DAMAGE MECHANISMS

AFFECTING FIXED EQUIPMENT

IN THE REFINING INDUSTRY

NAME: MUHAMMAD WIDAD

ASFA B SHAFIE
 INTRODUCTI
ON
The ASME and API design codes and standards for pressurized
equipment provide rules for the design,
fabrication, inspection, and testing of new pressure vessels,
piping systems, and storage tanks. These
codes do not address equipment deterioration while in service
and that deficiencies due to degradation or
from original fabrication may be found during subsequent
inspections
 SCOPE

Identifying likely causes To assist with To help identify To ensure equipment

of damage the development of monitoring programs integrity.
inspection strategies
 COMMON
DAMAGE
01 MECHANISM
03 03
02

Mechanical and Uniform or Localized High Temperature Environment Assisted

Metallurgical Failure Loss of Thickness Corrosion Cracking
 Mechanical and Metallurgical
Failure Mechanisms
Graphitization
• Graphitization is a change in the microstructure of certain carbon steels and 0.5Mo steels after
longterm operation in the 800°F to 1100°F (427°C to 593°C) range that may cause a loss in strength,
ductility, and/or creep resistance.
Affected Materials
• Some grades of carbon steel

Factors
• Chemistry, stress, temperature, and time of exposure.
 Mechanical and Metallurgical
Failure Mechanisms
Affected Units or Equipment
• Primarily hot-wall piping and equipment in the FCC,
catalytic reforming and coker units.

Prevention / Mitigation
• Graphitization can be prevented by using chromium containing low
alloy steels for long-term operation above 800°F (427°C).
Inspection and Monitoring
• Evidence of graphitization is most effectively evaluated through
removal of full thickness samples for examination using
metallographic techniques like Xray diffraction and scanning
electron microsopy. Damage may occur midwall so that field
replicas may be inadequate.
• Advanced stages of damage related to loss in strength include
surface breaking cracks or creep deformation that may be difficult
to detect.
 Uniform or Localized Loss of Thickness
Galvanic Corrosion
• A form of corrosion that can occur at the junction of dissimilar metals when they are joined
together in a suitable electrolyte, such as a moist or aqueous environment, or soils containing
moisture.
Affected Materials
• All metals with the exception of most noble metals.

Factors
For galvanic corrosion, three conditions must be met:
1) Presence of an electrolyte, a fluid that can conduct a current. Moisture or a separate water
phase is usually required for the solution to have enough conductivity.
2) Two different materials or alloys known as the anode and the cathode, in contact with an
electrolyte.
3) An electrical connection must exist between the anode and the cathode.
 Uniform or Localized Loss of Thickness

Affected Units or Equipment Inspection and Monitoring

• Galvanic corrosion can occur in any unit where there is a conductive fluid
and alloys are coupled. Heat exchangers are susceptible if the tube Visual inspection and UT thickness
material is different from the tubesheet and/or baffles, particularly if salt gauging are very effective methods
water cooling is utilized. for detecting galvanic corrosion.
• Buried pipelines, electrical transmission support towers and ship hulls are
typical locations for galvanic corrosion.

Prevention / Mitigation
• The best method for prevention/mitigation is through good design.
• Differing alloys should not be in intimate contact in conductive environments
unless the anode/cathode surface area ratio is favorable.
• Coatings can be helpful, but the more noble material should be coated.
• For piping, specially designed electric insulating bolt sleeves and gaskets can
eliminate the electrical connection.
 High Temperature Corrosion
Oxidation
• Oxygen reacts with carbon steel and other alloys at high temperature converting the
metal to oxide scale.
• It is most often present as oxygen is in the surrounding air (approximately 20%) used
for combustion in fired heaters and boilers.

Affected Materials
• All iron based materials including carbon steel and low alloy steels, both
cast and wrought.

Factors
• The primary factors affecting high temperature oxidation are metal
temperature and alloy composition.
• Oxidation of carbon steel begins to become significant above about 1000°F
(538°C). Rates of metal loss increase with increasing temperature.
 High Temperature Corrosion
Affected Units or Equipment
• Oxidation occurs in fired heaters and boilers as well as other combustion equipment,
piping and equipment that operates in high temperature environments when metal
temperatures exceed about 1000°F (538°C).

Prevention / Mitigation
• Resistance to oxidation is best achieved by upgrading to a more resistant alloy.

Inspection and Monitoring

• Process conditions should be monitored for establishing trends of high temperature
equipment where oxidation can occur.
• Temperatures can be monitored through the use of tubeskin thermocouples and/or
infrared thermography.
• Loss in thickness due to oxidation is usually measured using external ultrasonic
thickness measurements.
 Environment – Assisted Cracking
Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (Cl-SCC)
• Surface initiated cracks caused by environmental cracking of 300 Series SS and some
nickel base alloys under the combined action of tensile stress, temperature and an
aqueous chloride environment. The presence of dissolved oxygen increases
propensity for cracking.

Affected Materials
• All 300 Series SS are highly susceptible.
• Nickel base alloys are highly resistant, but not immune.

Factors
• Chloride content, pH, temperature, stress, presence of oxygen and alloy
composition are critical factors
• Increasing temperatures increase the susceptibility to cracking.
• Increasing levels of chloride increase the likelihood of cracking.
 Environment – Assisted Cracking
Affected Units or Equipment
• All 300 Series SS piping and pressure vessel components in any process units are
susceptible to Cl-SCC.
• Cracking has occurred in water-cooled condensers and in the process side of crude
tower overhead condensers.

Prevention / Mitigation
• Use resistant materials of construction.
• When hydrotesting, use low chloride content water and dry out thoroughly and
quickly.
• Properly applied coatings under insulation

Inspection and Monitoring

• Cracking is surface connected and may be detected visually in some cases.
• Eddy current inspection methods have also been used on condenser tubes as well as
piping and pressure vessels.
• UT.
 REFERENCE

DAMAGE MECHANISMS AFFECTING FIXED EQUIPMENT IN THE

REFINING INDUSTRY,API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 571 SECOND
EDITION, APRIL 2011
T HAN K
YOU