FCCU Expansion Joint Inspection

Product Information Sheet

FCCU EXPANSION JOINT INSPECTION

For Refractory Lined, Cold Wall and Unlined FCCU Expansion Joints

1
Expansion Joint Systems, Inc.
10035 Prospect Avenue, Suite 202, Santee, CA 92071 (800) 842-2828 (619) 562-6083 Fax (619) 562-0636 E-mail: sales@ejsus.com

PS# 02 rev. 4 1/08

FCCU Expansion Joint Inspection

Product Information Sheet

Expansion Joint Systems urges all inspection personnel to take the utmost care to protect themselves while performing any inspections in the vicinity of an operating expansion joint. Do not attempt to touch the bellows membranes with any equipment or material while the unit is operating. The expansion joints in any FCCU environment, although designed with safety factors, are a weak link in the system. Do not remove any covers or insulation from the bellows area. Close inspection of the bellows membrane MUST NOT be done when the unit operating. The information and directions contained in this document are intended to be a guideline to help the user of FCCU type expansion joints. It is not the intent of EJS to limit or recommend any method of inspection. Good engineering practice should be used at all times. It is very difficult to determine the remaining life expectancy of a metal bellows. Without destructive testing of the bellows we cannot see the grain condition, amount of work hardening or the creep deterioration. Visual inspection of the bellows can give good insight into the condition of the bellows, after that there really is no other test. Specialized Ultrasonic equipment can verify the bellows material thickness to ensure there has been no reduction due to erosion or corrosion. The following procedures describe the methods that EJS would use in order to determine the condition and possible remaining life of an expansion joint. We have organized the information into sections for ease of understanding. At the end of each section is a check box which you can mark when you have completed the inspection. We recommend the document be dated and filed for future reference.

5.

Record the temperatures and evaluate the results. If skin temperatures are high in localized areas away from the bellows, there is a probability that the internal refractory is breaking down in that area. The skin temperature will increase as you near the bellows attachment points. This temperature should not exceed 500F. If the temperature exceeds 500 F, the internal insulation under the bellows may be breaking down and possibly needs replacing. Maximum design skin temperature for most cold wall FCCU expansion joints is 650 F. When this temperature is exceeded, the allowable stress of the material is reduced.

6.

7. Enclose a copy of the thermal report with data sheet.

A typical Thermal Data Sheet is enclosed at the end of this product information sheet.

Evaluate the thermal report at this time. The information contained will be invaluable when you are finally able to look inside the expansion joint. The data should confirm the visual inspection of the refractory lining. If the skin temperature exceeds 650F, over more than 30% of the expansion joint, a replacement joint needs to be considered. Which method was used to evaluate the expansion joint?

Hot external inspection:

1. Name of the original manufacturer.

Who performed the evaluation?

2.

Units last refurbishment date and name of contractor

9. While the unit is operating note the position of the control rods and try to ascertain the hot movements the joint is seeing.

3.

What was refurbished?

Axial +/- = Lateral x = y= y=

4.

While the unit is operating the only inspection EJS recommends is a temperature map of the outer skin. This can be achieved using several methods such as: Thermal photography. Optical Pyrometer, inexpensive to purchase, although the map has to be generated by hand. Temperature probes is an option, but are not recommended, as they require close proximity to the joint while it is operating.

Angular x = Media Temperature =

% of max. Operating Temp. =

2
Expansion Joint Systems, Inc.
10035 Prospect Avenue, Suite 202, Santee, CA 92071 (800) 842-2828 (619) 562-6083 Fax (619) 562-0636 E-mail: sales@ejsus.com

PS# 02 rev. 4 1/08

FCCU Expansion Joint Inspection

Product Information Sheet

10. For the most part this completes any hot inspection EJS would recommend. Please attach a general description of the condition of the expansion joint. Include any abnormalities you found and any ducting or piping in the same line that appears distorted. Provide a sketch showing the location of the expansion joint, any supports or anchors and what equipment it is protecting. Cold external inspection: 1. After the unit is shut down and the line temperature is at ambient, record the joint dimensions and compare them to the original drawing. Check for any as built records. Record any cold offsets. If the joint is to be removed for internal inspection match mark the pipe so it can be re-installed with the same orientation. If the unit is going to be refurbished, ensure contractor knows not to remove match marks. OAL = Lateral x = Angular x = Ambient Temperature = y= y=

