INSPECTING HEAT EXCHANGERS

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INSPECTING HEAT EXCHANGERS

Shell-and-tube type Plate type

We will look mainly at these (most are statutory equipment as they contain relevant fluids)
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INSPECTING HEAT EXCHANGERS

Some heat exchanger technical standards

TEMA 8th Ed :Standards for design and construction of heat exchangers

API 662 :Plate heat exchanger specifications

API 660 :Shell and tube heat exchangers for general refinery service ASME PTC 39 : Air cooled heat exchangers
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INSPECTING HEAT EXCHANGERS The TEMA regulations (Tubular Equipment Manufacturers Association
A USA technical standard ( but also used for guidance in most other countries)

TEMA is the main design document of interest to inspectors

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INSPECTING HEAT EXCHANGERS

TEMA sections
1.Nomenclature (names of heat exchanger components) 2.Manufacturing tolerances 3.General fabrication information Most useful 4.Performance and operation parts for 5.Design information inspectors 6.Flow induced vibration 7.Thermodynamics 8.Properties of fluids 9/10: Recommended good practice
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INSPECTING HEAT EXCHANGERS TEMA classes : R, C and B

High risk

R: Severe applications : Petrochemical industry C: Moderate applications:General process uses B: Chemical process service

Low risk

RCB=

Differences in : Minimum corrosion allowance Tube pitch,shell thickness and other design parameters

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First letter :Front end arrangement

Second letter :Shell flow path

Third letter :Back end arrangement

TEMA EXCHANGERS ARE CLASSIFIED BY TYPE :USING A 3LETTER ACRONYM

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TEMA EXCHANGER TYPES

E A Exchanger type

AES

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A: Channel and removable cover

TEMA TYPES: ANOTHER EXAMPLE

K: Reboiler configuration

T:Pull-through floating head

Kettle reboiler type AKT

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CONTACT TYPE EXCHANGER

9% Cr alloy for high temperature steam attemporator

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TEMA TECHNICAL CRITERIA

TEMA covers ASME V111 Div 1 predominantly the tubesheet and tube components

The pressure envelope is more often covered by pressure vessel code e.g ASME VIII-I
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TEMA EXAMPLE:NOZZLE TOLERANCES

G max

Major cause of overstressing of nozzle welds

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IN-SERVICE INSPECTION OF HEAT EXCHANGERS

3 major areas of interest Common corrosion and erosion mechanisms Failure assessment to pressure envelope code requirements Failure assessment to TEMA requirements
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IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
Water jet cleaning before inspection Steam cleaning can cause distortions

Light distillate is sometimes used

BUT
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IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
Corrosion products should be sampled BEFORE water washing

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IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
Example of scale before water washing

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IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
In-service checks can be divided into 3 parts
Shell Tube bundle Nozzles and fittings

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SHELL INSPECTION
OVERALL wall thinning (internal or external) Which is the most dangerous? LOCALISED wall thinning (internal or external)

Remember: isolated pitting is often ignored (according to API 510)

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SHELL INSPECTION
COMMON MECHANISMS ARE:
External CUI
Internal wastage (impingement/erosion/corr osion) Creep damage (>400 degC) SCC in stainless steel components Flange face imperfections (often SCC)
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Require a Code assessment. (See inspection exercise)

SHELL INSPECTION
SOME EXAMPLES:

External CUI
Internal wastage (impingement/erosion/corr osion) Creep damage (>400 degC) SCC in stainless steel components Flange face imperfections (often SCC)
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SHELL INSPECTION
MORE FLANGE FACE PROBLEMS:

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SHELL INSPECTION
TEMA gives limits on RF flange face imperfections

Measurement in radial direction

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SHELL INSPECTION
Limits of imperfections in RF flange faces

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

SOME EXAMPLES:
Tubeplate ligament erosion/cracking
Leaking tube-to-tubesheet joints Tubesheet distortion Scaling/corrosion of tubes Cracking/erosion of flow baffles

Some of these require a Code assessment. (See inspection exercise)

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

Tube pitch may be square or triangular (different TEMA rules for each)

Erosion

More difficult to mechanically clean outside

Ligament

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

CuNi tubes can suffer from galvanic corrosion caused by graphite

Graphite is used as a mandrel lubricant during manufacture of the tube

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

Some types suffer from intergranular corrosion

Ti tubes can suffer from problems due to incomplete annealing

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

Expanded (rolled)into tubesheet :some are seam welded

Standout

Rules of thumb for inspections

<5%Tube plugging (approx 1-2% taper) Max tube standout (d/3?) Reamed tubesheet hole (minimum expansion contact required over hole length)
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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

The internal joint is rarely seal welded (poor access)

Note threaded tie bar

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

Tubeplate bore measurement using a 3-point device

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

Tube-to-tubesheet joints can suffer crevice corrosion

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

Common internal pitting

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TUBE BUNDLE INSPECTION

NDT of heat exchanger tubes

1. Borescope (90 head) 2. Eddy current testing

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ECT INSPECTION OF TUBES

ECT can locate:

Wall thinning (loss of material due to corrosion) Surface breaking cracks (only)

Principle:
1. A probe induces eddy currents into the material 2.Cracks or lack of material affects the response and is measured by an electric circuit
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ECT INSPECTION OF TUBES

Probe traversed through each tube

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ECT INSPECTION OF TUBES

Note defect categorisation

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FITTINGS:BAFFLE IMPINGEMENT
Maximum clearance (TEMA) between baffles and shell approx 5mm Wear is worst around inlet nozzle area

Impingement wear

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INSPECTING HEAT EXCHANGERS

KEY POINT SUMMARY
1. Heat exchangers are PRESSURE EQUIPMENT
2. Hundreds of different designs(TEMA categories) 3. Specialised NDT techniques (ECT) 4. Heat exchangers are often (statutory) coded equipment 5. Corrosion/damage requires an assessment against code
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE?

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