REMAINING LIFE ASSESSMENT OF FIBER

REINFORCED PLASTIC (FRP) PIPE IN LNG PLANT

AFTER 20 YEARS IN OPERATION

Luthfi Ardiansyah
PT Badak NGL Technical/Inspection
 Introduction
PT Badak NGL Plant, Bontang, Kalimantan Timur
Facilities Unit

LNG Train 8
LNG Tank 6
LPG Tank 5
Boiler 21
Tr A
Tr B Tr H Power Generator 15
Tr C Tr G
Tr D
Tr F Cooling Water Pump 22
Tr E
Jetty / Loading Dock 3

Production Capacity
1977 1983 1989 1993 1997 1999
LNG, mtpa 22.5
Tr. A/B Tr. C/D LPG Tr. F Tr. G Tr. H
Tr. E TADD LPG, mtpa 1.02

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 Background

Train G has already reached its design life (20 years) in 2017.
FRP material piping are utilized to distribute sea water as cooling media
for heat exchanger equipment.
Assessment is needed to estimate the remaining useful life of the
equipment in Train G, to ensure it will run properly and safely in the
future.

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 FRP Assessment Flowchart
Laboratory Assessment

Site Assessment Mechanical test

Selecting the most Determination Flexural Test
critical location Sample Point Tensile Test
Outlet Cooling water Hoop Tensile Test
Stress Analysis
Propane Fiberglass Content
Vibration Evaluation Desuperheater Heat Fatigue Test
Thickness & Exchanger
Delamination Residual Strength
Test
Hardness Test

Creep Test
Result Time Temperature
Superposition

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 Site Assessment

Stress Analysis Thickness & Vibration Test

Delamination Test

23 point of above Found at three G4-E-1B is chosen

ground FRP pipe location as FRP Sample
were analyzed Location

Stress Vibration Test

Outside Ultrasonic Test
Analysis Result
Diameter
No Location* Maximum De- Nominal Wall Actual Resultant
of Pipe
Stress lamination Thickness Thickness Amplitude
(Inch)
(MPa) Size (mm2) (mm) (mm) (m)
1 G4-E-1B 16 28.2 < 100 7.49 5,19 818.473
2 G4-E-2F 30 25.1 < 100 11.6 10.7 68.824
3 G4-E-2D 30 24.9 < 100 11.6 10.7 106.617
* Equipment numbering system in PT Badak NGL
G4-E-1B : Propane Desuperheater Heat Exchanger
G4-E-2F/D : Propane Condenser Heat Exchanger

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 Site Assessment
Sample Location
The most critical location from pipe system shall be selected as sample and
representing the remaining life of the FRP system in Train G.

10,595 mm

G4-E-1B

951 mm

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 FRP Assessment Result
Thickness Evaluation
Minimum Actual Initial. Thickness Thickness Required
Thickness (mm) (mm) (@ P= 3.5 kg/cm2) (mm)
5.19 7.49 0.356
. = ( + )

The pipe is still can be hold pressure up to 51 bar.

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 FRP Assessment Result
Mechanical & Physical Test
To determine current properties & compare to original properties specification.

Still above
min. Req.
Decrease
35%
Decrease
11%

Decreasing mechanical properties indication of aging phenomena's

Lead by weathering, moisture, ultraviolet and air born pollution during in service.
Since maximum stress applied on plant is 28.2 MPa, current FRP strength is still
acceptable

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 FRP Assessment Result
Fatigue Test

Fmaks Fmin Freq. Life Time Average Life

No Specimen R Results
(kN) (kN) (Hz) (Cycles) Time (cycles)
1 70-1 5.432 0.5432 0.1 8 1,111 Broken
2 70-2 5.432 0.5432 0.1 8 949 927 Broken
3 70-3 5.432 0.5432 0.1 8 720 Broken
4 50-1 3.880 0.3880 0.1 3 68,988 Broken
5 50-2 3.880 0.3880 0.1 3 48,420 68,484 Broken
6 50-3 3.880 0.3880 0.1 3 88,044 Broken

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 FRP Assessment Result
Residual Tensile Strength Test
Condition Tensile strength , MPa
No Sample Load Max Load Min Life Time
Original Residual
(kN) (kN) (Cyclic)
1 70-R 5.432 0.5432 500 48.39
52.02
2 50-R 3.880 0.388 35,000 47.09
After broken cycles limit of each variable was obtained, evaluation was continued to obtain the
residual strength properties.
The evaluation performed by applying up to 500 cycles (with 70% tensile load) for the first specimen
and 35,000 cycles ( with 50% tensile load) to the others.
Each specimens then subjected to tensile test and being compared to the original tensile strength.
tensile strength decreased by only 9% (48.39 MPa) and 7% (47.09 MPa) from original tensile
strength (52.02 MPa).
This show that fatigue stress did not have any significant effect on FRP mechanical properties. As
glass fiber dominant type, performance of FRP pipe during service lifetime was affected by creep
stress rather than fatigue stress.

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 FRP Assessment Result
Creep Test Time Temperature Superposition Method
157442, 0.8384
0.90
0.80 Creep 23C-
70%
0.70
0.60 Creep 40C-
70%
Strain, %

0.50
0.40 Creep 60C-
70%
0.30
Graph
0.20 Grafik
40C40C
Shifted
Shifted
0.10
0.00 Grafik
Graph60C
60C
1 10 100 1000 10000 100000 1000000 Shifted
Shifted
Time, Hours

No inflection point in the end of curve sample not broken yet.

FRP pipe is estimated to have the remaining life for another 20 years.

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 Conclusion
From mechanical test results, the FRP pipe experienced aging phenomena
indicated from the decreasing of mechanical properties (hoop strength &
tensile strength) even though flexural strength still above minimum
technical specification of FRP product. However, current strength is still in
acceptable level compare to operational stress.
Fatigue stress did not have any significant effect on tensile strength
properties of FRP since the residual strength difference to initial the tensile
strength only 7%-9%.
Based on creep test, curve condition during creep test still in linear
position and ended before reaching inflection point was achieved (sample
not yet broken), showed that the remaining life of FRP Pipe is still more
than 20 years.

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 Thank you

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