Challenges
- 18-ft long shell section repair
- High-temperature repair
Benefits
- Cost-effective alternative
- Quick installation
- No hot work
Scope
A major chemical company on the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast successfully completed a 30” exchanger repair using its preferred maintenance contractor, who are trained in Technowrap™ composite repairs.
The 18-ft-long shell section of the carbon steel exchanger, which operates at 340°F, features two longitudinal seam welds experiencing preferential weld attacks. This resulted in internal corrosion and several through-wall defects.
Solution
During the repair, the exchanger was taken offline. Due to the flammable-area classification, Technowrap™ proved to be an optimal solution for restoring line integrity without requiring any hot work.
ICR’s team designed an engineered composite repair solution to mitigate the existing through-wall defects and prevent leaks should additional issues arise.
The solution comprised six layers of SRS carbon fibre cloth combined with a high-temperature resin system, along with heat blankets to complete the post-cure. This allowed the resin to operate safely at temperatures up to 428°F.
The repair was engineered for a 2-year service life.
Results
Being trained to deliver ICR’s best-in-class composite repairs enabled the contractor to execute a quick and seamless project for the client, despite the size of the repair. Safer and faster than traditional welding methods, they are well-equipped to deliver future repairs on the asset should they be required.
To learn more about Technowrap™, or to make an enquiry with our team, please click here.
