ASME BPE code is the bioprocessing equipment code and covers 1/2" thru 6" tubular products.

The piping for example, may consist of stainless steel tubing such as stainless steel ASTM A270 Type 316L (UNS31603)with special internal/external surface polishing. Such systems are usually sterilized and so the thermal analysis is desirable.

Some challenging aspects of analyzing this piping to ASME B31.3 that I have found include:
1. Tees with clamp ends do not conform to ANSI B16.9 weld tees dimensionally, and fabrication results in a crotch region that is much different.
2. Tees are used with hygienic clamp ends, and so do not meet Note 13 of Table D300.
3. Elbow radius' do not match ANSI B16.9, radius for clamp end elbows are higher, and for automatic weld end elbows higher still, and the type to be used is not always known at analysis.
4. Hygienic clamp manufacturers have not been forthcoming on acceptable loads for their products, and the BPE code does not establish load ratings.

To model the tees I have used unreinforced fabricated tee SIFs, which can run 3-4 times that of a B16.9 tee. Carefull attention to ISOs will ususally predict where welding .vs. clamp ends for tees and elbows will be applied. Then bend radius' and flange factors can be entered accordingly. The owner and I agreed on a table of load values for hygenic clamps based on ASME B16.5 flange calculations to monitor clamp connection loads. The uncertainty with the tees installed without the straight pipe requirement is unaddressed, except for monitoring the results and adjusting the layout to keep the stress ratio for such tees well below unity.

How do others deal with these challenges? Are you using FEA methods to develop SIFs?