common thermography uses and applications within the petrochemical

8/17/2019 Common Thermography Uses and Applications Within the Petrochemical

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Common Thermography Uses and Applications within the Petrochemical,Offshore Oil and Gas, Chemical, and Power Generation Industries

Sonny James

Sonny James,Level III Certified Infrared Thermographer

Owner, Senior Instructor / Managingirector

! " Institute of Trinidad, Ltd# / Thermaliagnostics Ltd#

15 Robertson Street, Les Efforts EastSan Fernando,

Trinidad & Tobago,West Indies

$%$&%'(&)(*( / $%$&%'+&%'+www.learnndt. om

www.tdlir. om

s!ames"learnndt. om

Abstract

T#ermogra$#y $lays an im$ortant role wit#in t#e $etro #emi al, #emi al, and $ower generation

ind%stries. Wit# t#e %rrent global energy risis, t#ese energy based ind%stries m%st ontin%e tomeet #ig# 'ol%me demands w#ile red% ing o$erational osts and $re'enting fail%res. S% #fail%res an lead to losses in $rod% tion t#at may res%lt in a domino effe t all t#e way down to t#e

ons%mer. T#is $a$er will dis %ss se'eral areas w#ere t#ermogra$#y is %sed wit#in t#e$etro #emi al and energy se tors s% # as ele tri al, rotating e(%i$ment, steam systems, flowlines, $ress%re 'essels and f%rna es, generator ores, and offs#ore oil and gas $latforms.

Introduction

T#e $etro #emi al ind%stry is indeed a fas inating and #allenging ind%stry in w#i # to arry o%tany ty$e of nondestr% ti'e testing and $redi ti'e maintenan e ins$e tions. Wit#in a refinery

om$le) t#ere are a n%mber of different $lants t#at arry o%t a s$e ifi f%n tion and $ro ess* andwit#in ea # $lant t#ere is a m%ltit%de of e(%i$ment from ele tri al to me #ani al, to steamgeneration and steam $owered, to #ydra%li . T#ere is $ositi'e and negati'e $ress%ri+ede(%i$ment and a ra+y amo%nt of metals and alloys. T#e term %sed to sim$lify all of t#is is

-alan e of lant/. 0owe'er, as all e)$erien ed ins$e tors now, t#e words balan e of $lant/sim$ly mean yo% m%st be $re$ared to meet t#e onf%sing and %ne)$e ted.

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W#en we t#in of $etro #emi al $lants we t#in only of an oil refinery* #owe'er, t#e road to oilrefining omes in m%lti$le stages. T#ere are also se$arate #emi al $lants wit#in a$etro #emi al refinery, and %s%ally, w#ere t#ere is a region of $etro #emi al and #ydro arbon

a ti'ity, t#ere are also ot#er forms of $ro ess or #emi al $lants s% # as ammonia, met#anol,melamine, et .

T#is being said, it is only fitting to start from t#e gro%nd %$2

Offshore Gas and Oil Platforms

-efore any oil an be refined or any gas an be %sed to r%n $ower generation t%rbines, it m%st beretrie'ed from dee$ below t#e gro%nd. In t#e offs#ore en'ironment t#is %s%ally means drillingmany wells and maintaining t#em 'ia an offs#ore $latform. 3n e t#e wells #a'e been drilled andt#e flow of gas and oil is #arnessed and ontrolled, t#e offs#ore $ro ess is relati'ely sim$le in

on e$t. 4 $latform s main f%n tion is to retrie'e t#e gas and oil from 'ario%s wells, ontrol t#eflow, se$arate t#e solid, li(%ids and gases, and distrib%te t#e needed $rod% ts 6oil or gas7 %s%ally 'ia %ndersea $i$elines to t#e mainland.

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Offshore platform off the East coast of Trinidad day ! night shot"

T#ermogra$#y on an offs#ore $latform an be on standard e(%i$ment s% # as ele tri alswit #gear and $%m$s. 0owe'er, one of t#e most damaging $rod% ts on an offs#ore $latform issand. Too m% # sand oming %$ from t#e wells an a%se detrimental erosion $roblems wit#in

$i$es, 'al'es, and 'essels.

