Fitness for Service of Piping, Vessels and Tanks

Introduction

This course explains all fundamental principles of fitness for service, their practical application through case histories, and a step by step evaluation process for each type of degradation mechanism

The course also gives participants knowledge on all fundamental principles of component integrity, material properties of strength and toughness, and the introduction to stress and fracture mechanics

The course provides a review of degradation mechanisms, general metal loss, local wall thinning, pitting, blisters and laminations, mechanical defects (dents, gouges, misalignment, and distortion), crack-like flaws (stress corrosion cracking, weld flaws, crack-like defects), fatigue, and fire damage

Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will know

• Latest techniques to determine the fitness for service of operating tanks, vessels, piping systems, and pipelines and make cost-effective run or repair decisions
• A balanced approach between the fundamental technical principles of structural integrity, stress and fracture analysis, and their practical application to field conditions
• The tools necessary to recognize and assess defects in tanks, vessels, and piping
• How to apply the step by step 3level approach to evaluate inspection results and recognize potential failure modes
• The technical basis for reliability-based (risk-based) evaluation of remaining life
• Latest developments in defect assessment techniques, starting with simple rules and progressing to the more comprehensive evaluation techniques
• How to evaluate the structural integrity of corroded or damaged equipment, and assess their remaining life. Degradation mechanisms include: brittle fracture, general metal loss, local wall thinning, pitting, blisters and laminations, mechanical defects (dents, gouges, misalignment, and distortion), crack-like flaws (stress corrosion cracking, weld flaws, crack-like defects), fatigue and fire damage

Target Audience

• Maintenance and production supervisors and engineers who require an understanding of the Fitness For Service standard
• Design and system engineers
• Inspectors, project and maintenance engineers who are personally responsible for the reliable design, operation, maintenance and repair of equipment, systems, tanks, vessels, piping and pipelines

Mechanical Engineering Outline

The course covers the following topics:

Foundations of Fitness for Service Assessment

• Introduction
• Fitness For Service
• contents, objectives, and applications
• How to apply cost-effective run or repair decisions
• Fitness for Service assessment procedure
• An overview of what is new in the latest release
• The Assessment
• Structure if the Standard
• Examples of the major PARTS

Mechanical Integrity and Fitness for Service

•  Thickness and Stress equations for Assessment
• Calculation of Membrane Stress
• Pressure Vessel and End Caps
• Piping components and Boiler Tubes
• Techniques
• Brittle Fracture
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria

Pitting and Corrosion

• General Metal Loss
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria
• Worked example
• Local Metal Loss
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria
• Worked example
• Pitting Corrosion
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria
• Worked example

Blisters and Local Damage

• Hydrogen Blisters
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria
• Weld Misalignment and Shell Distortions
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria
• Worked example
• Cracks and Crack Like Flaws
• Elements of RSTRENG
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria
• Worked example

Creep and Fire

• Creep
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria
• Worked example
• Fire Damage
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques
• Acceptance Criteria
• Software review
• Various software packages considered
• Overview and Wrap Up