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High Energy Piping

Applied Technical Services (ATS)
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High Energy Piping
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Applied Technical Services (ATS)
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High Energy Piping
High Energy Piping
High Energy Piping
Applied Technical Services provides an advanced and thorough HEP management program. Failures in HEP systems must be avoided at all cost. They represent a significant personnel safety Risk as well as having a major negative impact on reliable and profitable operation.
Since plants continue to accumulate more hours of operation while running at full capacity and maintenance budgets are cut, the probability of having a failure continues to increase. At the same time, owners of these systems are being tasked by management and insurance companies to minimize any chance of failures, often times with minimal budget and staff to get the job done.
Under these circumstances it is essential that the available resources be optimized. If your budget only allows you to inspect a limited number of welds it is vital not only that they are the correct welds but the evaluation protocol is capable of detecting the conditions that could ultimately lead to a failure. In addition, damage should be detected early enough such that you can proactively manage the systems.
The next step is the analysis of the results which is at the heart of an effective Program. Proper interpretation and analysis of the results is critical. It helps ensure that only defects that could ultimately result in failures are repaired or the component replaced. Provided the damage is detected early enough, any necessary repair action can be planned and performed in the most cost effective manner. This will help change your operational mode from Reactive to Proactive.
Field Evaluation & Data Collection Techniques:
  • Replication
  • Hardness & Material Composition Analysis
HEP Management Program Outline:
I. Development or Review of a Corporate level Program Document:
This will help ensure that all the overall goals and roles and responsibilities are established. In addition, it can be updated to ensure current industry best practices are being implemented.
II. Develop Risk-Based Prioritized Inspection Locations:
This is a relative ranking process and takes into account the various parameters that influence the probability that a weld might fail. This is done in a systematic and structured method that can be implemented across a group of systems. This list is the “Road Map” for the ongoing execution of the Program. The process includes a detailed review of the existing data, site walkdown and interviews with plant personnel. As evaluations are completed and data is gathered, the ranking is updated and the list of inspection locations is developed for the next outage. This is also a tool to be used for developing budgets and schedules for upcoming outages.
III. Field Evaluation and Data Collection:
This is the field execution phase of the process. This typically happens during a planned outage and involves various non-destructive examinations to collect the necessary data to fully evaluate the critical welds. The data to be collected can include visual examinations, magnetic particle examinations, linear phased array UT, replication, hardness and material composition analysis. Depending on the results additional testing may be required. During the outage a preliminary analysis of the data is performed and recommendations for any additional testing or immediate corrective action are provided. A formal report is prepared including recommended re-inspection intervals and updated Risk Rankings.
IV. Pipe Stress Analysis:
A critical influence of the probability of failure is the stress level at a specific weld. Depending on the results of the initial data review, a recommendation for a current stress analysis may be provided. This would include Walkdowns of detailed support systems in both the hot and cold condition. The results can be used to recommend hanger adjustments and to update Risk Rankings.
V. Flaw Evaluation:
Significant detects noted during the Field Evaluation will be further evaluated. This can include finite element/fracture mechanics to determine flaw propagation and help to make run-repair-replace decisions.
VI. Life Assessment:
Once the significant flaws have been evaluated a Life Assessment is performed. This is done using a life fraction method and re-inspection intervals are defined.
VII. Repair Program Development:
In the event repair or replacements are needed a detailed repair program will be developed. This involves preparation of step by step technical specifications for how to execute repairs.

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