Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspection Course

Lesson 1 • Materials Used in Pressure Equipment

Surveys carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, and non-ferrous materials used in construction. Connects material properties to expected degradation mechanisms.

Lesson 2 • Classification of Pressure-Retaining Equipment

Covers fired boilers, unfired vessels, heat exchangers, and autoclaves by design and service. Establishes the taxonomy inspectors use throughout all subsequent inspection tasks.

Lesson 3 • Core Components and Their Functions

Identifies shells, heads, nozzles, tubes, and internals and explains each component's mechanical role. Provides the vocabulary needed for accurate defect reporting.

Lesson 4 • Thermodynamic and Fluid Principles

Explains steam generation, heat transfer modes, and fluid pressure behaviour relevant to inspection. Links physical principles to observable equipment conditions.

Lesson 1 • Damage Assessment and Risk Prioritisation

Applies risk-based inspection logic to rank equipment by likelihood and consequence of failure. Translates degradation knowledge into actionable inspection planning decisions.

Lesson 2 • Mechanical and Erosion Damage

Covers erosion-corrosion, cavitation, mechanical fatigue, and brittle fracture as distinct failure drivers. Links flow conditions and cyclic loading to observable damage patterns.

Lesson 3 • Corrosion Types and Mechanisms

Covers uniform, pitting, crevice, galvanic, and microbiologically influenced corrosion with their driving conditions. Enables inspectors to identify corrosion type from visual and measurement evidence.

Lesson 4 • Cracking and Environmentally Assisted Damage

Explains stress corrosion cracking, hydrogen-induced cracking, and fatigue cracking mechanisms and their triggering environments. Prepares inspectors to select appropriate detection methods.

Lesson 1 • Review of Equipment History and Records

Teaches retrieval and analysis of prior inspection reports, repair records, and operating data. Establishes baseline conditions and identifies recurring damage trends before field work begins.

Lesson 2 • Isolation, Cleaning, and Entry Preparation

Covers lockout/tagout, blinding, purging, and vessel cleaning procedures required before internal inspection. Ensures inspectors understand prerequisites for safe equipment entry.

Lesson 3 • Confined Space and Permit-to-Work Systems

Explains confined space classification, atmospheric testing, and permit-to-work authorisation for vessel entry. Prepares inspectors to comply with entry safety requirements on every job.

Lesson 4 • Defining Inspection Scope and Methods

Guides selection of inspection techniques matched to identified damage mechanisms and equipment geometry. Ensures complete coverage without redundant effort.

Lesson 1 • Documenting and Reporting Visual Findings

Teaches standardised sketching, photography, and written description of visual anomalies. Produces defensible inspection records that support engineering evaluation.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Visual Examination

Establishes lighting requirements, viewing angles, distance limits, and eye qualification standards for visual inspection. Provides the scientific basis for reliable visual detection.

Lesson 3 • Weld and Joint Visual Examination

Applies weld visual acceptance criteria to identify surface-breaking cracks, undercut, porosity, and misalignment. Connects visual findings to decisions about further NDE.

Lesson 4 • External Surface and Insulation Inspection

Covers external corrosion under insulation, coating condition, and support contact areas. Identifies external degradation that is often overlooked during internal-focused inspections.

Lesson 1 • Magnetic Particle and Liquid Penetrant Testing

Applies MT and PT to detect surface and near-surface discontinuities in ferrous and non-ferrous materials. Addresses technique selection, surface preparation, and indication interpretation.

Lesson 2 • Radiographic Testing of Welds

Explains X-ray and gamma-ray radiography setup, exposure parameters, and film or digital image interpretation. Enables inspectors to evaluate radiographs against weld acceptance criteria.

Lesson 3 • Advanced NDE Techniques Overview

Introduces TOFD, ACFM, guided wave UT, and acoustic emission as supplementary detection tools. Helps inspectors recognise when advanced methods add value beyond conventional NDE.

Lesson 4 • NDE Data Interpretation and Reporting

Integrates NDE results with visual findings and equipment history to form a complete inspection conclusion. Produces NDE reports that meet procedural and regulatory documentation requirements.

Lesson 1 • Leak Testing Methods

Covers bubble, halogen, helium mass spectrometer, and pressure change leak tests for different sensitivity requirements. Matches leak test method to service fluid and acceptable leak rate.

Lesson 2 • Pneumatic Testing Considerations

Addresses the elevated hazard of pneumatic testing and the additional precautions required compared to hydrostatic tests. Identifies conditions where pneumatic testing is permitted.

Lesson 3 • Hydrostatic Test Principles and Procedures

Covers test pressure calculation, fill sequence, hold time, and inspection during pressurisation. Establishes the standard approach for post-repair and periodic hydrostatic testing.

Lesson 4 • Test Documentation and Acceptance Evaluation

Guides recording of test parameters, anomalies observed, and final pass/fail determination. Produces test records that satisfy regulatory and quality system requirements.

Lesson 1 • Crack-Like Flaw Assessment

Applies fracture mechanics principles to evaluate crack-like flaws against critical flaw size limits. Determines whether a flaw requires immediate repair or can be monitored.

Lesson 2 • Run, Repair, and Retire Decision-Making

Integrates FFS results, risk assessment, and economic factors into a structured run/repair/retire recommendation. Prepares inspectors to communicate findings to operations and engineering teams.

Lesson 3 • Creep and High-Temperature Life Assessment

Evaluates remaining creep life using Larson-Miller parameters and operating temperature history. Supports run/repair/retire decisions for equipment operating near design temperature limits.

Lesson 4 • General Metal Loss Evaluation

Applies average and local metal loss assessment procedures to thinned shells, heads, and nozzles. Produces minimum required thickness comparisons and remaining life projections.

Lesson 1 • Repair and Alteration Classification

Distinguishes repairs from alterations and identifies the authorisation requirements for each category. Establishes the inspector's role in approving work scope before execution.

Lesson 2 • Common Repair Techniques

Describes weld overlay, insert plate, full encirclement sleeve, and hot-tap repair methods with their applicability limits. Connects repair method selection to damage type and equipment geometry.

Lesson 3 • Post-Weld Heat Treatment Requirements

Explains PWHT temperature ranges, heating and cooling rates, hold times, and exemption criteria by material and thickness. Verifies that PWHT is performed and documented correctly.

Lesson 4 • Post-Repair Inspection and Acceptance

Applies NDE, dimensional checks, and pressure testing after repair to confirm restoration of design integrity. Closes the repair loop with final documentation and return-to-service authorisation.