This ASME Standard provides the requirements applicable to the design of equipment used in the bioprocessing, pharmaceutical and personal-care products industries, as well as other applications with relatively high levels of hygienic requirements. It covers materials, design, fabrication, inspections, testing and certification. ASME-BPE is unique in the world, having resulted from widespread industry requests for standardization. It is the leading Standard on how to design and build equipment and systems used in the production of biopharmaceuticals. It incorporates current best-practices for enhancing product purity and safety. Companies that rigorously apply ASME-BPE often can achieve production efficiencies, lower development and manufacturing costs, and increase quality and safety, while complying with regulations.
This document is intended solely for the purpose of providing guidance in the evaluation of metal loss in pressurized pipelines and piping systems. It is applicable to all pipelines and piping systems within the scope of the transportation pipeline codes that are part of ASME B31 Code for Pressure Piping, namely: ASME B31.4, Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquid Hydrocarbons and Other Liquids; ASME B31.8, Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems; ASME B31.11, Slurry Transportation Piping Systems; and ASME B31.12, Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines, Part PL. Where the term "pipeline" is used, it may also be read to apply to piping or pipe conforming to the acceptable applications and within the technical limitations discussed below.