3ne way of monitoring sand is 'ia %ltrasoni sensors mo%nted at strategi lo ations on flowlines. 8nfort%nately, li e all te #nologies, t#ese %ltrasoni sensors do #a'e t#eir limitations. 4neffe ti'e means of monitoring sand being arried t#ro%g# from t#e wells is by ond% ting at#ermogra$#i s%r'ey of t#e se$arator 'essels.

T#e main f%n tion of an offs#ore se$arator is to (%i ly se$arate sand, water, oil, and gas. Wenow t#at o%t of t#ese fo%r materials, sand sin s in water w#ile oil floats, and gas is lig#t and old

and will remain on to$. 4lso, ea # of t#ese materials #as a 'ery different t#ermal a$a itan eand ond% ti'ity ma ing it $ossible to %se t#ermogra$#y to lo ate t#e relati'e le'els of solids andfl%ids.

In t#e 'ario%s t#ermal images below we an distin ti'ely differentiate between t#e layers of sand,water, oil, and gas. We an e'en see t#e sand s flow $attern t#ro%g# t#e o%tlet no++le, w#i # an#el$ to determine w#i # downstream 'al'es will be more affe ted by t#e erosi'e $ower of sand.

Se$arator s inlet se tion s#owing solid 6sand7 and fl%id 6water, oil, & gas7 le'els


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#eparator$s outlet section showing solids sand" e%iting the outlet piping

#eparator$s outlet head showing no solids sand" le&el because it e%ited through the outlet no''le

erforming t#ermogra$#i s%r'eys for se$arator sediment le'els demands t#at t#et#ermogra$#er #a'e a firm %nderstanding of fl%id dynami s, t#ermodynami s, and erosionme #anisms, along wit# a good %nderstanding of #eat transfer, emittan e, and refle tan e. 3nlywit# t#is nowledge will an ins$e tor be (%alified to ma e a %rate diagnoses w#i # will lead to$ro$er, ost effe ti'e means of minimi+ing t#e $roblems or, #o$ef%lly, eliminating t#e $roblems.Sometimes, it may be somet#ing as sim$le as $a ing gra'el in t#e well to red% e t#e flow ofsand.

(rom #ea to )and

If t#e wells and $latforms #a'e done t#eir !ob and are $rod% ing, t#ere are %s%ally two main

$rod% ts t#at are sent to two different $la es. T#e r%de oil is generally $i$ed 'ia %ndersea$i$elines to large #olding tan s for f%rt#er refining. 4 ommon a$$li ation of t#ermogra$#y at t#isstage is monitoring #olding tan le'els.


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0olding tan fl%id le'els

T#e nat%ral gas is sent on its !o%rney t#ro%g# miles of $i$elines to its main destination w#i # is%s%ally a $ower generation $lant. Some $lants %se f%el oil instead of nat%ral gas to generate$ower by steam generation 'ia boilers, b%t we will dis %s t#at later on. For now, we will let t#e

r%de oil settle in t#e storage tan s and fo %s on t#e m% # faster mo'ing nat%ral gas.

In o%r sim%lation, nat%ral gas will be %sed to generate ele tri al $ower by means of gas t%rbinegenerators, and it will also be %sed to $rod% e #ydrogen wit#in a #emi al $lant. It s#o%ld benoted t#at nat%ral gas is %s%ally s r%bbed before being %sed for t#is a$$li ation.

Power Generation Plants

ress%re, #eat, and nat%ral gas are %sed to s$in gas t%rbines, w#i # in t%rn s$in t#e generators,w#i # in t%rn generate ele tri al $ower t#ro%g# ele tromagnetism. Wit#in t#e t%rbine se tion,#eat lea s an be fo%nd at t#e gas seal areas of a t%rbine. T#is ins$e tion is arried o%t online.

9E Frame 5 9as T%rbine : 9as seal se tion s#owing #eat lea age


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T#e generator se tion ontains a stator and rotor. -ot# an be ins$e ted wit# t#ermogra$#yw#ile t#e generator is offline and disassembled. T#is ty$e of s%r'ey is fre(%ently done w#en t#estator needs to be re$a ed. Stator ores are made of iron bars w#i # ontain many small t#in$lates alled laminations. -ot# t#e stator and rotor an be ins$e ted wit# t#ermogra$#y by

wra$$ing se'eral oils wit# ins%lated ables along t#e a)is of t#e stator. T#en, a $re al %latedamo%nt of %rrent is a$$lied t#ro%g# t#e oils in order to generate a s%itable fl%).