penetrant test of the bellows attachment weld. If indications are apparent, consult with EJS. Repair of the bellows attachment weld SHOULD BE DONE BY EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL. 6. If the unit is fitted with a ply monitor connection, remove the plug. This needs to be done very carefully. Any undue torque applied to the pipe may crack the weld to the outer bellows ply. If the unit is fitted with ply monitoring equipment and the indicator is still indicating that the ply integrity is good, then any dye indication is probably a surface crack. Two types of local indicators are normally used, Passive indicator- indicates that the inner ply has failed. Active indicator- indicates either the inner or outer ply has failed. This indicator operates with a vacuum between the plies. A ply monitor connection is used to check for leakage between the plies. The monitored pipe in some instances maybe connected to electronic equipment. Please seek advice of an experienced expansion joint manufacturer before repairing any bellows which has such monitoring devices. 7. Apply low pressure between the plies, 15 PSIG is normally sufficient. Use dry air or argon gas. Remove the pressure source and monitor the pressure drop over 15 minutes. A decrease in pressure indicates a leak between the plies. While under pressure, apply soap solution to the attachment weld. Bubbles will indicate an outer ply leak. No bubbles on the outside will indicate an inner ply leak. 8. Apply soap solution to the entire bellows membrane while under ply pressure. 9. If no leaks or pressure drop is apparent, replace the monitor plugs . Do not tighten the plugs. 10. If the unit did not have ply monitoring or if the unit was a single ply design, the dye penetrant test is sufficient. Repair of a single ply bellows is easier than a multi-ply unit, however experienced personnel should perform the weld repair.

2. Remove the bellows covers and remove the insulation pillow if used. The intent of an outer insulation pillow between the bellows OD and cover ID is to maintain a temperature higher than the dew point of the media. This ensures the media will not corrode the internal bellows surfaces. Without the insulation pillow the internal insulation basket can reduce the temperature under the bellows to below the dew point. It is very important that a new pillow be fitted after the inspection is complete. 3. If the unit is fitted with ply monitoring equipment closely inspect it and ensure it is operable. 4. Look carefully at the bellows. The color of the bellows may be black if it was heat treated after forming. Although it may be black in appearance, the bellows should be smooth and uniform. If the bellows shows pitting or excess scaling, REPLACE THE BELLOWS. 5. Lightly clean up the bellows attachment welds using new scotch bright. Perform a dye 3

Expansion Joint Systems, Inc.

10035 Prospect Avenue, Suite 202, Santee, CA 92071 (800) 842-2828 (619) 562-6083 Fax (619) 562-0636 E-mail: sales@ejsus.com

PS# 02 rev. 4 1/08

FCCU Expansion Joint Inspection

Product Information Sheet

11. Before performing any weld repairs dye check the whole bellows where accessible. Any cracks in the main body of the bellows are cause for a replacement bellows to be fitted. 11. Check all weld repairs with dye penetrant. 12. Approximately 2 each side of the bellows attachment weld, lightly polish a 4 area of the outer pipe wall. Perform a dye penetrant examination of these areas. Quite often a series of very small spider cracks show up. If spider cracks are seen, grind lightly and repeat the dye penetrant examination until there are no indications in that area. Determine the depth of the spider cracks. If their depth is more than 10% of the original shell wall thickness the joint should be replaced. THIS 10% ALLOWABLE IS SUGGESTED ONLY. EACH COMPANY SHOULD MAKE THEIR OWN DETERMINATION AS TO ACCEPTABILITY STANDARDS. Exceeding the surface temperature of the unit for long periods normally causes spider cracks. It is an indication of carbon migration from the metals grain boundaries. The same test should be performed wherever visual indications of skin hot spots are apparent or where they were seen on the thermal inspection when the unit was operating. Weld repair on areas with deep spider cracks is not recommended. 13. After you are satisfied with the bellows inspection, remove the ply monitor caps if a ply pressure test was performed. It is extremely important to remove any moisture from between the plies before sealing the monitor pipes. There are numerous ways to achieve this easily. All the methods entail warming the bellows area to a temperature between 300 and 400 F. and holding this temperature for 15 minutes. While at temperature refit the plugs. Use a thermal heat treatment blanket. If you are going to perform a system warm up at low pressure, wait until that time and seal the monitor pipes during warm up.

temperature grease. Please ensure no grease drops onto the bellows area. If grease or oil residues come into contact with the bellows clean the bellows with solvent. (Acetone: follow safety procedures when using any chemical) 17. If any of the hardware seems bent or distorted try to ascertain the reason why. The joint may be over movement in its hot position. This should have been established earlier when the hot position was noted. 18. This basically completes the external inspection of the expansion joint. It is very difficult to predict future expansion joint life expectancy from the proceeding inspection. However, you should have ascertained the general condition of the expansion joint. Even after all of the above inspections, it is still a decision that is made from experience, as to whether the unit needs to be returned to service.

