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Abstract
This section discusses the major maintenance requirements for heat exchangers. This includes repairing and replacing body flanges, body flange gasketing and torquing considerations, bundle replacement and repair, tube leak repairs, shell repairs, and on-line leak repairs. Contents 1010 Replacing Versus Repairing Body Flange Leaks 1011 Causes of Flange Leaks 1012 Criteria for Flange Replacement 1013 Analyzing Existing Flanges 1014 Replacing Body Flanges 1015 Repairing Existing Flanges 1020 Flange Gasketing and Torquing 1021 Choosing the Proper Gasket 1022 Reasons to Torque Bolted Enclosures 1023 Torque Calculations 1024 Developing a Torquing Procedure 1030 Bundle Retubing, Replacement, or Repair 1031 General Considerations for Opening Up an Exchanger 1032 Considerations for Retubing, Repairing, or Replacing the Bundle 1033 Bundle Repair Worksheet 1040 Tube Leak Repairs 1050 Shell Repairs 1060 Online Leak Repairs 1061 Types of Online Repairs 1062 Temporary Online Leak Repair Procedures 1000-15 1000-15 1000-15 1000-11 1000-10 Page 1000-3
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1070 References
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Figure 1000-1 illustrates the gasket seating problems related to flanges that are not aligned properly or are rotated.
Weather
Rain storms can deform uninsulated flanges and unseat the gasket.
Mechanical Damage
Gasket was damaged during installation. Flange surface was scratched or gouged during maintenance. Poor torquing procedure caused uneven compression of the gasket around its circumference.
Corrosion
Flange is so extensively corroded there is not enough gasket seating surface left.
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Process Upsets
Excessive temperatures or pressure surges can unseat the gasket and stretch the bolts.
Inspection
The following inspection techniques can be used to analyze existing flanges: Check for flange rotation. Are the flanges metal-to-metal around any part of the circumference? Inspect the gasket. See Figure 1000-2 for problems that examination of the gasket can point out. Inspect the gasket seating surface for damage or corrosion. Measure the flange thickness to determine if it is at or below ASME tmin. Measure the critical dimensions and compare them with the original exchanger and TEMA tolerances. Figure 1000-3 can be used for this purpose.
The following procedure can be used for analyzing existing flanges: Check the flange thickness versus ASME tmin and Chevron Method tmin using the PCFLANGE program for the existing gasket design. If existing thickness is less than ASME tmin then flange will need to be replaced.
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Fig. 1000-2 Determining the Cause of Leakage by Examining the Gasket Observation Gasket badly corroded Gasket extruded excessively Causes and Possible Remedies Select replacement material with improved corrosion resistance. Select replacement material with better cold flow properties; select replacement material with better load carrying capacity, i.e., more dense. This could also indicate excessive bolt load or insufficient gasket width. Select replacement material with better load carrying capacity; provide means to prevent crushing the gasket by use of a stop ring or re-design of flanges. This could also indicate excessive bolt load or insufficient gasket width. Review gasket dimensions to insure gaskets are proper size. Make certain gaskets are property centered in joint. Select softer gasket material. Select thicker gasket material. Reduce gasket area to allow higher unit seating load. This is indicative of excessive flange rotation or bending. Alter gasket dimensions to move gasket reaction closer to bolts to minimize bending movement. Provide stiffness to flange by means of back-up rings. Select softer gasket material to lower required seating stresses. Reduce gasket area to lower seating stresses. This results from improper bolting-up procedures. Make certain proper sequential bolt-up procedures are followed. Non-uniform thermal stresses may also be a problem. This is indicative of flange bridging between bolts or warped flanges. Provide reinforcing rings for flanges to better distribute bolt load. Select gasket material with lower seating stress. Provide additional bolts if possible to obtain better load distribution. If flanges are warped, re-machine or use softer gasket material.
Gasket mechanically damaged due to overhang of raised face or flange bore. No apparent gasket compression achieved.
Determine if a different gasket will solve the problem. Use Figure 500-15, in Section 540, to choose the optimum gasket. Determine the ASME tmin for the new gasket. If the existing flange is not thick enough to properly compress the gasket consider replacing the flange.
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flanges. See Section 530 and Appendix G for more detailed discussions of the design methods. Use integral body flanges if possible. Follow ASME Code procedures for replacing and inspecting the flanges.
It is very important that all repairs be accompanied by a welding procedure if needed and a technical drawing showing the dimensions and tolerances that must be met after the repair is complete.
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They prevent cocking the flange faces or pinching the gasket due to uneven bolt loading.
Caution ture.
