10350 Erosion of Austenitic Stainless Steel 90° Elbows of Charge Heater Tubes in Atmospheric Residue De-Sulphurization Unit (ARDS) of Mina Abdulla Refinery

Available for download

Product Number: 51300-10350-SG

ISBN: 10350 2010 CP

Author: Sunil V. Vipat, Musaed Al Arada, Mutlaq Al Enezi and Anil Kumar Ray

Publication Date: 2010

Member Price: $0.00

Non Member Price: $20.00

Price: $20.00

Qty:

Charge heater radiant and convection coils (tubes, U-bends & 90° radiant outlet elbows) in Atmospheric Desulfurization Unit (ARDS) of Mina Abdulla Refinery are made up of TP 347SS material. Charge heater is used for heating of atmospheric residue prior to entering into ARDS reactors for further desulfurization / de-metallization. Severe erosion and thinning was observed in the 90° radiation elbows during Year 2002 shutdown after a service life of about 12 Years. Erosion was noticed in charge heaters H-12-101 & H-12-201 in both ARDS Trains. These radiation 90° elbows are outside the charge heater firebox upstream of the heater outlet header.

This particular erosion phenomenon was restricted to a small area of the 90° elbows and resembled a sharp knife-like attack at the point of maximum damage. The most probable reasons for such severe erosion was the impingement of coke particles at the outer radius during online spalling and steam/air decoking operation during which velocities of steam/air may reach a very high magnitude. The high velocity steam/air stream carrying coke particles causes a bullet like impact on the point of incidence and the metal thereof is removed causing erosion.

Keywords: erosion, austenitic stainless steel, ARDS, online spalling, steam/air decoking, high pressure, high temperature