Engineering Assessments

Downstream Plant Equipment Assessments

Our experience is unsurpassed in the assessment of critical plant equipment such as Coke Drums, Fired Heaters, Cat Reformers, Hydrotreaters and Hydrocrackers, FCCU Equipment, High Temperature Piping, Pressure Vessels and Structures. The primary objective of these assessments is to measure and monitor what is actually occurring including stresses, gradients, fatigue, and vibration. We then use this information to develop the most appropriate solution.

Our multidisciplinary approach is comprehensive:

• Understand the failure mechanism and why the component or system failed
• Monitor the actual loads and stresses on vessels, components, and/or systems in the field using strain gages, thermocouples, and/or accelerometers for vibration
• Inspect the component to determine its actual condition, location, and size of defects using appropriate NDT methods – acoustic emission, ultrasonics, replication, scoop sampling, hardness testing, etc.
• Perform engineering analyses – finite element analysis, pipe stress analysis, defect and flaw assessment,
  API 579 fitness-for-service assessments, fluid dynamics, vibration, etc.
• Develop repair procedures, welding, and planning etc.
• Use these data to help improve daily operation and/or implement design improvements as appropriate

Vital to this approach is going to the field and measuring actual stresses and loads on pressure vessels, piping, reactors, heaters, etc. to accurately define and understand your problems. We then analyze these field data and use our extensive knowledge of failure mechanisms to plan the most appropriate engineering assessments. Results of this process provide the information you need to make the best decisions.