Static equipment and piping are designed for a certain design life, often 25 years. During this prolonged use, the material may deteriorate even when the system is used correctly as a result of:
- Creep due to prolonged loading under high temperature
- Corrosion and erosion due to the process medium
- fatigue due to cyclic operation or vibrations
When the design life has been reached, a re-assessment is required of its remaining service time, especially when design parameters may effectuate creep, fatigue or corrosion.
During the design life, damage may also occur due to occasional events such as impacts, overheating, severe wind (hurricane) loadings, human error such as forgetting to remove a temporary stop, and more. Both the effects of prolonged use and the occasional damages can be assessed by analysis conform to the Fitness For Service (FFS) code API 579. Dynaflow Research Group performs this type of assessments conform API 579 at all assessment levels, up to the most detailed Level 3.
Dynaflow Research Group is able to utilize:
- Extensive knowledge of API 579 as well as other referred codes
- FEA software to perform mechanical and thermal analyses
- Piping software to assess piping and compute piping loads on equipment nozzles
- Extensive experience with pressure vessels, boilers, heat exchangers, piping, etc.
During these analyses critical points in the system are identified that require priority when inspections by visual and NDT methods are scheduled. By identifying in detail these regions of increased concern the likelihood of localizing material deterioration found during inspection is significantly increased.
For more information please contact:
Edwin Schimmel
Project Engineer
+31 85 058 00 46
