Pressurized systems that contain hazardous or high-pressure fluids must be carefully designed, verified, and operated to ensure safety and reliability. WHA provides independent engineering reviews to help organizations confirm adherence to best practices, applicable codes and standards, and operational requirements.
WHA engineers bring expertise across a wide range of fluids from oxygen and hydrogen to cryogenics and other hazardous media. They understand the unique risks, material compatibility challenges, and code requirements that are often overlooked. By combining fluid-specific knowledge with deep experience in pressurized systems, WHA helps identify issues early, ask the right questions, and ensure systems operate safely, reliably, and in compliance.
These reviews either precede or complement hazard analyses, such as Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), Oxygen Fire Risk Analysis (OFRA), and Hydrogen Combustion Risk Analysis (HCRA), by evaluating whether the underlying system design supports safe operation. WHA engineers assess system configuration, component selection, material selection, operational procedures, and documentation to identify potential design vulnerabilities before they lead to operational issues or safety events.
Design Review Applications
Pressurized system design reviews are particularly valuable for applications involving:
- Oxygen and oxygen-enriched environments
- Hydrogen systems and infrastructure
- Hazardous fluid systems and infrastructure (e.g. natural gas, hybrid mixtures with combustible dust, toxic gases, pyrophoric materials, etc.)
- Cryogenic fluids
- High-pressure gas systems, including inert gases
- Propulsion and test systems
- Industrial gas handling systems
By providing an independent technical evaluation, WHA helps organizations improve system safety, reliability, and compliance while supporting successful commissioning and long-term operation. Independent reviews also help prepare for more formal hazard analyses, which improve efficiency by identifying design issues early, streamlining hazard review sessions, and reducing the need for costly redesign later in the project lifecycle.
Design Review Scope
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Relevant Pressure System Standards
Our engineers have extensive training and hands-on experience working with pressure system codes, including:
- API 520 Part 1, Sizing, Selection, and Installation of Pressure-relieving Devices,
- API 520 Part II, Installation
- API 521, Pressure-relieving and Depressurizing Systems
- API STD 2000, Venting Atmospheric and Low-Pressure Storage Tanks
- API 579/ASME FFS-1 - Recommended Practice for Fitness-for-Service and Continued Operation of Equipment
- ASME PCC-1 - Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint Assembly
- ASME PCC-2 - Repair of Pressure Equipment and Piping
- ASME B31.1 - Power Piping
- ASME B31.3 - Process Piping Design
- ASME B31.12 - Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines
- ASME BPVC Section I - Rules for Construction of Power Boilers
- ASME BPVC Section VIII, Division 1 - Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels
- ASME BPVC Section VIII, Division 2 - Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels Alternative Rules
- ASME PD077 - Failure Prevention, Repair and Life Extension of Piping, Vessels and Tanks
- ASME PD 359 - Practical Welding Technology
- ASME PD 386 - Design of Bolted Flange Joints
- ASME PD 539 - Bolted Joints and Gasket Behavior