High Pressure, High Temperature
Reactor Vessels in Aggressive Service

High pressure reactor vessels are an integral part of any refinery or chemical plant. They represent a significant investment in purchase cost and are critical in the daily production stream. To enhance the reliability of these vessels, careful attention should be paid to the assessment of their condition, both current and in the future.

IESCO has developed a complete program for the assessment
of safe, continued service using advanced ultrasonic technology including Time Of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) and Phased Array.
Operating conditions determine the type and extent of inspection. The technology can be applied to plant equipment at both ambient temperature and in-service temperatures normally associated with hydro-processing technology.

The components of our program include:

● Pre-service inspection - prior to service, to document all flaws and fingerprint vessel structure.
● In-Service Inspection - during plant shutdown.
● Fitness for Service - prior to turnaround.
● Repair - during turnaround, for defects outside fitness evaluation parameters.

Current environmental regulations require plant operators to inspect and monitor aboveground storage tanks for corrosion and flaws. Our program contains computerized reporting of shell and floor thickness, weld evaluation and seal inspections. We provide comprehensive reports for easy evaluation.

 

Planning
The selection of areas for inspection will greatly depend on vessel design, materials used and quality of the original fabrication. In some cases, partial inspection of highly stressed areas is sufficient. In others, a complete inspection may be necessary. Our assessment evaluation includes stress analysis, determination of fracture toughness, critical crack size, and a remaining life prediction.

Preparation
Preparation of the vessel for inspection is important to the accurate determination of time, cost and reliability of the NDE. Items for consideration are the removal of insulation, erection of scaffolding, and surface preparation with hydroblasting, sandblasting, power brushing, or a combination of these methods. When necessary, IESCO can provide all surface preparation to facilitate inspection.

Execution
IESCO provides complete weld inspection services utilizing the latest in both manual and automated ultrasonics. All inherent weld flaws will be evaluated for orientation, length and character. Any flaw which requires monitoring or future evaluation will be inspected by Automated Ultrasonic Testing (AUT) to fingerprint its extension in both length and critical through-wall dimension. Utilizing AUT enables precise inspection, which is not operator dependent.

Evaluation
After completion of the NDE, all results are evaluated by Senior Level III NDE Engineers and Fracture Mechanics Specialists. A complete report of all findings and recommendations is prepared and delivered prior to demobilization.

IESCO employs systems and technology which provide information in both Pulse Echo and Time-Of-Flight-Diffraction (TOFD) modes. Automated Ultrasonic Inspection results in definitive information for reactor assessments.

 

Superior methodology.
Expert implementation.
Equally important components of all IESCO services.