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Fig. 1000-4 Torque Calculation Procedure (1 of 2) A. Nomenclature Ab bo b D Dr G = = = = = = Cross sectional root area of one bolt (in2) (see Figure G-4, Appendix G) Gasket seating width (N/2) (inches) (see Figure G-3, Appendix G) Effective gasket seating width (inches) (see Figure G-3, Appendix G): b = b o if bo 0.25"; b = (bo)/2 if bo 0.25" Nominal diameter of bolt or stud (inches) Bolt diameter at root of threads (inches) Diameter at location of gasket load reaction (inches): G = (O.D. + I.D.)/2 if bo 0.25 G = O.D. - 2b, if bo > 0.25 Pd Ph Lp m n N S T y W1 W2
Note
= = = = = = = = = = =
Design pressure for your application (psig) Hydrotest pressure for your application (psig) Total length of pass partition gaskets (in.) (Lp = G for one pass partition) Gasket factor (Refer to Figure G-2, Appendix G or ASME Code, Section VIII, Division 1, Appendix 2, Table 2-5.1) Number of bolts Contact width of the gasket (inches) (see Figure G-3, Appendix G). Bolt stress (psi) Torque (ft-lbs) Gasket seating stress (psi) (Refer to Figure G-2, Appendix G or ASME Code, Section VIII, Division 1,Appendix 2, Table 2-5.1) Bolt load to pass hydrotest, lbf Bolt load for operating conditions, lbf
These calculations can be performed using the PCFLANGE program. (See Appendix H)
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Fig. 1000-4 Torque Calculation Procedure (2 of 2) B. Calculating a Torque Value: Find bo Find b (see Nomenclature) Calculate G (see Nomenclature) Find Lp Find m Find y Calculate W1 and W2: W1 = 0.785 G2Ph + 2b(3.14 G + Lp) m Ph W2 = 0.785 G2P
d + b(3.14 G + Lp) y
bo b G Lp m y
W1 W2 W S
W = Larger of W1 or W2 Calculate bolt stress, S = W/(Ab n) Calculate Torque T = 0.013 S(Dr)3 Round to nearest multiple of 25 for final torque
Note These calculations can be performed using the PCFLANGE program. (See Appendix H)
= (ft-lb)
Tf
= (ft-lb)
Is the exchanger performance satisfactory? In other words, does the U-value or DP indicate fouling or internal damage.
Based on this bundles history and the history of similar bundles in similar services, will the bundle last until the next turnaround? Accurate inspection records are important in making this decision.
Can exchanger be cleaned on the run? Isolating an exchanger and cleaning it with the surrounding equipment operating entails significant safety and operating problems. This is usually done only if the exchanger and piping were designed to allow for online cleaning.
Can the unit be chemically cleaned? Light uniform fouling may be chemically cleanable. Locally plugged exchangers cannot be chemically cleaned. Chemical cleaning is expensive and all of the environmental and safety implications should be considered first. Section 700 of the Corrosion Prevention Manual, Book 1, discusses chemical cleaning in more detail.
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Change shell side pass configuration and baffling to improve heat transfer and decrease fouling. Use different materials that will increase the bundle reliability and life. (As a general rule, even in corrosive services such as sea water, a bundle should last at least two operating runs. Contact the CRTC Materials and Equipment Engineering Unit for help in this area.) Change from floating head to U-tube design. (See Sections 450 and 520.)
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Repairs 2 and 3 are only temporary fixes and can be very expensive. Permanent repairs must be made during the next turnaround. The work required to remove the leak sealing compound in order to repair the exchanger can also be time consuming and costly. The next section discusses these temporary repairs in more detail.
Safety Considerations
The contractor must understand all local safety regulations applicable to the work. The contractor must understand the nature of the leakage and why it is occurring in order to use a safe procedure.
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All safety precautions and protective clothing required should be listed on the Leak Sealing Checklist (Figure 1000-5) and reviewed with the contractor. A plant Safety Operator must be present during the execution of leak sealing work on plant equipment. Sealant injections should not be made into any pressure relief valve or bursting disc if the sealant could obstruct their free and full discharge requirements. If a clamp or enclosure was installed prior to 1984, the sealant compound may contain asbestos. Normal asbestos procedures should be used when removing these enclosures. Refer to Insulation and Refractory Manual, Section 500.
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is sometimes recommended to replace studs with Teflon coated blue bolts to resist caustic cracking. B-7 studs are also subject to sulfide cracking (H2S sour water) at temperatures below 200F. Stainless steel bolts are subject to chloride cracking at temperatures above 150F and caustic cracking above 140F. Consider using B7M bolts in these situations. Consult CRTC Technical Standards Teams Materials Division for more information if necessary. Extra caution should be exercised if excessive external pressure can be applied by sealant injection on cylindrical or spherical shapes. Collapsing pressures of thin-walled cylindrical members, based on an empty line, can be calculated by formulas in the Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers. All calculations should be approved by the appropriate engineering supervisor.
