Pressure Relief Devices: Design, Sizing, Construction, Inspection and Maintenance (Virtual Classroom)

Pressure relief devices (PRDs) are critical safety components that protect boilers, pressure vessels, piping and tanks from overpressure and potential explosions or collapse. Proper design, installation, and maintenance ensure the safety and integrity of pressurized systems. Proper PRD design and application are essential for ensuring the safety and integrity of pressurized equipment.

This course offers a comprehensive review of the current practices for designing, constructing, installing, operating, inspecting, and maintaining PRDs. Participants learn code requirements and best industry practices to prevent equipment from exceeding its maximum allowed pressures.

The curriculum covers code requirements for overpressure protection, including key standards from the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes (B&PVC) and ASME Pressure Piping Codes including:

• ASME Section I – Power Boilers
• ASME Section III – Nuclear Systems
• ASME Section IV – Heating Boilers
• ASME Section VIII – Pressure Vessels
• ASME Section XII – Transport Tanks
• ASME Section XIII – Overpressure Protection
• ASME B31.1 – Power Piping
• ASME B31.3 – Process Piping
• ASME B31.8 – Natural Gas Piping
• ASME B31.12 – Hydrogen Piping

In addition, the following American Petroleum Institute (API) standards are also discussed:

• API RP 520-Parts I & II Sizing, Selection, and Installation of Pressure Relief Devices
• API RP 576-Inspection of Pressure Relief Devices

By participating in this course, you will learn how to successfully:

• PRD Fundamentals and Codes – Analyze PRD types, components, and operating principles to determine correct application of ASME, API, B31 series, and National Board code requirements across boilers, pressure vessels, piping, and specialized systems. 
• Overpressure Protection and Design – Evaluate PRD sizing and design solutions by comparing multiple protection strategies, identifying limitations, and confirming compliance with capacity, contingency, and scenario-based criteria. 
• Installation and System Integration – Apply code requirements for PRD installation, piping, reaction forces, and stability to ensure safe and effective system integration.
• Inspection, Maintenance, and Handling – Analyze pre-service and on-stream inspections, perform corrective actions, and follow proper storage and handling practices to maintain PRD readiness.
• Repair and Testing – Appraise repair and servicing procedures, the National Board VR program, and testing requirements to ensure continued compliance and device reliability. 

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for engineers of all levels from early career engineers to experienced engineers. It is an essential resource for mechanical engineers, and design engineers; process engineers, and chemical engineers; reliability engineers, and maintenance engineers; inspectors, and testing engineers; as well as plant supervisors, and managers.

Course Materials (included in purchase of course): 

• Digital course notes via ASME’s Learning Platform 

Supplementary Materials (not included in the purchase of the course):

• Please bring a calculator to class each day.

This ASME Virtual Classroom course is held live with an instructor on our online learning platform. Certificate of completion will be issued to registrants who successfully attend and complete the course.

Can't make one of the scheduled sessions? This course is also available On Demand.