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Standardized Repair Procedure for Failures in Heat Exchangers

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Abstract

Shell and tube heat exchanger failures during service have been a significant cause of petrochemical plant turnarounds and shutdowns. These failures not only cause an interruption in production operations and substantially impact financial losses but also necessitate immediate attention concerning different types of repairs and maintenance. Welding repair has recently become a significant concern because several process facilities have been in operation for more than 40 years, the world widely pioneering in the oil and gas refineries. Heat exchanger materials have lost strength and toughness due to degradation such as temper embrittlement, galvanic corrosion, and also other damages such as pitting corrosion, excessive wear, fatigue failure, and creep due to continuous long-term operation. This paper discusses the standardized welding procedures of heat exchanger failures during the turnaround period or due to aged conditions in various end-users worldwide. In other words, this paper summarizes the details of all the welding repairs of more than 100 heat exchangers during the study period. The frequent maintenance was refurbished successfully, and the standard procedure was prepared accordingly. Some critical tasks are explained, such as technical planning for welding repair, integrated challenges associated with working in the radiologically controlled zone, repair performance, organizational involvement, and fulfilling the standards such as ASME, NBIC, SAES, and SES codes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Skills, Jubail Technical Institute, Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Mohamed Fayas Saffiudeen, Fasil T. Mohammed & Abdullah Syed

Authors
  1. Mohamed Fayas Saffiudeen
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  2. Fasil T. Mohammed
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  3. Abdullah Syed
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Correspondence to Mohamed Fayas Saffiudeen.

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Saffiudeen, M.F., Mohammed, F.T. & Syed, A. Standardized Repair Procedure for Failures in Heat Exchangers. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 23, 1385–1392 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-023-01709-5

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