Repair Procedures
Figures 1000-6 through 1000-9 give the general work procedures to follow depending on the specific situation. These procedures can be adapted to a specific job and attached to the work order. Figure 1000-6 Procedure for Flange Joints with Less than 3/8" Gap Using Drill and Tap Method Figure 1000-7 Procedures for Sealing Flange Leaks with Use of Injection Ring Adaptor Figure 1000-8 Procedures for Sealing Flange Leaks on Pressures below 350 psi with Lug Adaptors Figure 1000-9 Procedures for Sealing Flange Joints with Gap Width in Excess of 3/8" Figure 1000-10 Methods for Sealing Flange Leaks
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Fig. 1000-6 Procedure for Flange Joints with Less than 3/8" Gap Using Drill and Tap Method 1. When possible, change out studs one at a time with the use of boiler clamps. 2. Drill 3/16-inch diameter holes between studs approximately 4 inches apart from outer circumferential flange surface at an angle to break through into gap area at bolt circle. (Outside stress area of flange.) On full surface gaskets and metal to metal joints, drilling is done into stud clearance areas. 3. Drill out hole to 5/16-inch diameter by 1/2-inch deep. 4. Tap out holes to 3/8-inch NC thread. 5. Install shut-off adaptors in tapped holes. 6. Insert tight fitting wire into gap around flange. 7. Lightly peen lock edge of flanges over wire with a bull nose peening chisel approximately 1/8-inch over gap size. 8. Starting 180 degrees from leak blow area, inject thermosetting compound around flange in both directions until gap area and stud clearance areas are full with final injection on shut-off adaptor directly over leak area. 9. After appropriate cure time depending on the temperature for steam, water, and air services under 600 psi, shut-off adaptors are removed and set screw plugs installed. 10. On pressures above 600 psi and on chemical services, shut-off adaptors are left in place. Fig. 1000-7 Procedures for Sealing Flange Leaks with Use of Injection Ring Adaptor(1) 1. Change out studs one at a time along with installing ring adaptor under the nut of each stud. One ring adaptor on thin, narrow gap flanges Two ring adaptors (each end of stud) on thicker, wider gap flanges 2. Insert tight-fitting wire in gap and peen lock edge of flange over wire to retain it. 3. Install shutoff adaptors into injection ring adaptors. 4. Starting on adaptors farthest away from leak, inject all adaptors with thermosetting compound closing after each injection, working around flange in both directions until flange is full and leak is stopped. 5. On steam, water, and air service with pressure below 600 psi: After proper curing time, shutoff adaptors are removed from ring adaptors and set screw plugs are installed. 6. On pressures above 600 psi and chemical service, shutoff adaptors remain in place.
(1) Refer to Figure 1000-10, Type II
Fig. 1000-8 Procedure for Sealing Flange Leaks on Pressures Below 350 psi with Lug Adaptors 1. Change out studs one at a time with the use of boiler clamps. 2. Install injection adaptor on stud nearest leak area for exhaust port and one adaptor 180 degrees from leak area. 3. Insert tight-fitting wire in gap and peen lock edges of flange over wire to retain it. 4. Start injection of thermosetting compound through adaptor furthest away from the leak. 5. After stud is full, remove adaptor and retighten stud and move to adjacent studs working around flange in both directions until all studs are injected. 6. After injection of last stud, leave injection gun on adaptor until proper curing time allows the removal of the last adaptor.
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Fig. 1000-9 Procedures for Sealing Flange Joints with Gap Width in Excess of 3/8(1) 1. Contractor will engineer and fabricate flange clamp. 2. When possible change out stud one at a time. 3. Install shutoff adaptors in flange clamp. 4. Install clamp in gap of flange. 5. Peen lock both flanges to clamp joints. 6. Inject thermosetting compound through shutoff adaptors starting at the point farthest away from leak working around the flange in both directions until flange joint is completely full and leak is stopped. 7. On steam, water, and air services with pressures below 600 psi: After proper compound curing time shutoff adaptors are removed and set screw plugs installed. 8. On pressures over 600 psi and chemical service, shutoff adaptors are left in place. 9. Depending on flange dimensions, temperature, and special circumstances, ring adaptor or drill and tap techniques may be used in conjunction with this procedure.
(1) Refer to Figure 1000-10, Type I
1070 References
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Appendix G, Heat Exchanger Body Flange Calculations. Appendix H, PCFlange Program Users Guide. ASME Code, Section VIII, Division 1. Latest ed.. Appendix S and 2. ANSI B16.5, Latest ed. Steel Pipe, Flanges and Flanged Fittings. TEMA (Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association), Latest ed. Lamons Gasket Handbook, Latest ed.
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