensure that the system will perform
as desired under normal circumstances and predictable emergency
situations. Three test methods are acceptable:
(a) Meeting the requirements of ANSI B3 1;
(b) Hydrostatically testing to 150 percent of maximum system design
pressure; or
(c) Pneumatically testing to 110 percent of the maximum system design
pressure.

In any case, the test must be conducted for at least 10 minutes or until a
complete visual inspection of all joints and connections has been made. The
reason for the percentage differences between the pneumatic and hydrostatic
test limits is safety. A piping system that is overpressurized with water or
other liquid contains much less potential energy than one that is overprcssurized with air, nitrogen, or other gas. This is because water and similar
fluids are noncompressible, whereas gases can be greatly compressed. In the
event of failure, a piping system undergoing a hydrostatic test will quickly
depressurize, thus minimizing the chance for a catastrophic rupture. A
pneumatic failure, on the other hand, will sometimes involve a violent rupture of the system being tested. As in the testing of tanks, the piping should
be cleaned and purged of any flammable vapors, and flammable or combustible liquids should not be used for the test fluid.
As written, this section applies to all new piping systems and any piping
system that has undergone major repair or replacement. However, minor

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NFPA 30:. Chapter 3

repairs, such as replacement of a gasket, repair of a valve packing gland, or

tightening of flange bolts, would not require compliance with these
requirements.

3-IO* Identification.
Each loading and unloading riser for liquid storage shall be identified by color
code or marking to identify the product for which the tank is used.
Where loading and unloading risers for Class II or Class HIA liquids are located in the same immediate area as loading and unloading risers for Class I
liquids, consideration should be given to providing positive means, such as different pipe sizes, connection devices, special locks, or other methods designed to
prevent the erroneous transfer of Class I liquids into or from any container or tank
used for Class II or Class HIA liquids.

Exception No. I: This provision need not apply to water-miscible liquids where
the class is determined by the concentration of liquid in water.
Exception No. 2: This provision need not apply where the equipment is cleaned
beween transfers.

This requirement addresses a continuing problem: that of inadvertent

mixing of incompatible materials or of Class I liquids with higher flash point
liquids. The appendix item to this section suggests some appropriate identification methods in order to prevent this from occurring.
Reference Cited in Commentary

ANSI B31, American National Standard Code for Pressure Piping, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, 1991.

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CHAPTER 3 - E N G L

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A-3-1O