Re: Air receiver hydraulic test pressure

May 12, 2025 Last reply: 1 year ago 12 Replies


I've just acquired a compressor with a modest sized air receiver. It's


> a 150 litre rated at 10 bar.
>
> I need to perform a hydraulic test on this but at what pressure? Some
> articles say 1.25 bar others 1.5bar.
>
> Is there a BS or similar standard?
>
> I'll be checking the relief valve too.

I know it's a long time ago but round to testing this. I used one of these:

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And got the vessel to 20 bar. Changed PRV for 10 bar as the old one was of unknown type and origin.

Start her

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Tip: a google search for "british standard testing of pressure vessels" will provide a synopsis of PD5500

The test pressure is normally twice the working pressure when a pressure vessel is first commissioned, and 1.5 times the working pressure for subsequent routine tests.

The vessel usually has the working and test pressures stamped on an attached plate - certainly mine does, as did the ones that I come across through work (other than the really big ones that we made for petrochem and industrial processes, where it was covered in the stacks of test and maintenance documents).

I’m guessing the OP must have mixed up his units and looked up test pressures for a vessel rated at 10 psi, not 10 bar. A test to 1.25 or 1.5 bar would be appropriate in that scenario.

Tim

I wish I was aware of this when I made the first post. Many thanks. The Act contains the actual test pressures.

In ignorance I filled the container fully with water and tested to a nominal 20 bar, 2 times the working pressure. I will be more enlightened for next time.

Mine has working pressures on a plate but no test pressures. :-(

The working pressure is definitely rated at 10 bar.

Why? I didn't want any compressive energy just in case things let go and so filled the receiver with 100% water.

It shouldn't have caused any harm, in fact you have reassured yourself that the thing isn't likely to go bang in service. It just that twice working pressure usually is deemed unnecessary for periodic checks.

FYI ISTR that for the initial commissioning test that it has to be maintained at the test pressure for 30 minutes.

Thanks for the info.

The purpose of the test was personal reassurance and hand on my heart I tested the receiver.

I probably held it at 10 bar for 10 minutes. It's not something I took note of.

The receiver is a current model but the datasheet doesn't have any test parameters. Perhaps to absolve them of liability or that there are a number manufacturer over the life of the product?

Doh, I meant 20 bar!

Then the articles were massively wrong. ;-) I was only postulating a way in which someone could have come up with such a low test pressures figure.

Tim

Tim

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