UNDERSTANDING INDIAN BOILER REGULATION ( IBR )

What does the IBR cover?

The IBR covers the design, fabrication, inspection, testing and certification  :

• Boilers or any boiler part including feed piping and fittings or vessels attached there to
• Boiler components, meaning
• Steam piping
• Feed piping
• Economizers
• Super heaters
• Valves, including safety valves
• Any mounting or fitting or any external or internal part of a boiler which is subjected to pressure exceeding one Kg/cm square gauge
• Steam receivers, separators, steam traps, accumulators and similar vessels
• Heat ex-changer's, converters, evaporators and similar vessels in which steam is generated
• Materials, e.g. forgings, castings, tubes, pipes, plates, welding consumables 

What kind of boilers and components need certification?

     

 

A boiler is a pressure vessel in which steam is generated for external use. 

Vessels that need inspection:

• Have a capacity of more than 25 liters (capacity is measured from the feed check valve to the main steam stop valve)
• Have more than one kilogram per centimeter square design gauge pressure and working gauge press Boiler components that need certification include:
• Steam piping
• Feed piping
• Economizers
• Super heaters
• Any mounting or fitting
• Any other external or internal part of a boiler which is subject to a pressure exceeding one kilogram per centimeter square gauge

What kind of steam or feed pipes need certification?

 Steam pipes need certification if :

• the steam pressure exceeds 3.5 kilograms per square centimeter above atmospheric pressure 
• such pipe exceeds 254 millimeters in internal diameter 
•  pressure of steam exceeds 1 kilogram per square centimeter above the atmospheric pressure 
• includes in either case any connected fitting of a steam pipe

Feed pipes :  

Any pipe or connected fitting including heaters wholly or partly under pressure through which feed water passes directly to a boiler and which does not form an integral part. The requirements for feed piping are similar to steam piping. Any reference to “boiler” in the regulations will apply equally to any of these boiler components.

Boiler material requirements

What boiler materials are approved?

 Materials ordered from any other manufacturer not on the list need to be delivered with relevant IBR forms and inspection by Inspection Authority.

Pipe or connected fitting including heaters wholly or partly under pressure through which feed water passes directly to a boiler and which does not form an integral part. The requirements for feed piping are similar to steam piping. Any reference to “boiler” in the regulations will apply equally to any of these boiler components.

Does the material for the boiler need to come from India ?

No  –  The material for your boiler does not need to be sourced from India to meet IBR requirements. International material manufacturers can meet the certification requirements with correct guidance and compliance to IBR rules and regulations. 

Materials need to be produced under the inspection of the Inspecting Authority and relevant IBR forms to be endorsed by material manufacturer and Inspecting Authority.

What forms are needed for IBR material certification?

Welding

Are there any special requirements for welders working on boilers and components for IBR certification?

Yes -  All welders working on boiler or their components for IBR must be certified to the IBR Regulations

• The CBB does not accept the work of welders qualified to any other code or standard. – Welder qualifications must be done as per IBR Chapter XIII. Written and practical examinations are required, as well as mechanical testing. Please note that IBR stipulates different requirements for qualification of welders and the range for qualifications are also quite different when compared to any other international Boiler Codes.
• The Competent Authority can witness the welder qualification tests and qualify the welder. The qualification is good for two years, provided that the welder has been employed with continuity on class and type of work for which he is qualified.

What is involved in welder theoretical examination?

A welder examined for IBR certification must answer questions on the following subjects, either orally or otherwise :

• weld preparation
• elementary knowledge of welding equipment
• an understanding of properties of material to be welded
• welding techniques
• welding defects and their prevention
• proper selection of filler metals

How does a welder get a certificate?

When the Competent Authority deems the welder has satisfactorily qualified, it then issues certification on the IBR form XII and XIII indicating the class and type of welding in which the welder has qualified.

IBR certification procedures

What needs to be done before boilers and components are manufactured ?

Manufacturing drawings and particulars of the material, design and construction need to be submitted to the Inspecting Authority for examination and approval.

After approval by the Inspecting Authority, the manufacturing drawings are sent to CBB, New Delhi and CIB of the state by the owners/users where the boiler will be installed. The CIB will examine them and give final approval. No manufacturing should begin before the CIB gives final approval.

What kind of documentation needs to be provided for certification of a completed boiler ?

To register a completed boiler, the owner must provide the following to the state’s CIB :

• an approved plan showing the general arrangement of the boiler. It should also contain details of the principal components and methods of manufacture, inspection and testing.
• a certificate issued by the Inspecting Authority certifying that the materials were tested and the boiler built under their supervision. In the case of a boiler on site, either representatives of the Chief Inspector of Boilers or LR Asia Competent Persons in six Indian states can undertake the site inspection, testing and certification.
• Individual components manufactured outside of India require certification of construction and hydraulic test witnessed by the Inspecting Authority.

What forms are needed for IBR boiler or component certification?

Boilers certificates :

Economizer certificates:

Component certificates:

Who needs to receive IBR certification for materials ? 

Any manufacturer of boiler or boiler components wishing to send them to India needs IBR certification. This includes manufacturers in India as well.

What is an Inspecting Authority?

An agency recognized by the Central Boiler Board as an IBR certifying authority. Inspecting Authorities are required to sign off on many parts of the IBR certification process. They are heavily scrutinized by the Indian government. Inspecting Authorities are given certificates indicating their approval  always ensure that a Competent Person is approved by the CBB. Not all Inspecting Authorities are authorized to inspect in all countries. For example,

India can undertake inspection as per IBR during site installation and assembly of boiler or boiler components

approval. Our Competent Persons in India can undertake inspection as per IBR during site installation and assembly of boiler or boiler components.

What is a Competent Authority?

An institution recognized in such a manner as may be prescribed by regulations for issue of certificate to the welders for welding of boilers and boiler components.