9enerator stator ore oils wra$$ed aro%nd and ready for fl%)ing

T#e basis for t#is ins$e tion is to lo ate $otential s#orts wit#in t#e many laminations t#at ma e %$t#e entire ore. S#orts in laminations an a%se large tem$erat%re rises w#i # will %ltimately leadto a stator or rotor b%rn o%t.

-elow is a t#ermal image s#owing s#orted laminations in a ;< =egawatt generator stator ore.

Lamination s#orts in generator stator ore

Re$airs an be as sim$le as se$arating t#e lamination $lates wit# a nife or by %sing a $en ilgrinder to grind o%t t#e s#ort.

3n e $ower is generated, it is t#en sent to t#e $ower station s transformers and t#en to t#e mains%bstation for $ower distrib%tion to 'ario%s ot#er #emi al and $etro #emi al $lants. -elow are


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some t#ermal images s#owing se'eral $roblems t#at an be fo%nd wit#in s%bstations.

*+ - ./ bus bar bushings to generator brea.er

Transformer showing left and right primary sidebushings with internal problems

Transformer showing center primary side bushingwith e%ternal connection problem

1>? @ s%bstation lig#tning arrestor $roblem ;; @ b%s isolator onne tion $roblem

The Plant$s Incoming and 0ecei&ing #tation

3n e t#e $ower rea #es t#e #emi al and $etro #emi al $lants, it is %s%ally ste$$ed down 'iatransformers and t#en distrib%ted to 'ario%s swit #gear, motor ontrol enters, and distrib%tion$anels. T#is is t#e area w#ere t#e a'erage t#ermogra$#er wo%ld $erform t#eir t#ermogra$#i


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s%r'ey.

)ow oil le&el results in no oil circulating through transformer$sradiator fins and windings o&erheating

AB


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8 S battery ban s#owing a terminal $roblem

1eeping E&erything (lowing #moothly

=% # of t#e $ower distrib%tion wit#in $etro #emi al and #emi al $lants goes towards dri'ing

motors, $%m$s, om$ressors, and fans. T#is rotating e(%i$ment is 'ital to a $lant s o$eration andan be t#o%g#t of as a $lant s #eart w#ose !ob it is to $%m$, om$ress, $ress%ri+e, and ool down

t#e 'ario%s fl%ids t#at maintain t#e $lant s $rod% tion.

T#ermogra$#i ins$e tion of rotating e(%i$ment is 'ery ommon and is %s%ally ombined wit#ot#er te #nologies s% # as 'ibration and motor %rrent analysis.

2otors showing signs of misalignment problems


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%m$ motor on left s#owing signs of o'er#eating as om$ared to rig#t $%m$ motor

3'er#eating fan motor d%e to ins%ffi ientooling air ir %lation 6dirty fan g%ard7

Dormal fan motor wit# ade(%ateooling air ir %lation

3hy is it #o 4ot in 4ere5

4$art from generating $ower, t#e nat%ral gas retrie'ed from offs#ore $latforms is %sed in many$rod% tion $ro esses wit#in $etro #emi al and #emi al $lants. 4lso, we m%st not forget abo%tt#e r%de oil in o%r storage tan s t#at needs to be refined.

T#e $%m$s we s$o e abo%t abo'e also $ro'ide refined f%el oil to fire %$ boilers in order togenerate steam 6some boilers %se nat%ral gas instead7. T#e steam is t#en %sed for many$%r$oses s% # as $ower generation and to dri'e $lant t%rbines w#i # in t%rn dri'e $%m$s and

om$ressors. Eit#er nat%ral gas or refined f%el oil is %sed to fire and #eat %$ $ro ess #eaters.

In order to maintain effi ien y and safety, boilers and #eaters are ins$e ted wit# t#ermogra$#y tomonitor ins%lation and refra tory onditions and also to monitor t%be tem$erat%res.


