Integrity Assessments

Residual Life Assessment

Assessing the condition and remaining life of industrial plants that operate at high temperature and high pressure becomes more critical as the plant ages.  Residual Life Assessment will guide plant owners and operators towards proper maintenance and replacement programs and avoid forced outages.

Residual Life assessment is an essential component of Total Asset Integrity Management.

RAE Engineering and inspection Ltd. utilizes a range of tools in assessing the residual life of high temperature, high pressure plants such as steam generators and refinery equipment:

• Non destructive Examination

Most non-destructive examination (NDE) techniques are an essential part of Residual Life Assessment. For stress and fracture mechanic calculations, it is important that accurate defect sizing and characterization be emphasized.

• Process and Operational History Evaluation

Studying the operating history of the plant and evaluating it in terms of temperature and pressure excursions provides essential information for realistic Residual Life Assessment.

• Metallographic Evaluation using the Replication Technique

Creep is a major cause of material degradation and cracking in plant components - steam piping, boiler headers, boiler tubes, turbine casings, valves etc. - that operate at high temperature and pressure. From the initial onset of creep, it progresses into creep crack development and finally creep crack growth. Using the metallographic replication technique, RAE can evaluate the material surface microstructure and assess the creep damage that may be developing -prior to catastrophic failure. Using past history and quantitative evaluation of the creep damage, a life prediction can be made for certain components. The replication technique can also be used to identify other material degradation caused by improper heating - embrittlement, graphitization and micro structural decomposition.