A Guide To Pressure Vessel Engineering In Australia

A Guide To Pressure Vessel Engineering In Australia

Pressure vessels are generally used in disciplines like mechanical engineering as well as practitioners in pipeline and risk engineering. In order to ensure safety, it is imperative that owners and operators ensure the integrity of any pressure vessels under design or operating conditions. In Australia, there are several national and international regulations that are required to be adhered to by owners, operators, and suppliers of pressure equipment.

Mandatory Regulation For Pressure Vessels

In Australia, it is required that both operators and suppliers of compressed air equipment must abide by specified legal requirements. AS4343 Australia Standard requires that pressure equipment with hazard levels of A, B, C, or D are registered with the relevant territory or state OHS Regulatory Body.

In order to confirm that the design complies with the Australian Standard AS1210 for internal pressure design, it is required to be verified by an independent verifying body as part of the registration process. The owner or operator may be required by the relevant OHS regulatory body to periodically renew the registration and to inform the OHS when the pressure vessel changes ownership or is relocated.

In-Service Inspection Of Pressure Equipment AS3788

Depending on the design, size, pressure, and hazard level of the equipment, a pressure vessel is required to be inspected every 2 years internally and every 4 years externally by a competent person in accordance with  Australian Standard AS3788.

Pressure Vessel Design

Our qualified engineers at Sherwood Design & Engineering can provide you with a pressure vessel design in accordance with Australian Standard AS1210 and sign off for Design Registration with the relevant Australian authorities. Our services include 3D design drafting and detailed, read- for- manufacture drawings. 

In addition, we will supply you with a calculation set and can obtain independent, 3rd party design verification on your behalf for the purpose of registering with the relevant authority.

Should you require a full design and manufacture service, we also work in collaboration with a number of extremely capable fabrication companies to provide a complete service.

We can also provide the services of an engineering inspector for the final sign-off of the required Item Registration in order to ensure that the pressure vessel is safe to put into service.

Design Verification

It is mandatory in Australia to register the design of a pressure vessel within a specific hazard level range with the relevant authority prior to putting it into service. In order to register the design, an independent third-party verifier must check and sign off on the design. 

Sherwood Design and Engineering offers a pressure vessel design verification service by fully qualified engineers to verify that the vessel complies with the relevant international standard. In addition, we will assist you in the required steps to get your pressure vessel into operation and apply to the relevant authority in NSW on your behalf for pressure vessel registration.

Mandatory Registration Of A Pressure Vessel Design

If your pressure vessel has been determined to fall under specific hazard levels it is mandatory to register with the relevant statutory authority in your state. The design verification and registration process involve a comparison to the design requirements of the relevant nominated international standard for design and operating conditions. 

By meeting the minimum stated requirements, it ensures that the pressure equipment has sufficient structural integrity required for in-service conditions. Design verification is more concerned with the safety of the equipment than its functionality.

There are a number of other national and international regulations that may impact owners, suppliers, and operators of compressed air vessels, but we hope this short guide has given you a better understanding of the regulations for the design and registration of air compression equipment in Australia. 

At Sherwood Design & Engineering Pty Ltd, we have been providing engineering design and support services to industries such as steelmaking, minerals processing, water treatment, food/pharmaceuticals, materials handling, and many others for more than 40 years. We specialise in pressure vessel design and pressure vessel design verification, as well as plant engineering where design, plant layout and preparation of arrangement, fabrication and manufacturing drawings are required.

If you are looking for trustworthy and reliable pressure vessel engineering design and support services, please call us today on (02) 9437 3566 or leave an enquiry.

Back