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3ater tube boiler showing insulation damage on penthouse section

Process heaters showing refractory damage

4not#er %se for nat%ral gas wit#in a #emi al $lant is to $rod% e #ydrogen t#ro%g# a $ro essalled reforming. Dat%ral gas is sent into many atalyst filled t%bes wit#in a reformer f%rna e and

is mi)ed wit# t#e steam generated by t#e boilers. T#e reformer f%rna e is #eated 'ia manyb%rners t#at %s%ally %se nat%ral gas as t#eir f%el. T#is #eat reates a atalyti rea tion t#at$rod% es #ydrogen from t#e nat%ral gas and steam.

T#ermogra$#y on reformer f%rna es is similar to boiler and #eater ins$e tions.

Steam reformer f%rna e wall s#owing refra tory damage


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#team reformer tubes showing sagging

T#e r%de oil retrie'ed from offs#ore and ons#ore wells is sent to t#e refinery and to t#e Fl%idCatalyti Cra ing 8nit 6FCC87.

T#e FCC8 is an im$ortant $art of t#e oil refinery. T#e FCC8 brea s down long #ains of#ydro arbons into s#orter ones in a #emi al $ro ess alled ra ing. T#is allows refineries toma e $rod% ts s% # as gasoline and ot#er #ig# o tane f%els.

T#e FCC8 %ses a 'ery #ot atalyst to ra t#e #ydro arbons into s#orter #ains. T#e mi)t%ret#en tra'els from t#e FCC8 to anot#er distillation ol%mn so t#at t#e ra ed #ydro arbons anbe e)tra ted.

4 ontin%o%s FCC8 #as a $rimary rea tor, a distillation ol%mn for se$arating o%t t#e ra ed#ydro arbons, and a regeneration %nit for leaning t#e atalyst and $re$aring it for re%se.

(CCU 0egenerator Unit showing refractory problems

Earlier, we learned t#at boilers generate steam and t#at t#is steam is %sed t#ro%g#o%t$etro #emi al and #emi al $lants. =ost of t#e time t#e steam needed m%st be dry ands%$er#eated. T#e $roblem wit# steam is t#at as soon as it lea'es t#e boiler it starts to ool down


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and ondensate. T#is ondensate an a%se many $roblems in $i$ing and e(%i$ment and m%stbe e)$elled from t#e steam lines. Steam tra$s are %sed for t#is !ob. 4 steam tra$ s !ob is to ee$t#e dry steam in t#e $i$es and get rid of t#e #armf%l ondensate. 4lt#o%g# t#ere are manydesigns of steam tra$s, most a #ie'e t#eir $%r$ose by o$ening and s$%rting or $%rging o%t t#e

ondensate at intermittent inter'als.

Steam is energy and energy is money, so a$art from ee$ing e(%i$ment free of ondensate, it isin a $lant s best interest to ma e s%re t#eir tra$s #a'e not failed in t#e o$en $osition w#i # will

!%st waste t#e $re io%s and e)$ensi'e steam.

T#ermogra$#y in on!%n tion wit# %ltraso%nd testing is fre(%ently %sed to determine t#e wor ingondition of steam tra$s.

9ood steam tra$ Do steam in left steam tra$.Rig#t steam tra$ failed in o$en $osition

In order for steam, gas, oil, and ot#er fl%ids 6#ot or old7 to be $ro$erly distrib%ted t#ro%g#o%t a#emi al and $etro #emi al $lant, ea # m%st be sent t#o%g# many lengt#s of $i$ing and beontrolled or redire ted t#ro%g# 'al'es.

T#ermogra$#y an also be %sed to 'erify if 'al'es are eit#er in t#e o$en or losed $osition6$assing or not7. T#is is a relati'ely sim$le ins$e tion, #owe'er, t#e ins$e tor s#o%ld be awaret#at alt#o%g# yo% an tell if t#e 'al'e is $assing fl%id or not, yo% %s%ally annot tell #ow far t#e'al'e is o$en.


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Open or passing &al&e Closed 'al'e

ro ess $i$ing an also be ome obstr% ted or form internal blo ages and restri tions w#i # are%s%ally based on t#e ty$e of fl%id it arries and t#e tem$erat%re it maintains.