Cold internal inspection: 1. Internal inspection should follow the same basic principles of the external inspection. Any welds that are exposed should be inspected. Find the thermal map taken when the unit was hot and inspect these areas carefully that showed hot. The use of an experienced refractory inspector can be of great help during internal inspection. Follow the inspectors recommendations for repair of the refractory. 2. The area under the liner usually has a hexmesh abrasion resistant lining. Pay close attention to these areas. Look for indications of abrasion beyond allowable limits. 3. If the unit has a seal between the liners to stop the ingress of catalyst, inspect as follows: Visually inspect the seal. Look for gaps around the OD and ID. Check to see that the seal is still malleable and not solid with catalyst. If the seal does not meet all the standards, replace with a new seal. If the seal is replaced, inspect the insulation pillows behind the seal. Replace if necessary. 4. After all the work has been performed, clean out any debris from the internals. This completes the inspection requirements. 4

14. Replace the outer insulation pillows and covers. 15. Inspect all outside welds on the expansion joint. 16. Inspect all the expansion joint hardware, control rods, tie rods, hinges and gimbal boxes. If grease fittings are installed, grease with high

Expansion Joint Systems, Inc.

10035 Prospect Avenue, Suite 202, Santee, CA 92071 (800) 842-2828 (619) 562-6083 Fax (619) 562-0636 E-mail: sales@ejsus.com

PS# 02 rev. 4 1/08

FCCU Expansion Joint Inspection

Product Information Sheet

The proceeding has been directed towards a cold wall type of FCCU expansion joint (A joint with 4 or 5 of refractory lining). Inspection of hot wall expansion joints follows the same criteria with the following exceptions or additions. Hot Wall FCCU Expansion Joints: The units are usually externally insulated. A heat map of the skin is not normally required. Removal of the external insulation is required to complete the outer inspections. The materials used to manufacture the shell are normally a P11 or P22 Chrome/Moly Alloy. Weld procedures including pre-heat and post weld heat treatment are required. The higher temperatures will have affected the general outside appearance. Older units that do not have floating hardware need special attention around the hardware, welds. Before the use of floating hardware welds tended to crack at the intersection of the restraint hardware to the shell OD due to thermal stress. Clean these areas and check all the attachment welds. Look for distortion in the hardware due to thermal strain. The inside of the expansion joint will be completely lined with 3/4 or 1 hex-mesh abrasion resistant lining. Pay close attention to the amount of erosion that has occurred. Inspect the seals if used. Unlined FCCU Expansion Joints: These units are usually externally insulated. The shell and hardware materials are usually stainless steel. Inspection follows the same guidelines of the cold wall units paying particular attention to the hardware attachment welds. Cooling of the hardware sections as they move away from the outer shell causes high thermal strain. Stainless alloys are not prone to spider cracking of the surface. Stainless steel shells and hardware are prone to sensitization of the alloy. Check the operating temperature and the sensitization range for the alloy used. If the two coincide, a microscopic analysis should be performed on the shell material.

Hot Wall unit with floating hardware, covers removed.

Control Rods Monitor connections

Purge connections

Hot Wall unit, internal lining viewed from upstream end.

Liner before seal was fitted.

NOTES: If you are replacing the bellows, consider Inconel 625LCF material. Inspections should be performed every 3 - 5 years. Service life of FCCU units is approx. 10 - 15 years. Normal lead times on FCCU joints are 8 - 14 weeks. EJS provides emergency repair, refurbishment and replacement of FCCU joints.
For more information or questions regarding your FCCU expansion joint, please contact our field service manager, Michael Moore at (800) 482-2808, mmoore@ejsus.com

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Expansion Joint Systems, Inc.
10035 Prospect Avenue, Suite 202, Santee, CA 92071 (800) 842-2828 (619) 562-6083 Fax (619) 562-0636 E-mail: sales@ejsus.com

PS# 02 rev. 4 1/08

FCCU Expansion Joint Inspection

Product Information Sheet

6 EJS Global Offices

Australia Telephone: 61-2-9838-4456 Fax: 61-2-9838-4457 E-mail: kenh@ejsap.com Website: www.ejsap.com 6 Canada Telephone (519) 822-1301 Fax: (519) 822-1128 E-mail: gsudbury@ejsus.com PS# 02 rev. 4 Expansion Joint Systems, Inc. Europe (Italy) Telephone 055-2349592 Fax 055-2349914 E-mail: rcaselli@ejseu.com 10035 Prospect Avenue, Suite 202, Santee, CA 92071 (800) 842-2828 (619) 562-6083 Fax (619) 562-0636 E-mail: sales@ejsus.com 1/08 United States Telephone 1 (619) 562-6083 Fax: (619) 562-0636 E-mail: sales@ejsus.com Website: www.ejsus.com