Case Study of Cryogenic Transport Tanker 2833

Tanker Job No.: 1011021004/1

Model No.: T1518DS
Mounted upon Vehicle No.: KA 51 A 2833
1st Job Tenure: 7th April 2022 to June 2022
Job Carried Out:
After receiving the tanker vacuum testing carried out to understand the problem. Outer jacket
crack is found at right side near valve box. It was a parent metal failure at this position and
followed by repair job and testing (welding, DP test, Pressure test). After that final evacuation
process was carried out and tank dispatched after satisfactory result of vacuum holding test.
After Completion of repair job at Techno Bridge, this tanker had been in service by Air water.
2nd Job Tenure: 17th November to 5th May, 2023
Job Carried Out:
After receiving the tanker, we go for testing and found
out there is Internal leakage. Sequence of works
followed as per the standard procedure:
1.Tank unloaded from chassis and rest on roller bed.
2. Valve box side disc cutting. But some of pipe lines are
at inner side and can’t operate proper testing due to
obstacles at this position.
3. Driver cabin side disc cutting to facilitate inner shell extrusion
keeping outer shell fixed, so that full pipe line is open for
checking. Inner side DP Gauge Liquid line leakage is found and
repair job carried out (socket welding) followed by required
testing (DP testing, Pressure Testing at MAWP or above as per
the condition).
4. After completion of insulation wrapping, both outer discs had
been fitted and welded and followed by testing related to outer
shell test procedure.
5. Finally Vacuum work done and after a satisfactory vacuum
hold test and also after completion of all other jobs Transport
tanker was dispatched on 5th May, 2023 at 3:00 PM.
3rd Job Tenure: 17th May to 24th July, 2023
Job Carried Out:
Again, tank was returned. After that vacuum test is done and figured out that there is leakage in
outer shell. Sequence of works as follows:
1. Outer shell is purged with Ultra High Purity Nitrogen and every ‘O’- Ring joints checked and
no abnormality found. Vaporiser and Hose box dismantled from tank.
2. We can’t understand why frequent leakage is occurring, we discussed and marked possible leak
areas (all outer shell welding joints). To facilitate proper checking, putty and paint scrapping done
on those selected areas. But nothing is found at a pressure (outer shell) of 1.5 kg/cm². We go for
full outer shell body checking at this pressure but nothing is found.
3. After rising the pressure above 2kg/cm² (outer shell) we found there is a micro crack in
outer shell body (lower middle side,
adjacent to middle support of left side
vaporiser), it is on parent metal not on
welding joint. Unlike other tanks,
outer jacket of this tank is made of
SS304. We apprehend there might be
fatigue in outer jacket material which
is causing frequent
failure/crack/leakage in outer jacket.
4. To understand the propagation of the
crack DP testing and grousing is carried out until full crack zone was exposed.
5. Then welding is done with outer shell filled with Argon gas and followed by DP testing and
Pressure testing. No other leakage is
found on outer shell during final
pressure testing.
6. Heating and vacuum test done and
lock test found satisfactory.
7. Necessary putty and paint application
done.
8. Vaporiser, Hose box fitted.
9. As old DP gauge (make SWITZER;
SR. No.- 90015J2S) diaphragm is
damaged, which takes time to repair,
new DP Gauge (make SWITZER; SR.
No.- 90022BLG) is installed on
confirmation of Mr. Sujit Mallick. All
pipelines checked at MAWP; no leakage
found. Inner shell purged with hot Nitrogen, blowed and hold at Positive pressure.
Transport tanker was dispatched on 24th July, 2023 at 3:45 PM.
Both of the outer jacket leakage were found at different positions of parent metal (SS 304)
indicating loss in ductility & metal fatigued over prolonged service period. The concerned
leakage repaired during 3rd job tenure was not under warranty coverage. Huge expenditure
was occurred to carry out such repairing.