T#ermogra$#y is 'ery %sef%l in identifying internal line blo ages and restri tions.

Internal b%ild%$ may a%se fl%idflow restri tions Internal b%ild%$ may a%se $i$e blo ages

3hy is it #o Cold in 4ere5

C#emi al and $etro #emi al $lants are not all abo%t #ot 'essels and $i$ing. Some $lants #a'eryogeni $ro esses s% # as C3?, ammonia, and li(%efied nat%ral gas, so t#ere will be old

$i$es, $%m$s, 'essels, and tan s.

T#ermogra$#y is %sed to ins$e t t#ese ty$es of old e(%i$ment for ins%lation related $roblems,w#i # an lead to greater $roblems and also energy and effi ien y losses.


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Icing of ammonia line at pump 4mbient air tem$erat%re is >5 C 6 5 F7

-elow is a t#ermal image of a nat%ral gas sl%g at #er 'essel %sed to at #/ t#e sl%gs of nat%ralgas or li(%ids and a t as a b%ffer before t#e gas is %sed wit#in t#e $lant.

T#ermogra$#y an be %sed on sl%g at #er 'essels to identify sl%dge or li(%id le'els.

6atural gas slugcatcher sludge le&els

-elow is a t#ermal image of a distillation old bo).

T#ermogra$#y an be %sed to identify ins%lation $roblems wit#in old 'essels and $i$ing wit#in#emi al $lants.


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Ins%lation $roblems in old bo)

T#e following images are of an LD9 storage tan lo ated near t#e oastline. 4 t#ermogra$#is%r'ey s#owed t#at t#e tan s ins%lation was not s%ffi ient. Cold li(%efied nat%ral gas inside t#etan and warm air o%tside t#e tan a%sed ondensation to form t#ro%g#o%t t#e tan s e)ternal

s#ell and domed roof. T#is ondensation $roblem, o%$led wit# t#e sea bree+e #itting t#e tanarries o'er mi roorganisms from t#e sea and air. T#e dam$ and warm onditions allow t#ese

mi roorganisms to t#ri'e on t#e on rete s#ell and steel dome of t#e tan , res%lting in mold andalgae growt#.

)i7uefied 6atural Gas )6G" storage tan.with microbial algae and mold growth only on the sea facing side right side"


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)6G tan. steel roof dome showing condensation and microbial algae and mold attac.

=old and algae lo'e to orrode steel, w#i # leads to e)ternal orrosion and $itting of t#e steeldome of t#e #olding tan . T#ere is no (%i or e onomi al fi) in t#is instan e e) e$t for fre(%ent

leaning and $ainting of t#e affe ted areas to $re'ent or slow down t#e orrosion.

Conclusion

T#ermogra$#y #as a #%ge role to $lay wit#in all as$e ts of t#e #emi al and $etro #emi alind%stry. Dot only to monitor e(%i$ment onditions b%t also to identify design, re$air, and

onstr% tion o'ersig#ts. 4lt#o%g# t#ese are some of t#e more ommon a$$li ations w#eret#ermogra$#y is %sed wit#in t#ese $lants, t#ere are still many more %ses and a$$li ations, as wellas some %ses of t#ermogra$#y yet to be dis o'ered.

=any of t#e t#ermogra$#i a$$li ations arried o%t wit#in #emi al and $etro #emi al $lants are#allenging to say t#e least and re(%ire a solid %nderstanding of $lant e(%i$ment, $ro esses, and

#eat transfer $#ysi s in order to $ro$erly identify and diagnose $roblems and onditions.

T#is being said, I %rge all t#ermogra$#ers to stay %rio%s and loo at e'eryt#ing t#ro%g# t#e eyesof yo%r t#ermal imager and always as yo%rselfG W#y am I seeing t#isH/ o not be afraid toadmit yo% do not now, as t#is is %s%ally wel omed and leads to f%rt#er in'estigation, and in t%rn,learning and gaining more nowledge. o not be afraid of trial and error as t#is is #ow e'eryt#ingin t#e world is %ltimately a #ie'ed. Finally, find an infrared mentor or be ome a mentor yo%rselfand s#are yo%r nowledge wit# ot#ers.

common thermography uses and applications within the petrochemical

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